Abstract
As part of the RCUK–India civil nuclear research collaboration, British and Indian researchers have assessed the merits and disadvantages of, and potential for, open-cycle thorium–uranium-fuelled (Th–U-fuelled) nuclear energy systems. The research centred on fuel cycle modelling and life-cycle assessment of three Th–U-fuelled nuclear energy systems and compared these to a reference uranium-fuelled nuclear energy system, all operating with open nuclear fuel cycles. The results indicate that thorium-based fuels offer little benefit over conventional uranium-fuelled approaches for open-cycle nuclear energy production. This chapter provides an overview on the project and stresses overarching conclusions.
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Abbreviations
- ADSR:
-
Accelerator-driven subcritical reactor
- AHWR:
-
Advanced heavy water reactor (DAE India funded)
- CANDU:
-
A widely adopted type of pressurised heavy water reactor developed in Canada
- EPR:
-
European pressurised reactor (AREVA)
- FC:
-
Fuel cycle
- GHG:
-
Greenhouse gas
- GT-MHR:
-
Gas turbine modular helium reactor (General Atomics)
- LCA:
-
Life-cycle analysis
- LCOE:
-
Levelised cost of electricity
- MOX:
-
Mixed oxide (nuclear fuel)
- MSR:
-
Molten salt reactor (various concepts)
- PR:
-
Proliferation resistance
- PWR:
-
Pressurised water reactor
- SNF:
-
Spent nuclear fuel
References
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Acknowledgements
The work was funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (UK) under grant no. EP/I018425/1. We are most grateful to all those who worked to establish the RCUK–India civil nuclear collaboration. We also wish to note our gratitude to all those listed as co-authors and in the acknowledgements sections of the papers where our individual studies are more fully described.
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Nuttall, W.J., Ashley, S.F., Fenner, R.A., Krishnani, P.D., Parks, G.T. (2019). Technology Assessment of Near-Term Open-Cycle Thorium-Fuelled Nuclear Energy Systems. In: Nayak, A., Sehgal, B. (eds) Thorium—Energy for the Future. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2658-5_7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2658-5_7
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