Apr 09, 2010 has anyone here ever heard of a terrapower reactor or traveling wave reactor. George is is a nuclear reactor physicist, part of the team that developed the integral fast reactor. The traveling wave that the reactors name references moves through the units core at a rate of only one centimeter per year. The traveling wave reactor, first conceived in 1958, has been intensively investigated only since about 2006. One of the key material properties required to predict material damage and remaining lifetime of key in reactor components is the thermal creep rupture time. Doeid nepa cx determination idaho national laboratory.
Twrs take advantage of a breedandburn process by which fissile material is bred in situ from natural or depleted uranium du to sustain power operations for decades without enrichment or reprocessing. I hope at least one of the main competitors to the 4th gen race will produce some commercial reactors in the next years, i heard about also elysium,transatom. The traveling wave reaction will then slowly convert the depleted uranium to plutonium and consume this new fuel. The traveling wave reactor design is an ingenuitive piece of engineering that compartmentalizes many of the reactors functions to make the reactor more efficient and safer. Creep rupture analysis of candidate steels for the traveling. The more complete burnup of the fuel rod meant less waste would be produced as fewer rods were needed, and the decadeslong fuel cycle meant far fewer. Travelingwave fault locating schweitzer engineering. Abstractthe traveling wave reactor twr is a oncethrough reactor that uses in situ breeding to greatly reduce the need for enrichment and reprocessing. Our vision is to be a world leader in new nuclear technologies that bring the world sustainable, affordable, and safe energy and create high benefit products. The most recent commercial demonstration reactors belong. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. The sel411l and selt400l relays can record traveling wave data in order to provide a highly accurate fault location. Today the idea of a wavelike neutronnuclear burning is almost undisputed.
The traveling wave reactor twr is a proposed reactor design that belongs to a set known as generation iv designs that are different in a number of respects than the current commercial designs which use water to cool the reactor and slow down. Candle traveling wave reactor engine is kerbal concept of traveling. The traveling wave reactor twr is a proposed reactor design that belongs to a set known as generation iv designs that are different in a number of respects than the current commercial designs which use water to cool the reactor and slow down moderate the neutrons that sustain the chain reaction. These reflections of the wave at points on the system where the system characteristics change are the most significant reason for transients above 1pu. A reactor that burns depleted fuel emerges as a potential. A travelingwave reactor twr is a proposed type of nuclear fission reactor that can convert fertile material into usable fuel through nuclear transmutation. It is expected that the present code could be used for the design and safety analysis of travelling wave reactor to be developed in china. It will be capable of utilizing fuel made from depleted uranium a waste byproduct of the uranium enrichment process allowing it to gradually convert the fuel through a nuclear reaction without. For example, could it be used to power a launch vehicle for the 20minutes it might take to get to orbit. On some essential peculiarities of the traveling wave reactor. On some fundamental peculiarities of the traveling wave reactor. Sep 22, 2010 comments on terrapowers travelling wave reactor printable pdf version here by dr george s. Bill gatess experimental nuclear power plant halts. The wave doesnt actually move at all, but this is the easiest way.
Unlike todays reactors, a traveling wave reactor requires very little enriched uranium, reducing the risk of weapons proliferation. Cahalan, sassys manual, anlfra19963, volume 1, august 1996. In a wave that moves through the core at only a centimeter per year, this. The ultimate advantages of the twr are realized when the reload fuel is depleted uranium, where after the startup period, no enrichment facilities.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Introduction the concept of a breedandburn reactor was envisioned many years ago as a potential alternative to the traditional breeder reactor design which relies on reprocessing of the nuclear fuel feinberg, 1958. Traveling wave reactor twr technology, being developed by terrapower, llc, represents a potential solution to these limitations by offering a nuclear energy resource which is truly sustainable at full global scale for the indefinite future and is deployable in the nearterm. A travelingwave reactor twr is a proposed type of nuclear fission reactor that can convert fertile material into usable fuel through nuclear transmutation, in tandem with the burnup of fissile material. Travelingwave reactors only need one batch of matches before they can run on wax depleted uranium for a very long time. Once started, a steadystate wave of power propagates through the reactor core.
As a function of time, the latest design represents a standing wave or a soliton, rather than a traveling wave. The traveling reactor the potential to approach the ideal system burning will propagate through fertile indefinitely defthrough core pu239 the wave fissions the bred pu239 as well as some of the u238 directly wast e a viable fuel sufficient for tens of thousands of. Going to completely reinvent our energy grid over the next 50 years and if you want to take advantage of that and be a part of it have a career and a future in it it all starts with your education and lemare it is a smart way to do college instead. Bill gates on the wrong path with travelling wave reactors. On the basis of conditions for existence of nuclear burning wave in neutronmultiplicating media upu and thu cycles we show the possibility of surmounting. Terrapowers future nuclear plant could be powered by a traveling wave reactor or a molten salt reactor. The basic design of the fast uraniumplutonium nuclear travelingwave reactor with a soft ened neutron spectrum is developed, which solves.
