Research & Development in France on Gen-IV Nuclear Energy Systems Frank Carré François Gauché & Jacques Rouault CEA/ franck.carre@cea.fr 1
R&D in France on Gen-IV Nuclear Energy Systems Contents 1 Status and mid-term plans for the deployment of LWRs and fuel cycle 2 National R&D plans on Fast Reactor prototype & advanced fuel cycles Sodium Fast Reactor & Protype ASTRID Gas Fast Reactor & Experimental Reactor ALLEGRO 3 Other Gen-IV Nuclear Energy Systems 4 Stakes in European & international cooperation 2
63 GWe PWR fleet & Spent fuel recycle for 25 years U nat Processing of U ore Mines Enrichment U dep U rep Pu Fuel fabrication Vitrified waste Waste Treatment of spent fuels Melox Retraitement du combustible usé et fabrication MOX ~1100t/yr La Hague Energy 58 PWRs ~63 GWe Paluel 3
1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050 2055 2060 Installed capacity (MWe) Renewal scenario of current French LWR fleet Major role of LWRs over the 21st century Figure 1 Gen-IV Fast Replacement staggered over a 30-year period (2020-2050) Rate of construction : 2,000 MW/year Reactors 70000 6060000 50000 40000 30000 20000 10000 58 PWRs (20 MOX) 63.2 GWe Existing fleet 40-year plant life EPR Foak Plant life extension beyond 40 years Generation 3+ Generation 4 0 Average plant life : 48 Source years : EDF ENC 2002 4
Gen III reactors on tracks with EPR (1600 MWe) AREVA s EPRs commercialization strategy (OL3 Finland, FL3 & Penly 3 France, Taishan x 2 China, (4+2) UK + Unistar x 4 USA, RSA, UAE, India ) + Atmea-1 (1100 MWe) w. MHI, Kerena (1200 MWe BWR) «Agence France Nucléaire International» created 5/9/2008 EPR under construction in Finland at Olkiluoto (TVO) in operation by 2012 July 05: French Energy Policy Act EPR of Flamanville-3 start in 2012 Jan 09: Decision on EPR as Penly-3 5
Generation III recycle of [UPu] with COEX The COEX plant New fuel (MOX) New fuel (MOX) PWR 2 nd /3 rd Gen Spent fuel COEX Treatment & Refabrication Spent fuel FBR 4 th Gen Co-management of [UPu] for recycle as MOX in Gen III/III+ or Gen IV reactors Waste package as vitrified FP & MA Standard canister for disposal SNF treatment and recycle best available technologies Enhanced resistance to proliferation (co-management of [UPu]) 6
A sustainable management of nuclear material & waste - The Act of June 28, 2006 National Plan for managing nuclear materials and radioactive waste Guarantees for long term funding of radioactive waste management Stepwise program for Long-Lived Waste (High and Medium Activity) management along various approaches: Partitioning & Transmutation: 2012: Assessment of Fast Reactors / ADS 2020: Fast reactor Prototype Retrievable Geological Repository: 2015: Authorization decree 2025: Beginning of operation Interim storage: Creation of new facilities in 2015 Atalante & Phenix 7
French Atomic Energy Commission Orientations (December 2006, confirmed May 2008) Two fast neutron systems studied in parallel A Sodium Fast Reactor as reference with the prototype ASTRID in the 2020s The most mature option but innovations sought to achieve progress and relevance to GEN IV systems In close connection with French industrial partners EDF and AREVA As a longer term option the Gas Fast Reactor with ALLEGRO as the first experimental GFR European collaboration sought for hosting ALLEGRO in Europe 8
Three-Party R&D program on Sodium Fast Reactor Defines objectives Approves work on the 4 main areas of innovation High-performance core with enhanced safety Resistance to severe accidents and external aggressions Power conversion system optimized for minimum sodium-risks Revisiting the overall plant design for best operability Proposes the path from power reactor to prototype Proposes main goals for 2009 & 2012 milestones " 9
Time line of ASTRID and associated facilities R&D Choice of ASTRID power End of Pre- Conceptual Design Decision to continue End of Conceptual Design Decision to build 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Public debate On Waste Storage (28 june, 2006 Act) Detailed Design Safety Report Construction Feasibility Report on minor actinides partitioning Position Report on minor actinides partitioning and transmutation Start-up of core manufacturing workshop (AFC) Start-up of MA bearing fuels fabrication facility (ALFA) 10
SFR Core designed for enhanced safety 15 10 5 15-15 Ti lot CE 16-25 Ti Nb V TS2 15-15 Ti bas C 15-25 Ti Nb DS5 15-25 bas Ti 12-25 Ti N9 T C 0 400 MA 957 15-25 Ti Nb DS4 MA 956 450 500 550-5 V/V % CEA Ref. Alternative Ferritic steel 14 18%Cr Nanostructured ODS Martensitic steel 9%Cr Nanostructured ODS Large-diameter pins (~9.5 mm), small-diameter spacing wire (~1 mm) need for low swelling materials (F/M ODS, advanced austenitic steels) Options: upper sodium plenum, in-core moderator, innovative design for subassembly (%) 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Swelling of austenitic Phénix claddings compare to F/M materials Average 316 Ti Average 15/15Ti Best lot of 15/15Ti Embrittlement limit Ferritic -martensitic (F/M) steel s, ODS included 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200 dose (dpa) Supernova, Matrix 1 and Matrix: two experiments in Phenix. For the future CEA Fabricated ODS tube 11
