DOCSLIB.ORG

Evaluation of Material Attractiveness to Non-State Actors of Various Nuclear Materials in Thorium Fuel Cycles

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Evaluation of Material Attractiveness to Non-State Actors of Various Nuclear Materials in Thorium Fuel Cycles Evaluation of Material Attractiveness to Non-state Actors of Various Nuclear Materials in Thorium Fuel Cycles By Eva Lisowski Submitted to the Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Science and Engineering At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology May 2020 © 2020 Massachusetts Institute of Technology. All rights reserved. Signature of Author: ………………………………………………………………………….. Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering May 12, 2020 Certified by: …………………………………………………………………………………... Benoit Forget Associate Department Head and Professor of Nuclear Science and Engineering Thesis Supervisor Certified by: …………………………………………………………………………………... Michael Short Associate Professor of Nuclear Science and Engineering Undergraduate Chair 1 2 Evaluation of Material Attractiveness to Non-state Actors of Various Nuclear Materials in Thorium Fuel Cycles By Eva Lisowski Submitted to the Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering on May 12, 2020, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Science and Engineering Abstract Thorium-based fuel cycles for advanced nuclear reactors have been explored to utilize thorium resources in nations where uranium is scarce, increase fissile material utilization, and enhance proliferation resistance. As a stepping stone, thorium-based fuels have been paired with pressure tube heavy water reactors because of their high neutron economy and online refueling capability. However, thorium fuel cycles have raised proliferation concerns regarding the presence of U-233 following the irradiation of fuel bundles. The presence of Pa-233, which decays into pure U-233, and the creation of Pu-239 due to the neutron capture of U-238 in mixed lightly-enriched uranium (LEU)/Thorium fuels, are also causes for proliferation concern. Based on a method developed in a previous study, the material attractiveness to non-state actors of fissile materials present in a 40%LEU/60%Th fuel lattice concept was evaluated for six metrics: bare critical mass (BCM), heat content, net weight, acquisition time, dose rate, and processing time & complexity. The lattice, composed of 35 fuel pins and a central ZrO2 displacer rod, was modeled and depleted in the OpenMC reactor physics software, over a range of burnups up to 40 MWd/kg followed by two years of cooling. It was found that the material attractiveness of uranium isotopes in the irradiated fuel bundle was Very Low due to the high fraction of U-238 present in the fuel and the assumed lack of enrichment capabilities among non-state actors. However, for a state with basic enrichment capabilities, this fuel may be attractive. The attractiveness of plutonium isotopes was also found, as expected in a thorium-cycle, to be Very Low. However, the low BCM and heat content of this mixture reveals that it could be attractive to states that can easily acquire the material and do not need to rely on the theft of many fuel bundles to acquire an IAEA Category I quantity of material. Further investigation of the material attractiveness to states is required. Material attractiveness evaluations are important to informing future decisions regarding which fuel bundles to select when designing advanced reactor facilities and developing methods to safeguard them. Thesis Supervisor: Benoit Forget Associate Department Head and Professor of Nuclear Science and Engineering 3 Acknowledgments I would like to express special appreciation and gratitude to the people below who made the research and writing process successful and assisted me at every step towards my goal: Professor Forget, my thesis supervisor, for his vital support and assistance, for spending time to help me develop and better understand my calculation methodology, and providing me with both essential and bonus resources to allow me to successfully complete my project, and expand my knowledge and confidence in the field of reactor physics, and especially for having faith in my ability to meet project deadlines despite the extenuating circumstances under COVID-19. Professor Hiroshi Sagara, my lab supervisor during my fall 2019 semester study abroad at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, for welcoming me as a member of his lab, for introducing me to his research in nuclear non-proliferation and inspiring me to write a thesis based on his lab’s material attractiveness