ORNL-5388 - the Molten Salt Energy Technologies Web Site

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technology is closer to commercialization, there is a reluctance both by
U.S. industry and by foreign governments to embrace an alternative which
is less developed and which is considered primarily on the basis of its
nonproliferation advantages, and this would have to be overcome.
r
The R,D&D costs for developing the denatured 233U fuel cycle are significantly
higher than those for the Pu/U cycle.
If advanced converters must also be
developed, significant additional costs would be incurred.
important conclusions from this study are as follows:
The once-through cycle based on LWRs is likely to dominate nuclear power
production through the year 2000.
the denatured cycle or the Pu/U cycle for the recycle mode.
The denatured 233U fuel cycle can be used in LWRs, SSCRs, HWRs, HTGRs,
and FBRs without major changes from the present conceptual reactor designs
based on their reference fuels.
This provides time to develop either
After the necessary R,D&D is completed, the denatured 23% fuel cycle
appears to be economically competitive with the Pu/U fuel cycle in LWRs,
advanced converters, and in symbiotic fast-thermal recycle systems.
With the fuel resources assumed, the nuclear power demand postulated in this
study (350 GWe in the year 2000 and a net increase of 15 GWe/yr thereafter)
can be met as well by the denatured fuel cycle as it can by the Pu/U cycle.
However, the Pu/U-FBR cycle has an inherent ability to grow at a faster rate
than the other cycles.
basis of this study, it is recommended that:
Optimized designs of a1 ternate breeders , improved LWRs , HWRs , SSCRs , and
HTGRs be examined to refine the characteristics of the denatured cycle
relative to fuel utilization, economics and energy-support ratio. The
study should also be expanded to include LWBRs and the fast breeder
designs developed by DOE in the Proliferation Resistant Large Core
Design Study (PRLCDS). More detailed assessments of the proliferation
risks and the economics of the denatured cycles compared to other
recycle options (Pu/U and HEU/Th) should also be pursued.