JRC – Brussels

Generation IVGeneration IV

Roland SchenkelRoland SchenkelDG Joint Research CentreDG Joint Research Centre - - EUROPEAN COMMISSIONEUROPEAN COMMISSION

Bucharest, 11 May 2006Bucharest, 11 May 2006

http://www.jrc.cec.eu.int

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The Generation IV International Forum (GIF)The Generation IV International Forum (GIF) Objective: to support R&D, within a time frame from 15 to 20 years and reach

technical maturity by 2030 The 5 GIF fundamental criteria :

SustainabilityNon-Proliferation and physical protectionSafety and reliabilityMinimization of waste productionEconomics

The JRC has been designated as the Community Implementing Agent

Designed for different applicationsElectricity, HydrogenDesalinated water, Heat

E.U.

The GIF Charter

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The six Generation IV nuclear systems

Sodium Fast Reactor

Lead Fast Reactor

Molten Salt Reactor

Gas Fast Reactor

Supercritical Water-cooled ReactorVery High Temperature Reactor

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Interest in GIF SystemsInterest in GIF Systems

signifies Co-chair

GFR – Gas-Cooled Fast ReactorLFR – Lead-Cooled Fast ReactorMSR – Molten Salt ReactorSFR – Sodium-Cooled Fast ReactorSCWR – Supercritical Water-Cooled ReactorVHTR – Very-High-Temperature Reactor

VHTR

GFR

SFR

LFR

SCWR

MSR

Note that all Steering Committees are provisional until the System Arrangements are finalized and signed.

July 2005

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Major Advantages Gen IV over Gen II/III

U consumption Proliferation Resistance

RadiotoxicityVolumeSafe Storage Time

Gen II / IIISpent Fuel

Once Through

Reprocessing

VitrificationU, Pu

Gen IV

FR

Partitioning

U, Pu + MAs

Fuel Fabrication

Pu + MAs

Breeder/Burner

U + Pu + MA + FP

130000 years

< 0.1 % Pu + MA + FP

10000 years

Traces: Pu + MA; + FP

<1000-2000 years

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The GIF Governance

Policy Group

Reports to

* Technical Director is Chair of the Experts Group

Chair

Chair*

System Steering Committees

Co-Chairs

Project Management Boards

(specific or common projects)

Crosscutting Evaluation

Methodology Groups and Management

Board

Secretariat

Policy TechnicalDirector Director*

NEA, Paris

Co-Chairs

Provides Secretariat for

Communicates closely with

Technical Secretariat

Experts Group

Senior Industry Advisory Panel

Policy Group

Reports to

* Technical Director is Chair of the Experts Group

Chair

Chair*

System Steering Committees

Co-Chairs

Project Management Boards

(specific or common projects)

Crosscutting Evaluation

Methodology Groups and Management

Board

Secretariat

Policy TechnicalDirector Director*

NEA, Paris

Co-Chairs

Provides Secretariat for

Communicates closely with

Technical Secretariat

Experts Group

Senior Industry Advisory Panel

Organes de Gouvernance

FrameworkAgreement

SystemArrangement

ProjectArrangement

Instruments

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The Framework AgreementThe Framework Agreement

• Legally binding text governing the overall functioning of GIF• Entered into force on 28 February 2005. • Objective:Objective: “… to establish a framework for international collaboration to foster and facilitate

achievement of the purpose and vision of the GIF”.

• Potential Parties to the FA: Governments (or their ministries or agencies) for GIF Member States and Euratom

• Each Party to designate Implementing Agents (IAs) which will implement SAs, but only one of them can sign a specific SA

– The Joint Research Centre is the Implementing Agent of Euratom

• The Framework Agreement describes the role of the other arrangements in the GIF system (System and, respectively, Project Arrangements)

• IPR provisions will be dealt with at the appropriate level (mainly at project level)

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The System Arrangements (SAs)The System Arrangements (SAs)

• Basic Principle: One System / One System Arrangement/ Only one Implementing Agent may be signatory

• Signatories: Public institutions/research organisations designated by the FA signatories

• SFR SA signed; VHTR under discussion/finalisation• Negotiation for SCWR, GFR SAs to start on the basis of the SFR/VHTR template• Content of the Template System Arrangement:

Collaboration to be undertaken Management of the research and the development activities undertaken to

realize the objective of GIF Financial arrangements Protection, use and disclosure of background proprietary information Adequate and effective protection and allocation of intellectual property created

or furnished in the course of the collaboration, including provision for the resolution of disputes concerning intellectual property rights

• The SFR SA was signed on Tuesday, 14 February 2006, in Fukui (Japan) by France, Japan and the USA

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The Project Arrangements (PAs)The Project Arrangements (PAs)

• R&D within each System will be performed in one or more projects (co-ordinated by a Project Management Board)

each System Arrangement implemented through 4 to 5 project arrangements

• Signatories to the PAs: Implementing Agents or other R&D organisations (subject to the approval of the respective SSC)

• Integration of the work within each system will be done by a “Design and Integration Project”

• IPR provisions included at this level.• Statute of the PAs: contracts

• Negotiations on PA content have started and appeared to be the most difficult

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A discrimination among partnersA discrimination among partners

• Minor/Major Contributors– The notion was introduced by US/DOE during the third round of

negotiations on the SFR Advanced Fuel PA– Major contributors will have a large access and use of the outcome of

the R&D: the “Generated Information”– Minor contributors will have a limited access to this Generated

Information• Defining “Minor” and “Major” Contributors

– Based on “initial inputs”, not on “outputs”; – According to a certain threshold of contribution.