methodology, and for giving me the foundation for a successful research project. The MIT Computational Reactor Physics Group, led by Professor Forget, for supporting me financially by providing me with the computational resources needed to perform complex reactor physics calculations, and Google, which donates free computing credits for use of its Google Cloud Platform Compute Engine. Dr. Jiankai Yu, a postdoctoral fellow in the MIT Computational Reactor Physics Group, for his patience and sympathetic attitude at every point during my project, for training me in the use of OpenMC, helping me troubleshoot many software difficulties, and answering my many questions throughout the entire computation process. Professor Mike Short, my academic advisor, for his support throughout my academic career at MIT, for helping me through transitioning my initial research concept to a fully developed thesis idea, and for keeping me on track by advising me throughout the research process. Brandy Baker and Heather Barry, the NSE academic administrative staff members, for their tireless efforts in continuous support of NSE undergraduates, especially graduating seniors dealing with repercussions due to COVID-19, and for their reminders and motivation that encouraged me to meet project deadlines to the best of my ability despite the extenuating circumstances. My partner and best friend, Daniel, for his love and patience throughout the school year, and for his support and perseverance through long-distance separations, time zone differences, and clashing sleep schedules. Finally, I would like to thank everyone above for showing resilience, perseverance, and flexibility through remote communication and social isolation amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. 4 Table of Contents Abstract 3 Acknowledgements 4 Table of Contents 5 List of Figures 6 List of Tables 7 1. Introduction 8 1.1 Motivation 8 1.2 Objectives 9 2. Background 10 232 233 2.1 U/ U Ratio in Thorium Fuel Cycles 10 2.2 35-LEU/Th-ZrO2-rod Lattice Concept 14 2.3 Material Attractiveness 16 3. Methodology 19 3.1 Identification of Fuel Cycle & Materials 19 3.2 The OpenMC Monte Carlo Code 19 3.3 Model Thorium Fuel Bundle & Simulate Depletion 20 3.4 Material Attractiveness Evaluation of Direct-use Materials 23 4. Results and Discussion 26 4.1 Depletion Summary 26 4.2 Uranium NED: Material Attractiveness to Non-state Actors 28 4.3 Plutonium NED: Material Attractiveness to Non-state Actors 28 5. Conclusion 32 5.1 Future Options 32 Appendix A: Fuel Bundle Geometry and Depletion Code 34 Appendix B: Bare Critical Mass Calculation Code 40 References 42 5 List of Figures Figure 1: Products of multiple-neutron captures on Th-232. 12 Figure 2: Neutron capture cross section data for Th-231 production and Th-233 production. 13 Figure 3: 35-LEU/Th-ZrO2-rod Lattice Concept modeled in the reference study. 14 Figure 4: k-infinity vs. Burnup for the 35-LEU/Th-ZrO2-rod bundle concept and Maximum burnup for LEU/Th lattices. 15 Figure 5: Discrete phases in nuclear explosive device (NED) development. 16 Figure 6: Generic steps to make a uranium-based NED. 18 Figure 7: 35-LEU/Th-ZrO2-rod Lattice Concept modeled in OpenMC. 20 Figure 8: k-effective vs. Burnup for the 35-LEU/Th-ZrO2-rod bundle concept with 40% LEU modeled in OpenMC. 26 Figure 9: Number of atoms vs. Time [d] of uranium isotopes in the 35-LEU/Th-ZrO2-rod fuel bundle. 27 Figure 10: Number of atoms vs. Time [d] of plutonium isotopes in the 35-LEU/Th-ZrO2-rod fuel bundle. 27 6 List of Tables Table 1: Comparison of some nuclear characteristics of U-233, U-235, and Pu-239. 11 Table 2: Scales of categorization for the material attractiveness for non-state actors. 16 Table 3: Specifications for Thorium-based fuels in PT-HWRs. 21 Table 4: Definition of the Attractiveness Level Bins. 25 Table 5: Masses and isotopic fractions of plutonium isotopes in the 35-Th/LEU-ZrO2-rod Fuel Bundle after zero to 40 MWd/kg of depletion and two years of cooling. 29 Table 6: Estimation of the Heat Content of a bare critical sphere containing Pu-238, Pu-239, Pu- 240, Pu-241, and Pu-242. 29 Table 7: Overall material attractiveness evaluation of Plutonium isotope mixture. 