Small Modular Reactors (SMRs): Are they the wave of the future?

Transcription

1 Small Modular Reactors (SMRs): Are they the wave of the future? Alan E. Waltar* and William Stokes** * Senior Advisor, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (Retired) Professor and Head, Department of Nuclear Engineering, Texas A&M University (Retired) Past President and Fellow, American Nuclear Society ** President, Columbia Basin Consulting Group Canadian Radiation Protection Association Annual Conference Saskatoon, Saskatchewan June 6, 2017

2 Outline I. Why SMRs? II. The Challenges III.The Candidates IV. Conclusion

3 I) Why SMRs? 1. Why Electricity? 2. Brief history of commercial reactors 3. Long dry spell within the industry 4. Current status 5. Utility perspectives

4

5 Electricity and human development

6

7

8 Main Global Drivers for Nuclear Expansion Need for Stable, Long-Term Supplies of Electricity Energy security geopolitical Carbon Emission Concerns However Market Share Has Declined Over Last Decade Due to Inexpensive Fossil (Gas & Coal)

9 Additional Roles for Nuclear Can Nuclear Energy Become the Power Source of Choice? - Economics Reduce Front-End & Operational Costs & Take Advantage of Versatility Supplemental Uses Desalination Process Heat Hydrogen Production

10 Nuclear Nuclear Power: Power: Current Status (as status of January (as of July 2014) 2010) 437 nuclear 435 nuclear power power plants plants in in States Countries 55 under 72 under construction construction expansion expansion centered centered in in Far Far East East and and South South Asia Asia

11 Implications of the Near Halt in Construction of New Nuclear Power Plants in Last Couple Decades Key Professionals Retired or Lost to Industry Few Professionals Coming into the Industry Manufacturing Plants Shut Down Hence, New Construction Cost Much Higher in the Renaissance that began about 5 years ago Utilities now strapped to spend >$5B on new, large plants

12 Hence, the Principal Drivers for Small Modular Reactors Reduced capital costs per plant Meet electrical growth incrementally Diversity in Power Supply Not Dependent on Single-Shaft Shorter construction schedules (modular construction)- Quicker Return Enhanced safety and security (some Fukushima influence & Gen IV SMRs) Improved quality (in-factory nuclear-module fabrication) Replace aging coal plants using in-place infrastructure Create good domestic jobs Markets w/limited Power Infrastructure Distributed Generation

13 II) The Challenges 1.Enterprise Startup Costs 2.Governmental Incentives

14 Economic Challenges Facing SMRs Significant investment needed to reach commercialization On the order of $500 - $1,000 M + per design Can the plants be built cheaply enough? Economies of replication > economies of scale? Need a factory (production pipe-line) to make the price attractive Need an attractive price to produce the orders to warrant building the factory Nuclear energy cost & schedule track record high risk No demonstrated history to offset nuclear energy cost record Can the operations and maintenance costs be kept down? Will simplified inherently safe designs translate into smaller workforce & operation cost & comply with regulatory requirements?

15 Licensing Challenges Facing SMRs The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) not currently staffed with the required technical expertise Time and money required to develop staff Potentially very long licensing time NRC revising regulatory infrastructure for Gen III & Gen IV SMRs NRC can license by exemption but cumbersome & uncertain Difficult for the NRC to allocate the resources if there is no serious utility buyer Chicken and the egg syndrome May need Congressional direction and funding Is the Regulatory Environment On a Faster Track in Canada? Regulatory process better suited for innovation Is there a market for SMR vendors who move the Enterprise to Canada? How does a Canadian license translate elsewhere?

16 New U.S. Politics Trump Team actively looking to maintain nuclear energy in U.S. Climate change not receptive argument Trump budget eliminated programs (LGP) and other support for renewables but also assisted nuclear Not likely to be supported by Congress Must make competitive economic sense Inexpensive gas and coal most likely competitors

17 DOE Managed Nuclear Energy Support Programs available to SMR Developers DOE Funding (Matching) Opportunity Announcements made awards to mpower (subsequently dissolved) and NuScale Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) provides private companies access to federal resources on a co-funded cost basis Currently in Round 2 Evaluations DOE Grants, the DOE is developing several co-funded grant programs, to support early NRC licensing costs and pre-application interactions and licensing subject-matter white-paper preparation. Loan Guarantee Program has issued a 2017 applications schedule with an available authorization of $12.6 Billion for nuclear energy, including SMRs and includes front-end engineering and licensing

