Generation 3 Nuclear Reactors
GenerationGeneration 33 NuclearNuclear ReactorsReactors
FrenchFrench-- SlovakSlovak summersummer schoolschool
TheThe differentdifferent generationsgenerations ofof nuclearnuclear reactorsreactors FromFrom GenerationGeneration--11 toto GenerationGeneration--44
G. Cognet
CEA Delegate for Central Europe Nuclear Counsellor – French Embassy
CEA – Delegation for Central Europe Kočovce (Slovakia) – September 2010 1 NuclearNuclear energyenergy inin thethe worldworld
EUROPE ASIA + RUSSIA NORTH AMERICA 177 reactors 131 reactors 120 reactors Ukraine Candidats Chine Mexique Taiwan Suisse Arménie Canada Inde Japon Corée États-unis UE-25 Russie
SOUTH AMERICA 4 reactors Afrique du Sud Argentine Brésil 2 réacteurs
CEA – Delegation for Central Europe Kočovce (Slovakia) – September 2010 2 NuclearNuclear :: aa veryvery concentratedconcentrated energyenergy
1 kg of natural uranium yields 100 000 kWh in a thermal fission reactor while 1 kg of coal generates 8 kWh, i.e. 12500 times less
The first nuclear reactor was a natural one (Oklo, 2 billion years ago). CEA – Delegation for Central Europe Kočovce (Slovakia) – September 2010 3 TheThe treetree ofof nuclearnuclear reactorsreactors
•WPu: Military plutonigenous reactor. •SGHWR: Heavy water reactors supplying industrial heat (Steam Generating Heavy Water Reactor). •AGR: Graphite-gas reactors (Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor). •(V)HTR: (Very) High Temperature Reactor. •SCWR: Super Critical Water Reactor. • ADS: Hybrid spallation- fission system (Accelerator- Driven System). •FR: Fast Reactor. •MSR: (Molten Salt Reactor).
CEA – Delegation for Central Europe Kočovce (Slovakia) – September 2010 4 TypesTypes ofof GenGen--22 reactorsreactors
PWR
Two main types of water reactor coexist: pressurized water reactors (PWR) and boiling water reactors (BWR) CEA – Delegation for Central Europe Kočovce (Slovakia) – September 2010 5 CEA – Delegation for Central Europe Kočovce (Slovakia) – September 2010 6 SafetySafety principleprinciple ofof PWRsPWRs Three barriers and 3 safety functions ¾ Control of the chain reaction
¾ Evacuation at any moment of the residual power (energy produced in the core at the level of a few % after stopping the chain reaction)
¾ Containment of radioactivity, the main part of this relating to the fission products formed in the fuel
CEA – Delegation for Central Europe Kočovce (Slovakia) – September 2010 7 GenGen--22 :: OptimizationOptimization && EvolutionEvolution ofof thethe FleetFleet
¾ Competitiveness improvement : 10% less of kWh production cost ¾ Increase of the availability factor and of core management ¾ Increase of life-time from 30 or 40 up to 50 or 60 years ¾ Reactor safety improvement (evolution, for example: H2 recombiners) ¾ Reduction of the radiological impact ¾ Optimization of spent fuel management ¾ Seismic risks: take into account new rules ¾ Ageing of structures 9 Containment structure 9 Steam generator 9 Pressurizer 9 Circuits (primary loop) 9 Internals 9 Vessel
CEA – Delegation for Central Europe Kočovce (Slovakia) – September 2010 8 Simulation tools for nuclear systems Simulation : - multi-physical, multi-scale modelling - co-developed numerical platforms
ECHELLE SYSTEME
ECHELLE 3D-LOCAL ECHELLE COMPOSANT
ECHELLE SIMULATION NUMERIQUE DIRECTE
CEA – Delegation for Central Europe Kočovce (Slovakia) – September 2010 9 FuelFuel CycleCycle
CEA – DelegationCEA – Delegation for Central for Europe Central & Eastern Europe - BudapestKočovce (Slovakia) – September March, 2010 2010 10 Conditioning of ultimate waste
Glass casting in the laboratory at Standard vitrified Marcoule (Gard) waste container (SVWC)
CEA – Delegation for Central Europe Kočovce (Slovakia) – September 2010 11 TwoTwo majormajor accidentsaccidents
