ORNL-5388 - the Molten Salt Energy Technologies Web Site

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to be fabricated in nonradioactive facilities.
to in the remainder of the text as fuel recycle Option 1.
This fueling option will be referred
Fifth-generation recycle of fuel types 0 and E with 93% 235U makeup (Option 1).
First recycle of' fuel type 0, with recycle uranium in all fuel assemblies of a reload
batch. Makeup uranium is 20% and 93% 235U as needed to maintain reactivity. In this
option all fuel would probably require remote fabrication facilities. This fueling
option will be referred to in the remainder of the text as fuel recycle Option 2.
H. Fifth recycle of fuel type G with 235U makeup (Option 2).
The uranium compositions of these fuels are shown in Table 3.3-2.
should be assumed that natural uranium is also available.
Table 3.3-2. Uranium Fuel Mixtures That May Be Available
(Weight Fraction in Urani um)
In addition to these, it
Isotope A 6 C 0 E F G H
23211 0 5.02 x lo-' 6.565 x 10-4 0 1.2363 x 10-4 2.445 x lo-' 1.134 x lo-' 2.331 x 10'
23311 0 0.118611 0.11498 0 0.047004 0.0591 4 0.04310 0.05638
Z3"U 1.2 x lo-' 0.008523 0.035108 0.001754 0.005430 0.02115 0.005125 0.020245
235U 0.032 0.002317 0.01255 0.2000 0.13201 0.11 3457 0.1 3765 0.11749
236U 0 0.000036 0.005327 0 0.02303 0.056496 0.021119 0.05386
238U 0.96788 0.870011 0.831228 0.798246 0.792389 0.749522 0.793021 0.75188
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Description of Fuel Type:
A - 3.2 wt X z35U from natural uranium.
6 - Thorium breeder blanket fuel denatured with depleted uranium.
C - Flfth generation recycle of B with thorium breeder blanket makeup.
0 - 20 wt % 23511 from natural uranium.
E - First recycle of D with 93 wt X 235U in uranium makeup (Option 1. see note).
F - Flfth generation recycle of 0 with 93 wt % 235U in uranium makeup (Option 1. see note).
G - First recycle of 0 with 93 wt X 235U makeup (Option 2, see note .
H - Fifth recycle of D with 93 wt X 235U makeup (Option 2. see notel.
- NOTE: Fuel types E and F are deslgned so that not all of the fuel in a reload batch Is recyclf fuel; some of the
reload batch will contain fuel type D. This situation Is analogous to the "traditional concept envisioned
for plutonium recycle fuels. This concept allows some of the fuel to be fabricated in non-radioactive
facillties, and is referred to In the text as fuel recycle Option 1.
Fuel types G and H result if every assembly in the reload batch contains recycle fuel. The fueling mde 1s
referred to as Option 2.
Isotopic Separation of Fresh Fuel
Selection of Separation Facility. Of the various uranium isotope separation processes
which have been conceived, only the current technology processes (i.e., gaseous diffusion,
gas centrifuge, the Becker nozzle and the South African fixed wall centrifuge) and possibly
the calutron process could be considered as near-term candidates for a clandestine facility
capable of enriching divered reactor fuel.
technology.
Of these, the gas centrifuge may be the preferred
This conclusion is directly related to the proven advantages of the process,
which include a high separation factor per machine, low electrical power needs, and the
adaptability to small low-capacity but high-enrichment plants. Further, more national groups
(i.e., the U.S., England, Holland, Germany, Japan, Australia, and France) have operated