Advanced reactor development

The ruinous droughts and fires of the summer just passed (1988) have focussed attention as never before on the environment that we exist in. Our energy generation today takes place on a scale quite unimaginable even a few decades ago. That our environment may be fragile in the face of this would not be surprising, and, in fact, now seems increasingly likely. Not certain, but likely. The perception of this problem is new enough that there is much uncertainty remaining in all of this. But if nothing else, it is clear that R&D will be called for, to establish facts and to suggest solutions. Current technology, in many areas, will probably be seen as the cause of the problem and not its solution. In this context, some attention once again has started to be drawn to nuclear as one of the possible elements in a solution. Even some environmentalists, but by no means all, have suggested a re-examination of nuclear power. Increasingly though, as the numbers and magnitudes begin to sink in, the need for nuclear will almost certainly become evident. But it is of the utmost importance that the real situation with regard to nuclear development be understood. What nuclear really can do, and what it can't, what reactor types, what the technologies are, are all important issues. But most important of all and seemingly most overlooked in discussions today, is what the aims of advanced reactor development have to be, if a new generation of nuclear power is really to play an important role in man's energy generation activities. The Background on the Critical Need for Advanced Reactor Development paper gives this background. Using enough numbers to give a feel for the issues it briefly covers present atmospheric evidence, the current situation in nuclear, how reactors work and what can go wrong with them, and the present magnitudes of world energy generation. The central part of the paper describes what is currently being done in advanced reactor development and what can be expected from various systems and various elements of it. A vigorous case is made that three elements must be present in any advanced reactor development: (1) breeding; (2) passive safety; and (3) shorter-lived nuclear waste. All three are possible. In the right advanced reactor systems the ways of achieving them are known. But R&D is necessary. That is the central argument made in the paper. Not advanced reactor prototype construction at this point, but R&D itself. In the desire to do something immediately about greenhouse effects there may be immediate calls for construction of prototypes of advanced reactor systems. Prototype construction is expensive. It is also extremely important to recognize the possibility that prototypes of systems that, although new, lack required characteristics will only abort later as their limitations become apparent. A lot of money can be spent and a lot of commitment squandered, without touching what is really necessary to realize the longterm benefits of nuclear power. There has been some history of this in nuclear development. R&D is what is necessary right now. R&D on systems that promise the necessary characteristics. The integral fast reactor (IFR) development program at Argonne National Laboratory is one such program—the only one, currently, in the nation. It should be given strong support, and broadened, as a model of what is necessary. It is important that civilian advanced reactor development be supported sufficiently to allow it to proceed in a stable R&D environment. In the long run, for our nation and our environment, this may be as important as anything the nation can do. Relatively not a lot of money need be involved, but it is very important that the right program be pursued.