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Swiss nuclear power and the case for long-term operation
Designed for 40 years but built to last far longer, Switzerland’s nuclear power plants have all entered long-term operation. Yet age alone says little about safety or performance. Through continuous upgrades, strict regulatory oversight, and extensive aging management, the country’s reactors are being prepared for decades of continued operation, in line with international practice.
Ralph W. Moir
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 15 | Number 2 | March 1989 | Pages 1114-1118
Alternate Fuels and Innovative Confinement Concept | doi.org/10.13182/FST89-A39842
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
This paper discusses a modified version of the PACER concept for power and nuclear material production. In the PACER concept, a 20-kt peaceful nuclear explosion is contained in a cavity about 200 m in diameter, filled with 200 atm of 500°C steam. Energy from the explosion is used to produce power, and the neutrons are used to produce materials such as 233U. The present idea is to modify the PACER concept in three ways to improve the practicality, predictability, and safety of power production from this technology and thus improve public acceptance of this power source. These improvements are (1) line the cavity with steel; (2) replace the steam with molten salt, LiF + BeF2; and (3) reduce the explosive yield to about 2 kt. PACER is the only fusion power concept where the underlying technology of the power source itself is proven and in hand today. The molten-salt shock-suppression and heat transport system and the durability of the underground cavity need demonstration.