Nuclear Reactor Technology Development and Utilization (Woodhead Publishing Series in Energy)

Cover
Nuclear Reactor
Technology Development
and Utilization:
Fuel Cycles, Advanced Reactors,
and Hybrid Systems
Copyright
Dedication
Contributors
About the editors
Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction to nuclear power technology
	Chapter Outline
	Introduction
	Nuclear physics basics
		Radiation capture of neutrons (n,γ)
		Inelastic neutron scattering
		Nuclear fission
		Elastic neutron scattering
			Neutron flux density
			Microscopic cross-section for the interaction of neutrons with nuclei, σ
			The density of nuclei γn
	Self-supported chain process of nuclear fission
	Radioactivity of nuclear fuel
		How to ``remove´´ the energy released in nuclear fuel
	Nuclear fuel for chain fission reaction
	Conclusion
	References
Nuclear fuel cycle and decommissioning
	Chapter outline
	Introduction
	Preparing for tomorrow´s energy demands
	Fuel cycle process and technology
		Fuel cycle option
	Used nuclear fuel
		Short-lived fission products
		Medium-lived fission products
		Long-lived fission products
	Nuclear fission products
	Radioactive waste management
	Types of radioactive waste
		Very low-level waste
		Low-level waste
		Intermediate-level waste
		High-level waste
	Naturally occurring radioactive materials
		NORM sources
		Terrestrial NORM
		Cosmogenic NORM
	Industrial producing NORM
		Coal energy-Combustion and ash
		Coal mining
		Oil and gas production
		Metals and smelting
		Mineral sands
		Tin production
		Tantalum and niobium
		Rare earth elements
		Uranium production
		Phosphates and fertilizer production
		Building materials
		Recycling and naturally occurring radioactive
		Remediation of legacy sites
		Radon
	Naturally radiation and health effects
		Types of radiation
			Alpha particles
			Beta particles
			Gamma rays
		Units of radiation and radioactivity
		Routine sources of radiation
		Natural background radiation, Radon
		Effects of ionizing radiation
		Low-level radiation effects
	Decommissioning of nuclear facilities
		Decommissioning options for nuclear plants
		Decommissioning experience
	Decommissioning of nuclear fuel cycle facilities
	References
Nuclear reactor safety
	Chapter outline
	Introduction
	Factors of potential hazards of NPP. Possible ways to realize the hazards
		Factors of potential hazards of NPP
			Excess reactivity
			Residual heat release and concentration of radioactive products in the reactor core
			The stored nonnuclear energy
		Possible ways to realize the hazards
			The accident at TMI
			The accident at Chernobyl unit IV. Conclusions and lessons
			The general conclusions of the two accidents
		The main safety principles
			The main safety objectives
			The fundamental principles
		Regulations to ensure the safe operation of NPPs
			Standard process documentation
			General requirements for effect on reactivity
			Critical assembly features
			Research reactors and NPP features
		The effect of human factors on the safety of NPP
			The role of personnel in ensuring the safety of NPP
			Human errors and how to prevent them
			Control actions of personnel in an accident
	Quantitative characteristics safety of NPP
		Probabilistic safety analysis. Definition of risk
		Deterministic safety analysis
		Fault trees and event trees
			Event trees
			Fault trees
	References with comments
Economics of nuclear power plants
	Chapter outline
	Introduction
	Key concepts and terminologies
	Lifecycle cost of nuclear power plants
		Total cost of installed capital
		Operations and maintenance
		Fuel costs
		Decommissioning
		Externalities
	Cost drivers for nuclear power plants
	Lifecycle simulation model
	Challenges to producing quality estimates
		Challenge 1: Applicability/availability of existing data
			Existing NPP data
			Simulation and modeling
			Expert elicitation
			Problems with data sources
		Challenge 2: Validating estimates
		Challenge 3: Estimate scope and purpose
		Challenge 4: Estimate uncertainty
	Case study
		Business case cost estimate considerations
		Standardized cost breakdown structure
		Other cost considerations
	Conclusions
	References
Small modular reactors
	Chapter outline
	SMRs: Why?
