French Strategy For GENIV reactors

Transcription

1 French Strategy For GENIV reactors D. Verwaerde EDF/R&D with support of F. Gauché CEA-Nuclear Enery Division And J.F. Sauvage EDF/SEPTEN IAEA Technical Meeting - Vienne March 1st, 2012

2 Summary What needs for a new reactor generation? Feedback and lessons of the past Main lines of the R&D SFR in France Associated organization and budget 2

3 French Fast Reactor R&D strategy Bill of June 28, 2006 on a long-lasting sustainable management of radioactive materials and waste : 2012 : evaluation of the industrial perspectives of new generations nuclear systems for the separation and transmutation of long term radionucleides followed by the construction of a prototype in 2020 A Gen IV prototype to be operational in 2020 Two fast neutron systems are studied in parallel. 1 As a reference, the Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor: - The most mature option: Safety file is not done from scratch Industrial feasibility is already proven For a commercial reactor around 2040/ R&D program since 2007 between CEA, AREVA and EDF - Most promising potential to reach GENIV criteria - ASTRID prototype (600 Mwe) 3

4 French Fast Reactor R&D strategy As a longer term option, the Gas-cooled Fast Reactor: 2 - The only system selected by GenIV International Forum that combines advantages of fast neutrons and of high temperatures (cogeneration applications) - Difficult technological challenges: e.g. materials needed for cladding resisting to very high temperatures, safety demonstration (poor thermal inertia) - Support to ALLEGRO experimental reactor (80 MWth) to be developed in Eastern Europe. 4

5 A new generation for What? A utility s point of view Reniewing of MWe during ~ 20 years 3000 MWe/year ; GEN III puis GEN IV Prolongation over 40years Génération actual flat 40 years Génération ED R&D 6 mars 2012

6 A prototype for what? a Utility s point of view To have an option of breeder Gen 4 system industrially deployable around 2040 (insurance) At this horizon, uranium resources are abundant and it s not the main reason to deploy Gen IV systems At this horizon, Gen IV to manage in the long term Pu, Udep and URT (from spent fuel) To be deployed at this horizon, Gen IV systems have to be safe, performant in operations (reactor and fuel cycle) and competitive Gen 3 reactors will remain in the fleet during the 21st century (with a potential introduction of high conversion factor LWR, if they are feasible and of interest) Based on the Feed Back, SFR is a good candidate 6

7 What about the Feed Back : 3 examples Cracks on the external storage drum : 10 month unavailability in march The sodium entered in the safety vessel - Dismantling and replacement of the sodium vessel by a gas containment : less immediate availability of the plant, no sodium leak risk, but future fuel refueling outages will be longer Lessons: - Hydrogen fragilization of 15 MO3 steel - No re-use of this steel - Importance of the materials qualifications 7

8 What about the Feed Back : 3 examples from SPX Primary sodium pollution in June 1990: 8 month unavailability - Air was entering in the argon circuit above the primary sodium after the failure of the membranes of a small compressor on an activity measurement line - Sodium oxidation (15 ppm) above operating criteria (< 3 ppm), - then reactor shutdown and sodium purification (down to 1 ppm) Lessons: - Installation of a chromatograph on the argon circuit - Expertise is necessary close to the operators - Disproportion between unavailability and cause 8

9 What about the Feed Back : 3 examples Argon leak from an intermediate exchanger in December 1994: 7 month unavailability - Crack on a small argon line for feeding the bell shaped belt of one of the intermediate heat exchangers, under the primary sodium level,detected by the inflated abnormal frequency - Fabrication defect (does not exist on the other intermediate heat exchangers) In situ repair by expanding a sleeve at the level of the leak (½ day, after 7 months of preparation) Lessons: - Replacement of an intermediate exchanger too long - Risks due to gas volumes in the primary circuit - Fabrication quality, including subsidiary equipment - Repairs are possible in sodium environment but are easilier and less time consuming if thought in conception phase 9

10 What about the Feed Back? Extremely valuable knowledge (Phénix and less from Creys-Malville): - fuel and core : good and satisfactory behaviour - sodium technology and steel which can contain it : attention has to be paid to the materials in an Na environment and all the pieces have to be treated with the same care - components and operation of a SFR : thinck before to be faced to the problem Progress can still be made: - to raise safety level (= 3rd generation) - performances (fuel, reactor, energy conversion) - Challenge : design futures SFR / requirements ~ PWR (availability,safety, cost, financial risk) + sustainability Operating feedback experience : - improvements / (Phénix, Creys-Malville, EFR) and - innovations (R&D CEA, AREVA and EDF) 10

11 The recommandations/specifications issued from the analysis (1/2) : SFR Safety Level = contemporary 3rd generation reactors - Better use of favourable core characteristics - Reduced failure probability for decay heat removal - Large sodium fires and violent Na-H2O reactions - Carryover of gas in the primary circuit - Production of H2 during sodium residues processing - Core melting accidents (prevention and mitigation) - Jamming / inadvertent withdrawal of a control rod - Prevention and detection of a fuel handling mistake - Taking into account Fukushima lessons 11

