View
218
Download
0
Category
Preview:
Citation preview
8/9/2019 CHE Fall 2014 Nuclear 2X Grey Scale
1/28
!"#$"%$
%
Nuclear
Energy Technology & PolicyFred C. Beach, Ph.D.
CHE 359/384 & EER 396, Fall 2014
U.S. Energy Use
9/24/14 2
8/9/2019 CHE Fall 2014 Nuclear 2X Grey Scale
2/28
!"#$"%$
#
Nuclear History
1939: Nuclear fission discovered 1942: First nuclear chain reaction takes place in Chicago as part of thewartime Manhattan Project
1945: The first nuclear weapons test at Alamagordo, NM 1951: Electricity was first generated from a nuclear reactor in Idaho
EBR-I produced about 100 kW 1970s: Nuclear power grows rapidly (averaging 30% annually from 70 75) 1987: Nuclear power now generates ~15% of global electricity 1980s: Nuclear expansion slows because of environmentalist opposition,
high interest rates, energy conservation prompted by the 1973/1979 oilshocks, and Three Mile Island (1979, USA) and Chernobyl (1986, Ukraine,USSR)
9/24/14 3
Nuclear Power Is Surrounded by Ironies
Nuclear power helps mitigate climate change Republicans like nuclear, but dont care about climate
change Democrats care about climate change, but dont like nuclear
Nuclear power is compatible with strong government Democrats are ok with govt, but not nuclear power Republicans are ok with nuclear power, but not govt
Professional Discipline France (run by engineers) has a lot of nuclear power USA (run by lawyers) has relatively less
9/24/14 4
8/9/2019 CHE Fall 2014 Nuclear 2X Grey Scale
3/28
!"#$"%$
'
Nuclear Technology Overview
9/24/14 5
235 U Chain Reaction
9/24/14 6
8/9/2019 CHE Fall 2014 Nuclear 2X Grey Scale
4/28
!"#$"%$
$
Atomic Energy
Energy is stored in the nucleus of atoms Radioactive molecules release that energy during
nuclear reactions
Mass and energy are the same: E = mc 2c = speed of light = 3 ! 10 10 cm/s
Small changes in mass yield a lot of energy
Burning a tonne of coal: 0.3 mg disappears Reacting a tonne of 235 U: 6.6 g disappears
20,000 times better energy density than coal
9/24/14 7
Uranium Resources Are Distributed Across
Friendly Countries
9/24/14 8
8/9/2019 CHE Fall 2014 Nuclear 2X Grey Scale
5/28
!"#$"%$
(
Natural Uranium, Enriched Uranium
Naturally-occurring uranium consists of twoisotopes: 235 U (0.71%) and 238 U (99.29%)
LEU = low-enriched Uranium Less than 20% 235 U Commercial reactors in the U.S. need uranium enriched
to around 3-5% 235 U
HEU = high-enriched Uranium
More than 20%
235
U Weapons-grade is more than 80% 235 U
9/24/14 9
235 U Is A Better Reactor Fuel Than 238 U
Enrichment is achieved by taking advantage ofthe small mass difference between 235 U and 238 U Use centrifuges to spin uranium gas (UF 6)
It also means that most (85%) of the uranium wemine never even sees the inside of a reactor
9/24/14 10
8/9/2019 CHE Fall 2014 Nuclear 2X Grey Scale
6/28
!"#$"%$
)
Centrifuges Are Used to Enrich
UraniumEvery time you spin a salad dryer,you see that, when subjected torotation, heavier materials in amixture will concentrate near theouter wall, outside of the lighterstuff.
The same principle is operative in acentrifuge. UF6 gas is rotated atvery high angular speeds, with theresult that the heavier 238 UF 6 isconcentrated near the wall while thelighter 235 UF 6 is relatively moreprevalent near the center of thechamber.