	SMR technology
		IAEA activities
		Placing SMRs
			Mobile installations
				Tracks and wheels
				Railway
			Permanent placement
				Floating NPPs
				Underground NPPs
		Significant benefits
	Integral PWR concepts
		Description of some iPWR examples
			NuScale
			CAREM-25
			SMART
			ACP100
			IRIS
			RITM-200
	Safety strategy
		Residual heat removal system
		High-pressure injection system
		Low-pressure injection system
		Containments
		Systems that mitigate the consequences of accidents
		The summary of the safety strategy of the SMRs
	Conclusions: SMR, an opportunity to be confirmed
		Harmonization
		Licensing of new technologies
		Public trust
	References
Generation IV nuclear reactors
	Chapter outline
	Introduction
	Multinational design evaluation program
	Generation IV nuclear energy systems
	Technological state of the art and anticipated developments
	Next-generation nuclear plant
	Generation IV systems
		Very-high-temperature reactor
		Molten salt reactor
		Sodium-cooled fast reactor
		Super critical water-cooled reactor
			Advantage and challenges
			GIF Progress up to 2012
		Gas-cooled fast reactor
		Lead-cooled fast reactor
	Next generation of nuclear power reactors for power production
	Goals for Generation IV nuclear energy systems
	Why we need to consider the future role of nuclear power now
	The Generation IV roadmap project
	Licensing strategy components
	Market and industry status and potentials
	Barriers
	Needs
	Synergies with other sectors
	References
Nuclear desalination
	Chapter outline
	Introduction
	Desalination technologies
		Thermal desalination processes
			Multistage flash distillation
			Multieffect distillation
			Vapor compression distillation
		Membrane desalination processes
			Reverse osmosis
			Electrodialysis
		Hybrid systems
	Status of nuclear desalination
	Economics of nuclear desalination
		Cost evaluation methods
		International Atomic Energy Agency tools on nuclear desalination
	Safety aspects of nuclear desalination
		Coupling
			Thermal coupling to distillation (MSF or MED) process
			Electrical coupling to an RO (with or without preheat) process
			Radioactive contamination of product water
		Transients
		Water quality and monitoring
		Availability of product water
		Siting and proximity to population centers
	Environmental impacts of nuclear desalination
		Marine impacts
			Seawater intake impacts
			Effluent disposal impacts
		Coastal impacts
			Construction impacts
			Land use impacts
			Noise and visual impacts
		Atmospheric impacts
		Siting impacts
	Socioeconomic impacts of nuclear desalination
		Social impacts
		Economic impacts
		Public health impacts
	New technologies for nuclear desalination
	Conclusions
	References
Nuclear hydrogen
	Chapter outline
	Introduction
	Use of medium-temperature heat and electricity from fast reactors in the traditional method of steam methane reforming
	Use of electricity from fast reactors in the mode of underloading of their output power for hydrogen production by s ...
	Conclusion
	References
Engineering materials in advanced space applications
	Chapter outline
	Constrains for energy in space
	Latest advancements in nuclear power in space
	Novel engineered nano-materials, a leap forward in nuclear technology
		Micro-hetero-structure and fission products
		Micro-fractal materials in self-repairing nuclear structures
		Nano-clustered materials in direct extraction of transmutation products
		Nuclear radiation guiding in nano-structured materials
		Nano-hetero-structures in direct nuclear energy conversion in electricity
		Hetero-nano-materials in active quantum nuclear systems
	Applications
		Strategic and tactical space applications of nuclear power
	Conclusions
	References
Nonpower applications of nuclear technology
	Chapter outline
	Introduction
	Nonelectric applications of nuclear energy
		Water desalination
		District heating and industrial process heat supply
		Hydrogen production
		Other nonelectric applications
	Radiation technologies in agriculture and food production
		Radiation and life
		Radiation stimulation of growth and development
		Radiation inhibition of growth and development
		Radiation in pest control
		Food irradiation
			Processing fruits and vegetables
			Processing species and seasonings
			Processing meat, poultry, fish, seafood
			Other types of commodities for microbial decontamination
		Safety of irradiated food
			Radiation safety
			Toxicological safety and nutritional value
	Ionizing radiation and radioisotopes in healthcare
		Nuclear medicine
			Radiological diagnosis
			Radionuclide diagnosis
			Radiotherapy
		Radiation sterilization for medical applications
		Sterile insect technique
		Safe environment
	Other spheres of nonpower nuclear applications
		Inspection and instrumentation
		Material sciences
		Activation analysis
		Radioisotope dating
	Conclusion
	References
Nuclear hybrid energy system
	Chapter outline
	Introduction
	The economics of nuclear and renewable energy
	Hybrid nuclear renewable plants
	Hybrid power technologies and applications
		Hybrid nuclear and natural gas
		Hybrid nuclear and coal
		Hybrid nuclear and solar energy
		Hybrid nuclear and energy storage
	Hybrid power technologies and applications
		Why hybrid energy now?
