| abstract |
A nuclear reactor of the seed-blanket type having an active core (2) comprising seed regions (14) of fissile material and blanket regions (12 and 16) of fertile material capable of being converted into fissile material by neutron capture, the seed (14) and blanket regions (12, 16) being such as to produce a net reverse flow of neutron current as compared to conventional seed-blanket reactors, i.e. in the present reactor, the net fast neutron flow is from the blanket regions (12, 16) to the seed region (14) and the net thermal and epithermal neutron flow is from the seed region (14) to the blanket regions (12, 16). Such a reactor lends itself to the use of nonproliferative fuel, provides normal overall power densities, and requires low initial amounts of mined uranium. |