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 Fuelling 3-4 3.1.2.4 Moderator 3-4 3.1.2.5 Heat Transport System 3-4 3.1.2.6 Shield Tank 3-5 3.1.2.7 Reactivity Control 3-5 3.1.2.8 Shutdown Cooling 3-6 3.1.2.9 Safety Systems 3-6 3.1.2.10 Licensing - Consultative Process 3-7 3.1.2.11 Licensing - Scope of Safety Analysis 3-7 3.1.3 Nuclear Steam Supply System (NSSS) 3-7 3.1.3.1 Introduction 3-7 3.1.3.2 Reactor Assembly 3-9 3.1.3.3 Fuel and Fuel Handling System 3-9 3.1.3.4 Heat Transport System 3-13 3.1.3.5 Heat Transport Auxiliary Systems 3-15 3.1.3.6 Moderator and Auxiliary Systems 3-18 3.1.3.7 Reactor Regulating System 3-20 3.1.4 Balance of Plant 3-22 3.1.4.1 Introduction 3-22 990014/ U/dpmsword/ Price 99/12/10 Page ii TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION PAGE 3.1.4.2 Feedwater and Main Steam System 3-22 3.1.4.3 Turbine Generator System 3-24 3.1.4.4 Electric Power System Station Services 3-25 3.1.4.5 Station Instrumentation and Control 3-28 3.1.5 Integrated 4-Unit CANDU HWRs 3-31 3.1.6 Carolinas - Virginia Tube Reactor (CVTR) 3-32 3.1.7 References 3-41 3.2 Pressure Tube Boiling Light Water Coolant Heavy Water Moderated Reactors 3-42 3.2.1 Introduction 3-42 3.2.2 General Characteristics 3-42 3.2.3 The Steam Generating Heavy Water Reactor (SGHWR) 3-43 3.2.3.1 Operation 3-48 3.2.4 Gentilly-1 Boiling Light Water, Heavy Water Moderated Reactor 3-49 3.2.4.1 Introduction 3-49 3.2.4.2 Design 3-50 3.2.4.3 Operation 3-53 3.2.4.4 Comment 3-54 3.2.5 The Fugen Boiling Light Water Cooled, Heavy Water Moderated Pressure Tube Reactor 3-55 3.2.5.1 Introduction 3-55 3.2.5.2 Design Features 3-55 3.2.5.3 Operation ....3-59 3.2.6 Cirene Boiling Light Water Cooled Heavy Water Moderated Reactor 3-59 3.2.6.1 Introduction 3-59 3.2.6.2 Design 3-59 3.2.7 Summary ....3-62 3.2.8 References 3-62 3.3 Characteristics of a Pressure Vessel PHWR 3-63 3.3.1 Introduction 3-63 3.3.2 Heat Transport/Moderator System 3-67 3.3.3 Reactor 3-70 3.3.4 Fuel Channel Tubes 3-72 3.3.5 Fuel Handling System 3-72 3.3.6 Feedwater and Steam Generating System 3-74 3.3.7 Reactivity Control 3-74 3.3.8 Plant Control and Operating Modes 3-75 3.3.9 Safety Systems 3-75 3.3.10 Specific Reactor Features 3-76 3.3.10.1 The MZFR Reactor 3-76 3.3.10.1.1 Design 3-76 3.3.10.2 The Atucha-1 Reactor 3-79 990014/U/dpmsword/ Price 99/12/10 Page iii TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION PAGE 3.3.10.3 The Atucha-2 Reactor 3-80 3.3.11 Boiling Heavy Water Pressure Vessel Reactor, Marviken 3-81 3.3.12 References 3-86 3.4 Characteristics of Heavy Water Moderated Gas Cooled Reactors 3-88 3.4.1 Introduction. 