Nuclear Fuel Cycle Overview
Robert S Eby Director, Technology and Process Engineering USEC Inc.
Presentation to Institute of Nuclear Materials Management September 2013 Overview
• Nuclear Fuel Cycle • Mining and Milling • Conversion • Enrichment • Reactors • Reprocessing •Waste • Fuel Cycle Options
Page 1 The “Current” US Nuclear Fuel Cycle
2 3 Uranium Is Everywhere
Page 4 Uranium Mining & Recovery
• Technology similar to any other mining activity
• Uranium deposits are (generally) dilute • 0.2 to 0.3% uranium oxide (or equivalent) • Uraninite, carnotite, monazite, pitchblende…
• Type of mine dictated by geology and richness of deposit – Open pit (strip mining) – Shaft mining – Injection mining (“in situ” mining) –Etc. • Also recoverable from seawater and fertilizer
Page 5 Processing Ore = Big Equipment
Rock Crusher Slurry Pumps
Leaching
Page 6 Final Product = “Yellow Cake” Pure Uranium Oxide Powder
Page 7 8 Stages of Uranium Compounds in Conversion
Page 9 Chemical Purification &Fluorination
Page 10 Honeywell Conversion Plant Metropolis, IL
Page 11 12 Uranium Enrichment
• Uranium as found in nature is called natural or normal uranium
• Its isotopic composition is:
0.0054% 234U (92 protons, 142 neutrons) 0.72% 235U (92 protons, 143 neutrons) 99.3% 238U (92 protons, 146 neutrons)
• Higher concentrations of 235U are needed for many applications
– Light water reactors (LWRs): about 3 to 5% – Submarine fuel: greater than 90% – Weapons: greater than 90%
• Concentration of the 235U isotope above its natural value is called uranium enrichment
Page 13 There are many ways to enrich
– Gas Centrifuge – Gaseous Diffusion – Electromagnetic Isotope Separation – Laser – Chemical/Ion Exchange – Aerodynamic – Plasma
Page 14 The American Centrifuge Plant – Piketon, Ohio
More than 1.7 million square foot under roof: ~30 football fields
Will use ~95% less electricity than comparably sized gaseous diffusion plant
Page 15 USEC Is Key Player in a $7 Billion Industry
2012 Front‐End Nuclear Fuel Market1 2012 Average Share of Worldwide Deliveries2
Other (various)3
AREVA (France)
Rosatom/TENEX (Russia) $48/lb U3O8
URENCO (Germany/Netherlands/U.K.)
USEC (U.S.) 4
Front‐End Nuclear Fuel Industry: Enrichment Industry: $20 Billion ≈ 48 MMSWU or $7 Billion
1 Based on 2012 TradeTech, LLC average term prices for SWU and conversion and average uranium spot price of $48/lb U3O8. Assumes 4.0% product assay, 0.25 w/o tails and 0.5% conversion losses 2 USEC estimate 3 Includes supply from China, Japan, Brazil, and US DOE 4 Includes tails re‐enrichment 5 WNA 2011 Reference case worldwide enrichment demand for 2012 (tails assay of 0.25%)
USEC Business Proprietary Information Page 16 What Is a SWU?
• A Separative Work Unit (SWU) is a measure of the separation effort required to produce a higher assay for a given flow rate – It is a single number that combines both the quantity and enrichment level of product • Typical rules of thumb – It takes 7 SWU to produce 1 kg of low enriched uranium (~4.6%) from 9.4 kg of natural uranium – It takes ~100,000 SWU to fuel a 1000-MWe reactor for a year • As the cost of uranium increases, it is more economical to perform additional separative work from a given quantity of uranium
Nuclear fuel assembly
Page 17 American Centrifuge The Next Generation in Enrichment
• American Centrifuge technology originally developed by DOE during 1960s through 1980s. DOE invested over $3 billion, and USEC has invested $2.5 billion to date. • USEC has improved the DOE technology through advanced materials, updated electronics and design enhancements based on highly advanced computer modeling capabilities. • Need to replace gaseous diffusion technology due to an aging facility, competitive pressure from non- U.S. owned suppliers migrating to centrifuge production capacity, and volatile long-term energy costs at Paducah GDP.
www.americancentrifuge.com
Page 18 How Does a Gas Centrifuge Work?
