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© 2019 URENCO Limited
IFNEC IDWG workshop on Nuclear Energy Beyond Electricity:
Next Generation Fuels and
U-Battery Small Modular Reactor
Chris White
Director, Government AffairsURENCO Limited
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Discussion Points
1. How will the front-end nuclear fuel cycle evolve?
2. What are the challenges?
3. URENCO Capability
4. Introduction to U-Battery – Small Modular Reactor
5. Closing Remarks
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© 2019 URENCO Limited
Today’s front-end nuclear fuel cycle
LWR fuels
LEU-UO2-ZircAlloy
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The future nuclear fuel supply chain
Existing nuclear fuel supply chain
Mining Conversion Enrichment Fabrication Back EndU3O8
0.711%
UF6
<5%
LEUUO2
Spent
fuel
LWR reactorsUO2 / ZircAlloy fuels
Fabrication0.711%
UF6
<5%
LEU
Next Generation Fuels
TRISO,
Uranium Nitride,
Uranium Silicide,
U-metal Alloys
UF4 Salts
Gen III+, ATFsSMRs, GenIV,
Advanced ReactorsResearch & Test Reactors
Gaps in the Future Nuclear Fuel Supply Chain
Enrichment5%-20%
LEU+/HA-LEU
U-metal
U-oxide
U-salts
Higher
EnrichmentDeconversion
TransportPackage
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Discussion Points
1. How will the front-end nuclear fuel cycle evolve?
2. What are the challenges?
3. URENCO Capability
4. U-Battery – Small Modular Reactor
5. Closing Remarks
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The HA-LEU Community
High Assay Low Enriched Uranium (HA-LEU) & LEU+
• HA-LEU refers to enrichment in the range of 5.0% to 19.99% U235
• URENCO uses the term LEU+ to refer to UF6 enriched above the current 5% limit
for civil nuclear production subject to regulatory approval
A broad community of users will benefit from HA-LEU & LEU+
• Operators of existing LWRs seeking improvements in reactor economics through
higher burn-up rates and extended operating cycles
• The introduction of Accident Tolerant Fuels (ATF) improved economics
• Gen IV and other advanced reactor designs
• Advanced fuel designs
• Research and test reactors
• Producers of targets for medical isotope production
Fuel solutions are needed across the full span of HA-LEU enrichments.
• Some ‘clumping’ may develop in the ranges of:
6.0% - 8.0% U235; 13.0 -16.0% U235; and at 19.75% U235
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HA-LEU fuel cycle requirements
A sustainable HA-LEU fuel cycle includes three fundamental capabilities:
1. Higher Enrichment Facility
• to produce HA-LEU in the form of uranium hexafluoride (UF6) up to 19.75%
2. Deconversion Facility
• to (de)convert HA-LEU UF6 into U-metal, U-oxides and/or U-salts
3. Fabrication Facilities
• to manufacture the specific fuel types required by the various reactor designs
Packaging and transportation solutions are also required
• A certified transport package (cylinder and protective overpack) will need to be
developed to store and transport production volumes of HA-LEU as UF6
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Discussion Points
1. How will the front-end nuclear fuel cycle evolve?
2. What are the challenges?
3. URENCO Capability
4. U-Battery – Small Modular Reactor
5. Closing Remarks
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Almelo, The Netherlands
Capacity: 5,300 tSW/year
Gronau, Germany
Capacity: 4,000 tSW/year
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URENCO – A Global Supplier 18,800 tSW/year
Capenhurst, UK
Capacity: 4,600 tSW/year
Eunice, USA
Capacity: 4,900 tSW/year
Head Office
Stoke Poges, United Kingdom
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Potential HA-LEU enrichment at
URENCO sites
• There are no treaty considerations or restrictions associated with HA-LEU production
in Europe or the US.
• URENCO’s existing advanced gas centrifuges are capable of producing the full span
of HA-LEU enrichments without further development or testing.
• We estimate that if detailed design, site permits, and contractor selection were
undertaken in parallel with the regulatory licensing process, we could construct,
commission and start-up a HA-LEU production unit within 24 months of regulatory
licensing approval.
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• On February 5, 2019 URENCO USA
Inc. announced its capability in the
provision of high assay low enriched
uranium (HA-LEU), for civil, peaceful
applications in existing and new power
plants as well as for research, test and
medical isotopes facilities.
• URENCO is now exploring the
construction of a dedicated HA-LEU unit
at its UUSA facility.
• Further activity at UUSA is underway to
support the near-term delivery of slightly
greater than 5% U235 enrichments for
existing light water reactors interested in
higher burn-up rates and/or extended
operating cycles.
URENCO USA Inc. announcement
+++++ PRESS RELEASE +++++
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Discussion Points
1. How will the front-end nuclear fuel cycle evolve?
2. What are the challenges?
3. URENCO USA Inc. – The National Enrichment Facility
4. U-Battery – Small Modular Reactor
5. Closing Remarks
U-Battery – Micro Modular Reactor
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At a glance:
• Single unit - produces 10MWt which can be delivered in a CoGen configuration with up to 4MWe electricity or 750 °C process heat.
• Gas cooled - Helium in primary circuit, Nitrogen in secondary circuit (no water).
• High integrity TRISO fuel - enables simplicity of design.
• Construction - Adaptable modular configuration to meet local needs. It can be installed above or below ground.
• Flexible - Installation can be single or in multiple units.
Key to layout1. Turbine Generator2. Heat Exchanger3. Reactor pressure Vessel4. Maintenance Floor5. Fuel Cartridge Store6. Fuel Store Ventilation7. Fuel Handling Facility8. Control Room
U-Battery – Markets & Applications
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Remote Locations
Heavy Industry
Nuclear Backup
Specific Purposes
Initial Strategic Markets
U-Battery – Intrinsically Safe Fuel
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Discussion Points
1. How will the front-end nuclear fuel cycle evolve?
2. What are the challenges?
3. URENCO USA Inc. – The National Enrichment Facility
4. U-Battery – Small Modular Reactor
5. Closing Remarks
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Closing Remarks
1. It is imperative that the enrichment, deconversion and fabrication
facilities - and the concordant packaging solutions - be developed
on concurrent schedules
2. Regulatory resources are required to support the licensing
framework needed for the development of a HA-LEU fuel cycle
3. The timing of front-end fuel cycle development for next generation
fuels must match the forecast aggregate demand of advanced
reactor vendors coming to market
4. Companies making investments in HA-LEU facilities need to be
sufficiently assured of a reasonable and necessary economic
return
5. There is a role for national Governments and NGOs to both
stimulate and facilitate this exciting next phase in the growth of
the nuclear industry
© 2019 URENCO Limited
Thank You
For additional information on URENCO’s Next Generation Fuels or U-Battery SMR, please contact:
Chris WhiteDirector, Government Affairse: [email protected]: +44 (0)7789 941833