Nuclear Engineering Program

An Introduction to Nuclear Power Reactors L. R. Foulke

Module 6.5 Other Reactors and Generation IV Concepts

Pressurized Water Reactor

(Light Water Thermal Reactors)

Image Source: See Note 1

STEAM CYCLE
THERMAL EFFICIENCY
Carnot / Theoretical Efficiency
= ( Tin - Tout ) / Tin T = Temperature [ K or R ]

Limitations
Maximum Steam Temperature from Reactor Turbine Condenser Heat Sink Plant Efficiency - MWe / MWt
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STEAM CYCLE
WATER-REACTORS
Typical outlet steam temperature [530F or ~1,000R] Carnot efficiency = (1000-530)/1000=0.47 Actual efficiency < 0.34

GAS-COOLED / LIQUID-METAL
Modern Steam Conditions (Ft. St. Vrain steam outlet ~1,460R Carnot efficiency = (1460-530)/1460=0.64 Actual Efficiency ~ 0.40 HTGR - Direct Cycle / Process Heat

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Pebble Bed Reactor

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Image Source: See Note 7

Image Source: See Note 2

Pebble for Pebble Bed Reactor

Image Source: See Note 9

TRISO micro fuel Particle with diameter ~0.6 mm

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Image Source: See Note 8

Your Instructor in China inspecting a Pebble

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CANDU Reactor

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Image Source: See Note 3

LMFBR

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Image Source: See Note 3

Nuclear Power Today

Pros Reliable high capacity factor Economical cheap over lifetime not adversely affected by carbon tax or cap & trade Environmentally Friendly no emissions Safe incredible safety record Issues Capital Cost Intensive Reprocessing & Spent Nuclear Fuel issue of economics Fuel Supply, Breeding issue of economics Reliance Upon Foreign Technology Politics

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Generations of Nuclear Energy Systems

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Image Source: See Note 4

Goals for Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems

Sustainability Economics Safety and Reliability Proliferation Resistance and Physical Protection

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Six Systems Selected for Further Development

The motivation for the selections
Identify systems that make advances toward the technology goals. Ensure that the important missions of electricity generation, hydrogen and process heat production actinide management Provide some overlapping coverage of capabilities Not all of the systems may be viable, meet their objectives, or attract commercial deployment. Accommodate a range of national priorities and interest.
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The 6 Gen IV Systems

Sodium-cooled fast reactor Gas-cooled fast reactor Lead-cooled fast reactor Super-critical water reactor Molten salt reactor Very high-temperature reactor
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Sodium Cooled Fast Reactor

Three loops Sodium coolant No moderator Fast Spectrum Breeder

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Image Source: See Note 5

Molten Salt Reactor

Three loops Molten Salt Coolant (inc fuel) Graphite moderator Thermal Spectrum Converter

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Image Source: See Note 10

Very High Temperature Reactor

Two Loops Helium Cooled Graphite Moderator Thermal Spectrum Converter

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Image Source: See Note 11

Small Modular Reactors

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Image Source: See Note 6

Image Source Notes

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Public domain: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PressurizedWaterReactor.gif Public domain: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pebble_bed_reactor_scheme_ %28English%29.svg Reprinted with permission from Nuclear Engineering International UK. Source: World Nuclear Industry Handbook 2013. Public domain: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:GenIVRoadmap.jpg Public domain: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SodiumCooled_Fast_Reactor_Schemata.svg Reprinted with permission. 2013 Babcock & Wilcox Power, Inc. Reprinted with permission from TGV. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Graphitkugel_fuer_Hochtemp eraturreaktor.JPG,

Image Source Notes

8. Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported: Stefan Kuhn: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Graphitkugel_fuer _Hochtemperaturreaktor.JPG 9. Public domain: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:TRISO.gif 10. Public domain: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Molten_Salt_React or.svg 11. Public domain: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Very_High_Tempe rature_Reactor.svg