MOX use in PWRs EDF operation experience Jean-Luc Provost Nuclear Operation Division EDF - Generation December 2011 - Global Copyright EDF
Main items 1 EDF back-end fuel cycle strategy 2 Reactor adaptation for MOX fuel 3 Fuel design and core management 4 MOX fuel operation experience 5 MOX fuel reliability 6 EDF perspectives on MOX fuel 7 Conclusions 2
1 EDF back-end fuel cycle strategy At the end of 2010 58 units in operation (total installed capacity 63 GWe) (900 Mwe: 34 units, 1300 Mwe: 20 units, and 1500 Mwe: 4 units) 71000 FAs loaded in reactor (3500 MOX) 1230 cycles completed (300 cycles with MOX) In 2010, EDF's generation : 476 TWh Nuclear 408 TWh (86 %) Hydraulic 46 TWh (10 %) Fossil 22 TWh (4 %) 3
EDF nuclear power plants PA LU EL 4 N PP FL AMA N VILL E 2 N PP GR AVELINES 6 N PP (5 M OX) PEN LY 2 N PP N OGEN T SUR SEINE 2 N PP D AM PIERR E 4 N PP (4 M O X) B ELLEVILLE 2 N PP C HO O Z 2 N P P C AT TEN OM 4 N PP SA IN T L AU R ENT 2 NPP (2 MOX) C HINO N 4 N PP (4 MOX) F ESSENH EIM 2 N PP LE BU GEY 4 N PP 9 00 M W P W R 1 300 M W P W R 1 450 M W P W R C IVA UX 2 NP P LE B LAYA IS 4 NPP (2 MOX) SAINT A LB AN 2 N PP CR U AS 4 NPP G OLF ECH 2 N PP TR IC A S TIN 4 N P P (4 M O X ) 4
EDF back-end fuel cycle strategy The closed fuel cycle strategy, along with reprocessing and MOX recycling, enables today, with existing facilities : Stabilization of spent fuel quantity : with respect to underwater storage capacity - thanks to reprocessing and progress in fuel performance (average burn up increase) Vitrification of high level nuclear waste (fission products and actinides) - a safe confinement under a reduced volume, internationally recognized, Recycling of plutonium - based on Pu flux equilibrium strategy : 120 thm MOX/yr or 10 thm Pu/yr recycled - MOX use produces 40 TWh/yr (or 9% of nuclear production) Preservation of long term energy resources - by concentration of Pu in MOX spent fuel under a reduced volume, full safeguard - leaves open the possibility to reuse Pu in future fast reactors (GEN IV) 5
EDF Nuclear fuel cycle strategy based on the flux balance strategy Uranium and conversion 8000 t/year Enrichment 5,5 MUTS/year UO2 Fuel fabrication 1000 t/year 2000 assemblies/yr (45 GWd/t average, max 52 GWd/t time period 20 years 430 TWh /an Spent Fuel: 1200 tons /year (UOX et MOX) Recycling: MOX fuel 120 t/year 58 EDF NPPs on 22 units 900 MW 22 units loaded with MOX --> 40 TWh/yr 4 units with ERU Spent Fuel MELOX Fuel Fabrication plant 10 t/yr Separated plutonium (1%) Reprocessing 1050 t/year Transportation to La Hague, interim storage in cooling pools 1200 tons/year Reprocessed uranium: ~ 1000 t/yr (U235 content 0,8%) 540t re-enriched and recycled on 4 units 900W (100% core) or 80 t/yr ERU--> 30 TWh/yr La Hague Vitrified High level Waste Interim passive storage Disposal optimisation 120 m 3 /yr vitrified HLW 120 m 3 /yr compacted ILW 6
2 Reactor adaptation for MOX fuel Reactivity control devices adapted Due to higher energy neutron spectrum (higher Pu content) Main adaptations : 8 RCCAs added, boron concentration increase Fuel building adaptation Reinforcement of the crane (hardware and software) Direct storage under water in the fuel pit (dry storage forbidden) Visual examination by video camera of each MOX FA under water Reinforced safeguards on the plant (cameras in fuel building, ) Fresh MOX fuel transport by MX8 cask (design similar to spent fuel cask) To reduce the risk of excessive exposure of the operators during handling To improve transport safety and nuclear materials safeguards Unloading currently under water, dry solution planed Operators training (fuel handling, core monitoring) 7
3 Fuel design and core management MOX Fuel design MOX Fuel Assembly zoning MOX Parity core management Typical loading pattern Discharge burn-up 8