Rotor, containing UF6 gas, spins at high speed inside a vacuum casing Centrifugal force concentrates heavier U238 molecules at the outer wall and lighter U235 molecules toward rotor center Gas circulation carries product and tails to opposite ends of the machine Enrichment levels and capacity are increased by connecting centrifuges in series and in parallel, called a “cascade”
Illustrative Product Cascade (Enriched Uranium, Configuration 4.95%)
Feed (Natural Uranium, 0.711%) Tails (Depleted Uranium, ~0.25%) = Individual Centrifuge
Page 19 Centrifuge Performance Comparison
Page 20 Based on a Solid Foundation of Established Technology
USEC’s American Centrifuge is based on the U.S. • USEC’s design takes advantage of Department of Energy’s original machine (pictured here), more than $3B in DOE investment, which operated as part of the Gas Centrifuge from the 1960s to 1985. Enrichment Program at the Piketon facility.
• DOE built approximately 1,500 machines and accumulated more than 10 million machine hours of runtime.
• DOE demonstrated centrifuges with 200+ SWU/year performance.
Approximate Scale
Page 21 Why American Centrifuge?
Security of supply: enhances long-term nuclear fuel supply; supports American energy security. Manufacturing: develops an essential U.S. technology and related manufacturing capacity. American jobs: will create up to 8000 jobs in a number of states, with nearly half in Ohio.
National security interests: supports nuclear energy nonproliferation efforts and maintenance and modernization of the nuclear arsenal. Modular expansion: production can begin incrementally as machines are installed; allows for potential future expansion. Environmental benefits: uses approximately 95% less electricity than current gaseous diffusion technology; will reduce greenhouse gases by 10 million tons of emissions Assembled machines ready each year. for installation
Page 22 American Centrifuge - Update
• The Lead Cascade test program began operations in August 2007 and has accumulated more than 143 years (1.25 million hours) of machine runtime. • Commercial Plant Design AC100 machines have accumulated more than 71 machine years of runtime. • Performance of the Lead Cascade has been confirmed under a variety of operating conditions with product assays consistent with industry standards.
Page 23 24 25 What Is a Nuclear Reactor?
• A device in which a self-sustaining nuclear fission chain reaction can be maintained and controlled (fission reactor). [ANS Glossary] • The fission chain reaction consumes (“burns”) the nuclear fuel, producing heat, radiation (α, β, γ, neutron) and other isotopes (either fragments of the fissioned nuclei or through capture of neutrons by other nuclei). • Most reactors are thermal reactors that use a moderator to produce “thermal” (“slow”) neutrons for fission.
Joe V. Odum: Plutonium Production - 2009
Page 26 Nuclear Power Construction
Nuclear Capacity (GWe): Current & 2020 Worldwide Reactor Count No. Operable Reactors: 435 No. Under Construction: 66 No. On Order or Planned: 160 No. Proposed: 319
World Capacity (GWe)
Operating Emerging Non‐Nuclear Current 2020
Note: Worldwide reactor count and current capacities from WNA website as of May 3, 2013; 2020 capacity forecast data from WNA 2011 Market Report (Reference case) Source: World Nuclear Association (WNA)
Page 27 Reactor Physics Basics
• Nearly all reactors are fueled with uranium (only fissionable material that exists in nature in any significant quantity). • As found in nature, uranium has two primary isotopes: U235 (0.71%) and U238 (99.29%). • Neutrons interacting with a uranium atom can scatter, be captured, or can cause the atom to fission. Fission will produce on average about 2.5 new neutrons. •U235 fissions much more readily than U238.
Joe V. Odum: Plutonium Production - 2009
Page 28 Major Components of PWR Fuel Assembly
(Croff, K/NSP-121/Part 23/R2)
Page 29 Fueling SMRs
Company Model Type Capacity Fuel
B&W mPower PWR 180 MWe LEU ~5% enrichment
Westinghouse Westinghouse SMR PWR 200 MWe LEU <5% enrichment
Holtec SMR-160 PWR 160 MWe LEU or MOX
NuScale NuScale PWR 45 MWe LEU <5% enrichment
General Atomics EM2 HTR 240 Mwe Used Fue/DU + LEU Starter
Gen4 (Hyperion) Gen4 Module FNR 25 Mwe Enriched uranium ~20%
GE-Hitachi Prism FNR 311 MWe Pu + DU
Source: World Nuclear Association
Page 30 BWR System Schematic
The nuclear “fire” burns on, under control!!!!!
A couple of IMPORTANT things are happening!!
Source: US NRC
Page 31 We have to say something about “nuclear”, “fission”, “chain reaction”, reactors, bombs, etc.
He splits his When someone personality and tosses U-235 a sends out two When there is neutron more PLUS a lot only 235 around of energy (high enriched)
Page 32 We have to say something about “nuclear”, “fission”, But in“chain nature reaction”, only 0.711% reactors, of allbombs, uranium etc. is U-235
And there is a lot of other stuff to eat up the neutrons
We design reactors with low %U-235
Page 33 Isotope Production in Reactors
• All reactors produce many different radioactive and non-radioactive isotopes. There is enormous variability in quantity and half-life between the isotopes. – May produce several kg of Pu239 but only ~1g of Pu236. – Fission products: Stable Sm149; 213,000 yr half-life Tc99; 30 yr Cs137; 1sec Cs144.
