Economic Feasibility of Fast Nuclear-Power Merchant Ships

2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dmitry V. Paramonov
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Economic Feasibility ◽  
Light Water Reactors ◽  
Fuel Prices ◽  
Merchant Ship ◽  
Water Reactors ◽  
And Performance

Expected doubling of marine trade within the next two decades, threats of global warming amplified by the increased consumption of fossil fuels, globalization of world economy resulting in growing need for rapid ocean transport of time sensitive freight, and recent rise in the fossil fuel prices prompted the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME) to initiate a study to examine power plant options for the next generation of high-speed merchant ships. Emerging nuclear power technologies, which might be applicable to such ships, including long core life light water reactors, heavy liquid metal cooled reactors, and gas cooled reactors are discussed. Results of a study comparing economic benefits of nuclear and conventional gas turbine merchant ship propulsion systems are reported. Finally, cost and performance characteristics that would make nuclear power a viable alternative for high-speed merchant ships are identified.

scholarly journals On the possibility to improve mixed uranium-plutonium fuel in fast reactors

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 131-135
Author(s):  
Vladimir A. Eliseev ◽  
Dmitry A. Klinov ◽  
Noël Camarcat ◽  
David Lemasson ◽  
Clement Mériot ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Isotopic Composition ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Spent Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Light Water Reactors ◽  
Fast Reactors ◽  
Light Water ◽  
Fuel Cycles ◽  
Mox Fuel ◽  
Water Reactors ◽  
Operational Activities

Accumulation of plutonium extracted from the spent nuclear fuel (SNF) of light water reactors is one of the central problems in nuclear power. To reduce out-of-the-reactor Pu inventory, leading nuclear power countries (France, Japan) use plutonium in light water power reactors in the form of MOX fuel, with half of Pu fissioning in this fuel. The rest of Pu cannot be reused easily and efficiently in light water reactors because of the high content of even isotopes. Plutonium for which there are no potential consumers is accumulated. Unlike thermal reactors, fast reactors take plutonium of any isotopic composition. That makes it possible to improve plutonium isotopic composition and to reduce the fraction of even isotopes to the level that allows reuse of such plutonium in thermal reactors. The idea of changing the isotopic composition of Pu in fast reactors is well-known. The originality of the research lies in applying this idea to combine the fuel cycles of fast and thermal reactors. Pu isotopic composition can be improved by combining certain operational activities in order to supply fuel to thermal and fast reactors. Scientific and technological justification of the possibility will let Russian BN technologies and French MOX fuel technologies work in synergy with thermal reactors.

Life Beyond 60 Years: The Importance of Sustaining the Current Fleet of Light Water Reactors in the U.S. and the R&D Needs

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronaldo Szilard ◽  
Hongbin Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Superior Performance ◽  
Light Water Reactors ◽  
Economic Operation ◽  
Significant Interest ◽  
Water Reactors ◽  
The U.S

The current fleet of 104 nuclear power plants in the U.S. began their operation with 40 years operating licenses. About half of these plants have their licenses renewed to 60 years and most of the remaining plants are anticipated to pursue license extension to 60 years. With the superior performance of the current fleet and formidable costs of building new nuclear power plants, there has been significant interest to extend the lifetime of the current fleet even further from 60 years to 80 years. This paper addresses some of the key long term technical challenges and identifies R&D needs related to the long term safe and economic operation of the current fleet.

Underground Siting of Nuclear Power Plants: Insights From Fukushima

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jay F. Kunze ◽  
James M. Mahar ◽  
Kellen M. Giraud ◽  
C. W. Myers
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Light Water Reactors ◽  
Light Water ◽  
Waste Storage ◽  
Small Modular Reactor ◽  
Fukushima Daiichi ◽  
Water Reactors ◽  
High Level

Siting of nuclear power plants in an underground nuclear park has been proposed by the authors in many previous publications, first focusing on how the present 1200 to 1600 MW-electric light water reactors could be sited underground, then including reprocessing and fuel manufacturing facilities, as well as high level permanent waste storage. Recently the focus has been on siting multiple small modular reactor systems. The recent incident at the Fukushima Daiichi site has prompted the authors to consider what the effects of a natural disaster such as the Japan earthquake and subsequent tsunami would have had if these reactors had been located underground. This paper addresses how the reactors might have remained operable — assuming the designs we previously proposed — and what lessons from the Fukushima incident can be learned for underground nuclear power plant designs.

scholarly journals Steam Oxidation of Silicon Carbide at High Temperatures for the Application as Accident Tolerant Fuel Cladding, an Overview

Thermo ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-167
Author(s):  
Hai V. Pham ◽  
Masaki Kurata ◽  
Martin Steinbrueck
Keyword(s):  
Silicon Carbide ◽  
High Temperatures ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Steam Oxidation ◽  
Severe Accident ◽  
Light Water Reactors ◽  
Severe Accidents ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Water Reactors ◽  
Accident Conditions

Since the nuclear accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station in 2011, a considerable number of studies have been conducted to develop accident tolerant fuel (ATF) claddings for safety enhancement of light water reactors. Among many potential ATF claddings, silicon carbide is one of the most promising candidates with many superior features suitable for nuclear applications. In spite of many potential benefits of SiC cladding, there are some concerns over the oxidation/corrosion resistance of the cladding, especially at extreme temperatures (up to 2000 °C) in severe accidents. However, the study of SiC steam oxidation in conventional test facilities in water vapor atmospheres at temperatures above 1600 °C is very challenging. In recent years, several efforts have been made to modify existing or to develop new advanced test facilities to perform material oxidation tests in steam environments typical of severe accident conditions. In this article, the authors outline the features of SiC oxidation/corrosion at high temperatures, as well as the developments of advanced test facilities in their laboratories, and, finally, give some of the current advances in understanding based on recent data obtained from those advanced test facilities.

