Transcript Nuclear Plant Operations
Nuclear Plant Operations 101
December 1, 2010
Vijay K. Sazawal, Ph.D.
Director, Government Programs
Disclaimer: Views expressed in the presentation are attributable solely to the author
Presentation
Global Nuclear Power Map and Market Nuclear Fuel Cycle Front end Back end Power Reactors Nuclear Power Plants in operation Light Water Reactors (LWRs) Evolution of Nuclear Reactor Designs Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) Application of Export Controls Definition of key terms Departmental delineation When in doubt…..
Closing remarks Restricted Proprietary Information Page 2
Global Nuclear Map and Market
30 Countries with 438 total units operating U.S.: 104 (20%) France: 58 (78%) Japan: 53 (27%) Russia: 31 (17%) Canada: 21 (15%) S. Korea: 20 (37%) Germany: 17 (27%) 50 Reactors in construction in 13 countries 68 Countries considering nuclear power, nearly half seriously Key markets for U.S. companies include China, India, Canada, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Italy, Vietnam, UAE and U.K.
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Nuclear Fuel Cycle
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Front End of Nuclear Fuel Cycle
Mining (Uranium Ore) Milling (“Yellowcake”/Uranium Oxide) Conversion (UF6) Enrichment (LEU) Fuel Fabrication/Assembly Restricted Proprietary Information Page 5
Nuclear Enrichment
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Fuel Assemblies
PWR FUEL Restricted Proprietary Information BWR FUEL Page 7
Back End of Nuclear Fuel Cycle
Interim storage Spent fuel processing Repository Restricted Proprietary Information Page 8
Interim Wet Storage
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Interim Dry Storage
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Reprocessing
COEX PUREX Restricted Proprietary Information Page 11
Repository - WIPP
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Repository – Yucca Mountain
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Nuclear Power Plants in Commercial Operation Reactor Type Main Countries
Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR) US, France, Japan, Russia, China Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor ‘CANDU’ (PHWR) Gas-cooled Reactor (AGR & Magnox) Light Water Graphite Reactor (RBMK) Fast Neutron Reactor (FBR) US, Japan, Sweden Canada UK Russia Japan, Russia
Number
265 94 44 18 12 2
GWe
251.6
86.4
24.3
10.8
12.3
1.0
Fuel
Enriched UO 2 Enriched UO 2
Coolant
Water Water Natural U (metal) Enriched UO 2 Enriched UO 2 CO 2 Water PuO 2 and UO 2 Liquid Sodium
Moderator
Water Water Natural UO 2 Heavy Water Heavy Water Graphite Graphite None
Source: Nuclear Engineering International Handbook 2010
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Light Water Reactors (LWRs)
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Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR)
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PWR Steam Generator
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PWR Coolant Pump
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BWR Reactor System
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Balance of Plant (BoP)
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Evolution of Nuclear Reactor Designs
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Small Nuclear Power Reactors
IAEA defines “small” as under 300 MWe Renewed interest in small reactors partly in response to high capital cost of large power reactors Lends to modular construction and incremental additions in capacity Assessment by IAEA in 2009 concluded that there could be 43-96 small modular reactors (SMRs) in operation by 2030 Other countries are likely to build and operate SMRs ahead of the U.S. Russia will commission a floating nuclear plan (35 MWe PWR) in 2011 FY 2011 President’s Budget Request included $39M for SMR development DOE exploring public-private partnership to pursue NRC design certification for 1 to 2 SMRs employing LWR technologies Commercial deployment of SMRs expected in the U.S. around 2020 Restricted Proprietary Information Page 22
NRC Pre-Application Review of Small Reactors No.
Design Applicant Capacity Type
1.
2.
3. 4.
5. 6.
NuScale Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) Super-Safe Small & Simple (4S) Hyperion Power Module (HPM) Power Reactor Innovative Small Module (PRISM) mPower NuScale Power, Inc.
PBMR (Pty.), Ltd.
