From Oklo, the fossil pile, to the four generations of reactors

Nuclear Reactors - Generalities 1. Boilers and Fuel Cycle - Systems - Main Constraints

Figure 1 - Triangle of properties required for a fair and sustainable energy supply according to the WEC and conditions to be met to pursue a dynamic and robust policy (based on [28])

Figure 2 - Boiling Water Reactor (BWR)

Figure 3 - Pressurized water reactor (credit: © C. Beurtey/CEA)

Figure 4 - Sodium-cooled fast neutron reactor (RNR-Na or SFR) (based on [10])

Figure 5 - Fast neutron reactor with external circuits, known as a “loop” reactor: MONJU (Japan) (adapted from [10])

Figure 6 - GT-MHR: Proposed Helium-Cooled HTR

Figure 8 - TRISO microparticles for HTRs (based on [12])

Figure 9 - TiN-coated nitride fuel particle (according to [13])

Figure 10 - NERVA fuel for space propulsion (1960s) tested on the ground under space conditions (according to [BN 3 142])

Figure 11 - “Peak oil” or “Peak uranium”: not the depletion of exploitable resources but a ceiling on annual global extraction

Figure 12 - Decrease in the radiotoxicity of HAVL waste according to the following strategies: full storage; separation and recycling; complementary separation and transmutation of minor actinides

Figure 13 - Decay of the residual power of radioisotopes in spent fuel from an open-cycle PWR (based on Per Peterson – Univ. of Berkeley – presentation)

Figure 14 - Oklo Deposit in Gabon: The Site

Figure 15 - The geology of the deposit (Naudet)

Figure 16 - Divergence of the CP1 “pile” (December 2, 1942)

Figure 17 - The Hanford Plutonium-Producing Reactor B

Figure 18 - History of Annual Global Nuclear Electricity Generation from 1970 to 2018 (Generation II and Its Mission to Compete with Fossil-Fueled Thermal Power Plants)

Figure 19 - The phylum of nuclear power systems across generations (based on [9])