Scientists develop more powerful nuclear fuel

U.S. researchers have designed a reactor fuel that they believe can make nuclear power plants more powerful and safer, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) said. In a nuclear reactor, the fission of uranium atoms provides heat used to produce steam for generating electricity. Already, one pickup truck of uranium fuel can supply a city with enough electricity for a year. The MIT scientists believe they have found a way to make the fuel go even further, boosting output by about 50%.

Uranium fuel typically is formed into cylindrical ceramic pellets about half-inch in diameter. The scientists changed the shape of the fuel from solid cylinders to hollow tubes, adding surface area that allowed water to flow inside and outside the pellets, increasing heat transfer. The new fuel design is also safer because it reaches an operating temperature of about 700 degrees Celsius, much lower than 1,800 degrees for conventional fuel and further from the 2,840 degrees melting point for uranium fuel. Researchers say their new technology should be ready for commercial use in existing reactors in about 10 years.

(2006-10-01 16:15:37 SGT) [Energy] Permalink

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