chapter5 fast breeder reactor

8/8/2019 Chapter5 Fast Breeder Reactor

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This is the most important book that has ever been writtenon sustainable development You MUST read it! It is not

A revolution, it is THE revolution, THE way to go!

Bruno Comby, Ph.D., ounder and President o EFN

Environmentalists For Nuclear Energy

I youre looking or an energy revolution, Blees has the boldnessto oer both technology and vision.

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Blees writes devilishly well. His book is a culmination o

tremendous erudition compounded by no end o research.Whether our society can be turned around to ollow his Pied

Piper lead is open to question. But at least hes drawn a map.

T. J. King, Ph.D.

Proessor emeritus o English and Literature

In a time desperate or solutions to the global environmentalcrisis, we need all the suggestions we can get. This analysis

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Author: A Pops Hisory o Unid Ss

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David C. McGaey, Ph.D.

President, InterConsultUSA

Foreign Service Ofcer (Retired)

Proessor o International Relations (Emeritus)

Splendid A monumental eort! Blees analyzes the energy

supply picture with impressive accuracy and no loose ends. Hisdream o boron as a clean and efcient energy carrier is elegant

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Argonne National Laboratory

Tom Blees has embarked on an important journey to launch a

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warming and our looming energy crisis.

Louis J. Circeo, Jr., Ph.D., Director, Plasma Research

Georgia Tech Research Institute, Atlanta, GA

No small thoughts here Courageous. Charles Till, Ph.D., ormer IFR Project Director

Argonne National Laboratories

A complete plan to revolutionize the worlds energy systems.

Je Crowell, Ph.D. Nuclear Physics

Sandia National Laboratories

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116 Prescription for the Planet

My op is you, dr rdr, cn s sid or mo-mn your own rs, prconcpions, cgoric inking, nd

scinic nd poiic biss o considr my propos or so-uion o smingy inrcb probms I promisd

o d wi in bginning o is book. You wi no bskd o mk ny gr ps o i or cnoogic nsy.

Amzing s i my sm, cnoogis o sov som o grs cngs o our im r w in nd. Firs, oug,

you nd mny ik you v o b convincd. Ony n

cn our dcision-mkrs possiby b prsudd o s sid irddy inri nd k bod sps ncssry o impmn

r souions.

Chapter Four

Newclear Power

Mankind does have the resources and the technology to cut

greenhouse gas emissions. What we lack is the political will.

Dr. Paul Davies, Physicist

Of all the nrgy sysms wv discussd (bi

briy, o ncssiy), on wi grs ponior rducing r o gob wrming is rguby

nucr powr. Is bn surprising o s rng o individus

wo v mbrcd is opion, wo v pronouncd msvswiing o s or mor nd mor nucr ws nd widy

rd dngrs o proirion nd possib (oug uniky)ccidns. I is msur o ow dpy concrnd y r bou

gob wrming. Bu r is si voc opposiion o nucr

powr by os wo rn rdy o discoun ngivs sm o b n inxricb pr o pckg.

Opponns o nucr powr mig ssum os wo

suppor i r bing dismissiv o suc concrns ir ou ooois dssnss or dsprion. Bu rom bginning o

nucr powr r pysiciss, nginrs nd ors woworkd cuing dg o rsrc rcognizd bo is

promis nd is sorcomings. Hving idnid mos sri-ous probms, y s ou o sov o m, drmind o


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118 Prescription for the Planet 119eclear Poer

v no oos nds.Argonn Nion Lborory (wos wsrn brnc ws

rcny rcrisnd Ido Nion Lborory) ws ocusor Amrics nucr powr rsrc nd dvopmn sinc

bginning o nucr g. In 1964 rsrc rcor cd EBR-II ws bui o dmonsr brdr rcor sysm

wi on-si u rprocssing nd cosd u cyc. During iry yrs o is oprion, mny dvncs wr incorpord

ino is dsign nd provd minny workb. T projc ws

rsounding succss. T dvngs o suc sysm r so rsuprior o ig wr rcors (LWRs) now in us on

mig b orgivn or wondring wy is cnoogy s nocompy suppnd currn sysms.

Tr is muc r o wondr bou. Wy ws pro-grm suddny rmind in 1994, jus on sp sy o is u

dmonsrion o proo o concp, r iry yrs o wssprormnc? Cos ws no n issu, spciy sinc Jp-

ns d ord o cip in $60 miion o nis rsrc.I sms spciy ironic o s A Gor ody s ding

ig in cim cng d wn i ws Cinon d-minisrion (wi Gor s vic prsidn) urgd Congrss

o su down EBR-II. Tr wr criny no cnic orconomic rsons o do so.