SFR Enhanced system safety Enhanced safety Decrease or suppression of risks of sodium/water interaction through optimizing the Power Conversion System Optimized Steam Generator or Gas Turbine (nitrogen/helium or supercritical CO 2 ) Practical exclusion of large energy release in case of severe accident Reduced sodium void reactivity effect + Enhanced Doppler effect (carbide fuel) EMP Loop design & conversion with Gas Turbine without intermediate system Sodium/helium IHX & Gas Stripper Impact on safety features Gas stripper IHX Na Brayton Gas conversion cycle 12
SFR Enhanced economic competitiveness Economic competitiveness with Gen III LWRs Reduced investment cost through system simplification Pool vs loop system Simplified / suppressed intermediate system Operability, in service inspection, maintenance & repair Heat Exchanger Steam Generator 10 19 20 Control Rods Turbine Generator Electrical Power 17 Hot Plenum Condenser 71 55 Primary Sodium (Hot) Core Pump Pump Heat Sink Cold Plenum Primary Sodium (Cold) Pump Secondary Sodium SFR PWR 13
ASTRID: preliminary design choices / open options * 600 MWe reactor With an intermediate sodium circuit Pool type primary circuit Preliminary strategy for severe accidents (recuperator ) Oxide fuel at least for starting core Transmutation capability Preliminary design** Open design features Energy conversion Primary circuit design Devices to eliminate severe accidents (third shutdown level) Corium recuperator technology SGs materials and technology Innovative technologies for Na fires detection and mastering Fuel handling * Purely illustrative overhead ** Choices to be validated by mid 2010 14
MA recycle options in Fast-neutron reactors U Heterogeneous MA recycle CU Advanced Partitioning PUREX /COEX FP LWR FR U (Np) (U)Pu(Np) Am & Cm MA CU Grouped Separation FP T U Pu U Pu Np Am Cm Separation of Am only FP CU PUREX /COEX U (Np) (U)Pu(Np) Am FP + Cm Dedicated fuels & targets with high MA content (10-15%) 15
Global Actinide Management in LWRs & Fast Reactors Minimizing waste with advanced actinide recycling Plutonium is the major contributor to the long term radiotoxicity of spent fuel Plutonium has a high energetic potential Plutonium recycling Radiotoxicity after 1000 years Relative radio toxicity MA + FP Plutonium recycling Pu + MA + FP Spent Fuel No reprocesisng Plutonium Uranium Ore (mine) FP P&T of MA Minor actinides (MA) Fission Products (FP) Time (years) After plutonium, MA have the major impact to the long term radiotoxicity MA transmutation 16
2020 Prototype Astrid & Fuel cycle facilities La Hague AFC (U,Pu)O 2 1 AFC : Core Manufacture Workshop 2 ALFA : Minor Actinides Fuel Fabrication Line in ATALANTE (Marcoule) ALFA (U,Pu,Np,Am,Cm)O 2 3 Core Assembly Workshop 2 1 4 Minor Actinides Assembly Workshop 4 5 6 ASTRID Prototype 3 5 Minor Actinide Fuel Analysis in ATALANTE 6 AFC Analysis Laboratory 17
GFR - Gas Fast reactor & Experimental Prototype Robust decay heat removal strategy (passive after 24hrs) 2007 Pre-feasibility report on 1 st reference concept 2012 Up-graded concept & Feasibility report GCFR EU-FP6 Project Snecma Fabrication Ceramic (SiC) clad fuel GFR 2400 MWt reference concept Allegro (75 MWt) 18
Allegro research reactor & GFR demonstrator Core 75 MW Fast Φ Dose Core volume Handling 30% Pu 9 10 14 n/cm 2 /s 13 dpa/year 6 x 5 liters 8 d Experimental assembly Gas Fast Reactor Assembly Missions of Allegro: Test bed for GFR technology Innovative Fuel development Transmutation technology development Specific Heat processes loops Irradiation facility Fuel Control (CSD) Shutdown (DSD) Reflector Shield Fuel 245 195 165 80 50 0 19
GFR: key technologies development Ceramic clad carbide fuel: Improvement of ceramic composite cladding Development of a multilayer cladding Fuel element with a carbide actinide compound (pin, plate) Evaluation of a V alloy for cladding Severe accident phenomenology High temperature materials behavior 2012: demonstrate the fabricability of SiC cladding A technology breakthrough that opens new perspectives also for SFRs and LWRs Pre-conceptual studies on ALLEGRO 2012 Technical report on ALLEGRO for next steps 20
