Advanced nonproliferative light water reactor concept

An inescapable consequence of the uranium fuel cycle employed in commercial power reactors is the generation of large quantities of plutonium. Although this plutonium is not {open_quotes}weapons grade,{close_quotes} it does represent a significant proliferation threat. A promising advanced reactor concept is being developed that addresses these proliferation concerns and also offers a number of major advantages relative to conventional light water reactor (LWR) technology. The reactor concept is referred to as the Radkowsky Thorium Reactor (RTR) and consists of a core made up of multiple seed-blanket units (SBUs) in which the seed material is enriched with nonproliferative uranium and the blanket material is natural thorium with a small addition of nonproliferative enriched uranium. The resultant production of plutonium is an order of magnitude less than in a standard LWR. The {sup 233}U that is bred from the thorium is mostly burned in situ, and the residue is denatured by being uniformly mixed with nonfissile and highly gamma-active isotopes so that it would be impracticable to use the {sup 233}U for weapons. The RTR also appears to be well suited to the plutonium-disposition mission in that plutonium, either of weapons or reactor discharge grades, may be substituted for the enriched uraniummore » and burned at an annual rate of {approximately} 1 tonne per 1000-MW(electric) reactor without creating any significant additional quantities of new plutonium. A similar consideration holds for highly enriched uranium disposition.« less