Energy News  
France, Japan, US cooperate on nuclear reactors

Schematic of sodium-cooled reactor technology.
by Staff Writers
Paris (AFP) Feb 1, 2008
France, Japan and the United States agreed Friday to cooperate in making prototypes of so-called "4th generation" nuclear reactors, according to statements released by each country's energy ministries.

These sodium-cooled reactors, which would not come on line until mid-century, produce more energy per unit of fuel than nuclear reactors currently in operation.

But early prototypes have been plagued with problems. The liquid sodium cooling agent is highly volatile, bursting into flames if it comes into contact with air, and exploding if it comes into contact with water.

In 1997 France shut down its Superphenix reactor, while the Phenix, built earlier, is scheduled to close in 2009. Both are in southeastern France.

In Japan, the Monju reactor had to be shuttered after a fire broke out in 1995.

"Work is underway to resolve these problems, and the objective is to obtain safety levels at least as high as with third generation reactors," an official in France's Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), Sunil Felix, told AFP.

The memorandum of understanding, also signed by Japan's Atomic Energy Agency and the US Department of Energy, seeks to "avoid duplication in technological development" by adopting common standards for the prototypes, the AEC said in a statement.

The cooperative effort, which is open to other countries as well, also aims to set common safety standards, and to reduce costs.

Fourth generation reactors, said Felix, "will make it possible to reduce the production of radioactive waste by recycling a certain percentage into new fuel rods," he said.

Another potential advantage is that the new technology would make it far more difficult to divert the plutonium used to fuel the reactors for other purposes, thus reinforcing non-proliferation goals, he said.

Community
Email This Article
Comment On This Article

Related Links
Civil Nuclear Energy Science, Technology and News
Powering The World in the 21st Century at Energy-Daily.com



Memory Foam Mattress Review
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News


Uranium reserves in Mali 'highly encouraging': Australian company
Dakar (AFP) Feb 2, 2008
Australian mining company Oklo Uranium Limited said Saturday the result of prospecting for uranium in Mali was "highly encouraging", with widespread elevated uranium levels in the northeastern Kidal region.







  • Analysis: China beats West in Africa
  • Analysis: Turkey embraces wind power
  • Analysis: Iraq oil deals drawing near
  • Analysis: Shell to shut again in Nigeria

  • Australia seeks bigger anti-nuclear role: minister
  • France, Japan, US cooperate on nuclear reactors
  • Uranium reserves in Mali 'highly encouraging': Australian company
  • French PM to visit Japan for nuclear talks: official

  • New Model Revises Estimates Of Terrestrial Carbon Dioxide Uptake
  • A Breathable Earth
  • Researchers Find Origin Of Breathable Atmosphere Half A Billion Years Ago
  • Study Reveals Lakes A Major Source Of Prehistoric Methane

  • FAO warns of 'alarming' loss of mangroves
  • Brazil takes action to stop alarming deforestation of Amazon
  • Forests Could Benefit When Fall Color Comes Late
  • Rwanda's Gishwati Forest Selected As Site For Historic Conservation Project

  • Western demand drives Burkina Faso organic goods
  • Dumpling scare exposes Japan's food dependency
  • African Seed Collection First To Arrive In Norway On Route To Arctic Seed Vault
  • Study: African fruit is untapped resource

  • Truckers to count cost as London becomes huge green zone
  • Japan's ruling coalition backs down on fuel tax -- for now
  • Global automakers output hit by China snow storms
  • Japan's TEPCO to test park and charge system

  • Whale-shaped floating hotel set for flight
  • China to build 97 new airports by 2020
  • EADS offers to build military, civilian aircraft in US
  • Qatar Airways looking to natural gas fuel

  • Nuclear Power In Space - Part 2
  • Nuclear Power In Space
  • Outside View: Nuclear future in space

  • The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2007 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement