Explain two advantages and two disadvantages of fission as an energy source.

List the sequence of the process steps of an open commercial nuclear fuel cycle and describe the purpose products of each step.

Explain the concept of and the physical basis for recycling nuclear fuel in a closed cycle.

Describe the roles for transportation, nuclear safety, and nuclear material safeguards in the nuclear fuel cycle

$5.$ Identify the reference reactor system$($s$)$ characterized by cycles with:

a$.$ Slightly enriched uranium:

b$.20-93w{t}^{\%}{?}^{235}U$ :

c$.$ Required plutonium recycle:

d$.$ No enrichment facilities:

e$.$ Thorium use:

Identify each of the six reference by full name and acronym.

Complete the data table that includes each of the reactors

Characteristic BWR PWR PHWR PTGR HTGR LMFBR

Number of

loops

Coolant

Moderator

Neutron

Energy

Fuel

production

$7.$ Explain the concept of multiple barrier fission$-$product containment and identify the four basic components. Describe how the fuel assembly in each of the six reference reactors is designed to provide the first two barriers.

Problems

$9.$ Calculate the masses ${?}^{235}U$ and ${?}^{238}U$ per metric ton $($t$)$ of

uranium ore, assuming the total is $0\mathrm{.}25wt\%$ of the ore. $10.$ Coal has a heat content of $19-28$ GJ$/$t of mined material. Uranium as employed in an LWR has a heat content of $460G\frac{J}{k}g$ of natural uranium metal.

a$.$ Calculate the heat content of a tone of low$-$assay uranium ore and its ratio to that of the extreme coal value.

b$.$ Considering the electrical conversion of efficiencies $($MWe$/$MWth$)$ are about $32\%$ and $38\%$ respectively for LWR and coal plant, calculate the electric energy ratios per ton of mined ore.

$12.$ The ${?}^{235}U$ and the ${?}^{238}U$ masses in natural uranium are split between enriched and depleted streams as a result of the enrichment process. If the input masses and the output enrichments are specified, mass conversion determines the maximum $($no loss$)$ quantity of each isotope in the output streams. Considering a $1kg$ input of natural uranium, a $3wt\%{?}^{23}U$ enriched stream, and a $0\mathrm{.}3wt\%{?}^{233}U$ depleted stream:

a$.$ Calculate the masses of ${?}^{235}U,{?}^{238}U,$ and the total $U$ in each of the two output streams.

b$.$ Calculate the fraction of the initial ${?}^{233}U$ that ends up in each output stream.

c$.$ Repeat part $($b$)$ for the ${?}^{238}U$ and total $U.$