• Important Conclusion: if this notion is kept, it will be of utmost importance for the Community to organise its contribution to reach the critical size. In particular, the role of universities shall be protected.

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3+1 GIF Methodology Working Groups3+1 GIF Methodology Working Groups

• Economic Modeling Working Group (EMWG)• Proliferation Resistance and Physical Protection (PRPP)• Risk & Safety Working Group (RSWG)• A 4th MWG under consideration: Sustainability Working Group• Each is chartered to work on crosscutting methodologies that can be

used to evaluate any of the Generation IV systems

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How to make Framework Programme projects and GIF projects match?

• Ongoing discussion within the “Coordination Group” with a view to FP7• Issues identified:

– Ensure that individual FP projects (Integrated Projects, STREPs) and GIF projects match at task level FP;

– But individual FP projects corresponds to Systems rather than projects (e.g. RAPHAEL FP – VHTR and GCFR FP – GFR);

– Consortium should accept that the Technical Annex may be reviewed to fit as far as possible the GIF R&D plan and project plans;

– Would it be possible to identify in each consortium sub-entities matching GIF Projects or even Projects Tasks? Will individual consortium agree to create such sub-consortia? What will be their relations with the main body and its individual members?

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Euratom membership may:Euratom membership may:

ensure significant scientific/technical contributions to GIF reaching the critical size

play a constructive role towards R&D achievement of GIF objectives provide a platform for participation of R&D organizations (including

industry) from non GIF-members EU Member States and CCs offer an exciting and challenging field for the training of European

scientists and students in a worldwide R&D initiative.

We expect the offer of the Romanian nuclear scientific community to this ambitious and challenging R&D initiative, of which some main lines will be presented this afternoon during the “Nuclear session”.

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Fast Reactors : Sodium TechnologyFast Reactors : Sodium Technology

- Sodium is a very suitable coolant:- liquid in a wide range of temperatures (90 – 890°C)- mono isotope (Na23)- thermodynamics parameters- no corrosion (when purified)

- Large industrial experience:- various industrial uses- 40 years of technological studies for nuclear applications

- Well-known drawbacks:- chemical reactivity (sodium fires and sodium-water reactions)- difficulties for handling and inspection (repairability)- Challenges: fuel with minor actinides

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Fast Reactors : Lead TechnologyFast Reactors : Lead Technology

- A candidate to avoid the risks associated with sodium fires or sodium-water reactions- A less favorable coolant (thermodynamics parameters, corrosion risks)- Lead-bismuth alloy to reduce corrosion risks- Experience limited to Russian applications in naval propulsion- Studies going on in various countries- Nitride fuel

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Fast Reactors : Helium TechnologyFast Reactors : Helium Technology

- Gas cooling is less efficient than liquid metal cooling- Development of a gas cooled fast reactor will require a new type of fuel (burn up ≥ 150 GWd/t)- Helium technology is already considered for VHTR- Specific safety concerns need to be clarified (low thermal inertia, high power density)- If it can be successfully designed, the result will satisfy both objectives for a sustainable development (fast neutron physics and high temperature technology)

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MSR R&D AreasMSR R&D Areas

• Very innovative and thus very challenging

• Molten salt properties and salt control (REDOX, impurities)

• Resistance of structural materials in molten salt environments fluorides, chlorides)

• Specific components, esp. heat exchangers

• Graphite life

• Bubbling extraction of gaseous FPs and noble metals

• FP online extraction• Tritium control

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The role of reprocessingThe role of reprocessing

• Long-term sustainability requires reprocessing (fuel availability, number of geological repositories

• Advanced aqueous reprocessing– Separation of Pu and minor actinides; ready for prototype

demonstration (small scale testing at JRC-ITU)• Advanced dry reprocessing

– Previous experience with EBR metal fuel (Idaho); R&D in several countries; small prototype in Japanese-European co-operation at JRC-ITU

• Challenge for new fuel to be developed for GFR: highly refractive/ leak-tight yet dissolvable

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Very-High-Temperature Reactor (VHTR)Very-High-Temperature Reactor (VHTR)

Characteristics• Helium coolant• 900-950°C outlet temp• Water-cracking cycle

Benefits• Hydrogen production• High degree of passive safety

• High thermal efficiency• Process heat applications

• Preliminary design by 2011; prototype before 2020, dependending on available funding• In Europe: focus on heat applications rather than electricity and H2

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SCWR R&D HighlightsSCWR R&D Highlights

• Target date to complete essential R&D: 2015 (establish viability)• Prototype (30-150 MWe) by 2020• Pressure-vessel & pressure-tube designs will be developed in

parallel with a decision on core type made by country/organization supporting construction of POAK

• Includes a section showing proposed contributions from member countries to specific R&D tasks

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GIF Resources on the webGIF Resources on the web

• Basic information on GIF is available on:

http://www.gen-4.org/

• More detailed information to support Euratom contribution to GIF is available to suscribers to the “Circa Group” managed by DG Joint Research Centre (access on demand)

http://forum.europa.eu.int/Members/irc/jrc/euratom_co_ordination_on_gif_issues/home