Rethinking Nuclear Power5. New Technologies

• Waste, reprocessing• Breeder reactors• Pebble bed reactor• Other small reactors• Thorium molten salt reactors• Gen IV, GNEP• Fusion reactor, ITER

Bob Hargraves, Hanover NH

Next generation power reactor designs have expanded goals.

Safety Waste control Economy

Fuel supply Hydrogen production

Proliferation and terrorism resistance

Rethinking Nuclear Power5. New Technologies

• Waste, reprocessing

Bob Hargraves, Hanover NH

Neutron absorption with beta decay creates new elements.

nucleons Th 90 Pa 91 U 92 Np 93 Pu 94

241

240

239

238

237

236

235

234

233

232 neutron absorption

beta decay

fission

Am 95

The transuranic elements are produced by neutron absorption.

http://www.ptable.com

Transuranic elements, heavier than uranium, do not occur naturally on earth, anymore.

Actinides are actinium, thorium, protactinium, uranium, etc.

Fission products are lighter elements made from splitting uranium.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fission_product_yield

Ba-Kr example

The uranium nucleus splits in two fission products asymmetrically.

http://www.science.uwaterloo.ca/~cchieh/cact/nuctek/fissionyield.html

Barium cluster

Molybdenum cluster

Note vertical log scale

This interactive simulation shows how decay products change with time.

http://www.energyfromthorium.com/javaws/DecayChain.jnlp

Kr-92 and Ba-141 binding energy is more than U-235’s, releasing energy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binding_energy

Kr BaU

In: 3.5% fissile fuel

Out: 2.2% fissile fuel

Fuel becomes spent as

(1) density can’t sustain chain reaction

(2) fission products take more neutrons

Enriched uranium fuel

96.5% U-238 3.5% U-235

Spent fuel contains fission products, fissile fuel, and fertile uranium.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spent_nuclear_fuel

3% fission products

1% plutonium

< 0.8% Pu-239> 0.2% Pu-240

96% uranium

0.83% U-235 0.40% U-23694.77% U-238

trace % minor actinides

Np, Am, Cm, …

Power reactor

WASTE

FUEL

FUEL

FUTUREFUEL

France is known for reprocessing spent nuclear fuel.

http://www.areva.com/servlet/operations/nuclearpower/backend_division-en.html

Areva vitrifies waste into stable glass.

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%A9chet_radioactif

Glass dissolves very slowly in water – 10% per million years.

Glass cools in canisters 1.3 m high and 0.5 m in diameter.

A 1 GW power plant generates 15 canisters per year.

Areva reprocesses spent fuel from France, Japan, Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, and Switzerland.

Processed wastes and plutonium are returned to source countries.

Canisters of glass are loaded into casks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_reprocessing

France’s waste reprocessing center is a La Hague, on the northwest coast.

Reprocessing takes place at

Site, Country tonnes / year

La Hague, France 1700

Thorp, Sellafield, UK 900

Rokkasho, Japan 800

Mayak, Russia 400

B205, Sellafield, UK 1500

Kalpakkam, India 275

France consumes 1450 T fuel per year.

http://spectrum.ieee.org/print/4891

1450 Tfresh fuel

(for 59 reactors)

intemporary or permanent

storage

850 T of spent fuel is reprocessed.

http://spectrum.ieee.org/print/4891

1450 Tfresh fuel

(for 59 reactors) 100 TMOX spent fuel

500 T Uox spent fuel

850 TUOx spent fuel

Reprocessing Plant

separates

U, Puradioactive wastes

intemporary or permanent

storage

37 T radioactive waste is vitrified.

http://spectrum.ieee.org/print/4891

1450 Tfresh fuel

(for 59 reactors) 100 TMOX spent fuel

500 T Uox spent fuel

850 TUOx spent fuel

Reprocessing Plant

separates

U, Puradioactive wastes 37 T radioactive waste vitrified

intemporary or permanent

storage

Some separated uranium is re-enriched.

http://spectrum.ieee.org/print/4891

1450 Tfresh fuel

(for 59 reactors) 100 TMOX spent fuel

500 T Uox spent fuel

850 TUOx spent fuel

Reprocessing Plant

separates

U, Puradioactive wastes

300 Tre-

enriched in RussiaU

37 T radioactive waste vitrified

intemporary or permanent

storage

Most uranium is stockpiled.

