Can the AP1000 be easily made into a breeder? (anti-nuke derision not necessary)

[joshcryer]

I was told that making a nuclear plant into a breeder reactor is simply a matter of changing the fuel composition. Is it really that simple or are other structural considerations necessary?

China is planning to build 100 of the things by 2020. It would be useful if all that spent fuel could be recycled.

[Dead_Parrot]

1. Not particulary

All LWRs (including the AP1000) breed to some extent, although not enough to be considered breeders in the usual sense - they still use more fuel than they make. AP1000s can burn MOX fuel, but require a separate reprocessing plant to make it: They may also be able to burn Thorium MOX, which seems to give a mix of breeding & waste reducing abilities but isn't in use to my knowledge.

[Massacure]

2. I kind of doubt it, but NNadir would probably be the one to ask.

NNadir has access to a lot of scientific papers, while I haven't read much more than Wikipedia. From what I've read about nuclear technology, experimental breeder reactors have been cooled using liquid metal or molten salt. The AP1000 is cooled with water.

[joshcryer]

3. Was waiting for his input, but he seems to be on haitus.

Dead_Parrot did give me useful information, though. I just think CHina is going to need a lot of fuel if it's going to keep their AP1000s active for a significant period of time.

[Statistical]

4. Yes and no. Here is good place to start.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breeder_reactor

All reactors are breeders to some extent. In Gen III+ reactors with high burnup fuel load about 70%-80% of the power comes from fission products. The reactor produces fuel from the fuel and thus fuel lasts longer improving efficiency. However despite having improved breeding characteristics these are not traditionally considered breeder reactors.

A true breeder reactor produces greater than 1:1 ration of fuel from initial fuel loading. This is not possible in AP1000 or any light water PWR without extensive modification.

Under current waste disposal system all nuclear utilities pay the govt a flat rate of 0.1 per kwh for waste disposal. This means there is little economic incentive to invest in higher cost breeder reactor designs. If instead waste disposal fees were per metric ton or even better depending on the composition of spent fuel (higher activity waste having higher premium) then it would change the economics of breeder reactors.