General features of resource-Renewable BWR (RBWR) and scenario of long-term energy supply

A Resource-Renewable BWR (RBWR) secures long-term energy supply by proven BWR technology under the condition that power generation cost and safety are at current BWR level. The RBWR attaining a breeding ratio of 1.0 and negative void coefficient is realized by the combination of a hexagonal tight lattice fuel bundle, a core-average void fraction of 65 %, a reduction in a core height and so on. Since the steam quality at exit of the core is kept to 40 % or less, the materials to be used is made same to those of BWR and a distillation function by boiling can be maintained to confine radio-activated materials within a pressure vessel. The RBWR is efficient in ensuring actinide transmutation and nuclear non-proliferation. (authors) 7 refs.