	Fuel savings make a powerful case for hybrid diesel generator systems
		Battery selection
		The generator
		The controller
		Site trails
		Environmental benefits
		Terracon energy container
		Renewable Energy Mobile Utility System (REMUS) concept
	Energy for the future
	Hybrid-Nuclear Energy (21st century game changer)
	References
Nuclear power plant development
	Chapter Outline
	Introduction
	General nuclear power program development considerations
	International technical assistance and cooperation
	Policy development and infrastructure assessments
	Nuclear power plant technology and nuclear fuel cycle assessments
	International nuclear governance regime and instruments
	Public communication and stakeholder involvement
	Organizational development and capacity building
	Nuclear power project financing and project management
	Implementation challenges and issues and risk management
	Conclusions
	References
Nuclear-powered space reactor
	Chapter outline
	Introduction
		The history of nuclear energy use in space applications
		Nuclear applications in the American space program
		Nuclear applications in the Russian space program
		Nuclear applications in the European space program
	Nuclear propulsion for spacecraft
		Generating thrust in spacecraft
		Usage of nuclear rockets in spacecraft
		Launching of rockets with nuclear rockets
		Benefits of using nuclear energy in space applications
		Using gas core nuclear reactors for propulsion in spacecraft
		Nuclear lightbulb model in spacecraft
		Nuclear detonation for propulsion in spacecraft (nuclear pulse propulsion)
		Fusion propulsion in spacecraft
		Material concerns in spacecraft for nuclear propulsion systems
		Shielding concerns for nuclear spacecraft
	Nuclear energy utilization for space stations and space habitats
		Nuclear power generation in space stations
		Nuclear power generation in space habitats
	Current nuclear systems in space exploration
	Conclusion
	References
	Further reading
Nuclear power plant systems
	Chapter outline
	Introduction to nuclear power plants
		Types of nuclear power plants
		Large nuclear power plants
	Conventional nuclear reactors
	Gen IV nuclear reactor concepts
	Advanced nuclear reactors (Gen III)
		Small- to medium-sized nuclear power plants
		Comparison between large nuclear power reactors and small modular reactors
	Constructive features of nuclear power plants
		Fabrication
		Transportation
		Construction
		Plant safety
		Reduced source term
		Eliminated accident vulnerabilities
		Improved decay heat removal
	Operational flexibilities
		Site selection
		Load demand
		Grid stability
		Water usage
		Demand growth
		Plant economics
		Total projected cost
		Economy of scale
		Investment risk
		Small modular reactor design options
	Nuclear reactor design and construction
		Nuclear safety in nuclear reactor conceptual design
		Technical description of nuclear demonstration plant
		Depressurization strategy in NPP
		Flow instabilities in double-channel natural circulation boiling systems
		Ship-based small nuclear power reactors
		A design study on MOX-fueled small fast reactor
	IAEA activities on nuclear power plants
		Passive safety system
			Category A
			Category B
			Category C
		Natural circulation
		Test facility and instrumentation
		Natural circulation under normal conditions
	Activities in the field of Small NPPs
		ABV-Reactor
		Small high temperature gas-cooled reactors with innovative nuclear burning
		A long-life small reactor for developing countries (LSPR)
		Generation-IV multi-application small light water reactor (MASLWR)
		Seawater desalination
		Marine reactor-X (MRX)
		Deep sea reactor (DRX)
		Space reactors
		Passive safe small reactor for distributed energy supply system (PSRD)
		System integrated modular reactor (SMART)
		CAREM
		4S (Super, safe, small, and simple reactor)
		International reactor innovative and secure (IRIS)
	Conclusion
	References
Index
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