Nuclear Power Technology
Steven Biegalski, Ph.D., P.E.Director, Nuclear Engineering Teaching Laboratory
Associate Professor, Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Texas at Austin
Outline
Economics of Nuclear Energy Basics of a Power Plant Heat From Fission History of Nuclear Power Current Commercial Nuclear Reactor
Designs Nuclear Fuel Cycle Future Reactor Designs Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Accident Conclusions
Current World Demand for Electricity
World Energy Demand Forecast
U.S. Nuclear Industry Capacity Factors
1971 – 2011, Percent
Source: Energy Information Administration
Updated: 3/12
U.S. Nuclear Refueling Outage Days
104106
8895 92
66 66
81
51
40 4437 33
40 42 38 39 40 38 41 40 43
1990 1993 1996 1999 2002 2005 2008 2011
Source: 1990-98 EUCG, 1999-2011 Ventyx Velocity Suite / Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Updated: 3/12
Ave
rag
e (
Day
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U.S. Nuclear Production Costs
U.S. Electricity Production Costs 1995-2011, In 2011 cents per kilowatt-hour
Production Costs = Operations and Maintenance Costs + Fuel Costs. Production costs do not include indirect costs and are based on FERC Form 1 filings submitted by regulated utilities. Production costs are
modeled for utilities that are not regulated.
Source: Ventyx Velocity SuiteUpdated: 5/12
Emission-Free Sources of ElectricityEmission-Free Sources of Electricity
Source: Global Energy Decisions; Energy Information Administration, U.S. Department of Energy
Comparison of Life-Cycle Emissions
1,041
622
46 39 18 17 15 14
Coal Natural Gas Biomass Solar PV Hydro Nuclear Geothermal Wind
Source: "Life-Cycle Assessment of Electricity Generation Systems and Applications for Climate Change Policy Analysis," Paul J. Meier, University of Wisconsin-Madison, August 2002.
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Renewable
Renewable Energy Sources
* Relative Costs of Electricity Generation Technologies: Canadian Energy Research Institute
Basics of a Power Plant
The basic premises for the majority of power plants is to: 1) Create heat 2) Boil Water 3) Use steam to turn a turbine 4) Use turbine to turn generator 5) Produce Electricity
Some other power producing technologies work differently (e.g., solar, wind, hydroelectric, …)
Nuclear Power Plants use the Rankine Cycle
Heat From Fission
Fission Chain Reaction
Nuclear History 1939. Nuclear fission discovered. 1942. The world´s first nuclear chain reaction takes place in Chicago as
part of the wartime Manhattan Project. 1945. The first nuclear weapons test at Alamagordo, New Mexico. 1951. Electricity was first generated from a nuclear reactor, from EBR-I
(Experimental Breeder Reactor-I) at the National Reactor Testing Station in Idaho, USA. EBR-I produced about 100 kilowatts of electricity (kW(e)), enough to power the equipment in the small reactor building.
1970s. Nuclear power grows rapidly. From 1970 to 1975 growth averaged 30% per year, the same as wind power recently (1998-2001).
1987. Nuclear power now generates slightly more than 16% of all electricity in the world.
1980s. Nuclear expansion slows because of environmentalist opposition, high interest rates, energy conservation prompted by the 1973 and 1979 oil shocks, and the accidents at Three Mile Island (1979, USA) and Chernobyl (1986, Ukraine, USSR).
2004. Nuclear power´s share of global electricity generation holds steady around 16% in the 17 years since 1987.
Current Commercial Nuclear Reactor Designs Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) Gas Cooled Fast Reactor Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (CANDU) Light Water Graphite Reactor (RBMK) Fast Neutron Reactor (FBR)
The Current Nuclear Industry
Nuclear power plants in commercial operation
Reactor Type Main Countries
Number GWe Fuel Coolant Moderator
Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR)
US, France, Japan, Russia
252 235 enriched UO2 water water
Boiling Water Reactor (BWR)
US, Japan, Sweden
92 83 enriched UO2 water water
Gas-cooled Reactor (Magnox & AGR)
UK 34 13 natural U (metal), enriched UO2
CO2</SUB graphite
Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor "CANDU" (PHWR)
Canada 33 18 natural UO2 heavy water
heavy water
Light Water Graphite Reactor (RBMK)
Russia 14 14.6 enriched UO2 water graphite
Fast Neutron Reactor (FBR)
Japan, France, Russia
4 1.3 PUO2and UO2 liquid sodium
none
other Russia, Japan 5 0.2
TOTAL 434 365
Source: Nuclear Engineering International handbook 1999, but including Pickering A in Canada.