Tr s bn spcuion Cinon ws bowing o n-inucr poiic prssur nd sudown ws py-

bck or suppor o nvironmniss. Criny Cinon

nd Gors 1992 cmpign srssd rnwb nrgy dvop-mn nd disinc ck o suppor or nucr powr. I s

so bn suggsd Cinons coic s Scrry o Enrgy,Hz OLry, woud v bn wry o r o os-

si u indusry Argonn projc rprsnd, vingprviousy bn obbyis or ossi u compnis. S nd

Snor Jon Krry d n impssiond opposiion o proj-c, rguing i rprsnd proirion r. Sinc

EBR-IIs dsign ws spcicy inndd o rduc proirion

risks, owvr, ir opposiion woud sm o b cs o i-r ignornc or dupiciy. I sms niry bivb

sudown o progrm ws uimy du o misinormionnd misundrsnding o gisors wo vod o ki i. Is

bn sid y didn undrsnd dirnc bwnPUREX u rprocssing (wic dos prsn proirion

r bcus i isos wpons-grd mri, bi o poorquiy) nd proirion-rsisn u rcycing ws

inndd o b n ingr pr o nw rcor sysm. TSn, in c, didn go ong wi Cinons rcommndd

progrm rminion, bu Hous prvid in conrnc

commi nd progrm ws kid. (You cn rd wodporb sory in Cpr 12.)

I Ingr Fs Rcor (IFR) concp EBR-II

rprsnd ws so r suprior o currn dsigns, you my won-dr wy inormion sn md is wy ou ino pubicrn sinc 1994. Wn I rs bgn o rsrc is cno-

ogy in 2001 I ound vn pop wo workd Argonnqui ricn o discuss i opny. Ar considrb moun

o communicion I ny skd on dy wy prson wows my sourc o inormion r wsn mor orcoming. I

smd I wys d o pry inormion ou o im pic im. Finy od m Dprmn o Enrgy d

issud dirciv cnoogy ws no o b pubicizd.I coud v spcic qusions nswrd, bu I woud v o

gur ou w os qusions woud b.W ws douby ironic is ci nginr or

EBR-II projc, Lonrd J. Koc, ws wrdd prsigiousRussin Gob Enrgy Inrnion Priz by Vdimir Pu-

in in Jun 2004 or is work on projc.120 And is ws

120 Argonn Nion Lborory Nws Rs, Argonn Fs-RcorPionr Rcivs Inrnion Priz, (My 7, 2004).


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happening at a time when the Argonne people were undera virtual gag order to prevent ree discussion o the proj-

ect in their own country! What could have prompted theU.S. Department o Energy, then under the watchul eye

o Spencer I-never-met-a-gas-hog-I-didnt-like Abraham,to squelch publicity about this promising technology? Why,

indeed, have both Democratic and Republican administra-tions thrown bars in the wheels o their own scientists whod

worked or over thirty years with stunning success todevelop and demonstrate an incredibly promising energy

technology?Rr n vnur ino rs rip or spcuion, I wi

v my rdrs o drw ir own concusions nd, opu-

y, sk msvs nd ir poiic drs som pnringqusions. In ordr o ncourg , dscripion o c-

noogy, nd w i coud mn o our pn in is currndir sris, wi b prsnd r. I wi mk vry mp

o rrin rom ovry cnic dscripions. Foonos wi bprovidd or os wo wis o dv urr ino dis,

nd gossry bck o book provids dscripionso rminoogy nd cronyms.

I you nd is o b oug sdding dspi my ors o conrry, ps don b dismyd. A cursory undrsnd-

ing o bsic concps is pu, bu you nd no b con-crnd i dis scp you. T sin poins wi b md

qui cr rgrdss, s book progrsss. I woud, owvr,mnion on xcpion o is. I you ppn o b prson or

wom nying wi word nucr in i is nm ndyou si wy vn r you g o nd o is book,

n i woud boov you o mk sur you do, indd,

undrsnd s princips. I no, I woud submi o you you don v sucin bsis upon wic o spous dog-

mic posiion. I you cing o bi nucr nyingis ncssriy bd (xcping, prps, nucr miy), nd

y don undrsnd ow i works, n your probby jusccping i on i rom somon wo my b s ignorn

bou cs s you r. Evn wors, you my v pcdyour rus in somon wo knows br bu wo prcs n

ni-nucr idoogy or rsons r ir s-srving orwiuy bind o cs, in wic cs dibr disorions

nd ourig is r unoruny no uncommon. In nyvn, is poin I woud impor you o wiod judgmn

uni vidnc is prsnd. I suspc you my b bo sur-

prisd nd opu wn is sid nd don.

Nuclear Physics 101

The process that powers nuclear reactors today is termed s-

sion, and uranium is the basic uel. In a reactor, neutrons121are naturally released rom ssioning atoms and collide with

the nuclei o other atoms in their vicinity. The absorption oa neutron oten causes the nucleus o the impacted atom to

split apart (ssion), thus creatingfssion products isotopes122o two new elements o about hal the mass. In the process

o splitting, the impacted atoms themselves release neutrons,which continue the process by colliding with more atoms,

causing a chain reaction that is harnessed or the heat it

121 A nuron is subomic pric wi no n crg. Bo proons(wi posiiv crg) nd nurons r ound in nucus o oms(xcp or ydrogns proium orm). Ecrons, crrying ngiv crg,rsid ousid nucus.122 T numbr o proons in n oms nucus drmins wic mni is, bu vriion in numbr o nurons in n mns nucus isw rm isoop dnos. Tus n mn is disinguisd by isnm or is cmic symbo, wi numbr oowing i dsigns is

mss numbr, o numbr o proons pus nurons. Tus U-238dnos mos common isoop o urnium, wic s 92 proons, wi o o 146 nurons (238 92). U-235, wi 3 wr nurons, is nddo u nucr rcors nd cn so b usd o buid nucr wpons.