http://spectrum.ieee.org/print/4891

1450 Tfresh fuel

(for 59 reactors) 100 TMOX spent fuel

500 T Uox spent fuel

850 TUOx spent fuel

Reprocessing Plant

separates

U, Puradioactive wastes

300 Tre-

enriched in RussiaU

505 T U stockpiled

37 T radioactive waste vitrified

intemporary or permanent

storage

Reactor-grade plutonium is separated.

http://spectrum.ieee.org/print/4891

1450 Tfresh fuel

(for 59 reactors) 100 TMOX spent fuel

500 T Uox spent fuel

850 TUOx spent fuel

Reprocessing Plant

separates

U, Puradioactive wastes

300 Tre-

enriched in RussiaU

505 T U stockpiled

37 T radioactive waste vitrified

8 TPu

intemporary or permanent

storage

Pu is mixed with U to make MOX fuel.

http://spectrum.ieee.org/print/4891

1450 Tfresh fuel

(for 59 reactors) 100 TMOX spent fuel

500 T Uox spent fuel

850 TUOx spent fuel

Reprocessing Plant

separates

U, Puradioactive wastes

300 Tre-

enriched in RussiaU

505 T U stockpiled

37 T radioactive waste vitrified

100 TMOX

92 Tdepleted U

8 TPu

intemporary or permanent

storage

Most fuel is newly enriched uranium.

http://spectrum.ieee.org/print/4891

1450 Tfresh fuel

(for 59 reactors) 100 TMOX spent fuel

500 T Uox spent fuel

850 TUOx spent fuel

Reprocessing Plant

separates

U, Puradioactive wastes

300 Tre-

enriched in RussiaU

505 T U stockpiled

37 T radioactive waste vitrified

100 TMOX

92 Tdepleted U

8 TPu

1050 T enriched UOx

Transportation of pure plutonium has a risk of interception.

http://spectrum.ieee.org/print/4891

Areva: A police-escorted truck carries pure plutonium from LaHague to Marcoule.

France’s Areva is building a MOX plant in South Carolina.

http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/020508/met_186175.shtml

MOX is Mixed Oxide nuclear fuel.

MOX is 5% Pu-239 and 95% U-238.

MOX fuel fabricated in France has been used in US nuclear power plants.

Plant will use up 34 tonnes of surplus US weapons-grade plutonium.

Enough fuel for 10 1 GW plants for 20-20 years.

Part of US-Russia nonproliferation agreement.

Spent MOX fuel will be hotter than spent uranium fuel.

Delayed by legal battles, now expected to open in 2016.

2008 budget is $487 million.

Rethinking Nuclear Power5. New Technologies

• Breeder Reactors

Bob Hargraves, Hanover NH

Reactor “bred” 1.0% Pu + 0.4% U-236 = 1.4% bred fuelby fissioning 3.0%

Breeding ratio is 1.4 / 3.0 = 0.47

Enriched uranium fuel

96.5% U-238 3.5% U-235

A nuclear power reactor breeds fissile fuel from U-238 in normal operation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spent_nuclear_fuel

3% fission products

1% plutonium

< 0.8% Pu-239> 0.2% Pu-240

96% uranium

0.83% U-235 0.40% U-23694.77% U-238

trace % minor actinides

Np, Am, Cm, …

Power reactor

WASTE

FUEL

FUEL

FUTUREFUEL

The EBR-II experimental breeder reactor in Idaho used liquid sodium coolant.

https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/mragheb/www/NPRE%20402%20ME%20405%20Nuclear%20Power%20Engineering/Fast%20Breeder%20Reactors.pdf

The 1.2 GW Super Phenix fast breeder reactor closed when uranium prices fell.

https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/mragheb/www/NPRE%20402%20ME%20405%20Nuclear%20Power%20Engineering/Fast%20Breeder%20Reactors.pdf

http://www.nationalcenter.org/NuclearFastReactorsSA1205.pdf

Fission product wastes

Oxides to metals

Future fast reactors

Current thermal reactors

Fissionable U, Np, Pu, Am, Cm, … kept together

ElectrorefiningNew fuel rod casting

Metals

+ -

Cadmium etc

University of Chicago Argonne Lab developed the Integral Fast Reactor.

http://www.nationalcenter.org/NPA378.html

George S. Sanford, PhD“It is an integrated, weapons-incompatible, proliferation-resistant cycle that is closed.

It encompasses the entire fuel cycle, including fuel production and fabrication, power generation, reprocessing, and waste management.”

