Breeding Ratio of thorium fuel cycle

[bevan100]

Homework Statement

A breeder reactor is designed to work on a thorium fuel cycle. If the reactor generates a constant thermal power of 2.5GW and a production rate of ²³³U is 52kg per year. Find the breeding Ratio

[You may assume the capture to fission ratio of ²³³U is 0.09 and the energy released per fission is 197.9Mev.]

Homework Equations

Breeding Ratio= number of fissile nuclei produced/ number of fissile nuclei consumed

The Attempt at a Solution

I really don't know how to go about solving this problem.
I would assume that the capture to fission ratio is important.

The fission of one atom of U-233 generates 197.9 MeV = 3.171 × 10−11 J, i.e. 19.09 TJ/mol = 81.95 TJ/kg.
Then multiply by 0.91 and calculate the energy from fission of 52kg.

81.95 TJ/kg x 52kg x 0.91=3.88x10¹⁵J per year

Also reactor produces 2.5GW so I can see this is also really important but get the feeling I am missing something simple as this is the 1st question on a past paper.

Any help really appreciated

Thanks
Lewis

 

[gerapotamus]

ha... I am stuck too lewis i swear this wasn't in his notes...

rate of production of new fuel = G w P = 52kg

G = C - 1

where C is the breeding ratio...

strugling to find w (think its to do with the 200 MeV) but i think its simpler than ur calculations