Nuclear H 2 & Heat for Transportation & Industry Primary Energy Electrolysis H 2 Thermochemical Cycle < 2008 BIOMASS + HYDROGEN C 6 H 9 O 4 + water 5.5 H2 BIOFUEL 6 -CH2- Transportation Distribution Storage 2 nd generation Biofuel Industrial applications Transportation (FC, ICE) 21
Generation IV International Forum (GIF) GIF Chairman Jacques Bouchard (2006-09) Yutaka Sagayama (2010-13) Chartered July 2001 Legal framework aimed at recognising each party s contribution China E.U. Russia Project Arrangements (technical cooperation agreements) VHTR GFR SFR SCWR LFR MSR 22
European Sustainable Nuclear Energy Technology Platform GEN II & III LWRs New materials & fuels Simulation & Experiments: reactor, safety, materials & fuels GEN IV (V)HTR Process heat, electricity & H 2 Energy Goals for Europe Security of Supply Competitiveness -20% GHG by 2020 Low carbon energy system by 2050 SET-Plan ( 07) R&D Infrastructures Safety rules GEN IV Fast Reactor &Closed Cycle (SFR, LFR, GFR, ADS) SNE-TP (Oct. 2007) R&D priority for industrial applications Needs for large experimental facilities Prototypes within the frame of Public/Private Partnerships European Industrial initiative 23
A CEA program on GEN IV systems consistent with the European Sustainable Nuclear Industrial Initiative 24
Education & Training Master in Nuclear Engineering Training Courses & Technical Visits Doctoral School MoU with TUM in preparation: TUM preparing a 2-year Master Course (120 ECTS) and asking INSTN to host students for 3rd semester (40 ECTS) 25
R&D in France on Gen-IV Nuclear Energy Systems A French Vision of R&D Goals and Challenges LWRs and industrial experience of nuclear fuel recycle as stepping stone towards sustainable Fast Reactors with closed fuel cycles Perspectives on future nuclear reactors and fuel cycle framed by strategies of industrial partners (EDF, AREVA ) and the mandate of the Nuclear waste bill of 6/28, 2006 Prototype of Fast reactor by 2020 Demonstrations of recycling schemes promising for industrial application (Use of Uranium, Waste, Non-proliferation) Survey studies on nuclear cogeneration for H 2 and industrial process heat (processes, coupling, economics ) Federating national R&D programs into a consistent international technology roadmap (Gen IV, EU-SNE-TP ) Enhancing R&D and technology demonstrations, + Progressing towards harmonized international standards (safety, non-proliferation, physical protection ) 26
Back-up Slides 27
Hypotheses about the price of Uranium as a function of extracted amount Unat cost ($/kg) $/kg U nat 1200 1000 800 600 400 1200 1000 800 600 400 Natural Uranium cost : patterns 21 st Edition of OECD/NEA Red Book : Uranium Resource, Production & Supply MtU <130 $/kg RAR EAR-I Total 3.3 1.4 4.7 smooth threshold smooth-p Phosphates EAR-II 14.8 22 SR Total 19.5 22 200 200 0 0 20 30 40 50 60 MtUnat extracted 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 10 Mt U nat extracted Source: CEA/DEN/I-TESE Study (2007) 28
Power conversion systems to minimize sodium risks Main stakes are : The improvement of safety (suppression or limitation of sodium / water reactions) The reduction of investment cost (circuit simplification) While keeping, or even improving the thermal efficiency Research directions : Gas conversion systems without intermediate sodium loop Compact intermediate loop with a fluid compatible with both the sodium and water Robust steam generators (double tubes, modular, ) Na 29
Enhanced in-service inspection & repair capabilities Need for improved In-Service Inspection (ISI) techniques for continuous monitoring and periodic inspection Need for efficient under sodium viewing and volumetric inspection capabilities: Experience acquired on Superphenix and Phenix Improvements needed (accuracy, range, volumetric NDT capability, robots) Focus on simplification of structures, for better accessibility and repair of component, primary system draining ISI&R of Phenix and SuperPhenix Work on further improvements to minimize investments risks 30
3-step strategy Partitioning of Minor Actinides: results & goals Demonstrations Spent Nuc Fuel PUREX U, Pu Np Sep. Am/Cm 2002 DIAMEX Nov. 2005 SANEX Dec. 2005 GANEX - 2008 Fission products DIAMEX CO-EXTRACTION of An & Ln Ln SANEX Am & Cm SEPARATION of An from Ln Cm DIAMEX Am SÉPARATION of Am from Cm Nest steps: Am only, simplify DIAMEX-SANEX, demo GANEX 31
Generation IV International Forum New requirements to support a sustainable development Steady Progress: - Economic competitiveness - Safety and reliability Nuclear Power for centuries - Resource saving - HL Radwaste minimisation - Non-prolifération New applications Hydrogen, drinkable water, heat Industrial deployment ~2040 Multilateral cooperation with 3 levels of agreements: Intergovernmental Systems (x 6) R&D Projects (3 à 6 / System) China Charter: July 2001 Framework agreement: February 2005 E.U. Russia 32