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Getting the LFTR Off The Ground

Getting the LFTR Off The Ground. Computational Physics For Liquid-Fueled Thorium Reactors. Paul Houle http://know-nukes.com/. “… Generation IV Systems are expected to become available for commercial introduction in the period between 2015 [to] 2030 or beyond”

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Getting the LFTR Off The Ground

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  1. Getting the LFTR Off The Ground Computational Physics For Liquid-Fueled Thorium Reactors Paul Houle http://know-nukes.com/

  2. “… Generation IV Systems are expected to become available for commercial introduction in the period between 2015 [to] 2030 or beyond” -- Gen IV International Forum

  3. Timescale 1979 ORNL Proposal For DMSR Development Source: ORNL-TM-6415 Figure S.2

  4. Immediate Research Goals • Explore Design Space • Quantify Benefits Of Molten-Salt Reactors • Develop A Specific Proposal For A Test Reactor

  5. Components Of Reactor Design Source: A. Seonske, Nuclear Power Plant Design Analysis, TID-26241, 1973

  6. Outline

  7. Neutronics

  8. Two Methods of Neutronic Calculation Diffusion Equation Monte Carlo

  9. 5 Radiation Safety Information Computational Center • Criticality Calculations • Neutron Flux • Nuclear Transformations • Shielding • … in arbitrary geometry with arbitrary materials

  10. Rez: Two-Fluid Central Core Fuel Salt: 0.266% U233 Fertile Salt: 27% Th Critical Mass: 160-208 kgBreeding Factor: 1.07-1.12Doubling time: 1115-1314 days Wow! Source: J Frýbort, R Vočka, “Neutronic Analysis of Two-Fluid Thorium MSR”

  11. Rez: Two-Fluid Blanket Source: H. F. McFarlane, R.W. Benedict “Management of Super-Grade Plutonium in Spent Nuclear Fuel”

  12. Rez: What’s the Catch? • High Flow Rate • Up to 8 m/s • Graphite Lifetime • Better Materials? • Reduced Power Peaking? • Easy replacement? • Huge Blanket Void Coefficient • k=1.8 • Hard to license if rapid insertion of k = 1.003 is possible • But… • Can we sacrifice breeding performance? • Depend more on external blanket? • Add passive reactivity control devices?

  13. Depletion

  14. Breeding From Thorium 232Th 233Th n 22.2 min But.. 233Pa 233Pa + n -> 232Pa + 2n 27 d 232Pa -> 232U + β- 233U Short Doubling Time -> High Neutron Flux on 233U High Conversion Ratio -> Low Neutron Flux on 233Pa

  15. Single-Fluid Protactinium Solution • Allows single-fluid breeding, but.. • Requires advanced fuel processing (practical?) • Concerns about proliferation

  16. Fuel Salt • Blanket Salt • Blanket Reservoir Two-Fluid Protactinium Solution Reactor • Simple Fuel Processing • Optimal System Parameters • Highest Breeding Ratio, Shortest Doubling Time

  17. Coupled Analysis Of Fluid Fuel Reactors Source: C. Le Brun, L. Mathieu, D. Heuer, A. Nuttin “Impact of the MSBR Concept Technology on long-lived radiotoxicity and proliferation resistance” See Also: ORNL-TM-4210

  18. Thorium MSR Core • “1-1/2 fluid” reactor, variants: • Thermal TMSR (1600 kg 233U) • Epithermal TMSR (4200 kg 233U) • Fast TMSR (8300 kg 233U) • Fuel Processing: • Bubbling extracts insoluble elements • Batch process, every six months • Near-unity breeding Source: C. Le Brun, L. Mathieu, D. Heuer, A. Nuttin “Impact of the MSBR Concept Technology on long-lived radiotoxicity and proliferation resistance”

  19. Thorium MSR Fuel Processing Source: C. Le Brun, L. Mathieu, D. Heuer, A. Nuttin “Impact of the MSBR Concept Technology on long-lived radiotoxicity and proliferation resistance”

  20. Actinide Inventory with Auto-Recycle • MSBR-like Core (Thermal Spectrum) • Fast spectrum produces 10x as much Pu, but still 1/10 of PWR • Good news: Pu is > 60% 238Pu (Weapons Useless) • Equilibirum3H production about half of CANDU Source: C. Le Brun, L. Mathieu, D. Heuer, A. Nuttin “Impact of the MSBR Concept Technology on long-lived radiotoxicity and proliferation resistance”

  21. Fuel-Cycle Analysis

  22. Source: J. J. Jacobson, A. M. Yacout, G. E. Matthern, S. J. Piet, D. E. Shropshire, “Vision: Verifiable Fuel Cycle Simulation Model”

  23. Back of the Envelope… • 400 tons of Pu From LWR -> 33 GWe of Fast Near Breeders • Thermal MSR near breeders need ~ 1/10 the fissile inventory • Same start charge could fuel ~ 300 Gwe of MSR Near Breeders Sources: http://nucleargreen.blogspot.com/2009/06/s-prism-scalability-repost-for-steven.html C. E. Boardman, D. G. Carrol, C. Ehrman, C. E. Walter, “S-PRISM Fuel Cycle Study”

  24. Launching the Thorium Economy Existing LWR Fleet MSR Advanced Breeder U Metal+ Th Oxide Mined U Mined Th U-Th Oxide MSR Near Breeder U Oxide MSR Converter Pu -> 233U LWR Spent Fuel Pu

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