THE COST OF THE MOLYBDENUM ISOTOPES (PREPRINT № IBRAE-2018-09)

Preprint IBRAE-2018-09 

Solodov A.A. 

The paper is logically related to the concept of accident–tolerant nuclear fuels and is dedicated to the production of neutron–transparent molybdenum of the isotope composition 98,100Mo. In the frame of gas–diffusion methode the estimate is developed of the 98,100Mo isotope mixtures cost. The new and unexpected result of the analisis is the cost equivalence of centrifugal and gas–diffusion 98,100Mo. The applications are specified which would stimulate industrial–scale production of isotopes 98,100Mo: accident–tolerant molybdenum claddings, advanced composite fuel elements of high radial thermal conductivity. The economics of novel material applications in composite fuel elements is found to be potentially positive. The molybdenum feature of basic importance is the possibility to recycle the post–reactor molybdenum after one–year storage. The conclusion is that molybdenum of isotope composition 98,100Mo is technologically availible and potentially affordable material of the reactor core. 

Bibliographical reference

A.A. Solodov. The cost of the molybdenum isotopes / Preprint № IBRAE-2018-09. Moscow: Nuclear Safety Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IBRAE RAN), 2018. – 14 p. – Refs.: 26 items. 

© Nuclear Safety Institute, 2018