12 The recommandations/specifications issued from the analysis(2/2) Operation and Operability : fuel handling, ECS design, detection system and reparability 12 - Frequency (Phénix) and duration (Creys-Malville with PTC) of outages for refuelling - R&D on fuels: longer irradiation cycles, higher burn-up, more robust safety demonstration - Design of the energy conversion system (intermediate exchangers and circuits, steam generators, electricity generating facility) - Sodium leak frequency and duration of the repair Costs and investments Protection : - Inspection and repair or replacement of reactor structures & components (performance, delays, costs, quality) : To thinck at the first stages of the design short and reversible - Space around the components (but reduction of unnecessary volumes) - Lifetime more than 60 years (= EPR) : choice of materials, optimisation of characteristics, maintenance,

13 A common CEA-EDF-AREVA R&D program since 2007 Based on the REX of PHENIX and SUPERPHENIX : Four directions for innovation: An attractive core with enhanced safety Improved resistance to severe accidents associated with a robust safety demonstration Energy conversion systems to minimize sodium risk Simplified and optimized plant and system design with a strong R&D devoted to ISIR and core surveillance instrumentation Ten synthesis reports were finalized October 2009: Fertile material to build upon and to materialize innovations in a prototype, that will now drive the R&D. 13

14 The French SFR prototype ASTRID : a new step in 2010 An ASTRID agreement between Government and CEA in the frame of «Investments for the future» signed on september 9, Millions euros on the period : reactor design (conceptual and basic design; ASTRID fuel fabrication facility (conceptual and basic design); technological experimental facilities renovation or building; MASURCA renovation (critical mock-up); severe accident specific R&D program This agreement stipulates that CEA will associate industrials to the ASTRID program Areva is already formally associated for the NSSS design studies Other industrials are contacted by CEA EDF participation is OK ASTRID is also part of the ESNII (European Sustainable Nucear Industrial Initiative) launched on november 15, 2010 and chaired by Noël Camarcat 14

15 Current organization of the ASTRID project CEA/Nuclear Energy Division is the leader of the ASTRID project CEA is willing to develop international partnerships for R&D and experimental facilities in support to design and assessment of longer term innovative options. CEA is organizing a Design Core Team through a set of bilateral collaboration agreements. - CEA: Overall conception, core, fuel - AREVA-NP: nuclear island - EDF: support to the owner - ALSTOM for turbine island - COMEX Nucléaire for specific studies - On going discussions with other partners Governmental funding granted until 2017 (625 M ) 15 IAEA ED Technical R&D 6 Meeting- mars 2012 Vienne D. Verwaerde- March 1 st, 2012

16 The French SFR prototype ASTRID Until 2012 A «conceptual design phase 1» : it s a pre-conceptual design with open options (R&D on innovations to be included as much as possible in the prototype design). During this phase, safety orientations are defined to engage preliminary discussions with ASN Reactor and prototype costs are evaluated in 2012 : an order of magnitude is searched Decisions to be taken after 2012 (Government) Decision on the opportunity to pursue R&D on SFR and the design of ASTRID Decision on MA transmutation Then, depending on the decisions taken ASTRID «Conceptual design phase 2» with safety options (DOS) submitted to ASN in 2014 Then a detailed design and then till ASTRID commissioning around ED R&D IAEA Technical 6 mars Meeting Vienne D. Verwaerde- March 1 st, 2012

17 The ASTRID program ASTRID design studies SFR industrial prototype 600 MWe Irradiation tool Core fabrication workshop MOX fuel Full scale component testing Refurbishment/Realization of large test sodium loops Refurbishment of zero power reactor MASURCA Severe accidents experimental program A few tons per year + R&D (including fuel cycle) Feasibility study for minor actinides bearing experimental fuel fabrication 17 IAEA ED Technical R&D 6 mars Meeting Vienne D. Verwaerde- March 1 st, 2012

18 Schedule for ASTRID and associated facilities Preliminary choice of options Decision to continue Orientations for safety Decision to build Fuel loading Pre-conceptual design Conceptual design Basic design Detailed design & Constructi on ASTRID Facilities Feasibility report on minor actinides partitioning Position report on minor actinides partitioning and transmutation Core manufacturing workshop MA bearing fuels fabrication facility Commercial deployment : from ED IAEA R&D Technical 6 mars Meeting Vienne D Verwaerde- March 1 st, 2012

19 ASTRID project and the Europe CP-ESFR ( ): 11.5M, 25 participants : - Optimized core designs, advanced fuel options, minor actinide, transmutation - Innovative reactor architectures and components, codes and standards. - Safety options, transient and accident scenario studies, containment and core catcher studies ADRIANA: - Roadmap for the major Experimental Facilities of the ERA in the field of SFR, - Emergence of Network of SFR technology laboratories, in close coordination of the R&D for ASTRID: CEA, UJV-Rez, FZK, ENEA Many other European Projects: SARGENIV, PELGRIMM, SILER, FREYA, HELIMNET A New European Project dedicated to ASTRID : SOFIA : International cooperation: GIF, US, Japan, Russia, China, India 19 ED R&D 6 mars 2012 IAEA Technical Meeting - Vienne D Verwaerde- March