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→Design specifications: I'm pretty sure that's what's used here Tags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit |
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The nuclear core design is based upon a new conversion technique in which an initial "starter" section of the core provides the [[neutrons]] to convert fertile material (used nuclear fuel, thorium or [[depleted uranium]]) into burnable [[fissile]] fuel.<ref>"With Disposal Uncertain, Waste Burning Reactors Gain Traction – EM2 to Burn LWR Fuel," Nuclear New Build Monitor, March 15, 2010</ref> First generation EM2 units use enriched uranium starters (approximately 15 percent [[U235]]) to initiate the conversion process.<ref>{{Cite journal |last = Choi |first = H. |title = A Compact Gas-Cooled Fast Reactor with an Ultra-Long Fuel Cycle |journal = Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations |volume = 2013 |pages = 1–10 |doi = 10.1155/2013/618707 |year = 2013 |doi-access = free }}</ref> The starter U235 is consumed as the fertile material is converted to fissile fuel. The core life expectancy is approximately 30 years without refueling or reshuffling the fuel.
Substantial amounts of usable fissile material remain in the EM2 core at the end of life. This material can be reused as the starter for a second generation of EM2s, without conventional [[nuclear reprocessing]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ga.com/advanced-reactors |title=Advanced Reactors |publisher=General Atomics |access-date = Feb 19, 2018}}</ref> There is no separation of individual heavy metals required and no additional [[enriched uranium]] needed. Only [[fission products]] would be removed, which would decay to near-background radiation levels in about 500 years compared to conventional spent fuel, which requires about 10,000 years.<ref>{{Cite journal |last = Choi |first = H. |title = A Compact Gas-Cooled Fast Reactor with an Ultra-Long Fuel Cycle |journal = Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations |volume = 2013 |pages = 1–10 |doi = 10.1155/2013/618707 |year = 2013 |doi-access = free }}</ref>
All EM2 heavy metal discharges could be recycled into new EM2 units, effectively closing the [[nuclear fuel cycle]], which minimizes [[nuclear proliferation]] risks and the need for long-term repositories to secure nuclear materials.
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