Tchernobyl (1986) TMI2 (1979) CEA – Delegation for Central Europe Kočovce (Slovakia) – September 2010 12 TheThe INESINES scalescale ofof nuclearnuclear eventsevents (1991)
CEA – Delegation for Central Europe Kočovce (Slovakia) – September 2010 13 GenerationsGenerations ofof NuclearNuclear PowerPower SystemsSystems
1950 1970 1990 2010 2030 2050 2070 2090
Generation I DISMANTLING
UNGG Generation II OPERATION CHOOZ REP 900 Generation III OPTIMIZATION REP 1300 EPR Generation IV DESIGN & R&D N4 PROTOTYPES 2020-25 COEX DIAMEX/SANEX, GANEX CEA – Delegation for Central Europe Kočovce (Slovakia) – September 2010 14 EUR:EUR: EuropeanEuropean utilitiesutilities requirementsrequirements
EUR: a hub to harmonise European utilities views & requirements
¾ A utility network 9 to share experience in plant specification, design evaluation, licensing … 9 to build common specifications for the European Gen 3 LWR NPPs
¾ A common bridge with the external stakeholders 9the vendors 9the EUR utility counterparts outside Europe: EPRI, Asian utilities,… 9the regulators: safety, HV grid, … 9the international organisations: IAEA, OECD, EU, … ¾ Making Gen 3 a reality in Europe
CEA – Delegation for Central Europe Kočovce (Slovakia) – September 2010 15 TheThe EUREUR documentdocument
CEA – Delegation for Central Europe Kočovce (Slovakia) – September 2010 16 EUR:EUR: aa strongstrong basebase forfor harmonisationharmonisation && standardisationstandardisation ofof thethe designsdesigns
¾ Continuous activity over more than 15 years has made the EUR organisation one of the central actors in the development Gen 3 LWRs in Europe and worldwide ¾ In its current stage the EUR document is fully operational ¾ Actually used as technical specification to call for bids ¾ Actually used by the NPP vendors willing to be present in Europe, as a guide for designing their new products ¾ A living document living document that follows up the progress of technology and the constraints coming from Europe integration
CEA – Delegation for Central Europe Kočovce (Slovakia) – September 2010 17 MainMain ObjectivesObjectives ofof GenGen--III/III+III/III+ ReactorsReactors
¾ Standardised design for each type to expedite licensing, reduce capital cost and reduce construction time ¾ Simpler and more rugged design, making them easier to operate and less vulnerable to operational upsets ¾ Higher availability and longer operating life – typically 60 years ¾ Reduced possibility of core melt accidents ¾ Minimal effect on the environment ¾ Higher burn-up to reduce fuel use and the amount of waste ¾ Burnable absorbers ("poisons") to extend fuel life
The greatest departure from Gen-II incorporates passive or inherent safety features which require no active controls or operational intervention to avoid accidents in the event of malfunction, and rely on gravity, natural convection or resistance to high temperatures
CEA – Delegation for Central Europe Kočovce (Slovakia) – September 2010 18 EPR:EPR: aa maturedmatured concept,concept, basedbased onon experienceexperience feedfeed-- backback ofof currentcurrent PWRsPWRs
Containment Containment Heat designed to Removal System withstand hydrogen deflagration Prevention of high pressure core melt by depressurisation means
In Containment Refueling Water Storage Tank (IRWST) Spreading Area Protection of the Basemat
CEA – Delegation for Central Europe Kočovce (Slovakia) – September 2010 19 EPR:EPR: thethe firstfirst GenGen--33 licensedlicensed inin EuropeEurope
The Path of Greatest Certainty 1650 MWe PWR X Generation III+ PWR 4-Loop >4500MWth SG pressure 77bar at 100% power 4x100% redundancy of active safeguard systems Backup in case of total loss of safety function X High power output (1650 MWe) X Evolutionary design (Konvoi/N4) X Low global power generation costs X Outstanding safety level X Maximized benefit from size effect
