| Popis: |
ABS>The use of a molten-salt fuel makes possible the production of hihh- pressure, superheated steam with a nuclear reactor operating at low pressure. The corrosion resistance of the INOR-8 series of nickelmolpbdenum alloys appears to be sufficient to guarante reactor component life-times of 10 to 20 years. Proposed continuous fuel-processing methods show promise of reducing fuel- processing costs to negligible levels. With U/sup 233/ as the fuel and Th/sup 232/ as the fertile material in both core and blanket, initial regeneration ratios up to 1.08 can be obtained at critical masses less than 600 kg. The corresponding inventory for a 600-Mw(th) central station power reactor is initially about 1300 kg. With U/sup 235/ as the fuel, U/sup 233/ is produced, and initial regeneration ratios in excess of 0.6 can be obtained with cnitical masses of less than 300 kg. The corresponding critical inventories for 600- Mw(th) central station power reactors are 600 kg or less, depending on the thorium loading. It is concluded that homogeneous, molten-salt-fueled reactors are competitive in regard to nuclear performance with present solid-fuel reactors, and they may be oconomically superior because of lower fuel and fuel- processing costs. (auth) |
