scholarly journals Gas Cooled Fast Reactor Research and Development in the European Union

2009 ◽  
Vol 2009 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Stainsby ◽  
Karen Peers ◽  
Colin Mitchell ◽  
Christian Poette ◽  
Konstantin Mikityuk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fast Reactor ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Fuel Cycle ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Outlet Temperature ◽  
Framework Programme ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Closed Fuel Cycle ◽  
Gen Iv ◽  
Actinide Transmutation

Gas-cooled fast reactor (GFR) research is directed towards fulfilling the ambitious goals of Generation IV (Gen IV), that is, to develop a safe, sustainable, reliable, proliferation-resistant and economic nuclear energy system. The research is directed towards developing the GFR as an economic electricity generator, with good safety and sustainability characteristics. Fast reactors maximise the usefulness of uranium resources by breeding plutonium and can contribute to minimising both the quantity and radiotoxicity nuclear waste by actinide transmutation in a closed fuel cycle. Transmutation is particularly effective in the GFR core owing to its inherently hard neutron spectrum. Further, GFR is suitable for hydrogen production and process heat applications through its high core outlet temperature. As such GFR can inherit the non-electricity applications that will be developed for thermal high temperature reactors in a sustainable manner. The Euratom organisation provides a route by which researchers in all European states, and other non-European affiliates, can contribute to the Gen IV GFR system. This paper summarises the achievements of Euratom's research into the GFR system, starting with the 5th Framework programme (FP5) GCFR project in 2000, through FP6 (2005 to 2009) and looking ahead to the proposed activities within the 7th Framework Programme (FP7).

Development and Application of the Neutronics/Thermal-Hydraulics Coupling Code for Safety Analysis of EBR-II Loss of Heat Sink Tests Without Scram

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daogang Lu ◽  
Chao Guo ◽  
Danting Sui
Keyword(s):  
Fast Reactor ◽  
Heat Sink ◽  
Fuel Cycle ◽  
Transient Behavior ◽  
Safety Analysis ◽  
Cold Pool ◽  
Thermal Hydraulics ◽  
Closed Fuel Cycle ◽  
Zone Method ◽  
Gen Iv

In the GEN IV technology evaluations, the LMFBR (Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor) system which includes SFR (Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor) and LFR (Lead-cooled Fast Reactor) was top-ranked in sustainability due to its closed fuel cycle and it is top-ranked in proliferation resistance and physical protection because it employs a long-life core. It is necessary to conduct the coupled neutronics and thermal-hydraulics simulation when the feedback effects are significant in the safety analysis of Anticipated Transients Without Scram (ATWS) in LMFBR. Thus, a neutronics-thermalhydraulics coupling code for safety analysis of LMFBR was developed and used to analyze whole-plant transient behavior of the Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II) under Loss of Heat Sink Without Scram (LOHSWS) tests in this paper. The two mixing zone method for cold pool coupled with SAC-CFR was used and the predicted results agree well with measurements which are taken from EBR-II LOHSWS test data.

scholarly journals System levelized fuel cost of electricity generation in a two-component nuclear energy system with a closed uranium-plutonium NFC

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 303-309
Author(s):  
Anatoly V. Zrodnikov ◽  
Viktor M. Dekusar ◽  
Olga S. Gurskaya
Keyword(s):  
Fast Reactor ◽  
Electricity Generation ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Fuel Cycle ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Fuel Cost ◽  
Levelized Cost Of Electricity ◽  
Cost Of Electricity ◽  
Two Component ◽  
Plutonium Production

The authors propose an approach to the calculation of the levelized unit fuel cost (LUFC) of electricity generation for a fast reactor in a two-component nuclear energy system (NES) with regard for plutonium production. The approach is based on taking into account the additional economic effect, which can be achieved through the sale at the market price of the natural uranium released due to the substitution of thermal reactors by fast reactors with MOX fuel based on the plutonium bred in a fast reactor. This requires considering simultaneously the reactor parts of the fuel cycle for fast and thermal reactors. Relationships have been obtained which connect the key neutronic and fuel characteristics with the NPP and fuel cycle economic performance. The described methodology was used for the computational study of the LUFC for a fast sodium-cooled reactor. Calculations have shown that, in the considered case, taking into account the plutonium production leads to the LUFC reduction by nearly half and, therefore, to a major decrease in the total unit cost of electricity generation (levelized cost of electricity or LCOE).

