www.cea.fr
NEXT STEP FOR NUCLEAR
POWER PLANT
–
GENERATION IV
JUNE, 27 2016
Dr. Nicolas DEVICTOR
CEA
Nuclear energy division
Program manager « Generation IV reactors »
| PAGE 1 | PAGE 1
| PAGE 2
The rationale of future nuclear
fuel cycles in view of sustainability
THE RATIONALE OF FUTURE NUCLEAR FUEL
CYCLES IN VIEW OF SUSTAINABILITY
Gen. II & III
1980 2000 2200 2040 2060 2080 2100
Gen. IV
…+ MA recycling
Pu-monorecycling
Pu-multi-recycling Pu-mono-recycling
- Twice-Through Cycle - LWR reactors
- Pu-recycling in MOX fuel
Pu multi-recycling
- Multi-Through Cycle - Fast-Reactors (FR)
- Pu multi-recycling
Pu+MA multi-recycling - Fast Reactors (FR)
- Pu multi-recycling
- MA burning
Gen. IV
Main incentives
- 1st step towards U
resource saving
- Efficient waste
conditioning
Main incentives
- Major resource saving
- Energetic independence
- Economic stability
Main incentives
- Decrease of waste burden,
- Optimisation of the disposal
- Public acceptance
TOWARDS INCREASING SUSTAINABILITY
Dates are purely indicative
Breakthrough=reactors
Breakthrough=cycle
On
ce
-th
roug
h c
ycle
| PAGE 3
FROM LWRs RECYCLING TO FRs RECYCLING
SFR merits as regards to fuel cycle
No front end steps and no enrichment technology / Use depleted U; Use Pu included in MOX Spent Fuel
Multi-recycling of Pu / Possible recycling of Minor Actinides
| PAGE 4
Pu stored in MOX Spent
Fuel recycled in MOX
SFR to start the SFRs
deployment
Scenario can be flexible
Both systems can coexist
during a transition phase
MINOR ACTINIDES TRANSMUTATION:
DRIVERS…
15
00
ha
tota
l, am
on
g w
hic
h 1
17
5 h
a H
LW,
7
Mm
3 e
xcav
ated
4
30
ha
tota
l, am
on
g w
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20
ha
HLW
, 3
Mm
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xcav
ated
no transmutation MA transmutation
[An
dra
-CEA
20
12
, co
olin
g p
ha
se1
20
yea
rs]
REPOSITORY FOOTPRINT
No transmutation
MA transmutation Am transmutation
Current glasses
Gla
ssfo
rm ca
nis
ter
he
at (W
) 0,1
1
10
100
1000
10000
10 100 1000 10000 100000 1000000
Temps (années)
Rad
ioto
xic
ité r
ela
tiv
e
102 105 106 104 103 10
0,1
1
10
102
103
104
Time
Relative radiotoxicity
U-ore
Gla
ss c
an
iste
rs
re
sid
ua
l heat
(d
ive
rse
fu
el cyle
op
tio
ns)
Time (years)
WHY FAST NEUTRON REACTORS ?
0.00
0.10
0.20
0.30
0.40
0.50
0.60
0.70
0.80
0.90
1.00
U235
U238
Np23
7
Pu2
38
Pu2
39
Pu2
40
Pu2
41
Pu2
42
Am
241
Am
243
Cm
244
Fis
sio
n/A
bso
rpti
on
PWR
SFR
Robert N. Hill 233rd ACS National Meeting – Chicago,, 2007
Pu burning in FRs favors Pu fission , allowing Pu multi-recycle
(1) Systematic U & Pu recycle , (2) in fast neutron reactors - for a sustainable management of nuclear materials & waste, - avoiding increasing of Pu-bearing stockpiles, - opening the way to a drastic extension of the use of U resource
www.cea.fr
| PAGE 7
The ASTRID program
(Advanced Sodium Technological Reactor for Industrial
Demonstration)
| PAGE 8
SFR technological demonstration reactor (a step before a First Of A Kind)
Integrating French and international SFRs feedback
A GEN IV system Safety :
- Level at least equivalent to GEN III systems
- Progresses on Na reactors specificities
- Integrating FUKUSHIMA accident feedback
- Robustness of safety demonstration
Durability
- Need of Fast Breeder Reactors and a closed cycle
- Pu multi recycling to preserve natural resources
- The use of natural depleted uranium in France by FBRs allow producing electricity for
few thousands of years
Operability :
- Load factor of 80% or more after first “learning” years
- Significant progress concerning In Service Inspection & Repair (ISIR)
Ultimate wastes transmutation :
- Realization of demonstrations on minor actinides transmutation according to June 28,
2006 French Act on Wastes Management
A mastered investment cost
Non proliferation warranty
Irradiation services and options test
THE ASTRID OBJECTIVES
STRONG IMPROVEMENT FOR SFR DESIGN
A LOW SODIUM VOID WORTH CORE
3 JUILLET 2016 | PAGE 9
Fissile zone
Fertile zone
Plenum zone
Absorber zone
Low Sodium Void Worth Core
Phenix
experiments
post-irradiation
examinations
Enhanced core safety in case of all protection
systems failure
« CFV »: no power increase in case of ULOF
Irradiations: BFS
BOR60, BN600?,
Joyo/Monju?
