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I was under the impression commercial reactors consumed like 1% of the available U238 vs the fast reactors which got closer to 70% (based on the article linked
by arcticbull 5y ago
I was under the impression commercial reactors consumed like 1% of the available U238 vs the fast reactors which got closer to 70% (based on the article linked as [1]).
- Retric 5y agoYea, it depends on the fuel and design but in absolute terms the percentage of U238 fuel used is low. However the ratio of 238v235 consumed is much closer because there is so much more U238 than U235. To simplify if 4% of the fuel is U235 vs 96% U238. While spent fuel is say 1% U235 vs 95% U238/P239 then 3/(3 + 1) = 75% of the fuel used was U235 and 1/(3 + 1) = 25% of the fuel used was U238. Actual numbers are different, but you get the idea.
- arcticbull 5y agoThanks for the clarification!