Natural-uranium light-water breeding hybrid reactors

Improvements in the performance of thermal fission systems made possible by designing them as source driven subcritical blankets of fusion-fission hybrid reactors are investigated. It is found that light-water moderated blankets can be fueled with natural uranium and provide satisfactory energy multiplication while breeding both tritium and fissile fuel. Light-water is found to have advantages over heavy-water and graphite moderators. The characteristics of hybrid reactors that use the light-water blankets are estimated, and their merits are discussed. The concept of natural-uranium light-water hybrid reactors is found promising