In this article we demonstrate the use of 2450mhz microwave traveling wave reactor to heat the catalyst bed for thermocatalytic upgrading of pyrolysis vapors. These reactors reach sustainability levels attainable by typical fast reactors, but do so without requiring the reprocessing plants that were the main concern when politicians effectively abandoned the us fast reactor. Traveling wave reactor and condition of existence of nuclear. Travelingwave reactor we need them badly physics forums. And while government researchers intermittently bring out new reactor designs, the travelingwave reactor is noteworthy for having come from something that barely exists in the nuclear industry. Terrapower is working on both a traveling wave reactor, which could use depleted uranium as fuel, and a molten chloride fast reactor that could. Design the traveling wave reactor design also operates at atmospheric pressure, which removes the possibility of a pressurerelated destabilizing event. There is no evidence that the traveling wave reactor will overcome any of these. Breeding converts incoming subcritical reload fuel into new critical fuel, allowing a breedburn wave to propagate. We show that the condition of existence of nuclear burning solitonlike wave in a neutronmultiplying medium is determined in general by two conditions. His fission company, terrapower, alters its traveling wave reactor, explores thorium, liquid fuel and alternative designs. Some of the new designs, including terrapowers traveling wave unit, are breeder reactors that produce more atomic fuel than they consume, reducing.
Twrs differ from other kinds of fastneutron and breeder reactors in their ability to use fuel efficiently without uranium enrichment or reprocessing, instead directly using depleted uranium. Dec 04, 20 terrapowers traveling wave reactor twr incorporates inherent safety features and reduces the risk for proliferation in the nuclear energy supply chain. This combination creates a rugged, light weight device suitable for any military airborne or groundbased platform. Terrapower is a technology company headquartered in washington, united states that does research on traveling wave reactors twrs. A comparison of advanced nuclear technologies 2 center on global energy policy columbia sipa acknowledgments the author wishes to thank nicola deblasio, richard nephew, phil sharp, sue tierny, matt robinson, tim frazier. The reactor is fueled primarily by depleted uranium, but requires a small amount of enriched uranium or other fissile fuel to initiate fission. It will greatly simplify the current nuclear fuel cycle, reducing the need for uranium mining and spent fuel storage facilities. On the basis of the condition for nuclear burning wave existence in the neutronmultiplying media upu and thu cycles we show the. The reactor uses depleteduranium fuel packed inside hundreds of hexagonal pillars shown in black and green.
Feb 27, 2010 could the traveling wave reaction be adapted as a particlebed reactor design, to allow it to serve the higher power demands and variable power demands of aerospace propulsion applications. Energy equivalent of 1 pound of the above 2,000,000 lbs of coal wastecomparatively miniscule currently we have 104 nuclear reactors in operation in the us, which generate about 20% of our electricity. The basic design of the fast uraniumplutonium nuclear travelingwave reactor with a soft ened neutron spectrum is developed, which solves the problem of the radiation resistance of the fuel claddings material. Preliminary development of system analysis code for traveling. He is now retired from argonne national laboratory after a career.
Contribute to sswelmksp interstellarextended development by creating an account on github. The traveling wave reactor twr is a oncethrough reactor that uses in situ breeding to greatly reduce the need for enrichment and reprocessing. Terrapower is a nuclear reactor design company headquartered in bellevue, washington, united states. The twr concept places a small core of enriched fuel in the center of a much larger mass of nonfissile material, in this case depleted uranium. Sep 21, 2017 nuclear experts head to china to test experimental reactors by. The travelling wave reactor system analysis code currently for the thermalhydraulic analysis of primary heat transport system was finished.
The molten chloride fast reactor meets terrapowers vision for advanced nuclear power. The traveling wave reactor twr is a proposed reactor design that. The most practical embodiments of the twr involve moving the fuel while keeping the nuclear reactions in one place. With pdfreactor you count on a powerful html to pdf converter software. Some have operated well, while others have done poorly. First it was presented in papers 5,6 and its advanced implementation was patented in 14.
U238 for aerospace propulsion traveling wave reactor. Bill gates stops chasing nuclear wave, pursues variety of reactors. Nrc said to invite terrapowers nathan myhrvold to speak. What are competitions and alternatives to terrapower. After years in a status closer to science fiction than reality, the traveling wave nuclear reactor is emerging as a potential game changer, according to a u. This reactor does not implement a slow traveling solitonlike wave of neutronnuclear burning mode. Unlike todays reactors, a travelingwave reactor requires very little enriched uranium, reducing the risk of weapons proliferation. It helps that the reactor is the product of a team of top scientists backed by the deep pockets of microsoft founder bill gates. Convert html to pdf, html to pdf converter pdfreactor. Sodiumcooled fast reactors have a checkered history. Traveling wave reactor wikipedia republished wiki 2. Some of the fastspectrum neutrons produced by fission are absorbed by neutron capture in adjacent fertile fuel i. Bill gates stops chasing nuclear wave, pursues variety.