31 7 1. Introduction As nations aim to develop clean energy sources and ensure energy security, new advanced nuclear reactor (ANR) concepts are becoming increasingly more attractive, along with innovative fuel cycles to complement them. In particular, thorium-based fuel cycles are becoming attractive in nations lacking an abundance of uranium resources, such as India, which contains over 800,000 tons, the largest reasonably assured resource of naturally-occurring thorium in the world [1], and has been working on designs for a thorium-based Advanced Heavy Water Reactor (AHWR) [2]. However, with new technologies come new weapons-proliferation vulnerabilities, and safeguard methods must evolve to address the possibility of theft and diversion of fissile material by non- state actors, such as terrorists. One method to evaluate the theft and diversion attractiveness level of nuclear materials was developed in a joint US-Japan study and published in 2013, and has been used primarily to examine materials in traditional Uranium-Plutonium fuel cycles [3]. This thesis aims to expand use of this method to begin to include thorium fuel cycles. 1.1 Motivation Prior to the development of this material attractiveness concept, studies explored how doping plutonium with different isotopic ratios could increase decay heat [4], one characteristic of fissile material that can make it difficult to steal, due to health risks.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • WASH-1097.Pdf
    WASH 1097 UC-80 THE USE OF THORIUM IN NUCLEAR POWER REACTORS JUNE 1969 PREPARED BY Brookhaven National Laboratory AND THE Division of Reactor Development and Technology WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF ARGONNE NATIONAL LABORATORY BABCOCK & WILCOX GULF GENERAL ATOMIC OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY PACIFIC NORTHWEST LABORATORY For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402 - Price $1.25 FOREWORD This report on "The Use of Thorium in Nuclear Power Reactors" was prepared under the direction of the Division of Reactor Development and Technology, U.S.A.E.C., as part of an overall assessment of the Civilian Nuclear Power Program initiated in response to a request in 1966 by the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy. It represents the results of the inquiry by the Thorium Systems Task Force whose membership included representatives of Babcock & Wilcox Company, Gulf General Atomic Company, the Argonne National Laboratory, the Brookhaven National Laboratory, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the Pacific Northwest Laboratory, and the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission. Publication of this report, which provides information basic to the AEC reactor development program, completes one phase of the evaluation effort outlined in the 1967 Supplement to the 1962 Report to the President on Civilian Nuclear Power, issued in February 1967. The 1967 Supplement outlined changes since 1962 in the technical, economic and resource picture and provided background for further study. Specifically, this report represents the consensus of the task force on the potential use of the thorium cycle and the specific thorium fueled reactor designs which have been proposed.
    [Show full text]
  • A Review of the Benefits and Applications of the Thorium Fuel Cycle Vincent Hall University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
    University of Arkansas, Fayetteville ScholarWorks@UARK Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Chemical Engineering Theses 12-2010 A review of the benefits and applications of the thorium fuel cycle Vincent Hall University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.uark.edu/cheguht Recommended Citation Hall, Vincent, "A review of the benefits nda applications of the thorium fuel cycle" (2010). Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses. 25. http://scholarworks.uark.edu/cheguht/25 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Chemical Engineering at ScholarWorks@UARK. It has been accepted for inclusion in Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UARK. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. A REVIEW OF THE BENEFITS AND APPLICATIONS OF THE THORIUM FUEL CYCLE An Undergraduate Honors College Thesis in the Ralph E. Martin Department of Chemical Engineering College of Engineering University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR by Vincent Hall 09-21-2010 1 Abstract This paper aims to inform the reader of the benefits that can be achieved by using thorium as a fuel for nuclear power. Stages of the thorium cycle are directly compared against the current uranium based nuclear fuel cycle. These include mining, milling, fuel fabrication, use of various reactor designs, reprocessing, and disposal. Thorium power promises several key advantages over traditional nuclear power methods, namely a dramatic decrease in long lived radioactive waste, increased fuel efficiency, greater chemical stability during disposal, and higher adaptability for differing reactor designs across a wider range of the thermal neutron spectrum.