Toshiba Hyperion Power Generation, Inc.
GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Babcock & Wilcox Company Gas Turbine-Modular Helium Reactor (GT-MHR) Energy Multiplier Module (EM2) Traveling Wave Reactor General Atomics-OKBM General Atomics TerraPower, LLC 160 MWt/45 MWe 400 MWt/165 MWe 30MWt/10 MWe 70MWt/25 MWe 840MWt/311 MWe 400MWt/125MWe 600MWt/285 MWe 250 MWe Restricted Proprietary Information • HTR N/A PWR HTR LMR MSR LMR PWR HTR HFR
Design Certification Application
1Q CY 2012 FY 2013 2Q CY 2012 N/A 1Q CY 2012 4Q CY 2012 N/A N/A Page 23
Application of Export Controls Definition of Key Terms
Source Materials: Material in any physical or chemical form or ores that contain by weight 0.05 percent or more of uranium or thorium (or in combination). Depleted uranium (left over from uranium enrichment) is considered a source material Source Material Licensing: 10 CFR Part 40 Special Nuclear Material (SNM): Plutonium, Uranium-233, Uranium enriched in the isotopes U-233 or U-235. Pu and U-233 do not occur naturally SNM Licensing: 10 CFR Part 70 By Product Material: Non-SNM material that is radioactive and produced either by fission process or by using SNM. Examples are Tritium (H-3), Carbon-14, Flourine-18, Cobalt-57, Krypton-87, Radium-226 By Product Licensing: 10 CFR Part 30 Restricted Proprietary Information Page 24
Nuclear Facilities and Equipment Under NRC Export Licensing Authority
Major equipment used in nuclear reactors: Reactor pressure vessel On-line fuel charging and discharging machines Control rod system and drive mechanisms Reactor primary coolant pump Zirconium tubes Reactor internals (NSSS) Major equipment (especially designed or critically important) for following plants: Separation and enrichment of isotopes of uranium and lithium Fabrication of nuclear reactor fuel assemblies Reprocessing of irradiated nuclear reactor fuel Production of heavy water Conversion of uranium and plutonium Production of SNM using accelerator driven systems above 5MWt Restricted Proprietary Information Page 25
Nuclear Material Under NRC Export Licensing Material
SNM* Source Material* Byproduct Material* Deuterium (heavy water) Nuclear grade graphite Full details in 10 CFR Part 110, including latest updates * Requires NRC Import License Restricted Proprietary Information Page 26
Department of Commerce-Bureau of Industry & Security (BIS)
Export licenses cover “Dual Use” items BIS export licenses may be required depending on the nature of the item, the country of destination and specific “end-use” Export licenses may apply to major equipment and technology in the Balance of Plant (BoP) High pressure turbines Condensate pumps, valves and motors Main generators and back-up generators Transformers Fire detection and suppression systems I&C used in BoP Radiation detection Telecommunications Tools and maintenance Additional guidance from BIS: www.bis.doc.gov
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When in Doubt…..
Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration (ITA) Civil Nuclear Exporters Guide: www.ita.doc.gov
(202) 482-8245 (202) 482-3851 NRC (10CFR 110) Office of Export Controls and International Programs (301) 415-3684 (301) 415-1780 NNSA (10CFR 810) Office of International Regimes and Agreements (202) 586-0269 (202) 586-3806 DOC (“Dual Use”) Bureau of Industry and Security (202) 482-16414 (202) 482-2180 DOS (“123 Agreements”) Office of Nuclear Energy, Safety and Security (202) 647-4061 (202) 647-3978 Restricted Proprietary Information Page 28
Closing Remarks
U.S. Government Executive Order – National Export Initiative Civil Nuclear Trade Initiative Interagency Working Group Trade Promotion Government – Industry Coordination Civil Nuclear Trade Advisory Committee (CINTAC) Civil Nuclear Exporters Guide Export Control Seminars Industry Briefings Any Questions?
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