NUCLEAR ENGINEERING OPPORTUNITIES

Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant

James T. (Tom) Voss, NRRPT, CHP

Fellow of the Health Physics Society

PO Box 1362

Los Alamos, NM 87544

jtvoss@newmexico.com

505-920-1470

WWW.VOSS-ASSOCIATES.COM

Where are the Opportunitiesin Nuclear Engineering

• Current Nuclear Power Reactors• Current Research and Test Reactors• New Nuclear Power Reactors• Applications for License Renewals• Applications Currently Under Review• Small Transportable Nuclear Reactors• Resurgence in Uranium Mining

Where are the Opportunitiesin Nuclear Engineering

• Uranium Fuel Fabrication• Thorium as a Reactor Fuel• Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing• Need for Remote Real-time Monitoring of

Nuclear Facilities and Nuclear Materials Transport Vehicles• Training

Current Nuclear Power Reactors

Current Research and Test Reactors

New Nuclear Power Reactors

Applications for License Renewal

Calvert Cliffs, Units 1 and 2Oconee Nuclear Station, Units 1, 2 and 3Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit 1Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2 Turkey Point Nuclear Plant, Units 3 and 4North Anna, Units 1 and 2, and Surry, Units 1 and 2Peach Bottom, Units 2 and 3St. Lucie, Units 1 and 2Fort Calhoun Station, Unit 1McGuire, Units 1 and 2, and Catawba, Units 1 and 2H.B. Robinson Nuclear Plant, Unit 2

Applications for License Renewal

R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant, Unit 1V.C. Summer Nuclear Station, Unit 1 Dresden, Units 2 and 3, and Quad Cities, Units 1 & 2Farley, Units 1 and 2Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit 2D.C. Cook, Units 1 and 2Millstone, Units 2 and 3Point Beach, Units 1 and 2Browns Ferry, Units 1, 2, and 3Brunswick, Units 1 and 2Nine Mile Point, Units 1 and 2

Applications for License Renewal

MonticelloPalisadesJames A. FitzPatrickWolf Creek, Unit 1Harris, Unit 1Oyster CreekVogtle, Units 1 and 2Three Mile Island, Unit 1Beaver Valley, Units 1 and 2Susquehanna, Units 1 and 2

59 APPLICATIONS FOR LICENSE RENEWAL HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED

Applications Currently Under Review

Pilgrim 1, Unit 1Vermont YankeeIndian Point, Units 2 and 3Prairie Island, Units 1 and 2Kewaunee Power StationCooper Nuclear StationDuane Arnold Energy Center

Applications Currently Under Review

Palo Verde, Units 1, 2, and 3Crystal River, Unit 3Hope CreekSalem, Units 1 and 2Diablo Canyon, Units 1 and 2Columbia Generating Station

19 APPLICATIONS FOR LICENSE RENEWAL ARE UNDER REVIEW

Security Requirements for

Nuclear Research and Test Reactors • Security• All research and test reactors are designed and

operated so that material is not easily handled or dispersed, thus protecting against potential radiological exposure or theft of material. These reactors have a limited amount of radioactive material on site and therefore pose a low risk from radiation and the theft of nuclear material. The NRC inspects the reactor’s security and emergency plans, as well as its operations and design to ensure protection of public health and safety.

• Security requirements are based on a graded approach with increasing requirements for material that is more attractive for theft or diversion and for facilities that have larger inventories of radiological material.

• Prior to September 11, 2001, all reactors had security plans or procedures and emergency plans as required by NRC regulations. Following the terrorist attacks on 9/11, the NRC advised licensees to consider taking additional security measures. Later NRC imposed additional security measures on research and test reactors by Confirmatory Action Letter.

While the specifics of these measures are not publicly available for security reasons, in general, they include:

• enhancements in screening of personnel; • systems for controlling access to the facility;• observation of activities within the facilities;• alarms or other devices to detect unauthorized

presence;• operability of communication systems;• vehicle and package searches; and • heightened coordination with appropriate local,

State, and Federal resources liaisons with the FAA and law enforcement authorities to report unusual overflights or potential threats.

Small Transportable Nuclear Power Reactors

What is in the future for these power reactors ?

It seem unlikely the NRC will grant operating licenses for these types of nuclear power reactors.

It seems unlikely the final cost for these types of nuclear power reactors could equal that of the new commercial nuclear power reactors.

Small Transportable Nuclear Power Reactors

Resurgence in Uranium Mining

World Uranium Production

Tons of Uranium2007 2008

Canada 9476 9000Kazakhstan 6637 8521Australia 8611 8430Namibia 2879 4366Russia 3413 3521Niger 3153 3032Uzbekistan 2320 2338USA 1654 1430             World total 41,282 43,853

United States Uranium Production

Tons of Uranium

2007 2008 USA 1654 1430             World total 41,282 43,853

US Uranium Current Production is PrimarilyFrom 4 Mines.

90% of US Uranium Mining is In-Situ.