Physical fundamentals of traveling wave reactor are considered. Terrapowers travelling wave reactor why not use an ifr. It is a sodiumcooled fast reactor design in which neutrons are not slowed down and the heat created by fission is carried away by liquid sodium, which is used to boil water. A twr is a class of reactor that is uniquely designed to operate indefinitely. Travelingwave reactor we need them badly what is the fuel pu239.
Travelingwave reactor twr technology, being developed by terrapower, llc, represents a potential solution to these limitations by offering a nuclear energy resource which is truly sustainable at full global scale for the indefinite future and is deployable in the nearterm. The wide range of functions exceed most converter tools and bring your pdf converting to the next level. Traveling wave reactors twrs are advanced nuclear reactors that are capable of eventually running forever given only depleted uranium fuel. Dec 01, 2011 the traveling wave reactor is a liquidmetalcooled, fastneutron breeder reactor, with many of the same advantages and disadvantages as other fast breeder reactors. Twrs differ from other kinds of fastneutron and breeder reactors in their ability to use fuel efficiently without uranium enrichment or reprocessing, instead directly using depleted uranium, natural. Terrapower, a startup funded in part by nathan myhrvold and bill gates, is moving closer to building a new type of nuclear reactor called a traveling wave reactor that runs on an abundant form of.
Advanced reactor gets closer to reality mit technology. Breeding converts incoming subcritical reload fuel. The waves that breed and deeply burn fissile nuclides insitu travel relative to. Terrapower is developing a class of nuclear fast reactors called the traveling wave reactor twr.
Traveling wave reactor traveling wave reactor \u00a9m. Our conventional traveling wave tubes are of metalceramic construction for severe environmental conditions and utilize rare earth periodic permanent magnets for powerfree focusing. As to the issue of generating nuclear waste, the traveling wave nuclear reactor actually utilizes for its fuel the waste thats generated by these first and second generation nuclear reactors. Traveling wave reactors were first proposed in the 1950s and have been studied intermittently. The most recent commercial demonstration reactors belong in the latter category. It is this traveling wave characteristic of transients that lead to reflections and refractions on the system. The traveling wave reactor, twr constitutes a reformulation of the liquid metal fast reactor, lmfbr and the coupled cores concepts and a reformulation of battery reactors based on naval propulsion reactors designs. At ted 2010, bill gates spoke of a new project that could be a game changer in energy production.
This kind of reactor doesnt require enriched fuels, so it avoids proliferation problems and can even consume some depleted uranium waste as fuel. The design is based on the elements of sodium cooled, fast reactor technology. Nuclear experts head to china to test experimental reactors. Oct 21, 2015 terrapower quietly explores new nuclear reactor strategy the startup is exploring a molten chloride reactor concept, but says it remains committed to traveling wave reactors. However, limitations on both computational capabilities and fuel assembly structural materials prevented. The concept of a reactor that could breed its own fuel inside the reactor core was initially proposed and studied in 1958 by savely moiseevich feinberg, who called it a breedandburn reactor. But these reactors arent fully operational just yet. But six years after it was founded, terrapower has not yet produced a. This technology has been well researched and tested as a viable example. Terrapower has developed sophisticated computational analysis tools to support the design and fabrication of high temperature components to be used in the traveling wave reactor twr. On the basis of the condition for nuclear burning wave existence in the neutron multiplying media upu and thu cycles we show the. Terrapowers traveling wave reactor twr incorporates inherent safety features and reduces the risk for proliferation in the nuclear energy supply chain. Bill gates terrapower project and the traveling wave.
The advanced fuel qualification methodology report will be developed for metallic fuel in a sodium fast reactor sfr environment. A wave reactor on fast neutrons in selfregulating neutronnuclear mode of the second kind is known. A private company called terrapower which is funded by bill gates among others has supposedly completed a design and is looking to actually build the first reactor. Jul 27, 2011 advanced reactor gets closer to reality. If you want to convert a html file to pdf, if you use a webpage or rely on database publishing there is a way to turn even complex html into pdf.
A 30person company, terrapower llc, at bellevue, washington, with bill gates, microsofts founder, as a chairperson, proposes a conceptual design of a reactor that would use spent fuel from light water reactors, lwrs and depleted uranium. A traveling wave reactor twr is a type of nuclear fission reactor that can convert fertile material into usable fuel through nuclear transmutation, in tandem with the burnup of fissile material. May 19, 2014 this animation shows how our traveling wave reactor design works. From the principle of fourier analysis, an anharmonic traveling wave can be decomposed into a sum of traveling harmonic wave components, i. When there is a termination of a line, the effect of traveling waves is most. The traveling wave reactor design also operates at atmospheric pressure, which removes the possibility of a pressurerelated destabilizing event.
As it runs, the core in a traveling wave reactor gradually converts nonfissile material into the fuel it needs. Nov 17, 2010 the traveling wave that the reactor s name references moves through the units core at a rate of only one centimeter per year. Gates invested in terrapower in 2011 with the hope of helping to prove the companys core concept. Terrapower quietly explores new nuclear reactor strategy. The traveling wave nuclear reactor does not solve all of these problems completely.
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