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The Other Energy Sources
Published in Anco S. Blazev, Power Generation and the Environment, 2021
Metal nuclear fuels have much higher heat conductivity than oxide fuels, but cannot withstand high temperatures. Metal fuels have the highest fissile atom density, and are normally alloyed, made with pure uranium metal. Uranium alloys include uranium aluminum, uranium zirconium, uranium silicon, uranium molybdenum, and uranium zirconium hydride. Any of these can be made with plutonium and other actinides as part of a closed nuclear fuel cycle. Metal fuels have been used in water reactors and liquid metal fast breeder reactors such as EBR-II.
Nuclear and Hydro Power
Published in Anco S. Blazev, Energy Security for The 21st Century, 2021
Uranium alloys include uranium aluminum, uranium zirconium, uranium silicon, uranium molybdenum, and uranium zirconium hydride. Any of these can be made with plutonium and other actinides as part of a closed nuclear fuel cycle. Metal fuels have been used in water reactors and liquid metal fast breeder reactors, such as EBR-II.
The Other Energy Markets
Published in Anco S. Blazev, Global Energy Market Trends, 2021
Uranium alloys include uranium aluminum, uranium zirconium, uranium silicon, uranium molybdenum, and uranium zirconium hydride. Any of these can be made with plutonium and other actinides as part of a closed nuclear fuel cycle. Metal fuels have been used in water reactors and liquid metal fast breeder reactors, such as EBR-II.
Considerations for Hydride Moderator Readiness in Microreactors
Published in Nuclear Technology, 2023
M. Nedim Cinbiz, Chase N. Taylor, Erik Luther, Holly Trellue, John Jackson
The best-known metal hydride, which remains widely used, is the uranium-zirconium hydride (U-ZrH1.6) for TRIGA reactor fuel.2,16,23 The U-Zr hydride fuel is composed of two-phase mixtures of α U and δ ZrH1.6 where the δ-hydride slows fast neutrons down that are emitted from α U via nuclear fission reactions. Thus, the U-Zr hydride fuel is a dual-purpose metal hydride with fission and moderation functions. The moderator function of the hydride fuel is currently qualified for TRIGA reactor conditions,24 as well as its fission function. Because the U-Zr hydride fuel is currently being used in research reactors, the hydride moderator fabrication qualification can benefit from the U-Zr hydride fuel experience.