TheConstruction Path to Greatest in Finland, Certainty France & China Licensing engaged in USA, UK and India
CEA – Delegation for Central Europe Kočovce (Slovakia) – September 2010 20 EPREPR PlotPlot PlanPlan Safeguard Buildings 2+3
Diesel Turbine Building Generators 3-4 Reactor Building Building
Safeguard Building 1
Fuel Building C.I. Electrical Building
Diesel Generators 1-2 Nuclear Building Auxiliary Safeguard Building 4 Building
Waste Building
CEA – Delegation for Central Europe Kočovce (Slovakia) – September 2010 21 EPREPR SafetySafety Systems:Systems: BestBest--inin--classclass APCAPC resistanceresistance
Prestressed 1,8 m thick Annulus Concrete Reinforced 1,8 m Containment Concrete Building Shield Building Steel Liner
Outside Inside
BASEMAT
EPR™ Reactor, Fuel and two Safeguard Buildings are airplane crash resistant for both military and commercial aircraft: - No licensing delay - Bolstering public and political acceptance
CEA – Delegation for Central Europe Kočovce (Slovakia) – September 2010 22 EPREPR SafetySafety Systems:Systems: RedundantRedundant andand DiverseDiverse
¾ 4×100% capacity allows for preventive 3 4 maintenance at power (n+2 concept) 2 ¾ Common cause failures – safety system diversity: 9 Every system has a diversified back-up 1 ¾ External hazards through systematic Four Train concept physical separation of the safety systems and physical separation ¾ Clear separation of redundancies with 4 Safeguard buildings ensures robustness against hazards (flooding, fire) and Airplane Crash ¾ Reactor building, Safeguard buildings Proven yet evolutionary and Fuel building on a single raft to cope safety systems ensure a with seismic and Airplane Crash loads high reliability level P19 –S1 CEA – Delegation for Central Europe Kočovce (Slovakia) – September 2010 23 EPREPR SafetySafety Systems:Systems: ProtectionProtection ofof thethe environmentenvironment withwith PassivePassive andand ActiveActive SystemsSystems Active System (Long-term) Passive System (Short-term)
Reactor pit
IRWST &
Sacrificial Spreading concrete area 1. Removal of containment heat:
1. Temporary retention in the reactor pit • Recirculation and coolant (gravity and metal gate) heat exchange 2. Spreading in the large surface dedicated • Containment spray system area (metal gate melting and gravity) 3. Flooding and cooling of the spreading area using IRWST (In-containment Refueling Water Storage Tank) Optimum severe accident mitigation prevent releases of hazardous material into the atmosphere and/or the soil CEA – Delegation for Central Europe Kočovce (Slovakia) – September 2010 24 Gen-3 : An improved back-end of the Fuel Cycle
EPR, an increased flexibility for MOX use in reactors
Up to 100% MOX Core An enhanced capacity to burn Plutonium
Plutonium annual balance
MOX Kg Pu/year UOX ) REP 900 UO2 : + 200 Control rods ) REP 900 MOX : 0 REP 900 EPR ) EPR 100% MOX : - 670
Enhanced ability for plutonium multi-recycling
CEA – Delegation for Central Europe Kočovce (Slovakia) – September 2010 25 NuclearNuclear energy:energy: aa maturemature technologytechnology
¾ Safe and reliable with more than 10 000 year.reactors of experience ¾ Safer and safer with Generation-3 ¾ Secure energy supply (versus fossil fuels) and reduces geopolitical / economical risks ¾ Competitive ¾ No CO2 or Greenhouse Gases produced
¾ Promising assets for other applications : transports, heat for industry, desalination, …
CEA – Delegation for Central Europe Kočovce (Slovakia) – September 2010 26 But,But, aa problemproblem ofof publicpublic acceptanceacceptance