MOX fuel design Fuel type currently used : AREVA AFA-3G geometry M5 cladding and Zircaloy 4 structure Use of depleted uranium (0,25% U235) To maximize the Pu concentration in FAs Plutonium isotopic vector Minimum fissile isotopes Pu139 + Pu141 : 63% MOX energy equivalence to UOX 3.7% 8.65% Pu content zoning : 3 Pu contents used To control the power distribution at MOX-UOX interface (high differences of fission cross-sections) 9
1 MOX AFA 3G zoning (average content : 8.65% max) ZONE PERIPHERIQUE 12 CRAYONS 2,3%Pu fissile TUBE D'INSTRUMENTATION ZONE INTERMEDIAIRE 68 CRAYONS 6.5 % TUBE-GUIDE 24 TUBES ZONE CENTRALE 184 CRAYONS 9.8 % 10
Core management with MOX Recycling rate limited to 30% max (48 FAs/core) To maintain reactivity control devices efficiency (boron and RCCAs) MOX Parity management (licensed in December 2006, implemented on 1 unit in 2007, 7 units in 2008, 17 units in 2009 and 20 units in 2010) 4-batch core management for MOX and UOX Each reload : 12 MOX (3.7% equivalent) + 28 UOX (3.7%) Pu content = 8.65% (fissile Pu: 63% total Pu) UOX average BU : 48 GWd/t (4 cycles) - max 50 GWd/t MOX average BU : 48 GWd/t (4 cycles) - max 50 GWd/t Parity of energy generated by UOX and MOX (after 4 annual cycles) 11
MOX Parity : typical loading pattern R P N M L K J H G F E D C B A 1 M 2 3 M M M M M M M 4 M M 5 M M M 6 M M M M M 7 M M 8 M M M M M M M M 9 M M 10 M M M M M 11 M M M 12 M M 13 M M M M M M M 14 15 M AC 1 er cycle AC 2 ème cycle AC 3 ème cycle AC 4 ème cycle 12
UOX and MOX fuel discharged BU EDF experience (2009-2010) 2010) MOX & UOX discharge BU (2009-2010) 250 200 Fuel Assembly numb ber 150 100 50 UOX MOX 0 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 fuel assembly burn-up (GWd/t) 13
4 feedback experience of MOX use MOX use on EDF PWR units Core Physics measurements Load follow operation Environment impact 14
MOX use on PWR 900 MW units 22 PWR 900 MW units licensed to plutonium recycling 1987 : Saint Laurent B1 (first unit opened to MOX) 2008 : Gravelines 6 (21 st unit opened to MOX) 3500 FAs loaded which corresponds to 1600t MOX or 102t Pu recycled 22 nd unit Gravelines 5 will be open to MOX in 2012 Public inquiry launched in November 2011 for 2 new units with MOX New Decree for Blayais 3 and 4 in 2012 : licensing in progress EPR Flamanville 3 an option with 30% MOX has been taken into account in the NSSS basis design 15
300 MOX FA loaded in PWR 900MW 3500 MOX loaded # 102 thm Pu recycled (end 2010) 250 200 MOX FA num mber 150 100 AFA 3G AFA 2G AFA 50 0 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 year 16
Core Physics measurements Core Physic start-up tests Good coherence between measurements and calculation Boron concentration temperature coefficient RCCA rod worth Core Physic measurements during periodic tests Good agreement between measurements and calculation Flux maps (incore instrumentation) Power picking factors Conclusion : safety assessment calculations validated Same uncertainties can be taken into account for UOX and MOX in the EDF safety reload demonstration (key parameters check-list) 17
Operation experience : load follow All EDF NPPs operated in load follow Frequency control (+/- 2%) Remote control (+/- 5%) Daily load follow (typically 6 hours at 50 % NP during the night) Extended low power operation (ELPO) during the week-end, and in summer Load follow experience with MOX Liquid waste volume decrease : 30% (due to Xenon effect) Ramp tests on MOX rods at Studvik better PCI behavior for MOX than for UOX No specific Technical Specifications for MOX CONCLUSION : no specific problem regarding plant operation with MOX 18
Operation experience example of a typical power history during a cycle 120 100 l power % nominal 80 60 40 20 0 16/10/01 24/01/02 04/05/02 12/08/02 20/11/02 28/02/03 no specific problem identified regarding plant operation with MOX 19
