Nuclear Power Technology

Steven Biegalski, Ph.D., P.E.Director, Nuclear Engineering Teaching Laboratory

Associate Professor, Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin

Outline

Economics of Nuclear Energy Basics of a Power Plant Heat From Fission History of Nuclear Power Current Commercial Nuclear Reactor

Designs Nuclear Fuel Cycle Future Reactor Designs Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Accident Conclusions

Current World Demand for Electricity

World Energy Demand Forecast

U.S. Nuclear Industry Capacity Factors

1971 – 2011, Percent

Source: Energy Information Administration

Updated: 3/12

U.S. Nuclear Refueling Outage Days

104106

8895 92

66 66

81

51

40 4437 33

40 42 38 39 40 38 41 40 43

1990 1993 1996 1999 2002 2005 2008 2011

Source: 1990-98 EUCG, 1999-2011 Ventyx Velocity Suite / Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Updated: 3/12

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U.S. Nuclear Production Costs

U.S. Electricity Production Costs 1995-2011, In 2011 cents per kilowatt-hour

Production Costs = Operations and Maintenance Costs + Fuel Costs. Production costs do not include indirect costs and are based on FERC Form 1 filings submitted by regulated utilities. Production costs are

modeled for utilities that are not regulated.

Source: Ventyx Velocity SuiteUpdated: 5/12

Emission-Free Sources of ElectricityEmission-Free Sources of Electricity

Source: Global Energy Decisions; Energy Information Administration, U.S. Department of Energy

Comparison of Life-Cycle Emissions

1,041

622

46 39 18 17 15 14

Coal Natural Gas Biomass Solar PV Hydro Nuclear Geothermal Wind

Source: "Life-Cycle Assessment of Electricity Generation Systems and Applications for Climate Change Policy Analysis," Paul J. Meier, University of Wisconsin-Madison, August 2002.

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Renewable

Renewable Energy Sources

* Relative Costs of Electricity Generation Technologies: Canadian Energy Research Institute

Basics of a Power Plant

The basic premises for the majority of power plants is to: 1) Create heat 2) Boil Water 3) Use steam to turn a turbine 4) Use turbine to turn generator 5) Produce Electricity

Some other power producing technologies work differently (e.g., solar, wind, hydroelectric, …)

Nuclear Power Plants use the Rankine Cycle

Heat From Fission

Fission Chain Reaction

Nuclear History 1939. Nuclear fission discovered. 1942. The world´s first nuclear chain reaction takes place in Chicago as

part of the wartime Manhattan Project. 1945. The first nuclear weapons test at Alamagordo, New Mexico. 1951. Electricity was first generated from a nuclear reactor, from EBR-I

(Experimental Breeder Reactor-I) at the National Reactor Testing Station in Idaho, USA. EBR-I produced about 100 kilowatts of electricity (kW(e)), enough to power the equipment in the small reactor building.

1970s. Nuclear power grows rapidly. From 1970 to 1975 growth averaged 30% per year, the same as wind power recently (1998-2001).

1987. Nuclear power now generates slightly more than 16% of all electricity in the world.

1980s. Nuclear expansion slows because of environmentalist opposition, high interest rates, energy conservation prompted by the 1973 and 1979 oil shocks, and the accidents at Three Mile Island (1979, USA) and Chernobyl (1986, Ukraine, USSR).

2004. Nuclear power´s share of global electricity generation holds steady around 16% in the 17 years since 1987.

Current Commercial Nuclear Reactor Designs Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) Gas Cooled Fast Reactor Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (CANDU) Light Water Graphite Reactor (RBMK) Fast Neutron Reactor (FBR)

The Current Nuclear Industry

Nuclear power plants in commercial operation

Reactor Type Main Countries

Number GWe Fuel Coolant Moderator

Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR)

US, France, Japan, Russia

252 235 enriched UO2 water water

Boiling Water Reactor (BWR)

US, Japan, Sweden

92 83 enriched UO2 water water

Gas-cooled Reactor (Magnox & AGR)

UK 34 13 natural U (metal), enriched UO2

CO2</SUB graphite

Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor "CANDU" (PHWR)

Canada 33 18 natural UO2 heavy water

heavy water

Light Water Graphite Reactor (RBMK)

Russia 14 14.6 enriched UO2 water graphite

Fast Neutron Reactor (FBR)

Japan, France, Russia

4 1.3 PUO2and UO2 liquid sodium

none

other Russia, Japan 5 0.2

TOTAL 434 365

Source: Nuclear Engineering International handbook 1999, but including Pickering A in Canada.

