Text of Alternative Fuels Michael Fink, Steve Haidet, & Mohamad Mohamad
Slide 1
Alternative Fuels Michael Fink, Steve Haidet, & Mohamad
Mohamad
Slide 2
Thorium
Slide 3
Molten Salt Reactor
Slide 4
Energy Generation Comparison 6 kg of thorium metal in a
liquid-fluoride reactor has the energy equivalent (66,000 MW*hr
electrical*) of: = 230 train cars (25,000 MT) of bituminous coal
or, 600 train cars (66,000 MT) of brown coal, (Source: World Coal
Institute)World Coal Institute or, 440 million cubic feet of
natural gas (15% of a 125,000 cubic meter LNG tanker), or, 300 kg
of enriched (3%) uranium in a pressurized water reactor. *Each
ounce of thorium can therefore produce $14,000-24,000 of
electricity (at $0.04-0.07/kW*hr)
Slide 5
Energy Extraction Comparison Uranium-fueled light-water
reactor: 35 GW*hr/MT of natural uranium 1000 MW*yr of electricity
33% conversion efficiency (typical steam turbine) 3000 MW*yr of
thermal energy 32,000 MW*days/tonne of heavy metal (typical LWR
fuel burnup) 39 MT of enriched (3.2%) UO 2 (35 MT U) Conversion and
fabrication 365 MT of natural UF 6 (247 MT U) 293 MT of natural U 3
O 8 (248 MT U) Thorium-fueled liquid-fluoride reactor: 11,000
GW*hr/MT of natural thorium Conversion to UF6 1000 MW*yr of
electricity 50% conversion efficiency (triple- reheat closed-cycle
helium gas-turbine) 2000 MW*yr of thermal energy 914,000 MW*days/MT
233 U (complete burnup) 0.8 MT of 233 Pa formed in reactor blanket
from thorium (decays to 233 U) Thorium metal added to blanket salt
through exchange with protactinium 0.8 MT of thorium metal 0.9 MT
of natural ThO2 Conversion to metal Uranium fuel cycle calculations
done using WISE nuclear fuel material calculator:
http://www.wise-uranium.org/nfcm.html
Slide 6
Waste generation from 1000 MW*yr uranium-fueled light-water
reactor Mining 800,000 MT of ore containing 0.2% uranium (260 MT U)
Uranium fuel cycle calculations done using WISE nuclear fuel
material calculator: http://www.wise-uranium.org/nfcm.html
Generates ~600,000 MT of waste rock Conversion to natural UF 6 (247
MT U) Generates 170 MT of solid waste and 1600 m 3 of liquid waste
Milling and processing to yellowcakenatural U 3 O 8 (248 MT U)
Generates 130,000 MT of mill tailings Enrichment of 52 MT of (3.2%)
UF 6 (35 MT U) Generates 314 MT of depleted uranium hexafluoride
(DU); consumes 300 GW*hr of electricity Fabrication of 39 MT of
enriched (3.2%) UO 2 (35 MT U) Generates 17 m 3 of solid waste and
310 m 3 of liquid waste Irradiation and disposal of 39 MT of spent
fuel consisting of unburned uranium, transuranics, and fission
products.