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produces. The reaction is controlled by materials that eitherslow down or saely absorb neutrons, keeping the heat within

tolerable limits and thus preventing the uel rom melting.Fluid coolant is piped around the uel to draw o the heat

and harness it via a heat exchanger to run a steam turbinethat powers an electricity generator.

Tis cn b oug o s modrn cmy, wr onmn is rnsormd ino ors. Bu wrs c-

miss o od smd inn on producing on pricur -mn god ssion procss is considrby mor rn-

dom, producing gr vriy o mns. (And ssion works,

wi ncin cmy didn.) Som o rsuing isoopsr sb, bu mos o m r dciddy unsb rs,

nd sponnousy mi (or rdi) subomic prics s ydcy owrds sb condiion.

In some o the uel atoms, absorption o a neutron does notlead to fssion, but to the creation o a slightly heavier isotope.Some o these newly created heavy elements are themselves goodproducers o neutrons when they split, and thus contribute tourthering the chain reaction. Many o the lighter elements thatresult rom the splitting o atoms, however, impede the reactionby absorbing neutrons, thus acting as so-called nuclear poisons.

I is buidup o nucr poisons is imi-

ing cor in usbiiy o nucr u. T yps o nucrrcors in commrci us ody opr wi rivy sow

nuron spds, wic incrss cross-scion or bsorpiono nurons nd us probbiiy ssion wi occur. T

usu u o coic is urnium, wi concnrion o minor isoop, U-235, nncd ( u is nricd). Vir-

uy currn rcors us wr o sow (modr) nurons (owring ir kinic nrgy) nd o crry o

. Hnc suc rcors r gnricy cssid s rmrcors. Nucr poisons buid up vnuy nd mk urr

rciviy impossib. T u is n rmovd rom rcor

nd ir discrdd s nucr ws or, in som css (ougno in USA), dsind or pri rcycing.

T Ingr Fs Rcor (ncor IFR), s mig b d-

ducd rom word s in is nm, is yp o rcor ows nurons o mov igr spds by imining

modring mris usd in rm rcors. T grrvociy o nurons rsus in mor nrgic spiing nd

us grr numbr o nurons bing ibrd rom coisions. T rsu is u is uiizd muc mor -

ciny. Wrs norm nucr rcor uiizs ss n onprcn o ssionb mri ws in origin or,

wi rs bing rd s ws, s rcor cn burn upviruy o urnium in or.

T qunum p in cincy is ony ip o ic-brg, oug. For u cn n b rcycd on-si in

procss rmovs ssion byproducs nd incorpors cinids123 rom usd u ino nw u rods, wic

r n rodd ino rcor. T ssion producs, bing ss o procss, i you wi, r no usb s u (or s

wpons). Ty cn b sbiizd by viricion, procss rnsorms m ino gssik nd qui inr subsnc or

dispos. In is orm y cn b sord or ousnds o yrswiou r o signicn ir or groundwr conminion.124

Y ws coming rom n IFR dosn v o b sbi-izd or nwr nr ong. Unik ws rom

rm rcors in us ody, ws mns rom n IFR

123 T 14 cmic mns i bwn cinium nd nobium(incusivy) on priodic b, wi omic numbrs 89-102. Onycinium, orium, nd urnium occur nury in rs crus innying mor n rc quniis. Puonium nd ors r vir,mn-md cinids rsuing rom bsorpion o nurons.124 D. H. Bcon & B. P. McGri, Ws Form Rs Ccuions or 2005 Ingrd Dispos Fciiy Prormnc Assssmn, (PcicNorws Nion Lborory, Juy 2005).


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v muc sorr -ivs125 n cinids v bnrind in rprocssing nd subsquny rodd ino

IFRs cor or urr ssioning. T nucr ws prob-m, probby mos common concrn bou nucr powr,

is sn s srious primriy bcus o is ong-sing rdioc-iviy, or som o cinids rmin pprciby rdiociv

or ousnds o yrs. Wi cinids rmovd rom spn u, ding wi is nw yp o nucr ws bcoms

qui mngb. Toug vry rdiociv ( sorr -i

mns mor inns rdiociviy), virid IFR ws cnb pcd in d-ind sinss s csks nd sy sord

on-si or rnspord or sorg swr. Wiin w un-drd yrs minni bor r is ny dgrdion o

virous mixur ocks i in rdiociviy wi vdiminisd o bow v o nury occurring or. And

unik cinid-conining ws, no wpons-usb m-ris r invovd.

