Non-Electric Applications of Nuclear Energy

I. Khamis

Nuclear Power Technology Development Section

Department of Nuclear Energy

Contents

• Introduction

• An overview of current experience on non-electric applications & some recent projects

• The value of cogeneration

• The future of non-electric applications with innovative nuclear systems

• Challenges ahead

• Conclusion

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Why non-electric applications?

The wide “spectrum” of current reactors can cover all applications

Non-electric Applications & Nuclear Energy

Contents

• Introduction

• An overview of current experience on non-electric applications

• The value of cogeneration

• The future of non-electric applications with innovative nuclear systems

• Challenges ahead

• Conclusion

Facts on non-electric applications with nuclear power

� Proven technology:

� 1956: Calder Hall plant in UK provided electricity and heat to nearby fuel processing plant

� 1963: Agesta NPP in Sweden provided hot water for district heating to a suburb of Stockholm

� 1972: Aktau in Kazakhstan provided heat and electricity for seawater desalination to supply 120 000 m3/day fresh water for the city of Aktau

� 1979: Bruce in Canada heat to heavy-water production and industrial & agricultural users

� Not widely applied: Less than 1% of heat generated in nuclear reactors worldwide is at present used for non-electric applications.

Non-Electric Applications & Nuclear Energy: Experience

• 14-15% of world electricity is from nuclear powerplants

• 432 nuclear power reactors worldwide,

• 70 are being used for co-generation of hot waterand/ or steam for:

» District heating,

» Seawater desalination

» Industrial processes.

• Over 700 reactor-years of combined experience existsfor these non-electrical applications.

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IN JP PK BG CH CZ HU RO RU SK UA CH IN RU SK

Desalination District Heating Process Heating

No. of Reactors

PWR

PHWR

LWGR

FBR

1

LWGR, 15

PHWR, 9

PWR, 50

By typee

Des, 12

DH, 30

PH + DH, 27

PH, 6

By applications

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35 By country

Proven technology: with 79 operative reactors and 750 reactor-years experience

Some recent activities on non-electric appl.

• India: proposed two integrated systems for seawater desalination

using with AHWR.

• Pakistan: Feasibility study for nuclear desalination plant in Karachi

costal Power projects is being considered.

• Russia: signed agreements considering nuclear desalination plant with

Egypt, Jordan, and Kazakhstan

• Saudi Arabia: considering SMART (Korea) for desalination

• China: signed MoU for HGTR with Saudi Arabia, UAE, South Africa.

China: Nuclear cogeneration for offshore oil operations

• Indonesia: considering HTGR 200 MWth for cogeneration (H2

production & liquefaction/gasification of coal)

• Japan: HTR for cogeneration (desalination)

• USA: consider integrating desalinated water from twin PWRs of

Diablo Canyon NPP into public water systems in California

NUCLEAR PROCESS HEAT REACTOR DESIGNS

Reactor Applications

ACR-700, Canada oil sand application

AVR-II & HTR-Modul & PNP, Germany nuclear assisted steam–coal gasification and steam–methane reforming

IHTR-H & Compact high temperature reactor (CHTR), India

Large scale hydrogen production

HTTR & GTHTR300C, Japan, Hydrogen & Cogeneration

H2-MHR & GT-MHR & PBMR , USA cogeneration of electricity and process heat & hydrogen

MHR-100 SMR, Russia Cogeneration of electricity and of hydrogen

NGNP, USA cogeneration of electricity and process heat

Contents

• Introduction

• An overview of current experience on non-electric applications

• The value of cogeneration

• The future of non-electric applications with innovative nuclear systems

• Challenges ahead

• Conclusion

The Value of Cogeneration: Better NPP Projects

Better EfficiencyOver 80% energy efficiencyOpen new sectors for nuclear power

Better Use of energyOptimize energy efficiencyMatch industrial application needs at the right temperature

Better FlexibilityIn future energy planningIn operating nuclear power plants/and electrical GridIn diversifying energy outputs

Better Environmental impactsReduce waste heat dumped to the environmentAdditional heat sink

The Value of Cogeneration: Cleaner Environment

Save EnergyRecover waste heatOpen new utilization of nuclear power

Save EnvironmentReduce CO2 emissionsReduce nuclear waste

Save MoneyGet cheaper energyReduce the need for fossil fuels

Implementing nuclear cogeneration !!

FeasibleOn all reactor typesExisting nuclear reactors can be retrofitted

SafeMinimal impact on reactor safetyProduct outputs is free of radioactive contamination

Value addedFor pubic use: Drinking Water, District heating/cooling

For industrial use : Steam, Synthetic Fuels, Hydrogen

Contents

• Introduction

• An overview of current experience on non-electric applications

• The value of cogeneration

• The future of non-electric applications with innovative nuclear systems

• Challenges ahead

• Conclusion

Potential non-electric applications of nuclear reactors

Nuclear Reactors

Heat

Electricity

Ionizing radiations

Material treatment

Irradiation

Neutrons

Radioisotopes

Unique products

Nuclear Vs Coal/gas

Power plants Type Nominal powerMW(e)

