Once-through Thorium Fuel Cycle Evaluation for TVA's Browns Ferry-3 Boiling Water Reactor
Once-through Thorium Fuel Cycle Evaluation for TVA's Browns Ferry-3 Boiling Water Reactor

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Published: 1982

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This report documents benchmark evaluations to test thorium lattice predictive methods and neutron cross sections against available data and summarizes specific evaluations of the once-through thorium cycle when applied to the Browns Ferry-3 BWR. It was concluded that appreciable uncertainties in thorium cycle nuclear data cloud the ability to reliably predict the fuel cycle performance and that power reactor irradiations of ThO2 rods in BWRs are desirable to resolve uncertainties. Benchmark evaluations indicated that the ENDF/B-IV data used in the evaluations should cause an underprediction of U-233/ThO2 fuel reactivity, and, therefore, the results of the preliminary evaluations completed under the program should be conservative.

Thorium Fuel Cycle
Thorium Fuel Cycle

Author: International Atomic Energy Agency

Publisher:

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 120

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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.

Evaluation of Denatured Thorium Fuel Cycles in Pressurized Water Reactors
Evaluation of Denatured Thorium Fuel Cycles in Pressurized Water Reactors

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Publisher:

Published: 1977

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A developing national energy policy that is based in part on a substantial expansion of the LWR-based electrical generating capacity with deferment of the LMFBR has prompted a re-evaluation of our nuclear fuel resources and their utilization. The ancillary policy of minimizing nuclear weapons proliferation through diversion of bred fissile material has left in doubt the viability of fuel recycling as a means of extending these fuel resources. A substantial, government-sponsored effort is in progress to examine alternate fuel cycles and advanced reactor concepts which can lead to improved resource utilization while minimizing proliferation potential. This paper evaluates several improved fuel cycles for use in current design PWRs and develops selected scenarios for their use within the framework of the safeguarded Nuclear Energy Center (NEC) concept.

A Review of Thorium Utilization as an Option for Advanced Fuel Cycle--Potential Option for Brazil in the Future
A Review of Thorium Utilization as an Option for Advanced Fuel Cycle--Potential Option for Brazil in the Future

Author: J. R. Maiorino

Publisher:

Published: 2004

Total Pages: 15

ISBN-13:

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Since the beginning of Nuclear Energy Development, Thorium was considered as a potential fuel, mainly due to the potential to produce fissile uranium 233. Several Th/U fuel cycles, using thermal and fast reactors were proposed, such as the Radkwoski once through fuel cycle for PWR and VVER, the thorium fuel cycles for CANDU Reactors, the utilization in Molten Salt Reactors, the utilization of thorium in thermal (AHWR), and fast reactors (FBTR) in India, and more recently in innovative reactors, mainly Accelerator Driven System, in a double strata fuel cycle. All these concepts besides the increase in natural nuclear resources are justified by non proliferation issues (plutonium constrain) and the waste radiological toxicity reduction. The paper intended to summarize these developments, with an emphasis in the Th/U double strata fuel cycle using ADS. Brazil has one of the biggest natural reserves of thorium, estimated in 1.2 millions of tons of ThO{sub 2}, as will be reviewed in this paper, and therefore R & D programs would be of strategically national interest. In fact, in the past there was some projects to utilize Thorium in Reactors, as the ''Instinto/Toruna'' Project, in cooperation with France, to utilize Thorium in Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor, in the mid of sixties to mid of seventies, and the thorium utilization in PWR, in cooperation with German, from 1979-1988. The paper will review these initiatives in Brazil, and will propose to continue in Brazil activities related with Th/U fuel cycle.