HTGR Knowledge Base

Conference Article: Modular Helium Reactor Fuel Cycle Concepts and Sustainability

Chris Ellis, Alan Baxter, Arkal Shenoy, General Atomics, San Diego, California, USA

Abstract

General Atomics (GA) has over 35 years experience in prismatic block High- Temperature Gas Reactor (HTGR) technology design. During this period, the design has recently evolved into a Modular Helium Reactor (MHR) design, and several fuel cycle studies have been performed to demonstrate its versatility. This versatility is directly related to refractory TRISO coated-particle fuel that can contain any type of fuel. This paper summarizes GA’s fuel cycle studies individually, and compares each based upon its cycle sustainability, proliferation-resistance capabilities, and other performance data against Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) fuel cycle data. Fuel cycle studies will be categorized into five cycle options: commercial LEU-NU; commercial HEU-Th; commercial LEU-Th; weapons-grade plutonium consumption; and burning of LWR waste including plutonium and minor actinides in the MHR. Results show that all commercial MHR options, with the exception of HEU-Th, are more sustainable than a PWR fuel cycle, with LEU-NU being the most sustainable commercial option. In addition, all commercial MHR options outperform the PWR with regard to its proliferation-resistance, with thorium fuel cycles having the best proliferationresistance characteristics.

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key words: MHR; sustainability; non-proliferation
Reference:
Proceedings of the Conference on High Temperature Reactors, Beijing, China, September, 22-24, 2004
International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)
HTR-2004, pp:1-8