Nuclear Industry in the 21 Century - IChemE
Transcript of Nuclear Industry in the 21 Century - IChemE
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James MetcalfeSystem Design Engineer
Nuclear Industry in the 21st Century
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Contents
▪ Challenges of the 21st Century
▪ Nuclear’s Perception
▪ Energy Mix
▪ New Technologies and their challenges
▪ Nuclear Chemical Engineers
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Challenges of the 21st Century
▪ CO2 emissions
▪ Mass extinctions
▪ Ocean acidification
▪ Sea level rise
▪ Wealth inequality
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Energy Mix
▪ Increased energy
demand
▪ Heavier reliance on
renewables
▪ Renewable
intermittency▪ https://www.electricitymap.org/map
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Nuclear’s Perception
▪ Climate support
▪ Reliability
▪ Affordability
▪ Energy Security
▪ Safety
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How Nuclear Works
▪ Reactor main parts:
▪ Fuel
▪ Moderator
▪ Reaction Control
▪ Coolant
▪ LWR = 359/440
worldwide operation
▪ BWR single loop
▪ PWR double loop
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New Technologies and their Challenges
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Gen IV Reactors: VHTRVery-High-Temperature Reactor
▪ Thermal reactor
▪ Somewhat similar to AGR but
can be single-loop
▪ Graphite moderator
▪ Helium Cooled
▪ Prismatic block or pebble-bed
▪ Outlet T of 1000 Celsius
▪ Challenges:
▪ Ceramic cracking
▪ Helium impurities
▪ Metal creep
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Gen IV Reactors: GFRGas-Cooled Fast Reactor
▪ Fast reactor
▪ Very similar to VHTR but no
graphite
▪ Helium Cooled
▪ Secondary circuit of He/N2 mix
▪ Combined cycle (waste heat to
steam)
▪ Outlet T of 850 Celsius
▪ Challenges:
▪ Helium impurities
▪ Metal creep
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Gen IV Reactors: SCWRSupercritical-Water-Cooled Reactor
▪ Thermal or fast reactor
▪ Similar to BWR (single loop)
▪ Light or heavy water moderator
▪ Compared to LWRs:
▪ High core enthalpy rise
▪ High thermal efficiency
▪ Small turbines required
▪ Small supporting systems
▪ Cheaper
▪ Challenges
▪ Demonstrate passive safety
▪ Heat transfer models
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Gen IV Reactors: LFRLead-Cooled Fast Reactor
▪ Fast reactor
▪ Two-loop (like PWR but low pressure)
▪ Molten lead or lead-bismuth eutectic: weak
neutron absorber/moderator
▪ High boiling point
▪ Natural circulation
▪ Unreactive with air and water
▪ Challenges
▪ High temperature metal corrosion
▪ High mass (seismic)
▪ High melting point and opacity
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Gen IV Reactors: SFRSodium-Cooled Fast Reactor
▪ Fast reactor
▪ Similar to LFR
▪ Sodium is a weak neutron
absorber/moderator
Challenges
▪ Very reactive with air and water
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Gen IV Reactors: MSRMolten Salt Reactor
▪ Thermal or Fast reactor
▪ Three-loop (can vary)
▪ No Reactor Pressure Vessel
▪ Thermal inertia
▪ Challenges:
▪ Material/corrosion
▪ Fuel processing
▪ Radioactive waste
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Nuclear Fusion
ITER (France)
▪ Countries: France, China,
EU, India, Japan, Korea,
Russia, USA
▪ First:
▪ Net energy
▪ Long fusion duration
▪ Technology integration
▪ Not yet commercial
STEP (UK)
▪ Spherical Tokamak for
Energy Production
▪ Commercial prototype by
2040s
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Alternate Uses▪ Process heat for:
▪ Refineries
▪ Petrochemistry
▪ Metallurgy
▪ Hydrogen production
▪ Sulfur-iodine (S-I) process or the hybrid sulfur process
▪ High temperature steam electrolysis
▪ Desalination
▪ Energy storage/load following
▪ DAC
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Nuclear Chemical Engineers
▪ Research (unis or institutes)
▪ Design (in-house or contracted)
▪ Supply chain (fuel or material synthesis)
▪ Construction/commissioning (planning/tests)
Operations/maintenance (process fluid chemistry,
corrosion, optimisation)
▪ Decommissioning/rad waste (process, permitting)
▪ Regulation (ONR, EA, regulatory interface)
▪ Much, much, more…
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Thank you for listening