18 Private Sector Nuclear Energy Support Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV) is coalition of international investors (Breakthrough Energy Coalition), chaired by Bill Gates Formed in expectation that private funds would be needed for climate responsive technology development Early stage Investment Partners long term view for climate responsible technology development w/a return on the investment Target an investment pool of $1 Billion dollars Organized into five Grand Challenges with fifty-five Technical Quests The first Grand Challenge is electricity production, and The first Technical Quest is Gen IV Nuclear Fission BEV is still organizing and not ready to accept proposals

19 III. The Candidates 1. Water cooled 2. Molten salt 3. Gas 4. Liquid metals

20 INTEGRAL PRIMARY SYSTEM CONFIGURATION X X X 600 MWe Loop-Type PWR X XX 58m 40m X X IRIS 335 MWe X 25m Integral vessel configuration eliminates loop piping and external components, thus enabling compact containment and plant size Improves safety, reduces cost Compliments: Dan Ingersoll

21 Passive removal of decay heat is enhanced by using smaller vessels Heat Transfer Area per Volume (1/m) Internal Pressure (bars) Decay Heat Volume r 3 Heat Removal Surface Area r 2 } Heat Removal Decay Heat 1/r Total A/V Pressure (bar) Inside Diameter (m) Ref: P. Lorenzini, NuScale Power: Capturing the economy of small, presentation at ICAPP-2010, San Diego, CA (June 2010).

22 Light Water Cooled SMR (Westinghouse) 225 MWe mpower (B&W) 180 MWe HI-SMUR (Holtec) 160 MWe NuScale (NuScale) 45 MWe Compliments of Dan Ingersoll

23 NuScale Invented and Developed at Oregon State University Several years of development effort Some $500 million invested to date Now under the ownership of Fluor Several sites under consideration for construction First SMR to get licensing docketed by the NRC

24 NuScale Thermal Power = 160 MWth Electrical Power = 50 Mwe Capacity Factor >95% Reactor Dimensions: Height = 65 feet Diameter = 9 feet Containment Dimensions: Height = 76 feet Diameter = 15 feet Weight = 700 Tons Transport: Barge, Truck, Rail Cost: < $5100/KW Fuel: Standard LWR fuel 17x17 array No Pumps (convection only) Single Control Room for up to 12 modules

25 NuScale

26 NuScale

27

28 NuScale Power Plant Multi-Module Design Scalable through Module Addition Targeted to Coal Plant Replacement Projects

29 NuScale in Transport

30 Safety Estimates for SMR (Post Fukushima) Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) of Core Damage Frequency (CDF) Source: US Department of Energy Design

31 Molten Salt Concepts Three Basic Configurations or Designs 1. Hybrid Standard Fuel & Molten Salts as Primary Coolant USDOE Promotion 2. Thermal Spectrum Liquid Molten Salt Fuel - Moderated for Thermal Spectrum ORNL MRE Project 3. Fast Spectrum - Liquid Fuel in a Molten Salt solution operating in the Fast Spectrum

32 Terrestrial Energy (Canada) Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR) Terrestrial Energy utilizes a true Molten Salt concept w/ Graphite Moderator Closely based on experience of ORNL MRE project w/ enhanced design features Robust and scalable design both through module addition or module power increase Most advanced concept of the several competitive vendors

33 Integral Molten Salt Reactor Concept Pump Motors & Containment Structure Integral Heat Exchanger & Primary Pump Moderator & Primary Fission Region

34 Terrestrial Energy (Canada) Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR) Aggressive Development Schedule On Track

35 Gas-Cooled American Design French Design MHR (General Atomics) 280 MWe ANTARES (Areva) 275 MWe

36 Features of advanced SMRs may further enhance safety Advanced designs such as gas, metal and molten salt-cooled technologies may offer features that provide additional safety margin, including: Low pressure coolants to reduce steam energetics during loss of forced circulation accidents More robust fuel forms that survive extreme temperatures Higher burnup fuels that reduce the volume of discharged fuel stored on-site Advanced cladding and structural materials that survive extreme temperature conditions Strong negative reactivity coefficients to assure safe shutdown TRISO fuel particle

37 Core geometry also can provide passive safety Annular core design of modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactor improves conduction of decay heat to the vessel for passive heat removal

38 Liquid Metal Cooled.Sodium-Cooled Lead-Bismuth Cooled PRISM (General Electric) 300 MWe 4S (Toshiba, Japan) 10 MWe SVBR-100 (AKME Engineering, Russian Federation) 100 MWe

39 NonProliferation PRO CON Fast Reactors Long Life Cores Higher Pu Content Refrain from pure Pu stream during reprocessing NOTE: Those Opposed to Fast Reactors Usually Cite the Plutonium Problem --- Neglecting the Inherent Advantages of Long-Life Cores 39

