Nuclear power as an energy source

2^nd International Conference on Atomic and Nuclear Physics

November 08-09, 2017 | Las Vegas, USA

Leonid Ponomarev

A A Bochvar High Technology Research Institute of Inorganic Materials, Russia

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Astrophys Aerospace Technol

Abstract :

The discovery of nuclear energy is the most significant event in the mankind history since the taming fire. However, the contemporary nuclear power based on the thermal reactors with U-235 fuel has no sustainable future. After 60 years of its operation some developed countries have decided to close nuclear power. The reasons for such a decision refer to the principal problems of the contemporary nuclear power: safety, resources, radioactive wastes, nonproliferation and economic problems. The roots of these problems are in the history of the nuclear power: it is the byproduct of the military applications of nuclear energy. In 80-s Alvin Weinberg insisted that nuclear power needs in the new start and it should be based on the inherent safety reactors. As a candidate for such a reactor Weinberg proposed the molten salt reactor (MSR) with Th-U fuel. However, this reactor can�t solve the resource problem because the neutron balance in the thorium thermal reactor is poor in comparison with one of the fast U-Pu reactor. Fast MSR with U-Pu fuel (U-Pu FMSR) is possible only if the concentration of heavy elements (especially Pu) in the fuel composition exceeds 10 at.%, but such a salt was not known till recently. Four years ago two experimental groups from Russia have established that the UF4, PuF3 and AmF3 solubility in eutectics LiF-NaF-KF (FLiNaK) is 45, 33 and 43 mole % respectively. For the first time this observation allows to combine three ideas: the fast neutron spectrum, the liquid fuel and the closed U-Pu fuel cycle. It opens the way for the solution three of the five nuclear power problems: inherent safety, resource and minor actinide incineration. The problems of nonproliferation and economics of closed nuclear fuel cycle are also simplified. I think this way for reviving nuclear power has to be studied thoroughly.