One of the main challenges faced by nuclear power plants is the scarcity of U-235, the fissile isotope used in conventional nuclear reactors. While there is enough U-235 in the world to fuel current reactors, the demand for energy is increasing rapidly, especially in emerging economies like China and India, and this could lead to shortages in the future. One potential solution to these challenges is to use a mixture of Thorium and Transuranic (TRU) elements. TRU elements are produced in spent fuel from conventional Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs) and pose a long-term storage challenge due to their long half-lives and radiotoxicity. However, they can be used as a fuel option for energy production. Additionally, Thorium is much more abundant than Uranium, and it is estimated that there is enough Thorium in the world to supply nuclear power for thousands of years. Combining Thorium and TRU elements in Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) can therefore offer a sustainable and cost-effective solution to the challenge of nuclear fuel. By transmuting TRU elements, the long-term storage challenge of spent fuel can be reduced, while the use of Thorium as a fuel can significantly reduce the demand for Uranium. This would not only provide a more sustainable source of energy but also help to address concerns over the scarcity and environmental impact of conventional nuclear energy. In this regard, current study investigates the potential application of Thorium/TRU fuel in near deployment Light water SMRs (LW-SMRs). The world Thorium resources and projects and also the reprocessing methods of U-233 and Transuranic isotopes have been reviewed comprehensively. Then the neutronics, fuel cycle, kinetics and thermal hydraulic analysis of conceptual LW-SMR loaded by TRU and Thorium fuels have been conducted and the results have been compared with reference SMR data.
Analysis of thorium-transuranic fuel deployment in a LW-SMR: A solution toward sustainable fuel supply for the future plants
D’Auria Francesco
Supervision
;Maiorino J. R.Conceptualization
;
2024-01-01
Abstract
One of the main challenges faced by nuclear power plants is the scarcity of U-235, the fissile isotope used in conventional nuclear reactors. While there is enough U-235 in the world to fuel current reactors, the demand for energy is increasing rapidly, especially in emerging economies like China and India, and this could lead to shortages in the future. One potential solution to these challenges is to use a mixture of Thorium and Transuranic (TRU) elements. TRU elements are produced in spent fuel from conventional Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs) and pose a long-term storage challenge due to their long half-lives and radiotoxicity. However, they can be used as a fuel option for energy production. Additionally, Thorium is much more abundant than Uranium, and it is estimated that there is enough Thorium in the world to supply nuclear power for thousands of years. Combining Thorium and TRU elements in Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) can therefore offer a sustainable and cost-effective solution to the challenge of nuclear fuel. By transmuting TRU elements, the long-term storage challenge of spent fuel can be reduced, while the use of Thorium as a fuel can significantly reduce the demand for Uranium. This would not only provide a more sustainable source of energy but also help to address concerns over the scarcity and environmental impact of conventional nuclear energy. In this regard, current study investigates the potential application of Thorium/TRU fuel in near deployment Light water SMRs (LW-SMRs). The world Thorium resources and projects and also the reprocessing methods of U-233 and Transuranic isotopes have been reviewed comprehensively. Then the neutronics, fuel cycle, kinetics and thermal hydraulic analysis of conceptual LW-SMR loaded by TRU and Thorium fuels have been conducted and the results have been compared with reference SMR data.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
