Ep 16: Don Wolf, Advanced Reactor Concepts

Episode Content:




The ARC origen story through resurrection of a decades
old nuclear prototype EBR-2




A technical discussion on "closing the fuel cycle",
"breeding", "electrochemical refining"




The advantages of ARC from a Waste, Cost, Safety and
matching market conditions




A discussion of sodium and "pool type" vs "loop type"
design




A discussion of metallic uranium fuel vs uranium oxide




Negative reactivity feedback characteristics enabled
by neutron leakage




Historical examples of this style reactor's inherent safety
features




A quick comparison of the four metal fuel
designs ARC, PRISM, OKLO, and TERRAPOWER




Nuclear economics and how to balance economies of scale vs
diseconomies of scale




Advantages of the Canadian Licensing Regime: 2 stages &
risk-based approach