![]() ![]() This number of available neutrons can be interpreted as the breeding potential of a given isotope. To maintain a critical reactor, one needs exactly one new neutron per fission, leaving neutrons to bombard a fertile material. The number of new neutrons released by a fissile nucleus upon absorption of a neutron is given by the parameter : Thus there is a possibility to create fissile material in a nuclear chain reacting system, and maybe even the opportunity to create more fissile material than is being consumed in the reactor: one can breed fissile material (e.g., Pu-239) from fertile material (e.g., U-238). If bombarded with neutrons, U-238 can capture a neutron and transmute to the isotope of plutonium Pu-239, which is fissile. Uranium as it occurs in nature contains 0.7% of the fissile isotope U-235, the rest being U-238. An overview is presented of the main design characteristics of these Gen IV GCFRs, and a literature list is provided to guide the interested reader towards more detailed publications. ![]() The new GCFR concepts focus primarily on sustainable nuclear power, with very efficient resource use, minimum waste, and a very strong focus on (passive) safety. In the second part of the paper, we provide an overview of the investigations on GCFR since the year 2000, when the Generation IV Initiative rekindled interest in this reactor type. During this period, the GCFR concept was found to be more challenging than liquid-metal-cooled reactors, and none were ever constructed. During that period, the GCFR concept was expected to increase the breeding gain, the thermal efficiency of a nuclear power plant, and alleviate some of the problems associated with liquid metal coolants. A review is given of developments in the area of Gas-Cooled Fast Reactors (GCFR) in the period from roughly 1960 until 1980. ![]()
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