What is a Nuclear Breeder Reactor?
A breeder reactor is a type of nuclear specifically designed to create more fissile material (nuclear fuel) than it consumes. Depending on the Breeding Ratio of a reactor, it can produce new fuel at a greater or lesser rate. The Breeding Ratio represents the number of new fissile atoms created for each fission event. The theoretical upper limit for the Breeding Ratio is 1.8, while most breeder reactors are designed to produce just about as much fissile material as they consume. It is hoped that breeder reactors will replace the current generation of conventional reactors as progress in nuclear power continues. Most traditional nuclear reactors create some additional fuel as they operate, increasing fuel efficiency. As the nuclear industry has developed, these ratios have been pushed higher and higher, leading to better fuel economies. There are still technical hurdles to developing cost-effective breeder reactors, but breeders can claim a number of advantages that traditional reactors