The Progress of Commercial Nuclear Power

As begins every typical paper written on the progress of commercial nuclear power, a bit of history related to the nuclear power industry is custom. Beginning with the Generation I reactors (early prototype reactors), such as Shippingport, Fermi I and Magnox, which lead us to Generation II reactors (commercial power reactors), such as the more commonly known light water reactors; pressurized water reactors (PWR) and boiling water reactors (BWR). Other General II reactors include the CANada Deuterium Uranium reactor (CANDU), advanced gas-cooled reactor (AGR), and the voda voda energo reactor (VVER). Next are the Generation III reactors, which consist of the advanced boiling water reactors (ABWR), System 80+, AP600 and European pressurized reactor (EPR). Advancing further brings us to the Generation IV reactors, which are divided into two categories: thermal reactors and fast reactors. A few thermal reactors include the very-high-temperature reactor (VHTR), molten-salt reactor (MSR) and supercritical water reactor (SCWR). Some fast reactors are the Gas-cooled fast reactor (GFR), sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) and lead-cooled fast reactor (LFR). Scientists and engineers are constantly working to progress the methods of producing power to improve the safety, efficiency and economics aspects. As studies progress, we inch closer and closer to the ideal commercial plant to wean towards reliable carbon-free power sources. However, despite valiant efforts, society still relies on the generation II PWRs and BWRs as our primary source of nuclear power. Mention figure.
In 1958, Savelli M. Feinburg purposed the first known proposal for a fast reactor that could sustain a breed-and-burn condition using only natural or depleted uranium as fue...

... middle of paper ...

...new generation of smaller reactors []. Ideally, TerraPower expects to have the TWR prototype constructed in 2022. The TWR-P is expected to be a 600 megawatt-electric demonstration reactor. The TWR-P is expected to accomplish multiple goals, such as, demonstration the first electricity-producing TWR, confirm the traveling wave design, demonstrate key plant equipment, serve as the last step in our fuels and materials qualification program, and provide the technical, licensing and economic basis for future generations fo TWRs. Thorium

If tactics stay on track, the TWR appears as a safe, small-scale nuclear reactor that cuts the cost of power, burns existing nuclear waste as fuel and avoid carbon dioxide and other emissions. TerraPower estimates 700,000 metric tons of spent fuel in the United States alone, and 8 metric tons could power 2.5 million homes for a year.