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Re:[2]: CANDU Reactors
Jaro wrote:
>CANDU uses natural uranium (with 0.71% U235).
>The point is that it also breeds quite a lot of RGPu in the process, >by way of
the neutron capture by U238, without fission, yielding >Pu239, then 240, 241,
etc. with additional n-captures (though most >Pu burns up in-situ).
Good point, however this same process occurs in light water reactors, just to a
lesser extent. U-238 is not fissile and heavy water is still required to
achieve critically, especially at the beginning of core life.
An interesting note to this thread is exactly how much of the thermal energy in
a commercial reactor core is actually the result of Pu-239 fissions and not
U-235 fissions. The number is significant, and probably larger than most people
suspect. I recall something like 30% of the fissions are from Pu-239 for a
typical light water reactor near the end of core life. Is this right?
Rodney Bauman, CHP, RRPT
rodney_bauman@wssrap-host.wssrap.com
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