ADVANCEMENTS AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN THE FIELD OF

NUCLEAR POWER

Alan BullickDr. McGinley

EVHM 3305-H01

Overview History Current Technologies

BWR PWR

Limitations Resources Thermal Inefficiencies Maintenance

New Fission Reactor Designs and Benefits (GFR) Gas-Cooled Fast Reactor (LFR) Lead-Cooled Fast Reactor (MSR) Molten Salt Reactor (SFR) Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor (SCWR) Supercritical-Water-Cooled Reactor (VHTR) Very-High-Temperature Reactor

New Fusion Design Technology Tokamak Results

History of Nuclear Power

CHICAGO PILE 1 DECEMBER 2, 1942

Created by Enrico Fermi Consisted of a Pile of

Uranium Contained Within Graphite Bricks

Control Rods Manually Operated

Built on a Racket Court Underneath the Alonzo Stagg Field Stadium of the University of Chicago

History of Nuclear Power (cont.)

EXPERIMENTAL BREEDER REACTOR I

BEGIN OPERATING DECEMBER 20, 1951

World’s First Nuclear Power Plant to Generate Electricity

Decommissioned in 1964

Located in Arco Idaho a.k.a (Atomic City)

Nuclear Reactor Became Site of Idaho National Labs

Current Nuclear Technologies

(PWR) PRESSURIZED WATER REACTOR (BWR) BOILING WATER REACTOR

Conventional Nuclear Limitations

CURRENT RESOURCE PROJECTIONS

RESOURCE PROJECTIONS USING BREEDER REACTORS AND MOX FUEL

Nuclear Limitations (cont.)

THERMAL INEFFICIENCIES MAINTENANCE

Current Efficiencies of PWR and BWR Designs are Limited by the Operating Temperatures of Their Rankine Cycles.

Average Efficiency is 33% 1500 MWe Nuclear Power

Plant Actually Produces 4500 MW of Power and Wastes 3000 MW.

3000 MW of Power can Power 876,000 Homes

Average Inlet/Outlet Temps: 275˚C/325˚C (525˚F/650˚F)

Every 1 to 2 Years a Conventional Nuclear Plant Needs to Refuel Portions of the Fuel Core Assembly

Every 5 Years the Turbine-Generator Must be Inspected

1-2 Months Spent Offline for Each Maintenance Process

Efficiency = ( 1 – Cold temperature / Hot temperature ) * 100

Generation IV International Forum

Members:Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States, Switzerland, Euratom, the People’s Republic of China, and the Russian Federation

Designs:

(GFR) Gas-Cooled Fast Reactor(LFR) Lead-Cooled Fast Reactor(MSR) Molten Salt Reactor(SFR) Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor(SCWR) Supercritical-Water-Cooled Reactor(VHTR) Very-High-Temperature Reactor

(GFR) Gas-Cooled Fast Reactor

Reactor Power: 600MWthNet Efficiency: 48%Coolant/Outlet Temp: 490˚C/850˚C(914˚F/1562˚F)Thermodynamic Cycle: Brayton Cycle Operating on Helium Gas

Benefits of a GFR

Small/Modular Able to be Used as a Conventional

Nuclear Power Plant Waste Conversion Facility

Able to Utilize Pebble Bed Fuel Technology in Some Designs

Hydrogen and Electrical Capabilities

(LFR) Lead-Cooled Fast Reactor

Reactor Power: 50-150 MWe300-400 MWe1200 MWeCoolant/Outlet Temp: 1022˚F-1472˚FThermodynamic Cycle: Brayton Cycle Operating on CO2 Gas

Rankine Cycle Operating on Super Critical H20

Benefits of a LFR

Easily Scalable Design Long Refueling Intervals (10-30 Years) Nuclear Waste Management Capabilities Hydrogen and Electrical Capabilities

(MSR) Molten Salt Reactor

Reactor Power: 1000 MWeOutlet Temp: 1300˚FThermodynamic Cycle: Brayton Cycle Operating on Helium Gas

Benefits of a MSR

Large Size Highly Sustainable Closed Fuel Cycle Nuclear Waste Management Capabilities Hydrogen and Electrical Capabilities

(SFR) Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor

Reactor Power: 150-500 MWe500-1500 MWeOutlet Temp: 550˚C (1022˚F)Thermodynamic Cycle: Brayton Cycle Operating on CO2 Gas

Benefits of a SFR

Large/Medium Size Near Term Deployment Nuclear Waste Management Capabilities

(SCWR) Supercritical-Water-Cooled Reactor

Reactor Power: 1700 MWeNet Efficiency: 44%Outlet Temp: 550˚C (1022˚F)Thermodynamic Cycle: Brayton Cycle Operating on Helium Gas

Benefits of a SCWR

Nuclear Waste Management Capabilities

(VHTR) Very-High-Temperature Reactor

Reactor Power: 600 MWthOutlet Temp: 1000˚C (1832˚F)Thermodynamic Cycle: Brayton Cycle Operating on Helium Gas

Benefits of a VHTR

Medium Size Design Design Appropriate for Hydrogen

Production

Summary of Generation IV Nuclear Reactors

Nuclear Fusion

Fusion is the Process Powering the Sun Recreating Difficulties on Earth

Material Limitations Gravitational Limitations

Solutions Control Plasma Created From Ionized Atoms

Using Super-Cooled Super-Conducting Magnets Named Tokamaks

International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor

Current Results

The Joint European Torus (JET) was Able to Produce a 16 MW Pulse for 1 Second in 1997

The Tora Supra was Able to Sustain Plasma Confinement for 6.5 Minutes in 2003.

Current Goal is to Achieve Power Multiplication of 10x

Benefits

Radioactive Half-life of Tritium is 12.3 Years Instead of the 700 Million Year Half-life of Uranium

The Fusion Process Has a Higher Energy/Mass Fuel Ratio Than the Fission Process

Summary

Nuclear Power Remains a Very Viable Option Even Without Future Technological Advancements

Nuclear Advancements Will be Able to Aid Developing Countries With Both Electrical and Water Generation Capabilities

Generation IV Nuclear Plants Allow For the Possibility of a Hydrogen Fueled Future

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