Nuclear Reactors Around the World
Top 10 Nuclear Generating Countries
2009, Terawatt hours
Power Plants in United States
Nuclear Generation and Capacity Amount of electricity generated by a 1,000-MWe
reactor at 90% capacity factor in one year: 7.9 billion KWh—enough to supply electricity for 740,000 households. Equivalent to:
Oil: 13.7 million barrels Coal: 3.4 million short tons Natural Gas: 65.8 billion cubic
PWR
BWR
Future Reactor Designs
Research is currently being conducted for design of the next generation of nuclear reactor designs.
The next generation designs focus on: Proliferation resistance of fuel Passive safety systems Improved fuel efficiency (includes breeding) Minimizing nuclear waste Improved plant efficiency (e.g., Brayton cycle) Hydrogen production Economics
http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactors/col/new-reactor-map.html
Location of Projected New Nuclear Power Reactors
Vogtle 3&4 Construction Started
The expansion at Plant Vogtle, adding Units 3&4, is a 95-month
undertaking with the units' completions expected in 2016
and 2017, respectively.
Gen IV Reactors
Themes in Gen IV Reactors Gas Cooled Fast Reactor (GFR) Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) Supercritical Water Cooled Reactor (SCWR) Sodium Cooled Fast Reactor (SFR) Lead Cooled Fast Reactor (LFR) Molten Salt Reactor (MSR)
Themes in Gen IV Reactors
Hydrogen Production Proliferation Resistance Closed Fuel Cycle Simplification Increased safety
Hydrogen Production
Hydrogen is ready to play the lead in the next generation of energy production methods.
Nuclear heat sources (i.e., a nuclear reactor) have been proposed to aid in the separation of H from H20.
Hydrogen is thermochemically generated from water decomposed by nuclear heat at high temperature.
The IS process is named after the initials of each element used (iodine and sulfur).
Hydrogen Production (cont.)
What is nuclear proliferation?
Misuse of nuclear facilities Diversion of nuclear materials
Specific Generation IV Design Advantages
Long fuel cycle - refueling 15-20 years Relative small capacity Thorough fuel burnup Fuel cycle variability Actinide burning Ability to burn weapons grade fuel
Closed Fuel Cycle
A closed fuel cycle is one that allows for reprocessing.
Benefits include: Reduction of waste
stream More efficient use of
fuel. Negative attributes
include: Increased potential for
proliferation Additional
infrastructure
Simplification
Efforts are made to simplify the design of Gen IV reactors. This leads to: Reduced capitol costs Reduced construction times Increased safety (less things can fail)
Increased Safety
Increased safety is always a priority. Some examples of increased safety:
Natural circulation in systems Reduction of piping Incorporation of pumps within reactor vessel Lower pressures in reactor vessel (liquid metal
cooled reactors)
The March 11, 2011 9.0 magnitude undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan and subsequent tsunami waves triggered a major nuclear event at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station.
At the time of the event, units 1, 2, and 3 were operating and units 4, 5, and 6 were in a shutdown condition for maintenance.
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Accident
Unit Design Containment Electric Power
Thermal Power
Fukushima Daiichi 1
BWR-3 Mark I 460 MW 1,380 MW
Fukushima Daiichi 2
BWR-4 Mark I 784 MW 2,352 MW
Fukushima Daiichi 3
BWR-4 Mark I 784 MW 2,352 MW
Operating Reactor Designs
BWR Reactor
Reactor Containments - Before
Reactor Containments - After
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1368624/Japan-earthquake-tsunami-Fukushima-power-plants-poor-safety-record.html
The radionuclides released from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear incident were measured around the world.
Measurements were significantly above the detection limits for many systems.
Combination of atmospheric transport, radiation detection, and reactor modeling were fused to provide a picture of the event.
Radiation levels not predicted to be of concern in the U.S..
Fukushima Daiichi Accident Conclusions
Conclusions So, what does the future hold?
The demand for electrical power will continue to increase. The world reserves of fossil fuels are limited. Modern nuclear power plant designs are more inherently
safe and may be constructed with less capital cost. Fossil fuel-based electricity is projected to account for more
than 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. A 2003 study by MIT predicted that nuclear power
growth of three fold will be necessary by 2050. U.S. Government has voiced strong support for
nuclear power production.