NuScale: Expanding the Possibilities for Nuclear Energy

Transcription

1 NuScale: Expanding the Possibilities for Nuclear Energy D. T. Ingersoll Director, Research Collaborations Georgia Tech NE 50 th Anniversary Celebration November 1, 2012 NuScale Power, LLC 2012

2 Allowing Nuclear Power to Reach More Customers Enhanced Safety Integral design and natural circulation to eliminate major accident scenarios Passive safety systems and extended cooling Enhanced Affordability Small initial capital cost Staggered build-out options to reduce investment risk Competitive power cost through design simplifications and factory fabrication Enhanced Flexibility Small module size to match power demand Adaptability to non-electrical energy applications 2

3 A Brief History of NuScale Power : MASLWR concept and test facility developed under DOE-funded Nuclear Energy Research Initiative program with INL & Nextant : OSU refined the design with substantial improvements June 2007: NuScale Power formed October 2011: Fluor entered as major investor and partner April 2012: Teamed with SCANA/SRS for potential 1 st project 3

4 NSSS and Containment Containment Feed Water Line Steam Line Reactor Vessel Steam Generator Support Trunnion Nuclear Core 4

5 Modularity Is Key to Scalability Reference Plant: MWe each produces 540 MWe Allows for staggered installation and refueling of modules Cross-sectional View of Reactor Building 5

6 Incremental Build Out Installed: 612 6

7 NuScale Site layout 7

8 Passively Safe Reactor Modules Simple and Small Reactor is 1/20 th the size of large reactors Integrated reactor design, no large-break loss-of-coolant accidents Natural Convection for Cooling Inherently safe natural circulation of water over the fuel driven by gravity No pumps, no need for emergency generators or off-site AC power Seismically Robust System is submerged in a pool of water below ground in an earthquake resistant building Reactor pool attenuates ground motion and dissipates energy Defense-in-Depth Multiple additional barriers to protect against the release of radiation to the environment High-strength stainless steel containment 10 times stronger than typical PWR Water volume to thermal power ratio is 4 times larger resulting in better cooling Reactor core has only 5% of the fuel of a large reactor 8

9 Reactor Modules Contained in Large Pool Modules are submerged in 4 million gallons of water below ground level inside the Reactor Building. Reactor Building is designed to withstand earthquakes, floods, tornados, hurricane force winds, and aircraft impacts. 12-module, 540 MWe NuScale Plant Reactor and containment are submerged in underground steel-lined concrete pool with 30-day supply of cooling water. Any hydrogen released is retained in vacuum inside containment vessel with little to no oxygen available to create a combustible mixture. 9

10 Long Term Decay Heat Removal Provides a means of removing core decay heat and limits containment pressure by: Steam Condensation Convective Heat Transfer Heat Conduction Sump Recirculation Reactor Vessel steam is vented through the reactor vent valves (flow limiter) Steam condenses on containment Condensate collects in lower containment region Reactor Recirculation Valves open to provide recirculation path through the core Provides +30 day cooling followed by unlimited period of air cooling. Reactor Recirculation Valves 10

11 Stable Long Term Cooling Reactor and nuclear fuel cooled indefinitely without pumps or power WATER COOLING BOILING AIR COOLING 11

12 Added Barriers Between Fuel and Environment Conventional Designs 1. Fuel Pellet and Cladding 7 2. Reactor Vessel 3. Containment 6 Ground level NuScale s Additional Barriers 4. Water in Reactor Pool (4 million gallons) Stainless Steel Lined Concrete Reactor Pool 1 6. Biological Shield Covers Each Reactor 7. Reactor Building 12

13 Testing for Safety and Operation Full System Safety Tests, Fabricating and Testing Major Components Steam Generator Handling Equipment Control Rod Drive Mechanisms Passive Safety Systems Valves Inspection Equipment Fuel Bundles Main Control Room Separate Effect Tests Fuel Assembly Flow Testing Fuel Grid Structural Crush Testing Fuel Rod Critical Heat Flux Testing Containment High Pressure Condensation Steam Generator Heat Transfer valuation

14 Full Scale Control Room Laboratory World s first multi-module control room simulator lab Commissioned June 2012 Twelve independent module simulators Plant overview simulator 14

15 Dan Ingersoll 1100 NE Circle Blvd, Suite 350 Corvallis, OR