Slide 7
Waste generation from 1000 MW*yr thorium-fueled liquid-
fluoride reactor Mining 200 MT of ore containing 0.5% thorium (1 MT
Th) Thorium mining calculation based on date from ORNL/TM-6474:
Environmental Assessment of Alternate FBR Fuels: Thorium Generates
~199 MT of waste rock Milling and processing to thorium nitrate
ThNO 3 (1 MT Th) Generates 0.1 MT of mill tailings and 50 kg of
aqueous wastes Conversion to metal and introduction into reactor
blanket Breeding to U233 and complete fission Disposal of 0.8 MT of
spent fuel consisting only of fission product fluorides
Slide 8
or put another way
Slide 9
Mining waste generation comparison Mining 800,000 MT of ore
containing 0.2% uranium (260 MT U) Uranium fuel cycle calculations
done using WISE nuclear fuel material calculator:
http://www.wise-uranium.org/nfcm.html Generates ~600,000 MT of
waste rock Conversion to natural UF 6 (247 MT U) Generates 170 MT
of solid waste and 1600 m 3 of liquid waste Milling and processing
to yellowcakenatural U 3 O 8 (248 MT U) Generates 130,000 MT of
mill tailings Mining 200 MT of ore containing 0.5% thorium (1 MT
Th) Generates ~199 MT of waste rock Milling and processing to
thorium nitrate ThNO 3 (1 MT Th) Generates 0.1 MT of mill tailings
and 50 kg of aqueous wastes 1 GW*yr of electricity from a
uranium-fueled light-water reactor 1 GW*yr of electricity from a
thorium-fueled liquid-fluoride reactor
Slide 10
Operation waste generation comparison Uranium fuel cycle
calculations done using WISE nuclear fuel material calculator:
http://www.wise-uranium.org/nfcm.html 1 GW*yr of electricity from a
uranium-fueled light-water reactor 1 GW*yr of electricity from a
thorium-fueled liquid-fluoride reactor Enrichment of 52 MT of
(3.2%) UF 6 (35 MT U) Generates 314 MT of DUF 6 ; consumes 300
GW*hr of electricity Fabrication of 39 MT of enriched (3.2%) UO 2
(35 MT U) Generates 17 m 3 of solid waste and 310 m 3 of liquid
waste Irradiation and disposal of 39 MT of spent fuel consisting of
unburned uranium, transuranics, and fission products. Conversion to
metal and introduction into reactor blanket Breeding to U233 and
complete fission Disposal of 0.8 MT of spent fuel consisting only
of fission product fluorides
Slide 11
Abundant?
Slide 12
Negatives Risk of accidents Highly radioactive nuclear
waste
Slide 13
Future?
Slide 14
Ammonia, Natural Gas Household Alternative Fuels
Slide 15
Ammonia Fuel? NH3 Common uses: cleaning supplies, fertilizer,
explosives Ammonia: 21.36 BTU/g Oil: 45.97 BTU/g, Requires minor
modifications to carburetors/injectors
Slide 16
Sources Atmospheric nitrogen and free hydrogen HaberBosch
process Electrolysis Coal gasification
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Production_of_ammonia.svg
Slide 17
HaberBosch process CH4 + H2O CO + 3 H2 N2 (g) + 3 H2 (g) 2 NH3
(g) It is estimated that half of the protein within human beings is
made of nitrogen that was originally fixed by this process
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Haber-Bosch-En.svg
Slide 18
Natural Gas fuel? Methane: 53.88 BTU/g used in over 12 million
vehicles reliable and safe Fuel storage occupies a large amount of
space
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Carroagas.jpg
Slide 19
Domestic Natural gas supplies
http://www.roperld.com/science/minerals/FossilFuels.htm#USGas
Slide 20
World Natural gas supplies
http://www.roperld.com/science/minerals/FossilFuels.htm#WorldGas
Slide 21
World Natural Gas Supplies Including Shale Gas
http://www.roperld.com/science/minerals/FossilFuels.htm#WorldGas
Slide 22
Conclusions Ammonia would function as a fuel, but why not use
natural gas only sustainable for several decades with optimistic
supplies reduced environmental impact partially existing
infrastructure
http://www.eia.gov/pub/oil_gas/natural_gas/analysis_publications/ngpipeline/ngpipelines_map.html
Slide 23
Plasma Arc Waste Disposal Turning Everyday Garbage into
Everyday Energy
Slide 24
The Technology Garbage is passed through a plasma arc, which
reaches 10,000 deg F, instantly vaporizing it. Organic material
turns into syngas, which can be used to drive electrical turbines.
Inorganic material turn into slag.
Slide 25
Renewability America produces about 675,000 tons of garbage a
day. 1500 tons of trash = 60 MW Almost all of the trash is
converted into usable byproducts, eliminating landfills.
Slide 26
Pros After initial energy is spent to ignite the plasma arc,
the process is self-sustaining. Electricity prices will be able to
compete with natural gas. Ability to turn medical and hazardous
waste inert. Material made from non-organic waste can be sold
commercially.
Slide 27
Cons Dumping garbage at a plasma arc facility costs $137 more
per ton. Some CO 2 produced. Performance based on the content and
consistency of the waste. Current plant designs are less than 50%
efficient at best. Expensive liners need replaced every year
Unproven in a large-scale setting
