Study and suggestions on development of the thorium fuel cycle in China

The features of thorium fuel cycle are analyzed and an overview of development of the thorium fuel cycle is carried out. On the basis of detailed analyses on potentials of utilizing thorium resources in all kinds of reactors, suggestions on development of the thorium fuel cycle in our country are put forward following the outlook of sustainable development of nuclear energy: (1) current reactors can't make full use of thorium resources from industrial viewpoints other than HTRs; (2) an advanced synergic fuel cycle of fast reactors and thermal reactors is suggested to utilize thorium resources; (3) more R and D efforts should be devoted on advanced and immature reactor technologies instead of the thorium utilization of these reactors; (4) currently much fundamental research work on the thorium utilization should be done. (authors)