Workings of a Nuclear Reactor

Reactor Basics PWR BWR

Key Reactor Power Terms

Availability Fraction of time over a
reporting period that the plant is operational
If a reactor is down for maintenance 1 week and refueling 2 weeks every year, the availability factor of the reactor would be (365-3 * 7) / 365 = 0.94

Key Reactor Power Terms

Capacity Fraction of total electric power that
could be produced
If reactor with a maximum thermal power rating of 1000 MWt only operates at 900 MWt, the capacity factor would be 0.90

Efficiency Electrical energy output per

thermal energy output of the reactor Eff=W/QR (MWe/MWt)

Term Visualization

Piecing Together a Reactor

1. Fuel 2. Moderator 3. Control Rods 4. Coolant 5. Steam Generator 6. Turbine/Generator 7. Pumps 8. Heat Exchanger

2. Moderator
1. Fuel 3. Control rod

4. Coolant

Basic Reactor Model

7.

5. Steam generator

6.

8.

Nuclear Power in the United States

~20% Nuclear Energy 103 Nuclear Reactors
31 States 34 BWRs 69 PWRs

Largest Plant

Palo Verde 3825 MWe/3 reactors 12th Largest in World

http://www.nei.org

Nuclear Power in the United States

Manufacturers
General Electric www.ge.com Westinghouse www.westinghouse.com AREVA NP www.framatome-anp.com ABB Combustion Eng. www.abb.com
http:// www.chemsoc.org

World Nuclear Power

443 Nuclear
Reactors in 30 Countries in Operation, January 2006 Provided ~16% World Production of Energy in 2003 24 Nuclear Power Plants under Construction

http://www.insc.anl.gov

Reactor Generations
Gen I
Prototypes in 50s & 60s 70s & 80s Todays Operational Reactors BWR, PWR, CANDU, ABWR, APWR Approved 90s Some Built around the World

Gen III+

Gen II

Gen IV

Current Advanced Designs in the Approval Process Pebble Bed Reactor Deploy in 2030 Economical Safe Minimize Waste Reduce Proliferation

Gen III

Reactor Generations

http://www.whitehouse.gov/

Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR)

Pressure Vessel Light Water 3.2% U-235 Fuel 2-4 Loops => Steam UO2 Pellets in Zircaloy 17 x 17 array 12 foot long bundle ~32% Efficiency External Pipe Corrosion Lower Capital Cost

AP600 Westinghouse 600 MWe Passive Safety Cooling

Systems Prefabricated and Assembled On-Site Simple Plant Design = Reduced Volume and Cost 3-year Construction

Basic Diagram of a PWR

http://www.nrc.gov/

A PWR in Practice

http://www.nukeworker.com/

VVER Russian PWR (WaterCooled, Water-Moderated, Energy Reactor)

http://www.nucleartourist.com/

Other LWR Reactors

Republic of Korea
Optimized Power Reactor, OPR-1000 Advanced Power Reactor, APR-1400 System-integrated Modular Advanced Reactor, SMART (330 MWt)

Germany
KONVOI, 1300 MW

France
N4, 1450 MW

AREVA NP EPR (European Pressurized-Water Reactor)

1600 MWe 36 37% Efficiency Mixed Oxide (MOX)

Fuel 60 yr Service Life 3 4 yr Construction Multiple Barriers and Simple Safety Systems
http://www.framatome-anp.com

Westinghouse AP1000 Reactor

1117 1154 MWe Improved AP600 Design
Same Basic Design Same Inherent Safety Optimized Power Output Reduced Energy Costs

2 Steam Generators 3 year Construction Final Design Approval in December 2005!

http://www.ap1000.westinghousenuclear.com/

AP1000 Less Pieces

Nuclear News, November 2004

Boiling Water Reactor (BWR)

Direct Boiling 10% Coolant = Steam Similar Fuel to PWR Lower Power Density

GE ABWR 1350 MWe

than PWR Corrosion Product Activated in Core Higher Radiation Field

(3926 MWt) UO2 Fuel

60 yr Service Life Internalized Safety

and Recirculation Systems

Basic Diagram of a BWR

http://www.nrc.gov/

A BWR in Practice

http://www.energy-northwest.com

ABWR (Advanced Boiling Water Reactor)

1350 MWe 77% more compact
than BWR design 39 month construction period

GE TOSHIBA, Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Unit 6,

ABWR Less Pieces

ABWR-II

Early 1990s - TEPCO, 5

other utilities, GE, Hitachi and Toshiba began development 1700 MWe Goals

PRCS

PHRS

PCCS

Commercialize latter
2010s

30% capital cost reduction reduced construction time 20% power generation cost reduction increased safety increased flexibility for future fuel cycles

D/W

S/P

GE ESBWR (Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor)

1550 MWe (4500 MWt) Passive Condenser
Systems for Heat Transfer Standard Seismic Design Improved Economics Shorter Construction Time Reduced Plant Staff and Operator Requirements

Decay Heat Heat Exchangers Above Drywell

High Elevation Gravity Drain Pools

All Pipes/ Valves Inside Containment

Raised Suppression Pool

ESBWR