Environment : MOX impact on waste release Waste release Gaseous and liquid waste release are similar for MOX and UOX plants Iodine and Tritium releases equivalent waste release mainly due to fuel rod leakage history 20
Liquid waste release ty (MBq) Activit 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 units 1&2 units 3&4 units 5&6 Average PWR 900 Limit for two units = 300 MBq 2002 2003 2004 vity (TBq) Acti 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 units 1&2 units 3&4 units 5&6 Average PWR 900 Limit for two units = 40 TBq 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Iodine release Units 1-4 used MOX fuel Units 5-6 used only UOX fuel Tritium release Units 1-4 used MOX fuel - Units 5-6 used only UOX fuel 21
Gaseous release 0,50 0,40 units 1&2 units 3&4 Average PWR 900 Limit for two units = 0,8 GBq 2,0 1,8 1,6 1,4 units 1&2 units 3&4 Average PWR 900 Limit for two units = 4 TBq 0,30 1,2 1,0 0,20 0,8 0,6 0,10 0,4 0,00 2002 2003 2004 0,2 0,0 2002 2003 2004 Iodine release Units 1-2 used MOX fuel Units 3-4 used only UOX fuel Tritium release Units 1-2 used MOX fuel Units 3-4 used only UOX fuel 22
5 - MOX fuel reliability history (to end 2010) 6 FA leakages from the origin : detected in operation by radio-chemistry analysis (discrimination based on Xe135/Kr85m) Dampierre 1 in 1993 (due to debris, reloaded) Tricastin 2 in 1997 (due to debris, repaired and reloaded) Tricastin 4 in 2001 (due to debris) Dampierre 1 in 2002 (at EOL, no examination) Dampierre 4 in 2009 (due to debris) Dampierre 4 in 2010 (due to debris) CONCLUSION at end 2010 : 24 years of operation more than 300 reactor-years of experience good reliability of MOX, equivalent to UOX 23
MOX fuel reliability history (to end 2010) UOX and MOX Fuel failure rate on 900 MW units 2,00 1,50 Fuel assembly failure ra ate % 1,00 0,50 UOX Fuel MOX Fuel 0,00 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Year 24
MOX impact on reactor operation Summary No change regarding plant availability of the PWR 900MWe fleet Same annual cycles Light increase of outage duration due to decay heat (Tpool<50 C) No significant impact regarding operational maneuverability Better axial flux stability during power transients (reduced xenon efficiency) Environment (liquid and gaseous waste release) reduced volume of effluents (30%) during power transients, similar gaseous and liquid waste release for MOX and UOX plants No impact on Radioprotection Doses during outage mainly due to maintenance low sensitivity to fuel (BU or Pu content) 25
6 - EDF perspectives on MOX fuel Plutonium isotopic vector has changed during these last 20 years Thanks to evolution of core management and of fuel performance Spent fuel burn-up has significantly increased (from 33 to 45 GWd/t) Isotopic vector taken into account currently in MOX Parity core management Minimum fissile isotopes (Pu139 + Pu141) content : 63% Origin : UOX spent fuel BU = 43 GWd/t, stored 9 years before reprocessing Separated Pu stored 3 years before MOX manufacturing Available UOX spent fuel to be reprocessed during the next decade: Increased BU > 46 GWd/t, stored more than 10 years (Pu139 decrease) Longer time of separated Pu storage before manufacturing (Am141 increase) Main consequence : isotopic vector degradation to 61% fissile isotope To maintain UOX 3.7% equivalence, total Pu content needs to be increase from 8.65% to 9.5% Each accidental transient of SAR has to be re-assessed and to be reviewed by the French Regulator 26
7 - Main Conclusions The large EDF experience of 24 years with MOX is globally satisfactory (plant safety and availability, fuel reliability, environment and radioprotection), From 2007, implementation of MOX Parity fuel management achieves the balance of MOX and UOX fuel performance and contributes to stabilize the amount of separated plutonium 27