Y r is n vn br ur o IFR u n is r-ivy bnign ws. For nw cinids usd o ugmn

spn IFR u during is rprocssing cn com rom nucr ws rom rm rcors, wic w r so con-

crnd bou. Puonium nd urnium rom dcommissiondnucr wpons cn so b incorpord ino s-rcor u.

Tus w v prodigious suppy o r u is cuyvn br n r, or i is mri w r qui dspr-

o g rid o. Urnium, puonium, nd or cinids, bo

wpons-grd nd orwis, wi go ino IFR pns. Onynon-cinids wi sor -ivs wi vr com ou. W wi

imin probms o bo rdiociv ongviy nd poni or nucr proirion.

125 H-i rrs o moun o im rquird or rdiociv sub-snc o dcy o is origin quniy. As rdiociv mns dcyowrd sb s ir rdiociviy dcrss, vnuy pssing b-ow rmss vs o norm bckground rdiion.

Wic brings us o on iky rson wy s rcor c-noogy s bn ignord s yrs. Bcus s rcors

r cpb o cring mor ssi mri n y burn,y r known s brdr rcors. And bcus brdr rc-

ors cr puonium, y v bn spci rg o nisnd poiicins concrnd bou proirion. As in so mny

issus ving o do wi nucr powr cnoogy, mos o rsisnc is du o ignornc o cnoogy nd gnr-

izd r o ings nucr.

Ls b cr bou on ing: urnium-ud nucrrcors cr puonium. Hrs ow i works: Wn urnium

or is xrcd rom ground nd mid, i conins bousvn-ns o on prcn urnium 235 (U-235). Tis is s-

si mri, mning i is so pron o spiing wn ibsorbs nuron i wi minin ssion cin rcion

i noug o i is broug ogr in sm pc. T or99.3% o urnium is md up mos niry o U-238,

wic is no ssi bu ri. Fri mris r os dono rdiy ssion in nuron ux, bu wic, upon bsorbing

nuron, r rnsmud ino ssi isoops. A ndy ru oumb wn discussing cinids is i mss numbr

is vn, yr ri. Odd numbrd cinids, on ornd, r ssi.

In most thermal reactors, uranium must have a higher con-centration o fssile material than its natural concentration o0.7%, so it is put through an enrichment process to boost itspercentage o U-235 to about 4%. Once this concentration is at-tained the uel can be assembled into a critical mass, the amountnecessary to maintain a fssion reaction. The U-238 that makesup the other 96% o the uel is then bombarded with neutrons asthe fssion proceeds since it is, o course, in the neighborhood.

Wn nuron is n om o U-238, on o wo ingscn ppn. Eir om ssions (uniky) or i bsorbs

nuron in procss known s nuron cpur. You rmmbr


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nurons v no crg, wrs proons (ir compn-ions in oms nucus) v posiiv crg nd crons

v ngiv crg.

Once U-238 absorbs a neutron it would be expected to be-come the radioactive isotope U-239, and it does. But U-239 hasa hal-lie o just minutes, so it quickly undergoes beta decay,126becoming a dierent element, neptunium 239. But Np-239 hasa hal-lie o only 2.35 days, so it also soon undergoes beta decay.Now the atom o U-239 has gone rom having uraniums 92 pro-tons to 94 protons (through 2 consecutive beta decays). Since thenumber o protons determines the identity o an element, it is nolonger uranium, nor neptunium. It is plutonium (Pu-239).127

So now you v wo ssi mns in rcor cor:

ws o origin 4% o U-235, pus som Pu-239, wicis bgins o ssion. T nurons bing ibrd rom bo

s mns coninu o no ony produc ssion producs, buso o cr mor puonium rom rmining U-238, us

susining rcion ongr n woud b cs wiou crion o puonium. By im buidup o nucr

poisons ncssis rmov o nucr ws rs considrb moun o puonium s bn crd. A nor-

m-sizd nucr powr pn o on gigw cpciy su-cin o powr bou miion Europn oms, bu ony

bou mny in mor powr-ungry USA wixp nry 500 pounds o puonium in is spn u ovr

cours o yr.

126 In b dcy, nuron is convrd ino proon wi miing ncron nd n ni-nurino. Don worry, r won b quiz on is.T poin is, proon rpcs nuron, us cnging on mn inonor.127 Sinc urnium d bn nmd r pn Urnus, discovr-rs o nx wo mns nmd m in scnding ordr r swo pns o sor sysm. T ws bck in good od dys, ocours. (Sorry bou your rcn dmoion, Puo!)

In both thermal and ast reactors, the plutonium producedis intimately mixed with a large amount o U-238 and other ele-ments, and the spent uel would have to be reprocessed in orderto get pure plutonium. This can be done as easily with irradiateduel rom an ordinary thermal reactor as it can rom the breederblanket o a ast reactor. So the hue and cry about the proli-eration dangers o breeder reactors is actually much ado aboutnothing special. The danger o nuclear prolieration isnt an issueo thermal reactors vs. ast reactors; its an issue o maintainingtight control over the entire nuclear uel cycle, regardless o thetype o reactor. One o the great benefts o the IFR over thermalreactors is that the reprocessing acility is located in the samecomplex as the reactor itsel hence the Integral in IntegralFast Reactor (IFR). In an IFR plant, all actinides includingplutonium are kept sequestered in an extremely radioactive

environment while they are repeatedly sent through the ast re-actor until they are transormed into energy.