9/24/14 11
Thousands of Centrifuge Units, Connected inSeries and Parallel, Form a Cascade
i
i+1i+2
NN-1
i-1
21
( !! . )
( !! . )
Feed
Product
Tails
Stage
9/24/14 12
8/9/2019 CHE Fall 2014 Nuclear 2X Grey Scale
7/28
!"#$"%$
*
Enriching Uranium with Centrifuges Is
Energy-Intensive
Primarily electricity needed for enrichment During WWII, at its peak, fuel enrichment
consumed ~15% of all electrical power in theUSA TVA dams powered the original centrifuges in TN
Oak Ridge National Laboratory Columbia River dams powered centrifuges in WA
Pacific Northwest National Labs
Leaves a detectable signature
9/24/14 13
Nuclear Fuel Cycles Are Open or Closed
Open Fuel Cycle: what the US uses Ore mining, refining/enriching, reacting, disposing/
storing (end-to-end) Generates vast volumes of radioactive waste
Closed Fuel Cycle: what France uses After reacting, turn depleted uranium into plutonium
to burn again (close the loop) Create more plutonium than they burn
Aka breeder reactors Smaller volumes of waste Proliferation concerns because of plutonium
9/24/14 14
8/9/2019 CHE Fall 2014 Nuclear 2X Grey Scale
8/28
!"#$"%$
+
Todays Nuclear Fuel Cycle Is OpenUranium Mining,Milling, Refining
Ore Tailings
Yellowcake(U3O 8)
Conversion
UF 6(gas)
Enrichment
DepletedUranium
EnrichedUO 2
FuelFabrication
Fuel Assemblies
Reactor
e -Irradiated
FuelOnsite CoolingStorage
Transportation
Disposal
9/24/14 15
Closed Fuel Cycles with Breeding CreateMore Fuel and Less Waste
breeder reactors turn depleted uranium into plutonium they create more plutonium than they burn.
9/24/14 16
8/9/2019 CHE Fall 2014 Nuclear 2X Grey Scale
9/28
!"#$"%$
!
Pressurized Water Reactor
9/24/14 17
Boiling Water Reactor
9/24/14 18
8/9/2019 CHE Fall 2014 Nuclear 2X Grey Scale
10/28
!"#$"%$
%,
Pressurized Water Reactors Are the MostCommon in the US and Globally
Reactor Type Main Countries # GW Fuel Coolant Moderator
Pressurized WaterReactor (PWR)
US, France,Japan, Russia
252 235 Enriched UO2 Water Water
Boiling Water Reactor(BWR)
US, Japan,Sweden
92 83 Enriched UO2 Water Water
Gas-cooled Reactor(Magnox & AGR)
UK 34 13 Natural U (metal),enriched UO2
CO2 Graphite
Pressurized HeavyWater ReactorCANDU (PHWR)
Canada 33 18 Natural UO2 Heavywater
Heavywater
Light Water GraphiteReactor (RBMK)
Russia 14 14.6 Enriched UO2 Water Graphite
Fast Neutron Reactor(FBR)
Japan, France,Russia
4 1.3 PUO2 and UO2 Liquidsodium
None
Total 434 365
Source: Nuclear Engineering International handbook 1999,but including Pickering A in Canada (via Prof. Biegalski).
9/24/14 19
Nuclear Power In The World
9/24/14 20
8/9/2019 CHE Fall 2014 Nuclear 2X Grey Scale
11/28
8/9/2019 CHE Fall 2014 Nuclear 2X Grey Scale
12/28
!"#$"%$
%#
While France Generates The GreatestPercentage of Its Electricity From Nuclear "
9/24/14 23
" the United States Generates The GreatestAmount of Electricity From Nuclear
9/24/14 24
8/9/2019 CHE Fall 2014 Nuclear 2X Grey Scale
13/28
!"#$"%$
%'
Main Points About Nuclear Power
Nuclear is a major part of our fuel mix Nuclear has many advantages and
disadvantages Nuclear power has improved with time Nuclear economics are tricky The future of nuclear power is unclear
9/24/14 25
Nuclear Energy Provides ~9% of US Energy
8/9/2019 CHE Fall 2014 Nuclear 2X Grey Scale
14/28
!"#$"%$
%$
Nuclear Provides One-fifth Of US Electricity
Total Energy Consumption for Electricity: 39.3 Quads
9/24/14 27
Nuclear Energy is Only Used for Electricity
9/24/14 28
8/9/2019 CHE Fall 2014 Nuclear 2X Grey Scale
15/28
!"#$"%$
%(
In Total, 132 Nuclear Power Plants Have
Been Built in the United States
Source: EIA, AER (2009)
9/24/14 29
1996 Was The Last Year A Nuclear Power
Plant Came Online
Source: EIA, AER (2009)Watts Bar (TVA) began constructionin 1973, and came online in 1996
9/24/14 30
8/9/2019 CHE Fall 2014 Nuclear 2X Grey Scale
16/28
!"#$"%$
%)
Nuclear Power Was Ramped Up in the 1970sand 1980s
9/24/14 31
Nuclear Capacity Has Increased, Even AfterPower Plants Were No Longer Built
9/24/14 32
8/9/2019 CHE Fall 2014 Nuclear 2X Grey Scale
17/28
!"#$"%$
%*
Nuclear Power Has Several Advantages and
Drawbacks Advantages
Supreme energy density [energy output per unit mass offuel]
Minimal waste generation per kWh all waste is captured
Excellent capacity factor, maintenance & safety records Domestic or friendly sources of uranium
Disadvantages Waste is radioactive and long-lived
Public safety (accidents, attacks) Concerns about weapons proliferation
9/24/14 33
Nuclear Energy Density is Remarkable
Fuel Gravimetric Energy Density [MJ/kg]Nuclear Fission 77,000,000
Hydrogen 120Natural Gas 59
Gasoline 44Ethanol 24Wood 16
9/24/14 34
8/9/2019 CHE Fall 2014 Nuclear 2X Grey Scale
18/28
!"#$"%$
%+
Nuclear Capacity Factors Have ImprovedOver Time
9/24/14 35
The Total Generation Provided by NuclearPower Has Increased for Decades, Despite
Fewer Power Plants
9/24/14 36
8/9/2019 CHE Fall 2014 Nuclear 2X Grey Scale
19/28
!"#$"%$
%!