IFR is an advanced liquid sodium reactor.

Fast neutrons fission all actinides.

IFR can consume the plutonium of LWRs.

IFR can breed U-238 to Pu-239 fuel.

All processing is integral to the plant, with no external plutonium.

Testing proved that rising temperatures drive reactivity subcritical, passively cooling by unassisted convection.

In 1994, 4 years from completion, President Clinton and the Congress terminated the IFR project.

IFR with electrorefining reuses all fuel, leaving 500-year-hazardous wastes.

DOE’s preferred Sodium Cooled Fast Reactor is a breeder reactor.

reference

SFR

Liquid sodium coolant.High thermal inertia.Fast neutrons.Supercritical CO2 turbine

Natural uranium fuel.200-1500 MW.530-550oC.Low pressure.Passive safety tested.

Needs reprocessing.Burns actinides.

Used in UK, Rus, Fra, Ger, Jap & (prior) US.

$610M R&D, unfunded.

GE's PRISM design uses electrorefining.

http://local.ans.org/virginia/meetings/2007/2007RIC.GE.NRC.PRISM.pdf

Advanced Recycling Center Technology Claims (2007)

1.311 MW2.Sodium-cooled fast reactor3.Passive safety4.Factory built5.Metal (or oxide) fuel6.Extensive component testing7.Modular/scalable8.Sized to support ABR9.Proliferation resistant10.Removal of volatile FP through voloxidation11.Continuous or batch process12.Extensive testing in the US,13.Russia, Japan, and Korea14.Used by industrial refiners

Rethinking Nuclear Power5. New Technologies

• Pebble bed reactor

Bob Hargraves, Hanover NH

The pebble bed reactor is small, 100+ MW power plant.

http://web.mit.edu/pebble-bed/papers.html

The pebble bed reactor footprint is small.

http://web.mit.edu/pebble-bed/papers.html

Pebbles contain particles of UO2.

http://web.mit.edu/pebble-bed/papers.html

Pebbles circulate until used up.

• 360,000 pebbles in core

• 3,000 pebbles handled daily

• 350 pebbles discharged daily

4.6 m

16 m

http://web.mit.edu/pebble-bed/papers.html

PBR fuel can not overheat.

HYPOTHETICAL CASE

• Shut off all cooling.

• Withdraw control rods.

• No emergency cooling.

• No operator action.http://pebblebedreactor.blogspot.com/2007/03/china-has-built-pebble-bed-reactor.html

Doppler broadeningIf temperature rises,U-238 atoms move faster,Increasing neutron captures,Starving U-235 fissions.

Germany’s AVR confirmed the passive safety of pebble bed reactors in 1960.

http://www.romawa.nl/nereus/crashtests.html

Test reactor operated 20 years.

Helium heated steam for turbine.

12 MW output.

1970 loss of coolant test.

Heat stabilized at 300 KW.

Germany also built the THTR-300 Thorium High Temperature Reactor in 1983.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/THTR-300

300 MW electric power output.

Fueled with U-235 and Th-232.

67,000 6-cm graphite pebbles.

Pressure vessel of reinforced concrete.

180 m high dry cooling tower.

1985, fuel pellet lodged in feed pipe.

1989, shut down after Chernobyl.

MIT collaborated with China to build the HTR-10 demonstration PBR.

http://www.abc.net.au/science/broadband/catalyst/asx/chinaNuclear_hi.asx

HTR-10 at China's Tsinghua University

HTR-10High Temperature Reactor10 MW thermal

Cooled by helium gas.

Helium makes steam for turbine, today.

Now designing helium turbines with magnetic bearings.

Loss-of-coolant passive safety demonstrated live on Australian TV.

China is building a 190 MW demonstration PBR plant, to be followed by 18 others.

http://pebblebedreactor.blogspot.com/2007/03/china-has-built-pebble-bed-reactor.html

Demonstration plant for 19 pebble bed reactors.

South Africa is building its own Pebble Bed Modular Reactor design.

http://pebblebedreactor.blogspot.com/2007/03/south-africa-is-building-pebble-bed.html

PBMR vessel, heat exchangers, turbines and generator

PBMRGerman tech license165 MW20-30 units for SAExports plannedUS NRC, prelim appPrice goal ~ $200M

Pilot plant$ R&D overrun2013 fuel loading

ParticipantsSouth African gov’tWestinghouseMitsubishi Heavy IndKadak, MIT

Uranium fuel production

The 950oC PBR heat enables making hydrogen from water.