40 Transmutation Huge Public Concerns Over Long-Term Nuclear Waste Higher Actinides Produce Major Long-Term Heat Load and Radiotoxicity in a Geologic Repository Hence, Considerable Incentive to Simplify Long-Term Storage by Eliminating Higher Actinides 40

41 Higher Actinides: Fast Spectrum Eliminates Thermal Spectrum Produces Source: FAST SPECTRUM REACTORS 41

42 Current Global Fast Reactor SMR Interests Country Reactor MWth Coolant Russia MBIR 150 Sodium SVBR 280 Lead- Bismuth BREST Lead France ASTRID 600 Sodium Belgium MYRRHA Lead-Bismuth E.U. ALFRED 300 Lead U.S. PRISM (GE) 840 Sodium DLFR (W) 500 Lead

43 Russian SVBR-100 (lead-bismuth cooled)

44 Overall Artist s View of SVBK-100 Being Designed for Dimitrovgrad SOURCE:

45 IAEA Report Status of Small and Medium Sized Reactor Designs September 2012 Light Water Cooled 18 Heavy Water Cooled 3 Gas Cooled 4 Liquid Metal Cooled 7 TOTAL = 32

46 Two SMRs On Track to be Deployed SMART Korea Integral PWR 100 MWe ACP-100 China Integral PWR MWe Status: Approved by the Korean Licensing Authorities Status: Detailed design; construction starting in 2015 The World is Moving Ahead

47

48

49 Advanced Nuclear Energy Development In 2016 Third Way reports 48 companies working advanced nuclear energy development mostly private funds, many in SMR definition

50 Small Modular Reactor Environmental Footprint (Courtesy of Westinghouse 225 MWe SMR)

51 Molten Salt Reactors Liquid Metal Fast Reactors High Temperature Gas Reactors Water Cooled Reactors

52 Conclusions Interest in SMRs growing rapidly throughout world Climate Concerned Governments Climate Responsible Industry Power Generators for cost control Regional Regulators for coal plant replacement Interest from Global Governments seeking small scale, safe, affordable, & reliable power

53 Thank You!!!

54 Backup

55 Construction Cost (Cost/kW) Nuclear Power Plant Construction Costs in Korea 100 % st OPR1000 (YG 3&4) NthOPR1000 (UC 5&6) Improved OPR1000 (SK 1&2 1stAPR1400 (SK 3&4) Nth APR1400

56 Why? How is Korea Different? Two Main Reasons: Top Federal Support for past halfcentury Stayed the Course after Chernobyl

57 UAE Nuclear Power contract NPP turnkey package contract Contract worth $ 20 billion + Completion schedule

58 Obama administration continued to publicly support nuclear power President Obama at Town Hall Discussion on Energy in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania (April 6, 2011) I want us to double the amount of electricity that we draw from clean sources. I want us to double it. And that means by 2035, 80 percent of our electricity will come from renewables like wind and solar, as well as efficient natural gas, clean coal, nuclear power. We can do that.

59 Contemporary SMR designs also provide enhanced plant safety and robustness Elimination of ex-vessel primary piping Smaller decay heat per unit More effective decay heat removal Increased water inventory ratio in the primary reactor vessel Increased pressurizer volume ratio Vessel and component layouts that facilitate natural convection cooling of the core and vessel Below-grade construction of the reactor vessel and spent fuel storage pool Enhanced resistance to seismic events Integral PWR Compliments: Dan Ingersoll

60 U.S. LWR-based SMR designs for electricity generation Gen II PWR W-SMR HI-SMUR mpower NuScale Electrical Output (MW) Vessel Diameter (m) Vessel Height (m) Surface Area/Volume (1/m) Surface Area/Power (relative to PWR) MWe PWR 225 MWe W-SMR 140 MWe HI-SMUR 125 MWe mpower 45 MWe NuScale Compliments: Dan Ingersoll

61

62 The American Scene History of U.S. operating plants prior to Fukushima

63 Current Global Nuclear Power Scene EUROPE Finland: Building a new plant Russia: Doubling planned by 2020 France: New building plans announced UK: Going back to nuclear Sweden: Going back to nuclear Italy: Going back to nuclear(?) ASIA China: 5-fold growth planned by 2020 India: 100-fold growth planned by mid-century USA Early Shutdown Cheap Gas w/increase in Carbon Emissions Exemplary Record in Severe Weather Polar Vortex Federal Programs for Improved Safety & Small Reactor Support Private Sector Very Active on Advanced Technology Development Many Developing Countries Pushing for Nuclear Energy Technology

64 New Trump Administration Energy Secretary Rick Perry advocates for nuclear power LOS ALAMOS, N.M. (AP) U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry on Wednesday vowed to advocate for nuclear power as the nation looks for ways to fuel its economy and limit the effects of electricity generation on the environment. Perry made the comments during a visit to Los Alamos National Laboratory in northern New Mexico, where nuclear research has been among the main focuses since the lab's founding years during World War II. Los Alamos played a key role in the top-secret Manhattan Project to develop the first atomic bomb.