T so-cd pyroprocssing occurs n IFR si isqui unik PUREX (Puonium nd Urnium Rcovry

by EXrcion) rprocssing, wic isos wpons-puriy pu-onium rom rm rcors spn u. During nir

rivy simp pyroprocss wiin conns o IFR, puonium is wys in combinion wi mns mk

i impossib o us or wpons wiou urr, PUREX-ypprocssing, nd is so rdiociv nir oprion is

don rmoy bind vy siding. Onc nw mri w wn o dispos o is ddd rom ousid, i oo is r-

movd rom possib wpons us onc nd or . Tus cinids in spn u rom rm rcors, s w s

wpons-grd mri w wis o g rid o, cn b sn oIFRs. Insd o bing pgu on uur gnrions, n-

rgy poni o cinids is uy uiizd in producion

o criciy.Considr, i you wi, w is mns in rms o nrgy


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vibiiy. Nucr ws wic in odys rms cn nowb sn o b gross misnomr rom LWRs128 si conins

bou 95% o us origin nrgy. IFR pns cn burn, inim,allo cinids v bn mind, no jus os

mk i ino LWRs u. Non o cinids nr si wi vr v i, uni im coms

puonium rom rm rcors s bn usd up, nd xcssssi mri mus b brd nd rnspord o nw rcors

nd n inii oding. As w s r on in book,

or worry bou ong-ivd nucr ws buiding up ovr word, w cn siy us i up in IFRs. And onc

is usd up, w nd o kp n-xising IFRs op-ring is U-238, princip componn o dpd urnium

(DU), wic is byproduc o urnium nricmn nd min componn o rcor us.129 W v so muc o is

rdy vib i coud provid powr nds o nir pn or undrds o yrs bor w nd o min

ny mor urnium. Tis is sm dpd urnium iscurrny bing usd in bo dnsiv nd onsiv wponry,

primriy by Unid Ss. I woud b gr improv-mn i wd us i or gnring criciy insd o sooing

i pop.L us no org zrds nd nvironmn insu o

urnium mining nd miing, wic is consn nd vr-growing rquirmn o rm rcors. Onc rm

128 LWR: Lig-Wr Rcor. A rm rcor is modrd ndcood by ordinry wr, wic mus b ud wi urnium sbn nricd o bou 4% U-235. Mos o words powr rcors rLWRs, bu by no mns . Som, modrd by vy wr or grpi,cn us nur urnium. In uing LWRs, som 85% o ors nrgyis bind in iings rom nricmn procss, nd ony bou5% o w mks i ino u gs consumd.129 A currn rcors, is. Torium is nor possib rcor u,bu s y cnoogy is no mur.

reactors reach the end o their useul lietimes and are allreplaced with IFRs, the worlds uranium mining and mill-

ing operations can be completely shut down or centuries.Likewise all uranium enrichment acilities will be obsolete,

as will large, centralized plants or reprocessing spent uelrom thermal reactors.

Once that point is reached, all it would take to keep a one-

gigawatt reactor running would be about a milk-crate quan-

tity o depleted uranium every three months. And i the stu

wasnt so ungodly heavy (1.6 times as dense as lead), its sae

enough that a person could just carry it into the plant by hand.

Except or weapons-grade plutonium possessed by nations in

the nuclear club, none would ever be in existence outside the

IFR plants.

Bu wrs nucr ws nd proirion r srious

probms cn b rcid wi IFR cnoogy, w bou possibiiy o nucr ccidns? Onc gin IFR dsign

s provn o b sr souion. On o mjor probmswi rm rcors is c y us prssurizd sys-

ms or ir coons. Bo Tr Mi Isnd nd muc mor srious Crnoby ccidns wr du o coon

probms, uy rdings rom monioring dvics, nd opr-or rror. In ddiion, niqud Crnoby didn vn v

coninmn buiding, us owing rs o rdiocivsubsncs ws prvnd in cs o Tr Mi Isnd.

T pysiciss nd nginrs wo dsignd IFR wndo imin vn rmo possibiiy o ccidns by using

pssiv sy, wic ris on inrn pysic propriso rcors componns o su i down in vn mos d-

vrs siuions. And onc gin y gurd ou ow o do i.

T rcors in n IFR compx r on rrrd o sLMRs, mning Liquid M Rcors (or somims ALMRs,

Advncd Liquid M Rcors). T Argonn projc usd rg v o iquid sodium in wic rcor vss is


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ws immrsd. Sodium s dvng o bing n xcnconvyor o , s w s inn crcrisics prvn

i rom inrring in ssion procss. A cosd oop o so-dium psss roug is poo, rnsporing rom i ino

spr r wr i bois wr in scond xcngr.T (non-rdiociv) wr, s wi rm rcors, is us

convrd o sm or gnring criciy wi pnsurbins. T now-coor sodium in -rnsr oop cir-

cus bck roug rcor poo xcngr in con-

inuous procss.