3-88 3.4.2 Specific Reactor Plants 3-89 3.4.2.1 The EL-4 Reactor at Mont d'Aree 3-89 3.4.2.1.1 General Description 3-89 3.4.2.1.2 Reactor 3-91 3.4.2.1.3 Operation 3-93 3.4.2.2 Niederaichbach Reactor (KNN) 3-93 3.4.2.2.1 General 3-93 3.4.2.2.2 Reactor 3-93 3.4.2.2.3 Reactor Operation and Control 3-95 3.4.2.3 The Lucens Gas Cooled Heavy Water Reactor 3-95 3.4.2.3.1 General 3-95 3.4.2.3.2 Reactor 3-97 3.4.2.3.3 Operation 3-98 3.4.2.4 The Bohunice Al KS150 Reactor 3-98 3.4.2.4.1 Introduction 3-98 3.4.2.4.2 Design 3-98 3.4.2.4.3 Operation 3-100 3.4.3 References 3-100 3.5 Unique Features of Heavy Water Reactor Technology 3-101 3.5.1 Fuel Channel Technology 3-101 3.5.1.1 Introduction 3-101 3.5.1.2 Channels with High Temperature, High Pressure Boundary 3-104 3.5.1.2.1 The CANDU 6 Channel 3-104 3.5.1.2.2 The Bruce and Darlington Fuel Channel 3-107 3.5.1.2.3 The Fuel Channel of the Indian PHWRs 3-109 3.5.1.2.4 The SGHWR Fuel Channel 3-109 3.5.1.2.5 The Gl Boiling Light Water Fuel Channel ...3-110 3.5.1.2.6 Fugen BLWHWRFuel Channel 3-112 3.5.1.2.7 Cirene BLWHWR Fuel Channel 3-114 3.5.1.3 Channels with High Temperature, Low Pressure Boundary 3-114 3.5.1.4 Channels with Low Temperature, Moderate Pressure Boundary 3-116 3.5.1.4.1 The EL-4 Channel 3-116 3.5.1.4.2 The Niederaichbach Fuel Channel 3-118 3.5.1.4.3 The Lucens Channel 3-118 3.5.1.4.4 The Carolinas - Virginia Tube Reactor Fuel Channel 3-119 3.5.1.4.5 The KS150 Fuel Channel 3-121 990014/ U/dpmsword/ Price 99/12/10 Page iv TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION PAGE 3.5.2 Heavy Water Production and Supply 3-122 3.5.2.1 Existing and Historical Heavy Water Supply 3-122 3.5.2.2 Separation Methods 3-125 3.5.2.3 Processes Based on Chemical Exchange 3-125 3.5.2.4 Process Dependence on Kinetics 3-128 3.5.2.5 Processes Based on Hydrogen-Water Exchange 3-129 3.5.2.6 Process Applications 3-130 3.5.2.6.1 The CECE Process 3-130 3.5.2.6.2 The CIRCE Process 3-132 3.5.2.6.3 Bithermal Hydrogen-Water Technology 3-135 3.5.2.7 Summation 3-135 3.5.3 Heavy Water Management 3-135 3.5.3.1 Introduction 3-135 3.5.3.2 Overview..... 3-136 3.5.3.3 Heavy-Water Supply 3-137 3.5.3.4 Recovering Water that Escapes 3-137 3.5.3.5 Upgrading Water 3-138 3.5.3.6 Tracking Heavy Water 3-139 3.5.4 Tritium Management 3-139 3.5.4.1 Introduction 3-139 3.5.4.2 Minimizing Escape 3-140 3.5.4.3 Isolating Areas 3-140 3.5.4.4 Removing Escaped Heavy-Water 3-141 3.5.4.5 Occupational and Environmental Protection 3-141 3.5.4.6 Detritiation .....3-141 3.5.4.7 References..... 3-142 990014/ U/dpmsword/ Price 99/12/10 Pagei TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION PAGE 4. Economics of Heavy Water Reactors 4-1 4.1 Introduction 4-1 4.2 Economics of HWRs 4-2 4.3 Trends Influencing Capital Costs 4-3 4.3.1 Increased Plant Size 4-3 4.3.2 Standardization and Multiple Units 4-3 4.3.3 Construction Methods 4-4 4.3.4 Reduced Project and Construction Schedules 4-4 4.3.5 Design to Improve Plant Layout and Economics 4-5 4.3.6 Plant Reliability 4-5 4.4 Factors Influencing Operation and Maintenance Costs 4-5 4.5 Factors Influencing Fuel Costs 4-6 4.6 The Next Twenty Years 4-6 4.6.1 References 4-7 U:/dpmswoni/Price/990014 00/03/31 Pagei TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION PAGE 5.