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Publication Laka-library:
Physical aspects of an Aqueous Homogeneous Suspensie Reactor (1961)

Author	J.A.H.Kersten, J.J.Went, van Zolingen
Date	October 1961
Classification	1.01.8.41/11 (KEMA ARNHEM - KSTR (KEMA SUSPENSIE TEST REACTOR))
Front

Physical aspects of an aqueous homogeneous suspension reactor

J.A.H. Kersten, J.J. Went, J.J. van Zolingen

Introduction

The cancellation of several aqueous homogeneous reactor projects during the last 
years makes it desirable to summarize briefly the most important arguments why 
and how we are continuing in the Netherlands with our efforts to develop such a 
reactor. The four main arguments are:

1) In the near future, there is no urgent need for nuclear energy in the Netherlands
as it is also the case in many other countries in the world. As long as nuclear 
energy is not yet competitive with more conventional energy sources, the use of 
nuclear energy should be restricted to such applications essential for the 
development of nuclear energy. In the mean time all possibilities for fundamental 
research in the field of nuclear energy should be used to the greatest extent.
2) If a real need for nuclear energy will arise and if therefore a large scale nuclear
energy production is necessary, a high conversion ratio of fertile material into 
fissile material is required. This is not only desirable for having reasonable large 
amounts of energy available in the form of cheap uranium (from rich ores), but 
with a high conversion or breeding ratio also more expensive uranium or thorium 
is acceptable.
3) To minimize the fuel cycle cost, also the fuel element fabrication and
reprocessing costs should be low, apart from argument 2. One of the most 
efficient methods to reach this goal is the application of liquid fuels, either 
solutions, suspensions or molten salts. The production method of these fuels can 
be a chemical one. This means not only a cheap fabrication method but also the 
possibility of a remote y controlled reprocessing, not requiring long cooling times 
before reprocessing can start.
4) To reduce the investment costs of fuel and moderator, and to keep the
installation as small as possible, a high power density in the reactor is required. 
If however a liquid fuel is used which is at the same time the reactor coolant it is 
not necessary to increase the power density in the reactor to such a high value that 
in the outer circuit of the reactor much more is invested in fuel and moderator 
than inside the reactor itself.

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