Unlike thermal reactors, however, this is all done at at-

mospheric pressure, or nearly so. The closed loop utilizes a

low-pressure pump just sucient to maintain the sodium fow,

moving cooled sodium rom the heat exchanger back into the

reactor area. There is also a small circulating pump immersed

in the main tank to transer heat more eciently rom the reac-tor core to the sodium pool. The diagram130 shows an IFR that

incorporates a breeder blanket o ertile material (U-238) that

is being converted to ssile material, to breed more nuclear

uel. In the beginning o the conversion to IFRs, new reactors

would be ueled with actinides rom used thermal-reactor uel.

For the most rapid growth o nuclear power, IFRs would be

loaded to breed the maximum possible amount o new ssile

material, using the excess to start up new IFRs. Should the

time come when no more generating capacity is needed, the

reactors could be operated in the break-even mode, to simply

maintain the plants own operation with the breeding reduced

to a subsistence level.T IFR concp considrby simpis nir nucr

powr sysm, uiizing r wr vvs nd pumps n vn mos dvncd rm rcors nd voiding pon-

i probms o ig-prssur coons. T m u, unik

130 Iusrion coursy o Andrw Arur

crmic p u o rm rcors, conducs muc

mor ciny nd is us b o dissip i r mor c-ivy. T u pins uniqu composiion is suc i y b-

gin o ovr rsuing xpnsion dcrss ir dnsiyo poin wr ssion rcion simpy sus is down.

The passive saety characteristics o the IFR were tested inEBR-II on April , , against two o the most severe

accident events postulated or nuclear power plants. Thefrst test (the Loss o Flow Test) simulated a complete station

blackout, so that power was lost to all cooling systems.The second test (the Loss o Heat Sink Test) simulated the

loss o ability to remove heat rom the plant by shuttingo power to the secondary cooling system. In both o

these tests, the normal saety systems were not allowedto unction and the operators did not interere. The tests

were run with the reactor initially at ull power.


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In both tests, the passive saety eatures simply shutdown the reactor with no damage. The uel and coolant

remained within sae temperature limits as the reactorquickly shut itsel down in both cases. Relying only on

passive characteristics, EBR-II smoothly returned toa sae condition without activation o any control rods

and without action by the reactor operators. The sameeatures responsible or this remarkable perormance in

EBR-II will be incorporated into the design o uture IFR

plants, regardless o how large they may be.

These worst-case scenario trials were meant to account or

the most serious possible circumstances such as devastat-ing earthquakes or meteor strikes, though since that date

the possibility o airliner strikes might also be added to the

list o conceivable disasters. The potential problem to beprevented is overheating due to the sodium coolant being

drained or lowered to the point where the uel would be ex-posed. In order to avoid this, the containment structure can

be built with no openings whatsoever below the level o thetop o the sodium vessel. The primary vat is hal-inch-thick

stainless steel. A second stainless steel vessel surroundingthat is designed to contain the sodium in the highly unlikely

event that the primary one should spring a leak. Outsidethat second vessel is a six-inch thick sodium-resistant hard-

ened concrete barrier, resting against the solid wall o thecontainment building, which orms the ourth level o as-

surance. Outside, the containment building can be bankedwith earth at least to that level, orming even a th level

o redundancy. By supplying sucient sodium to allow ormaximum leakage all the way to the earthen barrier while

131 From T Unoci IFR Hom Pg, wic srvd o bypss DOE gg ordr or yrs o kp sory o IFR vib on inrn. I dispprd in 2007. Sorry, DOE, c is ou o bg.

still keeping the reactor covered, a loss o coolant accidentwould be a virtual impossibility.

Bu sodium is known o b somw dngrous sub-snc in is own rig, subjc o sy combusion in ir nd

xposiv combusion i i coms ino conc wi wr. Inordr o prvn conc wi ir nir covrd poo r

is is covrd wi bnk o rgon gs, wic is nonrc-iv wi sodium nd orms n civ brrir. Bing vir

n ir, i is unb o scp rom suc n r sinc r

is no grss bow op o nk. Argon is so usd in pyroprocssing ciiy wr u is rcycd, oug

in procss sodium is no invovd. T ony or possibconc wi ir or wr or sodium is in uniky vn

o brc o wr sid xcngr oop, wic is con-srucd o doub-wd sinss s. Soud k occur,

sodium woud mos ow ou ow r bcus o un-prssurizd sysm. To g n xposiv rcion in ir you nd

omizion, wic isn n issu in n unprssurizd sysm.Toug sodium is igy rciv wi ir nd wr, i is

compy nonrciv wi sinss s. Wn cmrs wrrun ino doub-wd sodium oops r iry yrs o

us in EBR-II o cck xn o corrosion, wd-rs origin mrkings wr si visib on joins d

bn wdd, s y wr in nk is wn poo wsdrind. In poin o c, sodium is rquny usd in indus-