Physics Studies of Weapons Plutonium Disposition in the Integral Fast Reactor Closed Fuel Cycle

1995 ◽  
Vol 121 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. N. Hill ◽  
D. C. Wade ◽  
J. R. Liaw ◽  
E. K. Fujita
Keyword(s):  
Fast Reactor ◽  
Fuel Cycle ◽  
Closed Fuel Cycle

Transmutation and the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership

2006 ◽  
Vol 985 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Bresee
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Fuel Cycle ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Closed Fuel Cycle ◽  
State Of The Union ◽  
Foreign Countries ◽  
The U.S

AbstractIn the January 2006 State of the Union address, President Bush announced a new Advanced Energy Initiative, a significant part of which is the Global Nuclear Energy Initiative. Its details were described on February 6, 2006 by the U.S. Secretary of Energy. In summary, it has three parts: (1) a program to expand nuclear energy use domestically and in foreign countries to support economic growth while reducing the release of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. (2) an expansion of the U.S. nuclear infrastructure that will lead to the recycling of spent fuel and a closed fuel cycle and, through transmutation, a reduction in the quantity and radiotoxicity of nuclear waste and its proliferation concerns, and (3) a partnership with other fuel cycle nations to support nuclear power in additional nations by providing small nuclear power plants and leased fuel with the provision that the resulting spent fuel would be returned by the lessee to the lessor. The final part would have the effect of stabilizing the number of fuel cycle countries with attendant non-proliferation value. Details will be given later in the paper.

scholarly journals A Simplified Supercritical Fast Reactor with Thorium Fuel

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Peng Zhang ◽  
Kan Wang ◽  
Ganglin Yu
Keyword(s):  
Fast Reactor ◽  
Fuel Cycle ◽  
Mechanical Design ◽  
Inherent Safety ◽  
Fuel Conversion ◽  
Reactor Physics ◽  
Mox Fuel ◽  
Feasible Option ◽  
Gen Iv ◽  
Simulation Scheme

Super-Critical water-cooled Fast Reactor (SCFR) is a feasible option for the Gen-IV SCWR designs, in which much less moderator and thus coolant are needed for transferring the fission heat from the core compared with the traditional LWRs. The fast spectrum of SCFR is useful for fuel breeding and thorium utilization, which is then beneficial for enhancing the sustainability of the nuclear fuel cycle. A SCFR core is constructed in this work, with the aim of simplifying the mechanical structure and keeping negative coolant void reactivity during the whole core life. A core burnup simulation scheme based on Monte Carlo lattice homogenization is adopted in this study, and the reactor physics analysis has been performed with DU-MOX and Th-MOX fuel. The main issues discussed include the fuel conversion ratio and the coolant void reactivity. The analysis shows that thorium-based fuel can provide inherent safety for SCFR without use of blanket, which is favorable for the mechanical design of SCFR.

A study of the nuclear natural resources utilization in open and closed fuel cycles: nuclear energy a sustainable and renewable source of energy

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Letícia Caroline Gonçalves ◽  
José Rubens Maiorino
Keyword(s):  
Natural Resources ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Fuel Cycle ◽  
Closed Fuel Cycle ◽  
Pressurized Water ◽  
Renewable Source ◽  
Water Reactor ◽  
Fuel Cycles ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Breeder Reactors