Source: Kloosterman, TU Delft

H2 + CO2 make the auto and truck fuelsmethanol and dimethyl ether.• CO2 + 3 H2 CH3OH + H2O (methanol + water)• CO2 from coal power plants

– or thin air?

• Methanol can replace gasoline fuel.

• Methanol more hydrocarbons

• Dimethyl ether H3C-O-CH3can replace diesel fuel.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/104-3002324-5263902?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=olah+beyond+oil+and+gas&x=0&y=0

George Olah et al, Beyond Oil and Gas: The Methanol Economy

MIT designed shippable PBR modules.

http://web.mit.edu/pebble-bed/papers.html

Rethinking Nuclear Power5. New Technologies

• Small reactors

Bob Hargraves, Hanover NH

GT-MHR is General Atomics Gas Turbine Modular High temperature Reactor.

http://gt-mhr.ga.com/1simpl_all.html

GT-MHR

286 MW.560oC helium gas cooled.48% efficiency.

Electromagnetic bearings.Single shaft.

Pyrolytic carbon multi-layered fuel particles, like PBR.

Designed to burn excess Russian plutonium fuel

10 MW research reactor planned for University of Texas.

http://larouchepub.com/eiw/public/2006/2006_10-19/2006_10-19/2006-13/pdf/42-43_613_ecohtr.pdf

GT-MHR modules are below grade.

reference

Reactor500 MW thermal102 column annular corehexagonal prismatic blocks

Power conversion systemsingle shaftgeneratorturbinecompressors

precoolerintercoolerrecuperator

Press Release: April 17, 2008, US DOE issues RFI for NGNP using HTGR.

http://djysrv.blogspot.com/2008_04_13_archive.html

Translation

United StatesDepartment of Energyissued aRequest for Informationpreparatory to aRequest for Proposalto design theNext Generation Nuclear Plant (Gen IV) using aHigh Temperature Gas Reactor.

Competitors

Westinghouse PBMR, withPBMR Pty, INET, Tshingua University, Shaw Group, Sargent and Lundy

General Atomics GT-MHR

Areva Antares

Prize$18M x 10 yrs design subsidy.$1B build by 2021?$50B market by 2030?

Westinghouse is part of South Africa’s PBMR project.

http://www.pbmr.co.za/

PBMR is Pebble Bed Modular Reactor Pty Limited, of South Africa.

Helium Test Facility and Heat Test Transfer Facilities now operating.

165 MW pilot plant construction to begin in 2010, near Capetown.

Ministry of Public Enterprises projects 20 to 30 units in South Africa.

PBMR Ltd may eventually export 10 units per year; pre-licensing with NRC started.

Toshiba 4S is Super Safe, Simple, Secure.

http://www.atomicinsights.com/AI_03-20-05.html

Toshiba 4S

10 MW.No refueling.30 year life.Shipped by barge.

24% Pu-enriched fuel.22 m x 16 m footprint.2 m core 30 m below ground.

355oC sodium cooled.Magnetic annular sodium pumps.

Negative thermal reactivity.Natural air emergency cooling.Reactor & guard vessels with IHX.

Ordered by Galena AK.No NRC approval. No prototype.

4S reactivity is increased by raising a neutron reflector.

http://www.nr.titech.ac.jp/coe21/eng/events/ines1/pdf/23_ueda.pdf

Core is sub-critical without reflector.

Reflector ring is slowly raised during 30 year life.

IRIS is being developed internationally.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Reactor_Innovative_and_Secure

IRISInternational Reactor Innovative and Secure.

TeamWestinghouse plus 6 companies.ORNL plus 4 national laboratories.MIT plus 6 universities.representing USA, UK, Italy, Spain, Russia, Brazil, Mexico, Lithuania, Japan, Croatia.

100 MW size for emerging nations.48 month refueling cycle.

Integrated containment vesselcorecontrol rods and drive mechanisms.8 steam generators.9 fully-immersed pumps.pressurizer.

NuScale's PWR uses available technology.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Reactor_Innovative_and_Secure

40 MW electric power module

1 to 24 modules

Standard US fuel assemblies except 6 feet long, not 12

OSU built 1/3 scale test facility for temperature and pressure.

Pressure vessel underground 16 foot diameter 60 foot length

Cooling by natural circulation no external power need passive safety heat removal

Hyperion is selling a nuclear battery.

http://www.energyfromthorium.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=946&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=0

25 MW electric power.

1.5 m diameter.