65 Office of Advanced Reactor Concepts Small Modular Reactor Program DOE Small Modular Reactor Program --Enable the deployment of a fleet of SMRs in the United States SMR Program is a new start program for FY 2011 Structured to accelerate the deployment of mature SMR designs based on known LWR technology Conduct needed R&D activities to advance the understanding and demonstration of innovative reactor technologies and concepts SMR Program Elements: LWR SMR Licensing Technical Support ($452M/5-year program) Public-Private Partnerships for design certification & licensing activities SMR Advanced Concepts R&D Conduct R&D on innovative technologies/systems/components and support Generic licensing work Collaborate with NRC on SMR licensing framework to support SMR commercialization

66 Office of Advanced Reactor Concepts Small Modular Reactor Program DOE Actions to date in funding SMRs mpower Reactor (Babcock and Wilcox design) to be sited at Clinch River); funded for up to $500K over 5 years But.mPower announced the termination of its project! A second RFP is has been announced

67 China s First Fast Reactor CEFR, Near Beijing, China Achieved Criticality About Two Years Ago Very Large Building -- sized for significant future efforts Next Steps: 1) Start Construction of Two BN- 800 Reactors 2) Design and Build CDFR (2500 MWe) Criticality 2010 Full Power 2011 MWth 65 MWe 23.4 Coolant Na Configuration Pool Coolant Velocity (m/s) 4.7 Inlet Core Temp.(C) 360 Outlet Core Temp. (C) 516 Fuel UO2 Enrichment 64.4 Fuel Form Smear Density (%) 77.6 Core Diameter (m) Active Fuel Height (m) # Core Assemblies 81 # Total Assemblies 703 Pins/Assembly 61 Plenum Location Peak Flux (n/cm2 sec) 3.1 Peak. Flux (n/cm2 sec) 2.1 Peak Lin. Power (KW/m) 40 Ave. Lin. Power (KW/m) 26.1 Clad Material 06Cr16Ni15Mo2Mn2TiVB Duct Material 08Cr16Ni11Mo3Ti1 Fuel Cycle (days) 73

68 SVBR-100 Technical Overview Russian Lead-Bismuth Cooled Reactor Reactor / Plant 280 MWt SMR using UO 2 [16.1% U 235 ] Fuel, with a nitride fuel option Pool Reactor design - based on Russian Submarine power plant with more than 80 reactor years of service Water shield jacket outside the primary reactor vessel that also serves as a post accident heat sink Primary coolant is lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) Eutectic alloy is about 45% Pb, 55% Bi Melting Point = 123.5, Boiling Point = 1670 Coolant Volume in Primary Circuit = 18 m 3 Core Inlet temperature at Power = 320, Core T = 162 Coolant velocity through the core = 2 m/sec Reactor Core Core Volume = 1.91 m 3, Active Fuel Height = 0.9 m Fission Gas Plenum below the Fuel Column Core Volume Fractions: Fuel = 0.61 Steel = 0.11 LBE = 0.28 Avg total neutron flux at power = 9 x n/cm 2 -sec Oxide Smear Density = 88.3% TD

69 Safety and Licensing Considerations Inherent Safety Characteristics Operates at atmospheric pressure: No Pressure Vessel to Fail Leak before break: No massive loss of coolant event Negative Coolant density coefficient: Negative coolant void defect Very high coolant boiling point: Large margins to boiling in BDBAs Modest Doppler Defect - 43 : Small added reactivity in cool-down events For a ULOF, we estimate core outlet temperatures may reach 704 resulting in the possibility of some cladding failures but no fuel melting. Passive Safety Features Natural Circulation Cooling when pumping power is lost Decay Removal Systems: Water Shield will act as emergency heat sink Fusible locks [melt at higher coolant pool temperatures] releasing 6 control rod bundles that fall into the core.

70 Drivers for utility interest in SMRs Affordability Smaller up-front cost Better financing options Load demand Better match to power needs Incremental capacity for regions with low growth rate Allows shorter range planning Site selection Lower land and water usage Replacement of older coal plants Potentially reduced emergency planning Grid stability Closer match to traditional power generators Smaller fraction of total grid capacity Potential to offset non-dispatchable renewables U.S. Coal Plants Plants >50 yr old have capacities Less than 300 MWe