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This book comprises selected proceedings of the ThEC15 conference. The book presents research findings on various facets of thorium energy, including exploration and mining, thermo-physical and chemical properties of fuels, reactor physics, challenges in fuel fabrication, thorium fuel cycles, thermal hydraulics and safety, material challenges, irradiation experiences, and issues and challenges for the design of advanced thorium fueled reactors. Thorium is more abundant than uranium and has the potential to provide energy to the world for centuries if used in a closed fuel cycle. As such, technologies for using thorium for power generation in nuclear reactors are being developed worldwide. Since there is a strong global thrust towards designing nuclear reactors with thorium-based fuel, this book will be of particular interest to nuclear scientists, reactor designers, regulators, academics and policymakers.

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Contents

List of contributors

Foreword

Preface

Nomenclature

1. Introduction:

- Historical review of development of Thorium Fuel Cycle, Past Experience, Difficulties Faced, New Interest to Revive the R&D for Thorium Technology, Options for Thorium Technology, References

2. Thorium As a Fuel
- Properties of Thorium Fuel, World Reserves, Advantages over Uranium, Exploration and Mining, Thorium Fuel Fabrication, Strategies to Use Thorium in Nuclear Fuel Cycle

3. Thorium irradiation experiences

- Irradiation of Thorium in research reactors, PHWRs, PWRs, etc.; Lessons learnt and conclusions

4. Advanced reactor designs with Thorium Fuels

- Water Cooled reactor designs

- HTR designs with Thorium fuel
- MSRs designs with Thorium fuel

- Fast reactor designs with Thorium fuel

- Physics design of such reactors, validation of the design concepts

5. Safety Issues of Thorium Fuelled Reactors

- Safety goals of new reactor designs, accomplishment of safety by new safety systems, validations of safety systems with experiments.

6. Back end of Thorium fuel cycle
- Reprocessing issues and experience

- Waste management

- Non-proliferation aspects

7. Conclusions and Way Forward

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