Evaluated Nuclear Data for Nuclides Within the Thorium-uranium Fuel Cycle
Evaluated Nuclear Data for Nuclides Within the Thorium-uranium Fuel Cycle

Author: International Atomic Energy Agency

Publisher:

Published: 2010

Total Pages: 57

ISBN-13: 9789201010100

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The thorium based nuclear fuel cycle offers many advantages with respect to safety, reduced proliferation risk and waste management. However, the quality of nuclear data for the relevant materials is lower than for the comparable materials in uranium or mixed oxide (plutonium) fuel cycles. This publication presents the results of a coordinated research project aiming to improve the database of experimentally measured nuclear data of nuclides appearing in the thorium-uranium fuel cycle. It includes complex and comprehensive evaluated nuclear data files with a broad consensus on quality and validated performance based on benchmark test cases.

Thorium Fuel Cycle
Thorium Fuel Cycle

Author: International Atomic Energy Agency

Publisher:

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 120

ISBN-13:

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Provides a critical review of the thorium fuel cycle: potential benefits and challenges in the thorium fuel cycle, mainly based on the latest developments at the front end of the fuel cycle, applying thorium fuel cycle options, and at the back end of the thorium fuel cycle.

Advanced Nuclear Energy Systems Toward Zero Release of Radioactive Wastes
Advanced Nuclear Energy Systems Toward Zero Release of Radioactive Wastes

Author: M. Saito

Publisher: Elsevier

Published: 2002-11-11

Total Pages: 448

ISBN-13: 9780080441733

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This volume is a collection of the papers presented at the International Seminar on Advanced Nuclear Energy Systems toward Zero Release of Radioactive Wastes, which was held in Japan in November 2000. Scientists and engineers working in academia, research organizations and industry came together to discuss the role and contributions of nuclear energy to the environmental issues in the new millennium. It provided a forum for open discussions about the pursuit of solutions for the reduction of nuclear wastes based on the accelerator and fusion technologies, in addition to the advanced fission technology to harmonize the nuclear energy systems with the global environment. It also promoted future international collaboration in the following research fields: the role of nuclear energy in the new millennium; waste management; transmutation of minor actinides and fission products; advanced fission systems, accelerator driven systems, fusion systems, nuclear database, and advanced nuclear fuel cycles for transmutation of wastes. Published originally as a special issue (volume 40/3-4) of the international journal Progress in Nuclear Energy.

Sustainable Thorium Nuclear Fuel Cycles
Sustainable Thorium Nuclear Fuel Cycles

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 2015

Total Pages: 14

ISBN-13:

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This article presents analyses of possible reactor representations of a nuclear fuel cycle with continuous recycling of thorium and produced uranium (mostly U-233) with thorium-only feed. The analysis was performed in the context of a U.S. Department of Energy effort to develop a compendium of informative nuclear fuel cycle performance data. The objective of this paper is to determine whether intermediate spectrum systems, having a majority of fission events occurring with incident neutron energies between 1 eV and 105 eV, perform as well as fast spectrum systems in this fuel cycle. The intermediate spectrum options analyzed include tight lattice heavy or light water-cooled reactors, continuously refueled molten salt reactors, and a sodium-cooled reactor with hydride fuel. All options were modeled in reactor physics codes to calculate their lattice physics, spectrum characteristics, and fuel compositions over time. Based on these results, detailed metrics were calculated to compare the fuel cycle performance. These metrics include waste management and resource utilization, and are binned to accommodate uncertainties. In conclusion, the performance of the intermediate systems for this self-sustaining thorium fuel cycle was similar to a representative fast spectrum system. However, the number of fission neutrons emitted per neutron absorbed limits performance in intermediate spectrum systems.

Nuclear Fuel Cycle Simulation System (VISTA)
Nuclear Fuel Cycle Simulation System (VISTA)

Author: International Atomic Energy Agency

Publisher: IAEA

Published: 2007

Total Pages: 112

ISBN-13:

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The Nuclear Fuel Cycle Simulation System (VISTA) is a simulation system which estimates long term nuclear fuel cycle material and service requirements as well as the material arising from the operation of nuclear fuel cycle facilities and nuclear power reactors. It is a scenario based simulation tool which can model several nuclear fuel cycle options including existing nuclear power reactor types and future possible reactor types. The past operations of the power reactors and fuel cycle facilities can be modelled in the system, in order to estimate the current amount of spent fuel stored or total Pu in stored spent fuel. It can also accept future projections for nuclear power and other scenario parameters in order to predict future fuel cycle material requirements.The model has been designed to be an optimum mixture of simplicity, speed and accuracy. It does not require too many input parameters if the purpose is just to compare the requirements for selected scenarios. Furthermore, the accuracy of the system can be improved by introducing more detailed and correct sets of input parameters.

Analysis of Cancer Risks in Populations Near Nuclear Facilities
Analysis of Cancer Risks in Populations Near Nuclear Facilities

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2012-06-29

Total Pages: 424

ISBN-13: 0309255716

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In the late 1980s, the National Cancer Institute initiated an investigation of cancer risks in populations near 52 commercial nuclear power plants and 10 Department of Energy nuclear facilities (including research and nuclear weapons production facilities and one reprocessing plant) in the United States. The results of the NCI investigation were used a primary resource for communicating with the public about the cancer risks near the nuclear facilities. However, this study is now over 20 years old. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission requested that the National Academy of Sciences provide an updated assessment of cancer risks in populations near USNRC-licensed nuclear facilities that utilize or process uranium for the production of electricity. Analysis of Cancer Risks in Populations near Nuclear Facilities: Phase 1 focuses on identifying scientifically sound approaches for carrying out an assessment of cancer risks associated with living near a nuclear facility, judgments about the strengths and weaknesses of various statistical power, ability to assess potential confounding factors, possible biases, and required effort. The results from this Phase 1 study will be used to inform the design of cancer risk assessment, which will be carried out in Phase 2. This report is beneficial for the general public, communities near nuclear facilities, stakeholders, healthcare providers, policy makers, state and local officials, community leaders, and the media.