Prospecção Tecnológica de Ciclos de Combustível e Reatores Nucleares para Emprego em Propulsão Naval

Abstract

This work presents a systematic study of nuclear fission and fusion fuel cycles with a focus on identifying the state of the art solutions for nuclear fission and nuclear fusion reactors that have potential for use in naval propulsion. In this attempt, several cycles of nuclear fuels are described for both nuclear fission reactions and nuclear fusion reactions. In the middle of each cycle, nuclear reactor solutions at different levels of technological maturity are presented. Each solution is then analyzed and classified according to its technological maturity, productive maturity, stage of development, possibility of scaling and portability for naval use, adequacy in relation to the requirements of national development doctrines, in relation to the linked environmental liability and in terms of technological difficulty of each solution taking into account the national industrial park. The solutions are organized in tables and discussed, positive points for use in naval propulsion are presented, items, solutions and lines of technological development are suggested and a future prognosis is presented at the end of the work, offering the reader an updated panorama of technological solutions and of technological development in progress.