Uranium hydride technology licensed from Los Alamos National Lab.

$1.30 per watt.

10 orders (TES Group).

Hydrogen modulated.

5% U-235 metal fuel.

The traveling wave reactor breeds fuel.

http://www.technologyreview.com/energy/22114/

Intellectual Ventures patents

650 C temperature

wave moves 1 cm/year

100 year life

A pumps

B area for fission gasses.

C spent fuel.

D fission wave.

E breeding area

F liquid sodium coolant.

G depleted uranium fuel.

G

A

Like submarines, a nuclear powered aircraft would need no refueling.

http://thoriumenergy.blogspot.com/2006/04/brief-history-of-liquid-fluoride.html

The aircraft nuclear engine reactor used molten F salts of Na, Zr, and U.

http://thoriumenergy.blogspot.com/2006/04/brief-history-of-liquid-fluoride.html

A 50-50 mixture of Li and Be fluoride salts melts at only 350oC.

http://www.energyfromthorium.com/pdf/FFR_chap12.pdf

U233-seeded ThF4 dissolved in Be-Li F salts achieves criticality in graphite.

http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/TE_1450_web.pdf

Liquid-fluoride reactors burn thorium.

Rethinking Nuclear Power5. New Technologies

• Generation IV reactors

Bob Hargraves, Hanover NH

Gen IV reactors are 20 years away.

http://nuclear.inl.gov/gen4/docs/gen_iv_roadmap.pdf

In 2002 ten nations developed an R&D path for Generation IV nuclear energy.

http://nuclear.inl.gov/gen4/docs/gen_iv_roadmap.pdf

Six Gen IV reactor concepts were chosen.

http://www.regjeringen.no/upload/OED/Rapporter/ThoriumReport2008.pdf

Reactor Neutron spectrum

Coolant Temp oC Fuel cycle

Size MW

GFR - gas cooled fast reactor

fast helium 850 closed 1200

LCFR - lead cooled fast reactor

fast lead 480-800 closed 20-180300-1200600-1000

MSR - molten salt reactor

thermal fluoride salts

700-800 closed 1000

SCWR - super critical water cooled reactor

thermal / fast

water 510-550 open / closed

300-7001000-1500

SCFR - sodium cooled fast reactor

fast sodium 550 closed 30-150300-15001000-2000

VHTR - very high temperature gas reactor

thermal helium 900-1000 open 250-300

Gas Cooled Fast Reactor is efficient.

http://nuclear.inl.gov/gen4/docs/gen_iv_roadmap.pdf

GFR

Helium gas turbine, with Brayton cycle.

Fast neutrons.

48% efficiency.490oC/850oC in/out.

U238, Th, Pu fuel.

Actinide recycling.

Assumes on-site spent fuel reprocessing plant.

Low radioactive waste.

$940M R&D

Lead Cooled Fast Reactor has long R&D.

reference

LFR

Pb or Pb-Bi cooled.Natural convection.550-800oC.Atmospheric pressure.High thermal inertia.Natural uranium fuel.

15-20 yr life core.10-100 MW for small grid

Supercritical CO2 turbine

Longest R&D option.May evolve to make H2.

LFRs in Russian subs.

$1,000M R&D.

Molten salt reactor fuel is liquid.

reference

MSR

U or Pu fluoride,dissolved in molten Na or Zr fluoride.

Actinide burning.Convert U238 or Th232.

1000 MW.

450-800oC.Sodium @ ~1 atm.

Graphite moderated.

1954 US ARE aircraft engine experiment.

$990M R&D.

SuperCritical Water Reactor needs no steam generator.

reference

SCWR

Supercritical water.>200 atmospheres.>374oC.No phase changes.44% efficiency.

Water moderated.

Fast or thermal neutrons.

1700 MW.Fewer components.Low $1/W capital cost.

$870M R&D.

The DOE-preferred sodium cooled fast reactor has the least technical risk.

reference

SFR

Liquid sodium coolant.High thermal inertia.Fast neutrons.Supercritical CO2 turbine

Natural uranium fuel.200-1500 MW.530-550oC.Low pressure.Passive safety tested.

Needs reprocessing.Burns actinides.

Used in UK, Rus, Fra, Ger, Jap & (prior) US.

$610M R&D.

