1. Basic Research at GSI for the Transmutation of Nuclear Waste in Accelerator Driven Reactor Systems (ADS)
- Author
-
M. Bernas, L. Donadille, B. Mustapha, K. Helariutta, W. Wlazlo, C. Villagrasa, Enrique Casarejos, J. Pereira, B. Fernandez, R. Legrain, S. Leray, L. Audouin, T. Enqvist, O. Yordanov, A. Boudard, F. Vivès, S. Czajkowski, J. Taieb, C. Volant, P. Armbruster, P. Napolitani, K.-H. Schmidt, J. Benlliure, A. Kelic, L. Tassan-Got, C. Stephan, M.S. Pravikoff, M. V. Ricciardi, F. Rejmund, and B. Jurado
- Subjects
education.field_of_study ,Nuclear transmutation ,business.industry ,Nuclear engineering ,Fossil fuel ,Population ,Radioactive waste ,Nuclear power ,Renewable energy ,Electricity generation ,Environmental science ,business ,education ,MOX fuel - Abstract
The still increasing and developing world population demands more energy. Further burning of coal, oil and gas produces still more CO2 deteriorating the climate. Anyhow, oil and gas will run out in the middle of the century. Planning a decent future with a minimum supply of energy for those who will follow us, requires re-examining all possibilities of non-polluting, renewable, and sustainable energies including nuclear options. There are two nuclear reactions which allow for a long-term exploitation: (i) converting H into He by fusion or (ii) converting U and Th into Pu and U to be burnt by fission. In this paper, the fission option is the target. The real long-term reserves of fission energy lie in the even-even isotopes U and Th, as the supplies of U, like fossil fuels, are restricted, as well. The remaining U and available Pu could be burnt in a 3 generation of reactors (EPR) using mixed U/Pu-fuel (MOX). Aiming at a contribution of fission energy to the world electricity production of one third, that is three times more nuclear power than today, reactors of a 4 generation should be envisaged, ready to wide technological applications in the middle of the century. Such an option could be foreseen as an implement of a peaceful future.
- Published
- 2005
- Full Text
- View/download PDF