    [Show full text]
  • Design and Analysis of a Nuclear Reactor Core for Innovative Small Light Water Reactors
    0 Department of Nuclear Engineering And Radiation Health Physics DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF A NUCLEAR REACTOR CORE FOR INNOVATIVE SMALL LIGHT WATER REACTORS. By Alexey I. Soldatov A DISSERTATION Submitted to Oregon State University March 9, 2009 1 AN ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION OF Alexey I. Soldatov for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Nuclear Engineering presented on March 9, 2009. Title: Design and Analysis of a Nuclear Reactor Core for Innovative Small Light Water Reactors. Abstract approved: Todd S. Palmer In order to address the energy needs of developing countries and remote communities, Oregon State University has proposed the Multi-Application Small Light Water Reactor (MASLWR) design. In order to achieve five years of operation without refueling, use of 8% enriched fuel is necessary. This dissertation is focused on core design issues related with increased fuel enrichment (8.0%) and specific MASLWR operational conditions (such as lower operational pressure and temperature, and increased leakage due to small core). Neutron physics calculations are performed with the commercial nuclear industry tools CASMO-4 and SIMULATE-3, developed by Studsvik Scandpower Inc. The first set of results are generated from infinite lattice level calculations with CASMO-4, and focus on evaluation of the principal differences between standard PWR fuel and MASLWR fuel. Chapter 4-1 covers aspects of fuel isotopic composition changes with burnup, evaluation of kinetic parameters and reactivity coefficients. Chapter 4-2 discusses gadolinium self-shielding and shadowing effects, and subsequent impacts on power generation peaking and Reactor Control System shadowing. 2 The second aspect of the research is dedicated to core design issues, such as reflector design (chapter 4-3), burnable absorber distribution and programmed fuel burnup and fuel use strategy (chapter 4-4).
    [Show full text]
  • Indian Nuclear Power Programme & Its Linkage To
    Indian Nuclear Power Programme & its linkage to ADS S. Banerjee Bhabha Atomic Research Centre Mumbai, India 1 Contents 1. Indian nuclear power programme- present & future. 2. Nuclear fuel-cycle aspects. 3. Gains of Sub-critical reactor operation as ADS. 4. ADS for waste incineration & thorium utilization as nuclear fuel. 5. Indian efforts on ADS R&D- Roadmap, ongoing & future plans. 2 Elements of Indian nuclear programme . Indigenous development of a Reactor Technology (Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor- PHWR) - Total technology development - Based on indigenous resources . Adopting Closed-Fuel Cycle - Best use of fissile & fertile materials - Reduction of the waste burden . Three-Stage Programme - Modest uranium reserve - Utilization of large thorium reserve 3 Salient Features of PHWR • Natural Uranium Fuel - Low burn up - Efficient use of 235U per ton of U mined • Heavy Water – moderator and coolant - Development of heavy water technology - Tritium management • On-power fuelling - Fuelling machine development - Daily entry into reactor core • Neutron economy - Excellent physics design - Complex engineering - Careful choice of in-core materials - Neutrons: best utilized in fission & conversion • Large pressure vessel not required - Distributed pressure boundaries 4 Challenges faced in PHWR programme – and successfully met • Indigenous capability in fabrication of fuel and structural materials: - From low grade resources to finished fuel - Perfection in making in-core structural components • Mastering heavy water technology: - Ammonia and
    [Show full text]
  • Good Neutron Economy Is the Basis of the Fuel Cycle Flexibility in the CANDU Reactor
    SYNERGISTIC FUEL CYCLES OF THE FUTURE XA9846611 D.A. MENELEY, A.R. DASTUR Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada Abstract Good neutron economy is the basis of the fuel cycle flexibility in the CANDU reactor. This paper describes the fuel cycle options available to the CANDU owner with special emphasis on resource conservation and waste management. CANDU fuel cycles with low initial fissile content operate with relatively high conversion ratio. The natural uranium cycle provides over 55 % of energy from the plutonium that is created during fuel life. Resource utilization is over 7 MWd/kg NU. This can be improved by slight enrichment (between 0.9 and 1.2 wt % U235) of the fuel. Resource utilization increases to 11 MWd/kg NU with the Slightly Enriched Uranium cycle. Thorium based cycles in CANDU operate at near-breeder efficiency. They provide attractive options when used with natural uranium or separated (reactor grade and weapons grade) plutonium as driver fuels. In the latter case, the energy from the U233 plus the initial plutonium content amounts to 3.4 GW(th).d/kg Pu-fissile. The same utilization is expected from the use of FBR plutonium in a CANDU thorium cycle. Extension of natural resource is achieved by the use of spent fuels in CANDU. The LWR/CANDU Tandem cycle leads to an additional 77 % of energy through the use of reprocessed LWR fuel (which has a fissile content of 1.6 wt %) in CANDU. Dry reprocessing of LWR fuel with the OREOX process (a more safeguardable alternative to the PUREX process) provides an additional 50 % energy.
