R&D AT CEA FOR A SUSTAINABLE NUCLEAR ENERGY DEVELOPMENT

Transcription

1 R&D AT CEA FOR A SUSTAINABLE NUCLEAR ENERGY DEVELOPMENT PIERRE-YVES CORDIER NUCLEAR ENERGY DIVISION CEA, FRANCE

2 OUTLINE The current situation France s example : more than 90% of electricity production is CO 2 free. The French energy transition bill : preparing the future. R&D to support the Gen II-III and prepare the Gen IV. The JHR. A whole range of experimental facilities, including new projects. What future for nuclear energy? The ASTRID project Fast neutron reactors and their fuel cycle. Conclusion PAGE 2

3 PAGE 3 THE CURRENT SITUATION

4 BASIC FACTS ABOUT ENERGY IN FRANCE Primary energy consumption is stable in France since 2000, energy independence at more than 50%. Around 75% of electricity comes from nuclear. The closed fuel cycle policy already leads to resource optimization and manageable ultimate wastes. More than 90% of electricity in France is CO 2 free (nuclear + hydro + wind + PV) electricity production : wind 3.9% and solar 1.9% Mtoe Primary energy consumption Primary energy production Solar MWe Wind Biomass PAGE 4

5 THE FRENCH BILL ON ENERGY TRANSITION The bill will act on different levers : Promote energy efficiency and sobriety, diversify energy supply, reduce the share of fossil fuels and increase the renewables, ensure adequate means for energy transport and storage, and develop R&D in energy field. Its main objectives : Reduction by 30% of the use of fossil fuels by 2030, and halve the total energy consumption by 2050 (vs 2012 levels). Capping of nuclear capacity to current level (63,2 Gwe), and decrease nuclear energy share from 75% to 50% by Increase renewable energies share of final consumption to 23% by 2020 and 32% by Establishment of a Multi Annual Energy Plan (MEP), revised every 5 years, that sets the evolution of Energy mix (taking into account for example the foreseeable increase in electricity use). PAGE 5

6 PAGE 6 R&D FOR GEN II, GEN III AND GEN IV

7 R&D FOR THE CURRENT NUCLEAR INDUSTRY REACTORS & CYCLE Reactors Extending the operating lifetime of nuclear power plants Improving their performance level (availability, etc.) Increasing their nuclear safety level Fuel cycle Meeting industry needs in a highly competitive market Supporting the recycling industry (La Hague & Melox), radwaste producers and Andra Investigation of irradiated materials and fuels at the Saclay centre Studying the fluence absorbed by the 1300 MWe reactor vessels in EOLE Maintaining a high level of expertise and skills for the current nuclear fleet (fuel cycle and reactors) Platform of mixers and settlers to validate the performance of the selective uranium extraction process on a laboratory scale General view of the evolving vitrification prototype equipped with a cold crucible melter adapted for nuclear environments at Marcoule PAGE 7

8 Jules Horowitz Reactor Main Objectives 1. R&D in support to nuclear Industry Safety and plant lifetime management (ageing & new plants) Fuel behavior testing in normal, incidental and accidental conditions Assess innovations and related safety for future NPPs 2. Radio-isotopes supply for medical use 99 Mo production JHR will supply 25% of the European needs (today about 8 millions protocols/year) Up to 50% upon specific request 3. A key tool to underpin expertise Training young generations (JHR simulator, secondee programs) Maintaining a national expertise staff and credibility for public acceptance Assessing safety requirements evolution and international regulation harmonization PAGE 8

9 JHR International Consortium JHR consortium for construction and operation (established 2007) CEA = Owner & nuclear operator JHR Members owners of guaranteed access rights in proportion of their financial commitment to the construction Open to new member entrance until JHR completion JHR Consortium current partnership: Research centres & Industrial companies Associated Partnership: IAEC NOTE : JHR is part of the ICERR labelling awarded by IAEA in sept PAGE 9