Very High Temperature Reactor can make hydrogen.

reference

VHTR

Helium gas cooled.Graphite moderated.Thermal neutrons.Coated fuel particles.Once-thru LEU fuel.1000oC.50% efficiency.

Hydrogen production with sulfur-iodine cycle.

No IHX for direct cycle electric turbine.

5 prior US HTGR plants.Like PBR.

$670M R&D.

All Gen IV reactor R&D might cost $6B.

http://www.regjeringen.no/upload/OED/Rapporter/ThoriumReport2008.pdf

Reactor Neutron spectrum

Coolant Temp oC Fuel cycle

Size MW

GFR - gas cooled fast reactor

fast helium 850 closed 1200

LCFR - lead cooled fast reactor

fast lead 480-800 closed 20-180300-1200600-1000

MSR - molten salt reactor

thermal fluoride salts

700-800 closed 1000

SCWR - super critical water cooled reactor

thermal / fast

water 510-550 open / closed

300-7001000-1500

SCFR - sodium cooled fast reactor

fast sodium 550 closed 30-150300-15001000-2000

VHTR - very high temperature gas reactor

thermal helium 900-1000 open 250-300

Rethinking Nuclear Power5. New Technologies

• Global Nuclear Energy Partnership

Bob Hargraves, Hanover NH

Launched by the US in 2006, the GNEP now has 21 member countries.

reference

IAEAGen IV Intl ForumEuratom

Energy Secretary Samuel W. Bodman, United States

Director General Mohamed ElBaradei, IAEA

GNEP has political and technical parts.

http://www.gnep.energy.gov/gnepProgram.html

HAVE’s

HAVE-NOT’s

GNEP provides all nations power without proliferation.

Spent fuel is returned to supplier nations for recycling and disposal.

Economically-scaled power plants are appropriate for developing nations.

All nations are assured of reliable nuclear fuel supply from IAEA.

DOE is pursuing the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative R&D for GNEP.

reference

Funding Opportunity Announcement

Inviting - universities - national laboratories - industry

Topicsused fuel separationadvanced nuclear fuelfast burner reactorsadvanced transmutationfuel cycle analysiscomputing and simulationsafeguardswaste forms

GNEP is not supported by all.

http://www.technologyreview.com/Energy/17059/

South Africa and IndiaBoth want to enrich uranium and export nuclear power reactors.

MIT“fifth nuclear initiative in 5 years”5 GNEP4 Nuclear Hydrogen Initiative3 Nuclear Power 20102 Generation IV1 Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative

AAAS“need for waste management, security, and fuel supply is not great enough”“GNEP program should not go forward and should be replaced by a less aggressive research program”

Congress cut 2008 GNEP funding from $395M to $170M

http://books.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=11998

GNEP budget is zero for 2010.

Bruce, I was rereading your email and noted that DOE has erased all trace of GNEP from its website, including your references in this email extract…  The Russians are pursuing Pu production, as this was also the course the Bush-Baby Administration set the USA on with their idiotic Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP), which is a LMFR coupled with MOX for LWRs program (the old GOP standard, nuclear program from decades ago & that Nixon enforced against Weinberg):            http://www.gnep.energy.gov/mou_sodium.html            http://www.gnep.energy.gov/pdfs/PublicExecutiveSummary_2509_Final.pdf 

April 21, 2009

Rethinking Nuclear Power5. New Technologies

• Fusion Reactor

Bob Hargraves, Hanover NH

A fusion reactor combines hydrogen nuclei into helium in 108 oK plasma.

http://www.iter.org/a/index_use_1.htm

D + T He + n + 16 Mev

T from D + n in CANDU

Superconducting magnets confine plasma flow in a tokamak.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokamak

Keeping plasma flow stable is done by adding a poloidal field.

General Atomics operates the DIII-D.

http://fusioned.gat.com/

The GA tokamak is experimental.

http://fusion.gat.com/global/Home

The international ITER fusion project is at Cadarache, France.

reference

US role1985 collaboration, EU, USSR, Japan.1999 US dropped out.2003 US rejoined.2006 signed formal build agreement $1.4B commitment 2008 $160M budget funded at $0.2009 funding promise

ProjectObjective: 400 seconds @ 500 MW.73 MW power needed.837 m3 plasma volume.$15B.First plasma by 2016.20 more years research.Full scale power plant in 2050.

Rethinking Nuclear Power5. New Technologies

• End

Bob Hargraves, Hanover NH