Joe V. Odum: Plutonium Production - 2009
Page 34 The Future Nuclear Fuel Cycle in the US?
Page 35 Nuclear Fuel Cycle Options
Page 36 Used (Spent) Nuclear Fuel – What Is It?
Cs and Sr 0.3%
Long-lived I and Tc 0.1% Other Long-Lived Fission Products 0.1 %
Uranium 95.6% Plutonium 0.9 %
Other
Minor Actinides 0.1%
Stable Fission Products 2.9% Without cladding
Most heat production is from Cs and Sr, which decay in ~300 yr Most radiotoxicity is in long-lived fission products and the minor actinides, which can be transmuted and/or disposed in much smaller packages Only about 5% of the energy value of the fuel is used in a once-through fuel cycle! Courtesy Terry Todd Page 37 CRESP Seminar - August 9, 2009 Why Separate Components of Used Fuel?
• Recover useful constituents of fuel for reuse – Weapons (Pu) – Energy – Recycle • Waste management – Condition fuel for optimized disposal – Recover long-lived radioactive elements for transmutation
Courtesy Terry Todd Page 38 CRESP Seminar - August 9, 2009 Reprocessing – The Simple Picture
Spent fuel in Reprocessing Pure Uranium Re-enrichment (at about 2%) Back to reactors
Plutonium Fabrication Or mixed with U Back to reactors (MOX)
Responsible The bad Long-Term old waste Storage
Page 39 Challenges: Global Energy Demand
• A reliable energy supply is the cornerstone of sustained economic growth and prosperity • World energy demand is expected to more than double by 2050 • An expansion of nuclear energy is a key to meeting this demand while reducing air pollution and greenhouse gases
Page 40 Questions
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Page 41 Forward-Looking Statements
This presentation contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 – that is, statements related to future events. In this context, forward-looking statements may address our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as “expects”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “plans”, “believes”, “will” and other words of similar meaning. Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain. For USEC, particular risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: risks related to the ongoing transition of our business, including uncertainty regarding the continued operation of the Paducah gaseous diffusion plant beyond May 2012 and uncertainty regarding continued funding for the American Centrifuge project and the impact of decisions we may make in the near term on our business and prospects; the impact of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan on the nuclear industry and on our business, results of operations and prospects; the impact of excess supply in the market and the lack of uncommitted demandfor low enriched uranium over the next 2-4 years; the potential impacts of a decision to cease enrichment operations at Paducah; the outcome of ongoing discussions with the U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) regarding the research, development and demonstration (“RD&D”) program, including uncertainty regarding the timing, amount and availability of funding for such RD&D program and the dependency of government funding on Congressional appropriations and the potential for us to make a decision at any time to further reduce spending and demobilize the project based on the timing and likelihood of an agreement with DOE and any government funding; the impact of any conditions that are placed on us or on the American Centrifuge project in connection with or as a condition to the RD&D program or other funding, including a restructuring of our role and investment in the project; limitations on our ability to provide any required cost sharing under the RD&D program; the ultimate success of efforts to obtain a DOE loan guarantee for the American Centrifuge project, including the ability through the RD&D program or otherwise to address the concerns raised by DOE with respect to the financial and project execution depth of the project, and the timing and terms thereof; the impact of actions we have taken or may take to reduce spending on the American Centrifuge project, including the potential loss of key suppliers and employees, and impacts to cost and schedule; the impact of delays in the American Centrifuge project and uncertainty regarding our ability to remobilize the project; the potential for DOE to seek to exercise its remedies under the June 2002 DOE-USEC agreement; risks related to the completion of the remaining two phases of the three-phased strategic investment by Toshiba Corporation (“Toshiba”) and Babcock & Wilcox Investment Company (“B&W”), including uncertainty regarding the potential participation of Toshiba and B&W in any potential project structure that may be required under the RD&D program, and the potential for immediate termination of the securities purchase agreement governing their investments; certain restrictions that may be placed on our business as a result of the transactions with Toshiba and B&W; our ability to achieve the benefits of any strategic relationships with Toshiba and B&W; restrictions in our credit facility that may impact our operating and financial flexibility and spending on the American Centrifuge project; changes to, or termination of, our contracts with the U.S. government, changes in U.S. government priorities and the availability of government funding, including loan guarantees; the competitive environment for our products and services; changes in the nuclear energy industry; and other risks and uncertainties discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our annual report on Form 10-K, which is available on our website www.usec.com. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements except as required by law.
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