TECHNOLOGICAL BREAKTHROUGHS AND ELECTRICITY OF TOMORROW

Transcription

1 TECHNOLOGICAL BREAKTHROUGHS AND ELECTRICITY OF TOMORROW Atoms for the future 2013 Christophe Béhar OCTOBER 21 st, 2013 Christophe Béhar October 21st, 2013 PAGE 1

2 THE ENERGY ISSUES Christophe Béhar October 21st, 2013 PAGE 2

3 MTep ep par per year an A VERY SIGNIFICANT INCREASE OF THE WORLD ENERGY NEEDS IN THE NEAR-FUTURE * Projection Forecast : bouquet : world énergétique Energy mondial mix up to jusqu'en 2050 * Source AIE (2006) Charbon Pétrole Gaz Autres énergies renouvelables Nucléaire Hydraulique Coal Oil Gaz Other renewable energy Nuclear Hydraulic Whatever the scenario, the world energy needs is set to increase significantly, mostly driven by non OECD countries development * References : WORLD ENERGY OUTLOOK 2012 Christophe Béhar October 21st, 2013 PAGE 3

4 THE SITUATION OF EUROPE EUROPA ENERGY POLICY CRITERIA Energy Policy Criteria Lowering CO2 emission Lowering Cost Decreasing Energy Dependance Rate Christophe Béhar October 21st, 2013 PAGE 4

5 LOWERING CO2 EMISSIONS Nuclear and Hydraulic Energy are the most efficient as regards to CO2 Emissions They will keep the bigger share of low carbon energy in 2035, whatever the scenario (world energy outlook 2012) Christophe Béhar October 21st, 2013 PAGE 5

6 LOWERING COST Rapport Energies 2050 Nuclear Energy is set to remain competitive in the long term Christophe Béhar October 21st, 2013 PAGE 6

7 DECREASING ENERGY DEPENDANCE RATE by 2035 over 80% of our energy will be imported Herman Van Rompuy European business Summit/May 2013 The awareness of the Europe Energy Dependency on Europe competitivity is rising among European leaders TRADE BALANCE FOR FRANCE millions of euros Fossil fuel imports represents over 95% of France s trade deficit in (69 billions ) Christophe Béhar October 21st, 2013 PAGE 7

8 TWO PILLARS OF THE ENERGY MIX IN FRANCE IN 2020 RENEWABLE AND NUCLEAR ENERGY France keeps heading fixed by the European Climate-Energy Package in 2020 Reduction by 20% of the overall consumption of primary energy Reduction by 20% of emissions of greenhouse gases (compared to 1990) With a 20% share of renewable energy in the energy mix Nuclear and Renewable : Two pillars of the 2020 French energy mix: Renewable: intermittent supply Nuclear energy: base-load supply preserve the use of fossil energies for necessary needs Christophe Béhar October 21st,

9 GEN IV SFR : A MAJOR TECHNOLOGICAL BREAKTHROUGH Christophe Béhar October 21st,

10 NUCLEAR SYSTEMS Generation I Generation II UNGG CHOOZ LWR 900 LWR 1300 N Generation III EPR Flamanville LWR ( ) ASTRID DESIGN OPERATION OF ASTRID EXPERIENCE FEEDBACK Generation IV ASTRID Construction & Operation of Fast Reactors Christophe Béhar October 21st,

11 FAST REACTOR AND ASSOCIATED FUEL CYCLE ARE A KEYSTONE OF SUSTAINABLE NUCLEAR ENERGY FAST REACTOR INDISPENSABLE FOR MASTERING PLUTONIUM STOCKPILE IN SPENT FUELS USING THE TOTAL POTENTIAL ENERGETIC OF NATUREL URANIUM MINIMISING VOLUME AND RADIOTOXICITY OF NUCLEAR WASTE Christophe Béhar October 21st, 2013 PAGE 11

12 TWO TYPES OF FNR UNDER STUDIES 1 - Sodium Fast Reactor, the reference option : [ASTRID, the integrated technology demonstrator] - maturity, possible further improvments (safety, operability, economics) - developped with industrial and international partners 2 - Gas-cooled Fast Reactor, a long-term option: the Allegro project - Contribution of CEA to the V4G4 consortium (Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia) - attractive potentialities but heavy challenges Christophe Béhar October 21st, 2013

13 DERIVING THE R&D FROM THE FEEDBACK OF EXPERIENCE 1/2 Feedback of previous SFRs R&D directions ASTRID Orientations Core Sodium voiding reactivity Safety Sodium-Water interaction Safety - Availability Optimization of core design to improve natural behavior during abnormal transients. Exploration of heterogeneous cores Modular Steam Generators CFV core (Patented in 2010): innovative approach, very low or negative overall sodium voiding reactivity Better natural behavior of the core, for instance in case of loss of flow (e.g. due to loss of supply power) Limitation of total released energy in case of sodium-water interaction Inverted Steam Generators (sodium in tubes) Gas Power Conversion System (nitrogen in place of steam/water) Limitation of wastage propagation Design studies conducted by ALSTOM. No show stopper. Christophe Béhar October 21st, 2013 PAGE 13