ri procsss bcus o is suprb rnsr crcrisics,

nd on woud b rd-prssd o nd n incidnc o srioussodium r. T room wr xcngr brings

sodium oop nd wr oop ogr coud so b dwi rgon s prcuionry msur, rgon bing nod or

is r xinguising (or in is cs, prvniv) propris. Tcncs o wr/sodium conc r xrmy rmo, con-

sidring ck o corrosion bwn sodium nd sinsss nd w-known minim inrcion bwn sin-


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ss s nd wr. Kping wr rsonby cn ndnonrciv woud b sucin o d wi ny sor o corro-

sion issus prmpivy. During iim o pn i is un-iky nying woud v o b rpcd. Bsd on ps

xprinc wi nucr pns (nd or indusri ciiis),owvr, wiss cours o cion wi b o mk sur

pn dsign wi ow or rpcmn o ny componns mig bcom compromisd, vn i cncs o suc

coningncis r sim. And in wors cs scnrio wr

sodium nd wr m, i woud ppn in spr buid-ing, isod rom rcor cor nd is poo o sodium. No

rdiociv mri woud b invovd, nd rgon woudsmor ny r.

Toug rrorism d wys bn sy considrionvn bor is rcn prominnc in pubic consciousnss,

r r svr dsign urs cn b uiizd o mk rcor compxs ssniy rroris-proo. As wi EPR,

coninmn buiding cn b bui o wisnd dirci rom uy ud jinr. A wb o vy cbs cn b

suspndd ik n bov coninmn nd conro sruc-urs, wic woud prmpivy srd ny incoming ircr

vn bor i md conc. Bu vn br n woud bo simpy mound r ovr criic srucurs onc yr

bui, civy kping m bov wr b bu nv-rss king dvng o srucur imprgnbiiy o

mssiv mouns o r.132 Buiding suc srucur wi isso ingrss bing vi bs doors woud mk i viruy im-

prvious o rrorism o ny kind.Tis ub wiin ub rdundn sy sysm provids

prc opporuniy or muip ss o sock bsorbing mounsin vn o mjor rquk. On coud rdy nvision

132 I mig b dvisb o mk sur rcors r bui s50 mrs or so bov s v, jus in cs mos pssimisic gobwrming scnrios com o pss dspi our bs ors.

scnrio undr wic r vs o primry coninmnwoud b brcd, muc ss r is ousid m. I

oricins nd sisicins nd mris sciniss sysm s dscribd r is si oo risky (igy uniky,

bu n gin Im no sisicin), ow mny yrs o con-inmn woud b ndd o mk i ccpby s, o mk

i on in miion s, or on in biion? A ird sinssub? A ickr or compy spr ddiion rinorcd con-

cr brrir? Fin, no probm. Buid i in. T sy cor

bui ino u rods msvs is bsd on ws o pys-ics, wic r iry immub is v. Evnuy i gs

down o poin o irrion prnoi, byond wic noingwoud vr b bui nd wd si b iving in cvs (Look ou,

sci mig on your d!). Jus s n incrdiby improbb oug xprimn s

imgin r suddny ywning opn nd swowing nir compx, sodium pouring ou nd ccing r in

n onrusing ood jus ppnd o occur r rcrusd rcor poo o pop is op. Suc ywning, gup-

ing, n crusing scnrios r voris o csy dissrmovis, bu unknown in r i. O cours cnc o ny

suc vn occurring nywr, muc ss prcisy rcorcor, is sronomicy improbb. Nvrss, imgin ons

o urnium nd vn som puonium bing us inxpicbyibrd in scnrio s uniky s Evis nd Mriyn rising

ogr rom dd. I rs cric suppy wr

providd by IFRs nd is ppnd by som mircuous vn, dmg o umniy woud si b r ss srious n

w our currn nrgy sysms r doing vry dy, wi onso pouing gss pouring rom co-rd powr pns, wi

ir soo on kis w ovr miion pop pr yr.133

T sy cors woud b bui ino IFR pns s

133 J Brnrd, Rsrcrs Trck Dus, Soo rom Cin, Boston GlobeJu 13, 2007.


13/14


mr o cours wi mos criny provid v o sy wi b vs improvmn ovr currn nrgy sysms, b y

co, oi (wi is ong is o dissrs bo rg nd sm), gs(ikwis), or vn ydro powr.

No mr ow s sysm is, os wo sk o nd uwi i wi on connd dissr is ony on umn rror

wy, nd rs no wy round i. T sm rgumnwi undoubdy b vd IFR sysm, y i woud b

widy o mrk. On o wondrs o pssiv sy o

IFRs is y subsiu vry ws o pysics in pc oumn compnc nd mcnic prormnc. Rr n

rying on pumps nvr iing (or on rdundn bckup pumpsnd sysms), or on compnc o pn oprors, IFR

dsign ris on uncnging pysic ws. T boiing poin osodium is no going o cng. And mprur byond

wic ssion rcion cnno susin is ss n ormniond boiing poin o sodium is ikwis unc-

ion o ws o pysics. Humn rror cnno cng simmub condiions.