Nuclear Reactors Around the World

Top 10 Nuclear Generating Countries

2009, Terawatt hours

Power Plants in United States

Nuclear Generation and Capacity Amount of electricity generated by a 1,000-MWe

reactor at 90% capacity factor in one year: 7.9 billion KWh—enough to supply electricity for 740,000 households. Equivalent to:

Oil: 13.7 million barrels Coal: 3.4 million short tons Natural Gas: 65.8 billion cubic

PWR

BWR

Future Reactor Designs

Research is currently being conducted for design of the next generation of nuclear reactor designs.

The next generation designs focus on: Proliferation resistance of fuel Passive safety systems Improved fuel efficiency (includes breeding) Minimizing nuclear waste Improved plant efficiency (e.g., Brayton cycle) Hydrogen production Economics

http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactors/col/new-reactor-map.html

Location of Projected New Nuclear Power Reactors

Vogtle 3&4 Construction Started

The expansion at Plant Vogtle, adding Units 3&4, is a 95-month

undertaking with the units' completions expected in 2016

and 2017, respectively. 

Gen IV Reactors

Themes in Gen IV Reactors Gas Cooled Fast Reactor (GFR) Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) Supercritical Water Cooled Reactor (SCWR) Sodium Cooled Fast Reactor (SFR) Lead Cooled Fast Reactor (LFR) Molten Salt Reactor (MSR)

Themes in Gen IV Reactors

Hydrogen Production Proliferation Resistance Closed Fuel Cycle Simplification Increased safety

Hydrogen Production

Hydrogen is ready to play the lead in the next generation of energy production methods.

Nuclear heat sources (i.e., a nuclear reactor) have been proposed to aid in the separation of H from H20.

Hydrogen is thermochemically generated from water decomposed by nuclear heat at high temperature.

The IS process is named after the initials of each element used (iodine and sulfur).

Hydrogen Production (cont.)

What is nuclear proliferation?

Misuse of nuclear facilities Diversion of nuclear materials

Specific Generation IV Design Advantages

Long fuel cycle - refueling 15-20 years Relative small capacity Thorough fuel burnup Fuel cycle variability Actinide burning Ability to burn weapons grade fuel

Closed Fuel Cycle

A closed fuel cycle is one that allows for reprocessing.

Benefits include: Reduction of waste

stream More efficient use of

fuel. Negative attributes

include: Increased potential for

proliferation Additional

infrastructure

Simplification

Efforts are made to simplify the design of Gen IV reactors. This leads to: Reduced capitol costs Reduced construction times Increased safety (less things can fail)

Increased Safety

Increased safety is always a priority. Some examples of increased safety:

Natural circulation in systems Reduction of piping Incorporation of pumps within reactor vessel Lower pressures in reactor vessel (liquid metal

cooled reactors)

The March 11, 2011 9.0 magnitude undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan and subsequent tsunami waves triggered a major nuclear event at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station.

At the time of the event, units 1, 2, and 3 were operating and units 4, 5, and 6 were in a shutdown condition for maintenance.

Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Accident

Unit Design Containment Electric Power

Thermal Power

Fukushima Daiichi 1

BWR-3 Mark I 460 MW 1,380 MW

Fukushima Daiichi 2

BWR-4 Mark I 784 MW 2,352 MW

Fukushima Daiichi 3

BWR-4 Mark I 784 MW 2,352 MW

Operating Reactor Designs

BWR Reactor

Reactor Containments - Before

Reactor Containments - After

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1368624/Japan-earthquake-tsunami-Fukushima-power-plants-poor-safety-record.html

The radionuclides released from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear incident were measured around the world.

Measurements were significantly above the detection limits for many systems.

Combination of atmospheric transport, radiation detection, and reactor modeling were fused to provide a picture of the event.

Radiation levels not predicted to be of concern in the U.S..

Fukushima Daiichi Accident Conclusions

Conclusions So, what does the future hold?

The demand for electrical power will continue to increase. The world reserves of fossil fuels are limited. Modern nuclear power plant designs are more inherently

safe and may be constructed with less capital cost. Fossil fuel-based electricity is projected to account for more

than 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. A 2003 study by MIT predicted that nuclear power

growth of three fold will be necessary by 2050. U.S. Government has voiced strong support for

nuclear power production.