Estimated cost of construction

Capital Cost/Watt

Nuclear Sanmen I & II

WestinghouseAP 1000x2

2x 1100 $5.9 B ~ $ 3/Watt

Nuclear Taishan I & II

ArevaFrench EPR

2x 1660 $7.5 B ~ $ 2.5/Watt

Nuclear SMRRef. Nucleonic WeekCopyright © 2015 McGraw Hill FinancialMarch 26, 2015

FOK NuScale 600 $ 3 B ~ $ 5/Watt

12th NuScale 600 $ 2.5 B

Coal & Gas $200 M- 1.5 B $ 0.6-1.5/Watt

Optimizing the use of nuclear reactors

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Reactor（（（（600MWt））））

Gas turbine

He Circulator

O2

H2

H2O

Isolation

Valves

IHX

Precooler

Recuperator

ThermochemicalIS Process

850~950℃7~5 MPa

Internal Hot Coolant Flow

Cold Flow on Primary Pressure Boundary

900℃, 5.2 MPa

Distant Hydrogen Production Plant

To Grid

Cooling Water

Reactor Power Plant

Industrial heat applicationsHydrogen cogeneration

High efficiency power

generation

50 000 m3/day

Seawater desalination

Reactor outletcoolant850-950oC

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SteelmakingGas to liquid

Ammonia fertilizer

Oil refining

Tar sands oil extractionPulp & paper production

District heating

600300 900

o

C

Material processing

Market Opportunities for HTR in North America

Co-generation

75 GWt

Petrochemical,

Refinery,

Fertilizer/Ammonia

plants and others

Petrochemical,

Refinery,

Fertilizer/Ammonia

plants and others

Oil Sands/

Oil Shale

Steam, electricity,

hydrogen & water

treatment

Steam, electricity,

hydrogen & water

treatment

60 GWt

Hydrogen Market

36 GWt

Synthetic Fuels

& Feedstock

Steam,

electricity, high

temperature

fluids, hydrogen

Steam,

electricity, high

temperature

fluids, hydrogen

Electricity

110 GWt

10% of the nuclear

electrical supply

increase required to

achieve pending

Government objectives

for emissions

reductions by 2050

10% of the nuclear

electrical supply

increase required to

achieve pending

Government objectives

for emissions

reductions by 2050

125 Reactor Modules* 30 Reactor Modules 60 Reactor modules 415 Reactor Modules 180 Reactor Modules

*All module #s assume only 25% of market

249 GWt

Source: Lewis Lommers, AREVA US

Total:

810 Reactors

For petroleum industry, synthetic fuel, ammonia and hydrogen production

VHTR for desalination

Source: X. Yan, JAEA

Waste heat from PBMR for desalination

PBMR rejects heat from the pre-cooler and intercooler = 220 MWth

at 70 °C

+ MED desalination technology

Cover the needs of 55 000 – 600 000 people

Desalinated water 15 000 – 30 000 m3/day

VHTR for hydrogen production

VHTR 600 MWth Case 1 Case 2 Case 3

H2 production

rate t/d

233 66 118

H2 production

efficiency %

48.6 48.4 37.2

H2 production

cost US$/NM3

2.89 2.30 2.98

Source: X. Yan, JAEA

GEN-IV reactors for hydrogen production

JAPAN CHINA GERMANY CANADA

Nuclear power plant GTHTR300 HTR-PM HTR-SR SCWR

H2 hydrogen

production process

S-I S-I SR S-I HyS CuCl(3 steps)

CuCl(5 Steps)

Thermal efficiency

(%)

46.98 - 20.34 46.98 - 20.34 32.2

Hydrogen

production

(kg/MWthh)

12.28 10.90 102.8 4.16 6.9 7.3 7.5

Hydrogen cost

($/kg)

2.46 3.78 3.61 4.1 4.74 5.39 5.34

SCWR for hydrogen production

� SCWR– 1200 Mwe, thermal efficiency – 46.3%�Outlet temperature – 625⁰C;

Heat source for H2 Plant –downstream of 1st stage turbine - 422⁰C

G4-ECONS

HEEP H2A

H2 Unit cost, $/kg

3.61 3.56 3.58

Cost Breakdown

H2 Plant Capital Component

0.27 0.28 0.27

H2 Plant Non-energy Component

0.39 0.39 0.36

H2 Plant Energy Component

2.95 2.89 2.95

Source: R.Sadhankar, AECL, Canada

Challenges ahead

• Optimization of NPPs design and operation for cogeneration/trigeneration

• Cogeneration/Multi-generation

• Re-use of waste heat from NPPs

• Applications of non-electric applications in small grids/remote areas

• Low temperature nuclear desalination

• Upscale of hydrogen production plants

• Efficient water management

• Support of hybrid systems

• EtcI

Conclusion

�Nuclear reactors are very unique and should be exploited for high value products.

� The demand for non-electric applications in the heat and transportation market can be met by nuclear energy without GHG.

�Cogeneration could improve the overall economics of NPPs

�Non-electric applications will be introduced rather slowly

�Innovation is needed to design NPPs for non-electric applications

… Thank you for your attention.