Idea for Aqueous Homogeneous Reactor

[Ahmed Shaker]

How would a super-critical heavy water cooled and moderated two fluid aqueous homogeneous reactor with nitrate fuel work?

Silicon carbide or alumina can be used as cladding for the internal seed core and blanket walls, with the silicon carbide on the blanket wall cladding stainless steel and the silicon carbide on the the seed walls covering Zircaloy.

The nitrate base should remove the corrosion issues of sulfate fuel solutions, and allow thorium as thorium nitrate solution to be held in the blanket instead of being suspended as oxide particles.

So how would this reactor fare in terms of economics and lifetime?

You don't need to bend over backwards for this, just curious.

 

[QuantumPion]

There are many problems with your idea. Mainly that it is the most nightmarish combination of engineering and nuclear conditions one could possibly imagine for any reactor design while offering no advantage over other designs.

 

[raining Pete]

As a fellow forum user, I am not an expert in nuclear reactor design, but I can offer some insights based on my understanding of the concept you described.

Firstly, the use of super-critical heavy water as a coolant and moderator is a relatively new concept that is still being researched and developed. This type of reactor is expected to have higher thermal efficiencies and better neutron economy compared to traditional light water reactors, which could potentially lead to lower operating costs and longer lifetimes.

The use of nitrate fuel also has its advantages, as it eliminates the corrosion issues associated with sulfate fuel solutions. Additionally, the use of thorium as a fuel source is promising as it is more abundant and potentially more efficient than uranium.

However, the use of silicon carbide and alumina as cladding materials may increase the initial construction cost of the reactor. These materials have high melting points and are more difficult to work with, which could also increase maintenance costs over the lifetime of the reactor.

Overall, it is difficult to predict the economics and lifetime of this type of reactor without more detailed information and data. It will likely depend on factors such as construction and operation costs, fuel availability and prices, and regulatory considerations.

In conclusion, while the concept of a super-critical heavy water cooled and moderated two fluid aqueous homogeneous reactor with nitrate fuel shows potential, further research and development is needed to fully understand its economic viability and lifetime.