Uranium Mines in Canada

Uranium Mines in Australia

Worker, Public, and Environmental Protection for Uranium Mining

• Controlled Ventilation

• Radon and Airborne Uranium Monitoring

• Portable and Personal Continuous Air Monitors

• In-Situ Mining

• Open Pit Mining

Worker Protection for Uranium Mining

Controlled Ventilation

• Air volume turnover rates should be > 7 per hour

• Ventilation velocities should be < 0.1 m/sec

• But, underground temperatures might call for a higher ventilation rate to keep the miners cool

Worker Protection for Uranium Mining

Radon and Airborne Uranium Monitoring

• Routine area radon and uranium monitoring with sophisticated instruments

• Radon monitoring before opening a new area to workers

• Personal radon and uranium monitors for workers

Worker Protection for Uranium Mining

Radon and Airborne Uranium Monitoring

WWW.BLADEWERX.COM

Public and Environmental Protectionfor Uranium Mining

Airborne Uranium Continuous Air Monitors

WWW.BLADEWERX.COM

Public and Environmental Protectionfor Uranium Mining

In-Situ Mining

In-Situ mining leaches the uranium ore from the underground deposit and greatly reduces the volume of above ground waste.

Public and Environmental Protectionfor Uranium Mining

Open Pit Mining

• Reduces the risk to the workers by providing better ventilation and reduces other risks in underground mining

• Exposes more rock dust and uranium ore that could increase the spread of those into the environment

• Australia’s Olympic Dam mine is converting to an open pit operation

Public and Environmental Protectionfor Uranium Mining

Closing and covering an open pit mine at the end of its useful life could provide the best permanent solution for protecting the public and the environment.

In-Situ mining could also minimize the mine’s affect on the public and the environment.

Uranium Fuel Cycle Facilities

Uranium Fuel Cycle Facilities

• Better Ventilation

• Radiation Monitoring

• Airborne Radioactivity Monitoring

• Criticality Monitoring

Uranium Fuel Cycle Facilities

Uranium Hexafluoride Production Honeywell International, Inc. Metropolis, IL

Uranium Fuel Cycle Facilities

Gas Centrifuge Uranium Enrichment

Areva Enrichment Services Idaho Falls, ID(under review)

Louisiana Energy Services Eunice, NM(in construction)

U.S. Enrichment Corporation Piketon, OH(in construction)

Uranium Fuel Cycle Facilities

Gaseous Diffusion Uranium Enrichment

U.S. Enrichment Corporation Paducah, KY

U.S. Enrichment Corporation Piketon, OH (cold standby)

Uranium Fuel Cycle Facilities

Laser Separation Uranium Enrichment

GE-Hitachi Wilmington, NC (under review)

Uranium Fuel Cycle Facilities Uranium Fuel Fabrication

AREVA NP, Inc. Lynchburg, VA

AREVA NP, Inc. Richland, WA

B&W Nuclear Operations Group Lynchburg, VA

Global Nuclear Fuel-Americas, LLC Wilmington, NC

Nuclear Fuel Services Erwin, TN (license renewal application submitted)

Westinghouse Electric Company, LLC Columbia, SC

Uranium Fuel Cycle Facilities

Mixed-Oxide Fuel Fabrication

Shaw AREVA MOX Services , LLC Aiken, SC (in construction/under licensing review)

Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing

• Better Ventilation

• Radiation Monitoring

• Airborne Radioactivity Monitoring

• Criticality Monitoring

Benefits of Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing

• Separation of LLW and High Level Wastes

• Reduction of High Level Wastes by Recycling

• Production of Useable Isotopes for RTGs, Gamma Irradiators, Gauges, Etc.

• Reduction of LLW

Thorium as a Nuclear FuelWorld Supplies in Tons

Australia 340,000 India 300,000 United States 300,000 Norway 180,000 Canada 100,000 South Africa 39,000 Brazil 18,000 Malaysia 4,500 Other Countries 100,000World Total 1,400,000

Benefits of Thorium as a Nuclear Fuel

• Greater Abundance than Uranium

• Production of Thorium Fuel Does Not Require Isotopic Separation

• Use of Thorium Fuel Produces Much Less Long-Lived Transuranics Than Uranium Fuel

Need For Remote Real-Time Radiological Monitoring of Nuclear Facilities and Nuclear

Transport Vehicles

• Notification of an Unplanned Release

• Identification and Quantification of Unplanned Releases

• Tracking of Unplanned Releases to the Environment

• Prediction of the Path of Unplanned Releases

Some Unplanned Releases from Nuclear Facilities

Three Mile Island - 1979Contributing Factors

• Facility Design

• Equipment Malfunction

• Operator Training

Some Unplanned Releases from Nuclear Facilities

Chernobyl - 1986Contributing Factors

• Facility Design

• Equipment Malfunction

• Operator Training

Some Unplanned Releases from Nuclear Facilities

Japan, Tokaimura - 1999Contributing Factors

• Facility Design

• Operator Training

Some Unplanned Releases from Nuclear Facilities

Practices to Prevent and/orMitigate the Consequences

• Better Facility Designs

• Better Equipment Designs

• Better Operator Training

• Better Radiological Monitoring Inside and Outside the Facilities

References

American Nuclear Society www.ans.orgHealth Physics Society www.hps.orgInstitute of Nuclear Power Operations

www.inpo.infoNuclear Energy Institute www.nei.org Nuclear Engineering International

www.neimagazine.comUS Department Of Energy www.doe.govUS Nuclear Regulatory Commission

www.nrc.org

References

Areva www.areva.comBabcock and Wilcox www.babcock.comCanberra www.canberra.comGeneral Electric www.gepower.com/nuclear/Nuke Worker www.nukeworker.comUS Navy www.navy.comWestinghouse www.westinghousenuclear.com