Indian Missile News And Discussion

[Guest]

[quote name='vasu_ray' date='28 February 2010 - 01:20 AM' timestamp='1267299775' post='104606']





better yet if the subs shift to nuke propulsion (like Brazil) for endurance to cover even the Chinese coast and not just the Pak coast currently



is there a way to feed these sub reactors from a nuclear fuel cycle initiated/seeded with locally mined Thorium?

[/quote]



Natural thorium contains only trace amounts of fissile material (such as 231Th) that are insufficient to initiate a nuclear chain reaction. Arihant uses HEU.

Out of the estimated 468 naval reactors that have been installed on 258 submarines and service ships, 24 use fuel enriched to 90% U-235. Most of the reactors were fueled with U-235 enriched to 21-45%. A typical reactor core contains 315 kg of uranium.