Techno-economic assessment of thorium power in Canada

Graves, Brian; Wong, Alain; Mousavi, Kian; Canter, Christina E.; Kumar, Amit

doi:10.1016/j.anucene.2015.05.028

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…When comparing different thorium-based fuels in different reactors there were also other studies [26,65,66] that were more extensive and provided total power generation costs (and total unit energy costs), which included cost components such as reactor (or capital) costs, insurance, and operation and maintenance costs in addition to fuel costs-though some studies would only focus on reactor and fuel costs. More recently, Graves et al [67] used levelized unit electricity costing to estimate the abatement cost of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) when comparing a nuclear reactor with thorium-based fuel or natural uranium based fuel to coal-fired and gas-fired plants. Graves et al estimated that the abatement cost of GHG for a natural uranium and thorium-based fuel in a Canadian-designed heavy-water reactor would be lower than for a coal-fired and gas-fired plant: "the abatement cost for the nuclear power plant when compared to the coal-fired and gas-fired plants is −$10.4/ tonne-CO 2 eq and −$15.7/tonne-CO 2 eq, respectively" [67].…”

Section: Nuclear Economics Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…More recently, Graves et al [67] used levelized unit electricity costing to estimate the abatement cost of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) when comparing a nuclear reactor with thorium-based fuel or natural uranium based fuel to coal-fired and gas-fired plants. Graves et al estimated that the abatement cost of GHG for a natural uranium and thorium-based fuel in a Canadian-designed heavy-water reactor would be lower than for a coal-fired and gas-fired plant: "the abatement cost for the nuclear power plant when compared to the coal-fired and gas-fired plants is −$10.4/ tonne-CO 2 eq and −$15.7/tonne-CO 2 eq, respectively" [67]. Therefore, in past and recent studies of thorium use, any economic advantages of a reactor due to technical characteristics were typically incorporated through fuel cycle costs and total power generation costs.…”

Section: Nuclear Economics Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

A Canadian Perspective of the Economic Issues Associated With Deploying Thorium-Based Fuel Cycles and Breeding in Heavy-Water Reactors

España

Bromley

2019

CNL Nuclear Review

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To meet future global needs for energy and green technology, it is prudent to identify energy sources and technology that may potentially be economically beneficial. Thorium-based fuels with nuclear technology, such as the Canadian heavy-water reactor, have been proposed as a way to meet those global needs, though economic challenges persist in deploying thorium-based fuels. Therefore, economic strategies to overcome the economic challenges in deploying thorium-based fuels are needed. To identify potential strategies for advancing the deployment of thorium-based fuels, this paper conducts a historical examination of the economics of thorium fuel cycles to identify economic factors that can influence a country’s development of thorium-based fuel cycles. In particular, this paper reviews the economic issues associated with Canada’s experience in deploying thorium-based fuel cycles. The study finds that the existence of natural resources and the associated price, a nuclear fuel cycle’s costs, a country’s international trade balance position and economic growth policies, the profitability of the electrical power and nuclear industry, and the technical and economical characteristics of the nuclear reactor developed in a country may all influence the adoption of a thorium-based fuel cycle. Furthermore, recent advancements in developing thorium-based fuel cycles are suggested as a possible way of bridging the technical and economic gap between near-term and long-term implementation of thorium-based fuel cycles that may overcome current economic challenges.

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Section: Nuclear Economics Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Nuclear Economics Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Canadian Perspective of the Economic Issues Associated With Deploying Thorium-Based Fuel Cycles and Breeding in Heavy-Water Reactors

España

Bromley

2019

CNL Nuclear Review

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“…Prices of uranium decreased and the enthusiasm for alternative fuel cycles disappeared. Only in recent years some countries have become interested again in researches on thorium, some of them are Canada, China, India, Norway and the USA [6].…”

Section: Research Programsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Numerical design of the Seed-Blanket Unit for the thorium nuclear fuel cycle

Oettingen

Skolik

2016

E3S Web Conf.

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Abstract. In the paper we present the Monte Carlo modelling by the means of the Monte Carlo Continuous Energy Burn-up Code of the 17x17 Pressurized Water Reactor fuel assembly designed according to the Radkowsky Thorium Fuel concept. The design incorporates the UO 2 seed fuel located in the centre and (Th,U)O 2 blanket fuel located in the peripheries of fuel assembly. The high power seed region supplies neutrons for the low power blanket region and thus induces breeding of fissile 233 U from fertile 232 Th. The both regions are physically separated and thus this approach is also known as either the heterogonous approach or the Seed-Blanket Unit. In the numerical analysis we consider the time evolutions of infinite neutron multiplication factor, axial/radial power density profile, 233 U, 235 U and 232 Th.

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