2 main issues ¾ Radioactive waste management 9 Minimised long-lived, high level radiotoxic waste 9 Safe disposal of remaining waste products ¾ Uranium resources: If nuclear energy grows significantly, uranium resources could be engaged by 2050 Annual demand and supply of Uranium (1945 Æ 2003)
NEA Source 2006 Answer exists: Gen-4 systems ¾ Fast neutron reactors ¾ Partitioning and transmutation
Several challenges for an accepted expansion of nuclear energy
CEA – Delegation for Central Europe Kočovce (Slovakia) – September 2010 27 GenerationGeneration--44 && ClosureClosure ofof fuelfuel cyclecycle
¾ Minimize waste radiotoxicity & volume ¾ Extract the maximum energy from the fuel 9 volume/5 9 radiotoxicity/10 9 No plutonium in ultimate waste 9 Vitrification of ultimate waste : very safe conditioning providing long lasting Valuable materials (96%) Waste (4%) confinement of radioactive waste Uranium Plutonium Fission (94 to 96 %) (1 %) Products (3 to 5 %) Minor Actinides Reprocessing & Recycling (0,1 %)
Needs R&D and demonstration at industrial level
CEA – Delegation for Central Europe Kočovce (Slovakia) – September 2010 28 GENGEN--44 pavespaves thethe wayway forfor aa sustainablesustainable nuclearnuclear energyenergy ¾ New requirements for sustainable nuclear energy • Gradual improvements in • Concepts with breakthroughs 9 Competitiveness 9 Minimization of wastes 9 Safety and reliability 9 Preservation of resources 9 Non Proliferation ¾ Assets for new markets 9 attractiveness 9 simplicity, robustness (safety, non proliferation)
¾ Assets for new applications 9 hydrogen production 9 direct use of heat 9 sea water desalination CEA – Delegation for Central Europe Kočovce (Slovakia) – September 2010 29 GIF:GIF: KeyKey StepsSteps
Charter signed in July 2001 to: January, 2003 ¾ Identify potential areas of multilateral collaborations on Gen-4 nuclear energy systems ¾ Foster collaborative R&D projects ¾ Establish guidelines for collaboration and reporting of their results (review, recommendations, …) ¾ Define Technology Goals for Generation-4 ¾ Identify Concepts with Potential ¾ Evaluate Concepts with a Common and Consistently Applied Methodology ¾ Identify R&D Gaps and Needs http://nuclear.gov/geniv/Generation ¾ Roadmap Issued in December 2002 _IV_Roadmap_1-31-03.pdf
CEA – Delegation for Central Europe Kočovce (Slovakia) – September 2010 30 GIF:GIF: 66 InnovativeInnovative conceptsconcepts withwith technologicaltechnological breakthroughsbreakthroughs
Closed Fuel Cycle Closed Fuel Closed Fuel Sodium Fast reactor Lead Fast Cycle Cycle Reactor Gas Fast Reactor
Once Through Very High Temperature Reactor Once/Closed Closed Fuel Cycle Supercritical Water Reactor Molten Salt Reactor Major potential of fast neutron systems with closed fuel cycle for breeding (fissile regeneration) and waste minimization (minor actinides transmutation) CEA – Delegation for Central Europe Kočovce (Slovakia) – September 2010 31 ContributionsContributions toto thethe GIFGIF
EURATOM = European Implementing Agent
Japenese Chairmanship since end of 2009 (3 year term)
CEA – Delegation for Central Europe Kočovce (Slovakia) – September 2010 32 NuclearNuclear energyenergy inin EuropeEurope forfor thethe 21st21st centurycentury
Renaissance Gen-2 Plant life time extension Gen-3 deployment No CO2 emissions Energy security of supply Competitiveness Safety
Sustainability Gen-4 systems
Waste management Resources preservation New markets (Hydrogen production, industrial heating …)
CEA – Delegation for Central Europe Kočovce (Slovakia) – September 2010 33 ThankThank youyou forfor youryour attentionattention
http://www.cea.fr
CEA – Delegation for Central Europe Kočovce (Slovakia) – September 2010 34