The Portion of Generation Provided byNuclear Power Has Stayed Level for Decades,
Despite Fewer Power Plants
9/24/14 37
Nuclear Economics is Complicated
9/24/14 38
8/9/2019 CHE Fall 2014 Nuclear 2X Grey Scale
20/28
8/9/2019 CHE Fall 2014 Nuclear 2X Grey Scale
21/28
!"#$"%$
#%
Levelized Nuclear Power Costs Vary
From $0.03 to $0.14per kWh
Proponents cite thelow number
Opponents cite thehigh number
Source: Hultman, Koomey and Kammen, ES&T, 20079/24/14 41
Radiation Risks For Nuclear Power Are Low "Unless Theres An Accident
9/24/14 42
8/9/2019 CHE Fall 2014 Nuclear 2X Grey Scale
22/28
!"#$"%$
##
Nuclear Power Must Consider Waste
Disposal In Its Economics Funds Committed for the Nuclear Waste Fund
$0.001/kWh for waste disposal Included in the fuel costs
$33.2 billion plus interest since 1983 $10.8 billion already spent
Estimated Cost of Decommissioning $300-500 million/plant (~$31 billion at low end) Decommissioning not included in production costs.
Same is true for dams, coal plants, etc.
9/24/14 43
Designs for Waste Repositories Have Exist, but Yucca Mountain Has Been Killed Politically
9/24/14 44
8/9/2019 CHE Fall 2014 Nuclear 2X Grey Scale
23/28
!"#$"%$
#'
The Future of Nuclear is Unclear
9/24/14 45
Energy Policy Act of 2005 Encourages
Nuclear Specific provisions to encourage the
development of nuclear in the UnitedStates
Some specific examples: Liability limits Cost-overrun support Tax credits
Research and development Steps up DoE work to address high-
level waste problem.
9/24/14 46
8/9/2019 CHE Fall 2014 Nuclear 2X Grey Scale
24/28
!"#$"%$
#$
Gen III Reactors Prioritize Pasive Safety
Source: Westinghouse Electric (via WSJ)9/24/14 47
Gen IV Reactors Prioritize Proliferation
Resistance
Hydrogen Production Breeding and Transmutation Proliferation Resistance Closed Fuel Cycle Simplification Increased safety
9/24/14 48
8/9/2019 CHE Fall 2014 Nuclear 2X Grey Scale
25/28
!"#$"%$
#(
Small Nuclear Is Growing As A Possibility
Babcock & Wilcox
8/9/2019 CHE Fall 2014 Nuclear 2X Grey Scale
26/28
!"#$"%$
#)
Obama Administration Is Supporting Small,
Modular Nuclear Reactors
9/24/14 51
A Nuclear Renaissance Is Imminent " and HasBeen for Years
Sep 8, 2007
May 19, 2001
March 29, 2009
May 29, 2009
9/24/14 52
8/9/2019 CHE Fall 2014 Nuclear 2X Grey Scale
27/28
!"#$"%$
#*
The End of NuclearPower
9/24/14 53
The Future of Nuclear Is Unclear
Many have declared a nuclear renaissance is underway, but Dozens of nuclear plants are being built Dozens are planned Hundreds are proposed
Will industrialized nations allow nuclear permits to expire? build more nuclear to mitigate CO2 emissions?
9/24/14 54
8/9/2019 CHE Fall 2014 Nuclear 2X Grey Scale
28/28
Recommended