14 DERIVING THE R&D FROM THE FEEDBACK OF EXPERIENCE 2/2 Feedback of previous SFRs R&D directions ASTRID Orientations Sodium fire Safety Severe accidents Safety Decay heat removal Safety In-Service Inspection and Repair Safety Availability Innovative Sodium leak detection systems R&D on Sodium aerosols Core catcher Research on corium and sodium-corium interaction Reactor vessel auxiliary cooling system (scaling rules) Improving detection (Patent of detection system integrated in the heat insulator) Close containment (inert gas + restriction of available oxygen) Core catcher. Several possible locations (in vessel, ex-vessel or between the two vessels). Combination of proved Decay Heat Removal systems and Vessel Natural Air draft cooling Simplification of primary system design ISI&R taken into account from the design stage New techniques : Acoustic Detection, Laser, CRDS Signal processing Ultrasound at high temperature, High temperature fission chambers, Optical Fibers, Flow meters for subassembly Remote handling for inspection or repair Under-sodium viewing Christophe Béhar October 21st, 2013 PAGE 14

15 ASTRID ORIENTATIONS TO REDUCE THE SODIUM WATER RISK Recall : the first measure of prevention is the presence of the intermediate and no radioactive sodium circuit to separate chemical risk and radiological risk. 2 ways to reduce the SWR risk: To review the SG design of the steam PCS (Rankine cycle) in order to : - reduce the risk of SWR occurrence - limit the consequences of an hypothetical violent reaction To move to a gas PCS (Brayton cycle with pure nitrogen at 180 bar) in place of steam cycle to eliminate de facto the SWR risk Feasibility to be demonstrated. Christophe Béhar October 21st, 2013 PAGE 15

16 DECAY HEAT REMOVAL 2 direct reactor cooling systems: Na/Na in the main vessel air as cold source, Redondancy : 2 ou 3 trains per system (2*100% ou 3*50%) System n 1 : natural convection System n 2 : forced convection 1 complémentary system (mitigation) : Through the Primary Vessel Reactor Cold source to be confirmed (water / air)

17 FROM LWRs RECYCLING TO FRs RECYCLING Pu stored in MOX Spent Fuel recycled in MOX SFR to start the SFRs deployement Scenario can be flexible Both systems can coexist during a transition phase RNR merits as regards to fuel cycle No front end steps and no enrichment technology Use depleted U; Use Pu included in MOX Spent Fuel Multi-recycling of Pu Possible recycling of Minor Actinides Christophe Béhar October 21st, 2013 PAGE 17

18 FUEL CYCLE FACILITIES FOR ASTRID ASTRID Fuel Fabrication Facilities AFC Project (# 10 t/y), several scenarios under assessment SFR closed cycle demonstration (U and Pu multi-recycling): ATC, a Specific Engineering Scale Facility, or adaptation of the La Hague Head End (shearing and dissolution) M.A. transmutation demonstration: Extension of the AFC RECYCLING Waste Assemblies The ASTRID Fuel Cycle Christophe Béhar October 21st, 2013 PAGE 18

19 SEPARATION PROCESSES STUDIED BY THE CEA 3 separation processes are studied for the different transmutation options under consideration: SANEX (Selective minor ActiNide EXtraction) : the aim is to recover americium and curium after the conventional reprocessing step EXAm (Extraction of Americium) : the aim is to recover americium alone after conventional reprocessing GANEX (Group ActiNide Extraction) : the aim is to recover plutonium together with all minor actinides The EXam separation is retained Christophe Béhar October 21st,

20 DIFFERENT TRANSMUTATION ROUTES FOR THE MINOR ACTINIDES Several approaches can be considered: Homogeneous transmutation : recycling of minor actinides by «dilution» in the fuel of neutron power reactors Heterogeneous transmutation : recycling of minor Actinides in power reactors at higher concentrations in a limited number of dedicated elements Transmutation by dedicated systems The heterogeneous transmutation is now retained Christophe Béhar October 21st, 2013 PAGE 20

21 CONCLUSION The challenge is : to produce a free carbon electricity at reasonable coasts, while ensuring energy independence and security of supplies In this context, nuclear energy is indispensable: it is the only energy able to produce baseload electricity massively and competitively without greenhous gas emissions To preserve these assets, it is essential to keep on innovating Christophe Béhar October 21st, 2013 PAGE 21

22 THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION Christophe Béhar October 21st,