Jun. 13 at 3:17 PM
$LTBR
The Insurmountable Challenges of Lightbridge Fuel
The Soviets used to use fuel almost identical to this fuel. The Soviet fuel was tri-form (three leaf clover) instead of quadriform (four leaf). The Soviets don't use this fuel any longer. Guess why? It does not work very well; it is less safe, and more expensive.
At least two Soviet vessels used to use this fuel, including the well-known nuclear-powered icebreaker Lenin. The Soviets have since switched to Aluminum-clad fuel like the US Navy uses.
LB claims this fuel operates much cooler than standard UO2 fuels. This is true. However, this fuel's thermal limits are much, much lower than standard UO2 fuel. UO2 fuel melts at over 5000F. LB fuel goes through a phase change (similar to melting, but change is from one solid structure to another) at about 1000F. When this happens, very bad things happen including a change to the fuel geometry, and the radioactive fission products become mobile. This is bad.
More later...