    [Show full text]
  • Heavy Water Reactors: Status and Projected Development Designed in the Russian Federation
    01-01915_TRS407.qxd 17.04.2002 14:04 Uhr Seite 1 Technical Reports Series No. This report commences with a review of the historical development of heavy water reactors (HWRs), detailing the various national efforts made in developing reactor concepts and taking them to the stage of prototype operation or commercial viability. Sections cover HWR economics, safety and fuel cycles. 4 0 7 Technical Reports Series No. 407 The future directions likely to be taken in the development of HWR technology are addressed through discussion of three national programmes: the Canadian CANDU design, the Advanced HWR currently under development in India, and an 'Ultimate Safe' reactor being Reactors: Status and Projected Development Heavy Water designed in the Russian Federation. Heavy Water Reactors: Status and Projected Development ISBN 92–0–111502–4 ISSN 0074–1914 €99.00 INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, VIENNA, 2002 HEAVY WATER REACTORS: STATUS AND PROJECTED DEVELOPMENT The following States are Members of the International Atomic Energy Agency: AFGHANISTAN GREECE PARAGUAY ALBANIA GUATEMALA PERU ALGERIA HAITI PHILIPPINES ANGOLA HOLY SEE POLAND ARGENTINA HUNGARY PORTUGAL ARMENIA ICELAND QATAR AUSTRALIA INDIA REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA AUSTRIA INDONESIA ROMANIA AZERBAIJAN IRAN, ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF RUSSIAN FEDERATION BANGLADESH IRAQ SAUDI ARABIA BELARUS IRELAND SENEGAL BELGIUM ISRAEL SIERRA LEONE BENIN ITALY SINGAPORE BOLIVIA JAMAICA SLOVAKIA BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA JAPAN SLOVENIA BRAZIL JORDAN SOUTH AFRICA BULGARIA KAZAKHSTAN SPAIN BURKINA FASO KENYA SRI LANKA
    [Show full text]
  • Heavy Water Reactors: 1. Physics, Concepts and History
    1944-9 Joint ICTP-IAEA Workshop on Nuclear Reaction Data for Advanced Reactor Technologies 19 - 30 May 2008 Heavy Water Reactors: 1. Physics, Concepts and History B.P. Bromley AECL, Chalk River Laboratories Canada Heavy Water Reactors: 1. Physics, Concepts and History Blair P. Bromley Reactor and Radiation Physics Branch AECL – Chalk River Laboratories Joint ICTP-IAEA Workshop on Nuclear Reaction Data for Advanced Reactor Technologies May 26/27, 2008 UNRESTRICTED Outline • Many topics to cover (by no means complete) • Fundamental Physics • Design Options • Physics and Engineering Issues • Review of Conventional HWR Power Reactors – Prototypes / Experiments (Historical) – Commercial Reactors • Present Day and Near Future • Additional Information (see Appendix) – Other HWR concepts. 2 UNRESTRICTED Goals • Better appreciation of heavy water reactors. – Historical review. – We can learn from the past. – Variables change with time. • Better understanding. – Motivation. – How it works. – Design features. – Physics issues, engineering issues. – Long term prospects, implications for future. 3 UNRESTRICTED References • IAEA, Heavy Water Reactors: Status and Projected Development, Tech. Series 407, Vienna, (2002). • IAEA, Directory of Nuclear Reactors, Volumes I to X, (1962 to 1976). • IAEA, Heavy-Water Power Reactors, Proceedings of Symposium, Vienna, 11-15 Sept. 1967 (1968). • IAEA, Heavy Water Lattices: Second Panel Report, Tech. Series No. 20, Vienna, (1963). • AECL, Canada Enters the Nuclear Age, McGill-Queen’s University Press, Montreal, (1997). • AECL, CANDU 6 Technical Outline, TDSI-105, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, January (1992). 4 UNRESTRICTED A Few Useful References • British Nuclear Energy Society, Steam Generating and Other Heavy Water Reactors, Proc. of Conf. 14-16 May, (1968). • Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation (Japan), The 9th JUICE Meeting on Heavy Water Reactors, Tokyo, March 11, (1982).