10 A unique fleet of experimental facilities. Hot labs : PIE on materials and fuels (LECI, LECA) Hot labs dedicated to fuel cycle back end (ATALANTE, G1) Zero power reactors : Critical mock ups (PWR EOLE/MINERVE, FNR MASURCA) Technological platforms (mechanics /seismic TAMARIS, components RESEDA, thermohydraulique POSEIDON/AMETHYST, severe accidents PLINIUS, hydrogen risks MISTRA, ) PAGE 10

11 continously updated, modernized and refurbished Hot lab for irradiated fuel (MOSAIC*) MOX R&D to be transferred to ATALANTE (2017) Jules Horowitz Reactor MTR * : fin prochaine des activités de R&D Zero power reactor ZEPHYR* for PWR neutronics studies LECA/STAR PLINIUS 2 / R&D for severe accidents GEN 2,3 et 4 (* opportunity study in progress) Adressing all the needs and fields PAGE 11

12 PAGE 12 THE FUTURE : A SUSTAINABLE NUCLEAR ENERGY

13 WHY A FAST NEUTRON REACTOR (FNR)? Total recycling of plutonium Mox fuel multirecycling. Uranium resources conservation Gas 160Gtoe Oil 190Gtoe Coal 420Gtoe Uranium resources U in LWRs Minimization of volume and radiotoxicity of final wastes (MA transmutation) Volume of wastes in repository divided by 20 compared to once through. Radiotoxicity equivalent to natural U ore after a few hundreds of year. Important for public acceptance. U ore Radiotoxicité relative U in FRs Gen IV Current glasses 7000 Gtoe SF direct disposal Development of reactors 0, Temps (années) and back-end fuel cycle 5 PAGE

14 WHAT IS ASTRID? (ADVANCED SODIUM TECHNOLOGICAL REACTOR FOR INDUSTRIAL DEMONSTRATION) ASTRID is a technological reactor (pre FOAK of commercial reactor) for Gen IV demonstration at an industrial scale (~600 MWe) of the relevancy and performances of innovations in the fields of safety and operability. The technology of ASTRID allows to have a very resilient design to external events (earthquake, flooding, loss of power, airplane crash ) Industrial partners Leaders in nuclear and high-tech PAGE 14

15 ASTRID MAIN INNOVATIVE CONCEPTS Improved safety core («CFV»), patented by CEA-AREVA-EDF Nitrogen tertiary loop to eliminate sodium/water interaction In Service Inspection and Repair (ISIR) designed by conception No early or major releases in case of severe accidents Reinforce the containment PAGE 15

16 Once-through cycle The rationale of future nuclear fuel cycles in view of sustainability Pu-mono-recycling - Twice-Through Cycle - LWR reactors - Pu-recycling in MOX fuel Main incentives - 1 st step towards U resource saving - Efficient waste conditioning Dates are purely indicative TOWARDS INCREASING SUSTAINABILITY Gen. II & III Breakthrough=reactors Pu-monorecycling Gen. IV Pu multi-recycling - Multi-Through Cycle - Fast-Reactors (FR) - Pu multi-recycling Breakthrough=cycle Main incentives - Major resource saving - Energetic independence - Economic stability Pu-multi-recycling Gen. IV + MA recycling Pu+MA multi-recycling - Fast Reactors (FR) - Pu multi-recycling - MA burning Main incentives - Decrease of waste burden, - Optimisation of the disposal - Public acceptance PAGE 16

17 «en résumé» AT THE MOMENT Nuclear energy is in 2016 a well proven source of large baseload electricity, with no GHG emissions. It will remain one of the pillars of the future French low carbon energy mix. An associated closed fuel cycle allows an optimization of the final wastes volume and radiotoxicity, while reusing valuable material (U and Pu). IN THE FUTURE Both LWR and FNR for the French fleet. The closed fuel cycle associated with FNR will lead to drastic improvement in U resources management, and important reduction in footprint and radiotoxicity of final wastes. FNR is also developed in other countries, following the same strategy than France. PAGE 17

18 Thanks for your attention. PAGE 18 Sino-French Seminar on nuclear R&D Strategy Chengdu 18 October 2016 Nuclear Energy Division