Proposing comp rpcmn o ossi u powrpns wordwid wi mssiv buiding projc o IFR rc-

ors woud sm oundis i i wr o b bsd on singxprinc Argonn, owvr spccur progrm my

v bn (nd i ws). Bu Amricns wr no onyons xprimning wi brdr rcors in r o

wni cnury.

For three decades, several countries had large and vigorousast breeder reactor development programmes. In most

cases, ast reactor development programmes were at theirpeaks by . Fast test reactors [Rapsodie (France),

KNK-II (Germany), FBTR (India), Joyo (Japan), DFR(United Kingdom), BR-, BOR- (Russian Federation),

EBR-II, Fermi, FFTF (United States o America)] were

operating in several countries, with commercial sizeprototype reactors [Phnix, Superphnix (France),

SNR- (Germany), Monju (Japan), PFR (UnitedKingdom), BN- (Kazakhstan), BN- (Russian

Federation)] just under construction or coming on line.

A combination o actors led to the termination o these

programs, not the least o which was the political pressure

brought to bear by antinuclear activists. There were also a

ew accidents which, while not resulting in any danger to the

populace, were seized upon by nuclear power oes to create po-

litical calamities. The accidents that did occur resulted rom

designs faws that were eliminated in Argonnes EBR-II.

Tos wo concivd nd bui s pns undrsoodu w uur mig prsn vry dirn poii-

c ndscp nd somdy is yp o rcor mig bncssry, wr rom diminising suppy o urnium or

bcus o unorsn dvopmns. Gob wrming, o cours,is probby mos surprising dvopmn, bs ony dimy

imgind in ry dys o nucr powr rsrc. Foru-ny, commimn o dvncing is cnoogy rsud

in n inrnion or o cr srd poo o knowdg.Ovr ory yrs o s rcor dvopmn wordwid rp-

rsns o o 300 rcor-yrs o oprion. In viwo nucr xprs rom round word wo know i rom

xprinc, is cnoogy s rcd mur sg ndis uy rdy or commrci ppicion. In c, s rc-

or is currny undr consrucion in Indi im o iswriing, wi ors on drwing bord in vrious counris.

I once asked one o the directors at Argonne National

Laboratory how the physicists and engineers elt about being

ordered to essentially keep their work out o the public eye.

134 IAEA, Oprion & Dcommissioning Exprinc wi Fs Rc-ors, (Cdrc, Frnc: Mr 11-15, 2002).


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He told me that rom what he could tell most o them seemed

surprisingly sanguine about it, assuming that global warming

politics and energy supply realities would eventually trump

ossil uel politics, at which time their system would become

the obvious choice. It seems that time has arrived. A rst step

must be a revelation o the existence o such technology to the

public at large, or the implications o a worldwide conversion

to IFRs are staggering. Tremendous pressure will have to be

brought to bear on our political leaders in order or them to

abandon the current state o aairs and strike out on a path

that puts the earth, and their constituents interests, beore the

interests o the giant corporations that today have a strangle-

hold on energy production and, to an appalling degree, on

politicians around the world.

Bor w go down rod oug, r r or rods

o considr: rods w driv on. Evn i nions o r grd o ry on r suprior IFR cnoogy or ir

cric gnrion, w si nd nrgy crrirs o som kindor us in our uomobis nd or ppicions wr c-

riciy is inconvnin or unvib. Viruy vry discus-sion Iv sn o s rcors nvisions using m o produc

ydrogn or supposd uur ydrogn conomy. Indd, rcn dircion o nucr powr rsrc s bn dirc-

d owrd dvopmn o ig-mprur rcors sp-cicy or producion o ydrogn or rnsporion. Y

wv sn ydrogn s immns cnoogic urds osurmoun bor i cn b conomic nd s. Josp Romm,

rir mniond s ormr Cinon dminisrion nrgyoci nd uor oThe Hype About Hydrogen, commns:

People view hydrogen as this kind o pollution-ree elixir.

That all you have to do is put hydrogen in something, andits no longer an environmental problem, which is just

absurd. In act, i you take hydrogen rom ossil uels and

run them in an inefcient internal-combustion enginevehicle, you end up with a vehicle that just generates a

great deal o pollution.People need to get out o their heads [the idea]

that there is something that is inherently good or theenvironment about hydrogen. I you run it through a uel

cell, you have zero tailpipe emissions. We all would like

zero tailpipe emissions. I you burn it, however, you dontget zero tailpipe emission, in act. You get a lot o nitrogen

oxide, because it tends to burn at a high temperatureThe current costs o the uel cells are about

times the cost o internal-combustion engines. Rightnow, they cost hundreds o thousands o dollars apiece.

And getting them, rankly, to be within a actor o o aregular car will be a stunning scientifc achievement. Im

not expecting that to happen or at least two decades.

I the Cal Tech researchers who predict ozone layer destruc-tion are correct, even i all these challenges are met hydro-

gen may still be too hazardous to our planet to deploy as aworldwide source o uel or, more precisely, as our primary

energy carrier. But dont despair. There is a ar better ideathan hydrogen.

135 Romm, Jus Sy No, o Hydrogn.

chapter5 fast breeder reactor

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