In this work, the use of natural resources was analyzed using a simplified methodology and assuming calculation conditions close to the real ones, to assess the sustainability of the nuclear source and the efficiency in the use of these resources. For the analysis of open fuel cycles, four reactors were selected, these being the Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) and Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR), two Generation II reactors commonly used until today, the advanced Generation III reactor AP1000 and the conceptual reactor AP-Th 1000. For closed fuel cycles, the variation of the utilization of the natural resource alongside with the variation of the conversion factor were evaluated, parameterized by the burnup. It was observed that the Generation II reactors use only 1% of the natural resources and, despite technological advances, the Generation III reactor did not show a significant increase in comparison to the former. Although the closed fuel cycle includes recycling the burnt fuel from thermal reactors, it exploits only about 10% of the resources. Major improvements are observed in Fast Breeder Reactors, being able to obtain a use of almost 100% with the increase of the burning and the minimization of losses. Although the feasibility of using thorium as a nuclear fuel has been proven, it would be better used in a closed cycle, as in the self-sustainable Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactor (LFTR), a Generation IV reactor that can transform the nuclear energy in a sustainable and renewable source of energy.

scholarly journals Sustainability Features of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Options

2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (10) ◽  
pp. 2377-2398 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefano Passerini ◽  
Mujid Kazimi
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Fuel Cycle ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Nuclear Fuel Cycle ◽  
The United States ◽  
Base Line ◽  
Energy Potential ◽  
Fuel Cycle Analysis ◽  
The Impact

The nuclear fuel cycle is the series of stages that nuclear fuel materials go through in a cradle to grave framework. The Once Through Cycle (OTC) is the current fuel cycle implemented in the United States; in which an appropriate form of the fuel is irradiated through a nuclear reactor only once before it is disposed of as waste. The discharged fuel contains materials that can be suitable for use as fuel. Thus, different types of fuel recycling technologies may be introduced in order to more fully utilize the energy potential of the fuel, or reduce the environmental impacts and proliferation concerns about the discarded fuel materials. Nuclear fuel cycle systems analysis is applied in this paper to attain a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of fuel cycle alternatives. Through the use of the nuclear fuel cycle analysis code CAFCA (Code for Advanced Fuel Cycle Analysis), the impact of a number of recycling technologies and the associated fuel cycle options is explored in the context of the U.S. energy scenario over 100 years. Particular focus is given to the quantification of Uranium utilization, the amount of Transuranic Material (TRU) generated and the economics of the different options compared to the base-line case, the OTC option. It is concluded that LWRs and the OTC are likely to dominate the nuclear energy supply system for the period considered due to limitations on availability of TRU to initiate recycling technologies. While the introduction of U-235 initiated fast reactors can accelerate their penetration of the nuclear energy system, their higher capital cost may lead to continued preference for the LWR-OTC cycle.

Euratom Research Framework Programme on Reactor Systems

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc Deffrennes ◽  
Michel Hugon ◽  
Panagiotis Manolatos ◽  
Georges Van Goethem ◽  
Simon Webster
Keyword(s):  
European Commission ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Fusion Energy ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Framework Programme ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
Framework Programmes ◽  
Energy Community

The activities of the European Commission (EC) in the field of nuclear energy are governed by the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM). The research activities of the European Union (EU) are designed as multi-annual Framework Programmes (FP). The EURATOM 6th Framework Programme (EURATOM FP-6), covering the period 2002–2006, is funded with a budget of 1, 230 million Euros and managed by the European Commission. Beyond the general strategic goal of the EURATOM Framework Programmes to help exploit the potential of nuclear energy, in a safe and sustainable manner, FP-6 is designed to contribute also to the development of the “European Research Area” (ERA), a concept described in the Commission’s Communication COM(2000)6, of January 2000. Moreover EURATOM FP-6 contributes to the creation of the conditions for sharing the same nuclear safety culture throughout the EU-25 and the Candidate Countries, fostering the acceptance of nuclear power as an element of the energy mix. This paper gives an overview of the research activities undertaken through EURATOM FP-6 in the area of Reactor Systems, covering the safety of present reactors, the development of future safe reactors, and the needs in terms of research infrastructures and education & training. The actions under FP-6 are presented in their continuity of a ctions under FP-5. The perspectives under FP-7 are also provided. Other parts of the EURATOM FP, covering Waste Handling and Radiation Protection, as well as Fusion Energy, are not detailed in this paper.

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