Complementary
safety devices
ASTRID mock-up
in Masurca ZPR
STRONG IMPROVEMENT FOR SFR DESIGN
IN SERVICE INSPECTION AND REPAIR
3 JUILLET 2016 | PAGE 10
3 dedicated ISIR paths
through the roof
3 chimneys through
the redan
Support structure access
SENSOR DEVELOPMENT
Under and out of sodium
CARRIERS
DEVELOPMENT
Under and out of sodium
ACCESSIBILITY : considered at early stages of the design
STRONG IMPROVEMENT FOR SFR DESIGN
SEVERE ACCIDENTS
3 JUILLET 2016 | PAGE 11
SIMMER 5 and SEASON: a set of severe accident
simulation tools, developed in an international framework
No early or significant
releases in case of severe
accident
A core catcher :
• Whole core capacity
• Corium transfer devices
from the core to the catcher
Plinius 2: a future facility able to manage 500 Kg of
corium
STRONG IMPROVEMENT FOR SFR DESIGN
POWER CONVERSION SYSTEM
| PAGE 12
No layout designed
during the
conceptual design
phase; postponed
during the
preparatory phase
of the Basic Design
phase (from
January to October
2016).
Industrial partners:
development of a robust
layout against large SWR
(including cases with
addition of air or
kerosene).
STRONG IMPROVEMENT FOR SFR DESIGN
GAS ENERGY CONVERSION SYSTEM
Nitrogen tertiary circuit to
eliminate sodium-water reaction
Compact sodium gas
heat exchanger
Cheops : future sodium
experimental loop (scale ~1)
Diademo : sodium
experimental loop
(reduced scale)
ASTRID Gas Engine
room
| PAGE 13
MAIN ACHIEVEMENTS FOR 2015, AND AFTER…
| PAGE 14
A synthesis file was sent to the government mid 2015 :
Strategy leading to the choice of Gen IV sodium cooled fast
reactor and closed fuel cycle.
Scope statement, with technological choices (including
conversion system), issued from Conceptual Design.
Workplan for Basic Design, with associated R&D
infrastructures.
Proposal for a revised global planning for the ASTRID project.
A first estimate of operating and building costs.
Synthesis file summarizing the conceptual design phase
(2010-2015) provided in December 2015
Authorization at the end of 2015 from the government to
proceed until the end of 2019 (Basic design phase).
(www.cea.fr)
ASTRID MAIN DESIGN OPTIONS
3 JUILLET 2016 | PAGE 15
• Pool type SFR
• 1500 MWth - ~600 MWe
• With an intermediate sodium circuit
• CFV core (low sodium void worth)
• MOX fuel
• In vessel core catcher
• Diversified decay heat removal systems
• Fuel handling in gas, internal storage
• Conical "redan" inner vessel adopted
• Lay-out at the end of Conceptual Design:
3 primary pumps
4 intermediate heat exchangers
4 secondary circuits
5 decay heat removal circuits
Experimental capabilities: to contribute to the qualification of transmutation, fertile or burner subassemblies
REACTOR BUILDING
3 JUILLET 2016 | PAGE 16
Slab
Primary
circuit
Anti seismic
raft
Sodium
piping (BCS)
Polar table
Reactor hall
REACTOR SITE STUDIES AND
INFRASTRUCTURES IMPLEMENTATION
| PAGE 17
Turbomachine
ry building
(HM) Main buildings on
isolated raft (HR,
HL, HWx)
Special handling
building (HVX)
Fuel building
(HKL)
Annex
buildings
(HDx)
Workshop
site
N
PARTNERSHIPS AROUND ASTRID PROGRAM
Industrial
partners
International
cooperation
ASTRID
Steering by CEA
ASTRID R&D European Cooperation
EDF R&D, PSI,
Sweden (KTH, Chalmers, Uppsala), HZDR,
KIT, ENEA, JRC/ITU, NNL, CIEMAT, ...
CNRS (NEEDS), Universities (thèses)
| PAGE 18
Generic
R&D
| PAGE 19
ASTRID PROJECT ORGANISATION
Balance of plant
and infrastructures
R&
D
Ass
ista
nce
D
esig
n
Contracting authority
Strategic management
ASTRID Project team
Operational management
Industrial architect EDF assistance Astr
id M
anag
em
ent
ASTRID relay team in
Marcoule
Search for innovations
Nuclear Island Power conversion
systems Civil
engineering
Reliability,
availability,
maintenability
Hot cells
About
600 people
/R&D
European R&D labs
R&D Innovation,
Qualifications, Codes,
Specific developments,
Expertises
External assistance
Reactor core
14 industrial partners and 6 R&D partners
ASTRID FUEL CYCLE
AFC
TCP
AFC
Reprocessing
Astrid
Appropriate Fuel Cycle facilities
2n
d S
TE
P
1s
t S
TE
P
Pu from MOX-LWR
| PAGE 21
Conclusion
Nuclear energy is in 2015 a well proven source of large baseload electricity, with no GHG emissions. It will remain one of the pillars of the future French low carbon energy mix.
The closed fuel cycle associated with FNR will lead to drastic improvement in U
resources management, and important reduction in footprint and radiotoxicity of final
wastes.
French program on Generation IV is based on ASTRID program.
Basic design phase on-going (2016-2019).
Schedule and organization for next phases under preparation with French
government and industrial partners.
FNR is also developed in other countries, following the same strategy than France.
| PAGE 22
SUMMARY
Nuclear Energy Division
Reactor Studies Department
Commissariat à l’énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives
Centre de Cadarache | 13108 Saint Paul Lez Durance
T. +33 (0)4 42 25 45 93
Etablissement public à caractère industriel et commercial | RCS Paris B 775 685 019 3 JUILLET 2016
| PAGE 23
CEA | 10 AVRIL 2012