    [Show full text]
  • Heavy Water Reactors: Status and Projected Development
    XA0101531 LIMITED DISTRIBUTION INIS-XA-413 WORKING MATERIAL HEAVY WATER REACTORS: STATUS AND PROJECTED DEVELOPMENT PARTI FINAL DRAFT OF A REPORT TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE IAEA TECHNICAL REPORTS SERIES Reproduced by the IAEA Vienna, Austria, 2001 NOTE The material in this document has been supplied by the authors and has not yet been edited by the IAEA, the views expressed remain the responsibility of the named authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the government(s) of the designating Member States. In particular, neither the IAEA nor any other organization or body sponsoring this meeting can be held responsible for any material reproduced in this document. PLEASE BE AWARE THAT ALL OF THE MISSING PAGES IN THIS DOCUMENT WERE ORIGINALLY BLANK Pagei TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION PAGE 1. Introduction 1-1 2. The HWR Evolution 2-1 2.1 General Background 2-1 2.2 The Heavy Water Moderated, Heavy Water Cooled Reactor 2-6 2.2.1 Genealogy of CANDU HWR Power Reactor 2-6 2.2.2 The Pressure Tube HWRs in India 2-9 2.3 Genealogy of Boiling Light Water, Heavy Water Moderated Power Reactors 2-11 2.4 Heavy Water Moderated, Organic Cooled Reactor 2-12 2.5 Genealogy of Pressure Vessel Heavy Water Reactors 2-12 2.6 Genealogy of Heavy Water Moderated Gas Cooled Reactors 2-13 2.7 Summary 2-13 3. Characteristics of Heavy Water Reactors 3-1 3.1 Pressure Tube Type HWR (HW Cooled, HW Moderated) Characteristics 3-1 3.1.1 Introduction 3-1 3.1.2 Design and Operating Characteristics 3-3 3.1.2.1 Pressure Tubes as the Reactor Pressure Boundary 3-3 3.1.2.2 Fuel 3-3 3.1.2.3
    [Show full text]
  • Key Thrusts in Next Generation CANDU
    XA0201898 Annex 10 Key thrusts in next generation CANDU B.A. Shalaby, D.F. Torgerson, R.B. Duffey Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd, Canada Abstract. Current electricity markets and the competitiveness of other generation options such as CCGT have influenced the directions of future nuclear generation. The next generation CANDU has used its key characteristics as the basis to leap frog into a new design featuring improved economics, enhanced passive safety, enhanced operability and demonstrated fuel cycle flexibility. Many enabling technologies spinning of current CANDU design features are used in the next generation design. Some of these technologies have been developed in support of existing plants and near term designs while others will need to be developed and tested. This paper will discuss the key principles driving the next generation CANDU design and the fuel cycle flexibility of the CANDU system which provide synergism with the PWR fuel cycle. 1. THE PATH TO NEXT GENERATION CANDU The Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) CANDU system is a mature technology that evolved from 55 years of nuclear technology development and 30 years of commercial operation in many countries. Today thirty (30) CANDU units are operating or under construction in seven (7) countries. The first CANDU designs were originally predicated on optimal thermal neutron utilization to enable the use of natural uranium as a fuel. However, the CANDU system, like all high technology products, must evolve quickly to meet the new requirements of the 21st century power market. The next major step in this innovative development is called the Next Generation CANDU. This "next generation" will retain all the characteristics of the present CANDU reactor, including high neutron economy, modular design, on-power fueling, passive safety, and simple fuel design.
    [Show full text]
  • Atomic Energy of Canada Limited ADVANCED HWR POWER PLANTS
    Atomic Energy of Canada Limited ADVANCED HWR POWER PLANTS DL-11O by W. BENNETT LEWIS Paper presented at the American Nuclear Society Power Division Conference Atlantic City, New Jersey 22-24 August, 1972 Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories Chalk River, Ontario November 1972 AECL-4304 PL-110 ATOMIC ENERGY OF CANADA LIMITED ADVANCED HWR POWER PLANTS by W. Bennett Lewis Paper presented at the American Nuclear Society Power Division Conference Atlantic City, New Jersey 22-24 August, 1972 Chalk River, Ontario November 1972 AECL-4304 DL-110 ADVANCED HWR POWER PLANTS1 by W. Bennett Lewis ABSTRACT Heavy-water reactors that are near-breeders can be alternatives for fast breeder reactors with the capability of meeting all the world's needs for power for many centuries. The Canada Deuterium Uranium (CANDU) and Steam-Generating Heavy-Water (SGHW) reactors are the only types of heavy-water reactor established for high-power generating stations. Those CANDU reactors now operating and under construction in large unit sizes are fuelled with natural uranium and cooled and moderated with D20, meeting the requirements of utilities desiring a minimum of enrichment together with an attractive capital cost. Possible modifications to design are the use of boiling light water as coolant, organic coolant, and thorium fuel cycles. Heavy-water reactors have a worldwide distribution. They can be classified as follows: 1) zero energy lattice and reactor physics research reactors; 2) high flux materials test, neutron beam and isotope production reactors; 3) engineering test reactors with high temperature loops; 4) demonstration power reactors; 5) prototype power reactors; and 6) commercial power reactors.
