Using thorium as a fuel in the DBI Thorium Reactor program means a drastic simplification from the complex and costly processes involved in conventional fuel cycles. The conventional nuclear fuel cycle—from mining and milling, to waste disposal and monitoring—is a highly-complex endeavor encompassing more than 15 distinct complex and expensive processes and using about as many different facilities. In comparison, the DBI Reactor Program fuel cycle encompasses only 5 simple and economical processes in only two facilities.

click here to enlarge image

1. Mining/Milling – Thorium-rich monazite sand is scooped into a portable trailer, where the monazite is separated out mechanically. The monazite-free sand is placed back into its original hole. Inside the trailer, the monazite rocks are crushed and the thorium separated mechanically, all within a water environment to prevent the creation of dust tailings. Compare to uranium mining/milling
   
   
2. Purification – After trace nitrates and phosphates are dissolved away, no further conversion or enrichment is necessary to produce a useable fuel source. Compare to uranium costly and complex conversion and enrichment
   
   
3. Fuel Production – The thorium is mixed with a combination of elements then encapsulated in a proprietary process that will far outlast conventional fuel cladding and allow the fuel package to be placed directly into the core. No machinery is contaminated, so no wrappings waste is produced. This fuel cycle uses only 1/100 of the energy of conventional uranium processing. Compare to uranium fuel production
   
   
4. Reactor Operation – The fuel packages are then inserted directly into the reactor core, where they will remain for the life of the reactor. Fissile ²³³U will be bred as the initial fuel is burned, offsetting the accumulation of fission poisons and keeping the reactivity in balance much longer than is possible in conventional reactors. Compare to uranium core operations
   
   
5. Waste Reduction – The unique DBI Thorium Reactor program reduces the volume of waste by more than 90%. When a plant is decommissioned in 30-40 years, the small amount of fuel that is no longer reactive will be encapsulated in glass and the decommissioned core will become its repository No reprocessing is necessary because nothing useable will be left. The majority of the fuel will be transferred to an active DBI Thorium Reactor and continue to produce energy for decades by absorbing neutrons at the periphery to achieve still higher burn-up. Compare to uranium waste production, reprocessing, transportation, storage, and monitoring

Using thorium as a fuel in the DBI Thorium Reactor program means a drastic simplification from the costly and complex chemical conversions and enrichment required to produce conventional uranium fuel, and the enormous tonnage of dangerous solid waste and byproducts produced in those processes that require generations of safekeeping and monitoring.

click here to enlarge image

click here to enlarge image