Comparison of Nuclear Fitness for Service Codes: ASME Section XI and RSE-M AFCEN Codes

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claude Faidy
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Light Water Reactors ◽  
Pressurized Water ◽  
Term Operation ◽  
Mechanical Components ◽  
Water Reactors ◽  
Test Requirements ◽  
Service Inspection

Two major Codes are used for Fitness for Service of Nuclear Power Plants: one is the ASME B&PV Code Section XI and the other one is the French RSE-M Code. Both of them are largely used in many countries, partially or totally. The last 2013 RSE-M covers “Mechanical Components of Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs): - Pre-service and In-service inspection - Surveillance in operation or during shutdown - Flaw evaluation - Repairs-Replacements parts for plant in operation - Pressure tests The last 2013 ASME Section XI covers “Mechanical components and containment of Light Water Reactors (LWRs)” and has a larger scope with similar topics: more types of plants (PWR and Boiling Water Reactor-BWR), other components like metallic and concrete containments… The paper is a first comparison covering the scope, the jurisdiction, the general organization of each section, the major principles to develop In Service Inspection, Repair-Replacement activities, the flaw evaluation rules, the pressure test requirements, the surveillance procedures (monitoring…) and the connections with Design Codes… These Codes are extremely important for In-service inspection programs in particular and essential tools to justify long term operation of Nuclear Power Plants.

Development of High Performance Moisture Separator Reheater

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Issaku Fujita ◽  
Kotaro Machii ◽  
Teruaki Sakata
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Tube Bundle ◽  
Separation Performance ◽  
Heating Steam ◽  
Severe Erosion ◽  
Moisture Separator ◽  
And Performance

Moisture Separator Reheaters (MSRs) of Nuclear power plants, especially 1st generation type (commercial operation started from between 1970 and 1982), has been suffered from various problems like severe erosion, moisture separation performance deterioration, drain sub cooling. To solve these problems and performance improvement, improved MSR was developed. At the new MSR, high performance SS439 stainless steel round type tube bundle was applied, where heating steam distribution is optimized by orifice plate in order to minimize the drain sub cooling. Based on the CFD approach, cycle steam distribution was optimized and FAC resistant material application for the internal parts of MSRs was determined. As a result, pressure drop was reduced by 0.6% against the HP turbine exhaust pressure. Performance of moisture separation was improved by the latest chevron type separator. Where, the reverse pressure is locally caused at the drainage area of the separator because remarkable longitudinal pressure distribution is formed by the high-speed steam flow in the manifold. Then, a new moisture separation structure was developed in consideration of the influence that this reverse pressure gave to the separator performance.

Nuclear Power in the United Kingdom—the End of the Beginning?

1993 ◽  
Vol 207 (4) ◽  
pp. 223-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
J G Collier
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Pressurized Water ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Future ◽  
And Performance ◽  
United Kingdom Government ◽  
Clean Energy Source

Nuclear power is a young technology that has developed within a political environment of ever-changing priorities. In the United Kingdom, Government-led central planning of electricity supply has given way to market forces and the future of nuclear power depends on its ability to compete in this competitive environment as well as its wider public acceptance. In only three years, the disciplines of private sector competition have transformed the economics of United Kingdom nuclear operations and the new generation of pressurized water reactor (PWR) at Sizewell is set to lead the world in safety and performance. Taken together with the growing recognition of the need to protect the local and global environment from the products of the combustion of fossil fuels, the prospects for the future of nuclear power as the major clean energy source for the twenty-first century have never been better.

Maximizing Value of Existing Nuclear Power Plant Generating Assets: A Case Study

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Komandur S. Sunder Raj
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Nuclear Facilities ◽  
Operation Performance ◽  
Generating Capacity ◽  
Greenhouse Effects ◽  
And Performance

The nuclear power industry is presently witnessing a renaissance. Global warming, greenhouse effects, concerns with use of as well as rising costs of fossil fuels, the desire to be weaned from foreign oil are all factors driving the need for increased reliance on nuclear power. Consequently, nuclear power plant owners are seeking to maximize the value of their generating assets through various means: improved operation, performance, capacity, availability, reliability and efficiency; license renewals, and; power uprates. Capacity factors are currently averaging well over 90% and, forced outage rates have decreased significantly, reflecting the maturation of operating and maintenance practices. In recognition of low fuel and relatively stable operating costs of their nuclear facilities, nuclear power plant owners have not only applied for license renewals, but have also upgraded the operation and, added electrical generating capacity to the operating units. Using a case study, this paper describes current efforts in maximizing the value of existing nuclear power plant generating assets. The focus of the paper is on maximizing benefits through improved operations and performance.

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