    [Show full text]
  • Atomic Energy of Canada Limited CANADA's NUCLEAR POWER
    Atomic Energy of Canada Limited CANADA'S NUCLEAR POWER PROGRAM IN CONTEXT WITH THAT OF THE WORLD by AJ. MOORADIAN Chalk River, Ontario June 1972 CANADA'S NUCLEAR POWER PROGRAM IN CONTEXT WITH THAT OF THE WORLD by A.J. Mooradian ABSTRACT Low cost and abundant energy is an essential ingredient of any progressive society. Unlike hydro or fossil-fired stations, nuclear installations offer the advantage of intrinsic independence of energy supplies from geographic considerations. All our nuclear capacity is based on the CANDU concept, which is a unique product of the Canadian Nuclear Power Program. With the success of the the Pickering Generating Station and promising results from our boiling light-water and organically cooled reactors, the future of the Canadian concept as a highly competitive reactor system is assured. Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories Chalk River, Ontario June 1972 AKCL-4 254 Le Programme électronueiéaire canadien dans le contexte mondial par A.J. Mooradian Résumé Tout société progressive a besoin d'une énergie abondante et bon marché. A rencontre des centrales hydrauliques ou alimentées par des combustibles fossiles, les centrales nucléaires ont l'avantage de ne pas dépendre de considérations géographiques en ce qui concerne leur approvisionnement en combustible. Toute notre capacité nucléaire repose sur la filière CANDU qui est l'apanage du programme électronucléaire canadien. Grâce à la réussite de la centrale Pickering et grâce aux résultats prometteurs obtenus dans nos réacteurs dont le caloporteur est de l'eau légère bouillante ou un fluide caloporteur un futur très concurrentiel est assuré pour la filière CANDU. L'Energie Atomique du Canada, Limitée Laboratoires Nucléaires de Chalk River Chalk River, Ontario June, 1972 AECL-4254 CANADA'S NUCLEAR POWER PROGRAM IN CONTEXT WITH THAT OF THE WORLD by A.J.
    [Show full text]
  • Safety and Regulatory Issues of the Thorium Fuel Cycle
    NUREG/CR-7176 ORNL/TM-2013/543 Safety and Regulatory Issues of the Thorium Fuel Cycle Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research AVAILABILITY OF REFERENCE MATERIALS IN NRC PUBLICATIONS NRC Reference Material Non-NRC Reference Material As of November 1999, you may electronically access Documents available from public and special technical NUREG-series publications and other NRC records at libraries include all open literature items, such as books, NRC’s Public Electronic Reading Room at journal articles, transactions, Federal Register notices, http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm.html. Publicly released Federal and State legislation, and congressional reports. records include, to name a few, NUREG-series Such documents as theses, dissertations, foreign reports publications; Federal Register notices; applicant, and translations, and non-NRC conference proceedings licensee, and vendor documents and correspondence; may be purchased from their sponsoring organization. NRC correspondence and internal memoranda; bulletins and information notices; inspection and investigative Copies of industry codes and standards used in a reports; licensee event reports; and Commission papers substantive manner in the NRC regulatory process are and their attachments. maintained at— The NRC Technical Library NRC publications in the NUREG series, NRC Two White Flint North regulations, and Title 10, “Energy,” in the Code of 11545 Rockville Pike Federal Regulations may also be purchased from one Rockville, MD 20852–2738 of these two sources. 1. The Superintendent of Documents These standards are available in the library for reference U.S. Government Printing Office Mail Stop SSOP use by the public. Codes and standards are usually Washington, DC 20402–0001 copyrighted and may be purchased from the originating Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov organization or, if they are American National Standards, Telephone: 202-512-1800 from— Fax: 202-512-2250 American National Standards Institute nd 2.
    [Show full text]