Dr Ahmed Hussein - Dual Fluid Reactor

Dual Fluid Reactor (DFR)A New Concept For A Nuclear Power Reactor

Ahmed H. HusseinPhD, PPhys, SmIEEE

Department Of PhysicsUniversity Of Northern British Columbia

3333 University Way, Prince George, BC. CanadaAnd

Institute For Solid-State Nuclear PhysicsLeistikowstraße 2, 14050 Berlin. Germany

February 14, 2016

(BC Humanist Society) Dual Fluid Reactor (DFR) February 14, 2016 1 / 51

Outline

1 Personnel

2 IntroductionA Word or Two on Energy & Power

3 Canada’s Energy Resources

4 World Wide Use of Nuclear PowerWhy Nuclear Power

5 Brief Description of Nuclear ReactorsNuclear FissionComponents Of A Nuclear ReactorThe Dual Fluid ReactorElectricity CostsApplications of DFRSynthetic Automotive Fuels

Collaboration

Personnel

The Dual Fluid Reactor (DFR∗)was developed at the Institute of SolidState Nuclear Physics by:

Prof. Dr. Konrad Czerski,

Dr. Armin Huke,

Dr. Ahmed Hussein,

Dr. Gotz Ruprecht,

Dipl.-Ing. Stephan Gottlieb, and

Mr. Daniel Weißbach.

Many consultants and supporters.

∗International Patent Pending in Canada, EU, India, Japan, Russia, USA

A Word or Two on Energy & Power

Energy is measured in Joules (J) or calories (cal).

1 cal = 4.182 J.

It takes about 300 kJ to boil one kilogram of water.

If water boils in 10 minutes, then energy was delivered at a rate of500 J/sec or 500 Watts (W).

The Watt is a unit of Power, or the rate of delivering energy.

1 cal = 4.182 J.

Electricity

An Electricity power station rated at 1000MW, delivers1000,000,000 J/sec, or 109 J/sec or 1 GJ/sec.

A Joule is a very small amount of Energy. Electric companies usea bigger one: kWh = 3.6 MJ.

Total energy delivered by 1000MW in one year is 3.15×1016J =8.76 TWh.

Electricity

Consumption of Electricity

On the average, a Canadian household consumed 40 GJ ofelectricity in 2011, 40% of the total household consumption ofenergy.

All Canadian households consumed 547,096 TJ of Electricity in2011.

All Canadian households consumed 1,425,185 TJ of Energy in2011.

On the average a Canadian household requires 1.3 kW (1.3kJ/sec) of electric power.

Canada’s Energy Resources

Fossil Fuels & Uranium Deposits

1% of world deposits. 8.7 billion tonnes, and a lot more expected.Produces 76 million tonnes/year.15 Coal fired power stations.

Third largest world deposits: 172 billion barrels.Fifth largest world producer: 3.6 million barrels/day

natural gas:

1000 terra cubic feet deposits.Fifth largest producer

Uranium:

Third largest world deposits @ 8%.485,000 tonnes @$100/kg

1% of world deposits. 8.7 billion tonnes, and a lot more expected.

Produces 76 million tonnes/year.15 Coal fired power stations.

natural gas:

Uranium:

1% of world deposits. 8.7 billion tonnes, and a lot more expected.Produces 76 million tonnes/year.

15 Coal fired power stations.

natural gas:

Uranium:

natural gas:

Uranium:

natural gas:

Uranium:

Third largest world deposits: 172 billion barrels.

Fifth largest world producer: 3.6 million barrels/day

natural gas:

Uranium:

natural gas:

Uranium:

natural gas:

Uranium:

natural gas:

1000 terra cubic feet deposits.

Fifth largest producer

Uranium:

natural gas:

Uranium:

natural gas:

Uranium:

natural gas:

Uranium:

Third largest world deposits @ 8%.

485,000 tonnes @$100/kg

natural gas:

Uranium:

World Wide Use of Nuclear Power

Some General Facts

As of June 13, 2013, 31 countries worldwide are operating 440nuclear reactors for electricity generation.

69 new nuclear plants are under construction in 14 countries.

Nuclear power plants provided 17.1% of the world’s electricityproduction in 2012.

13 countries relied on nuclear energy to supply at least 25% oftheir total electricity.

Some General Facts

Nuclear Power

Why Nuclear Power

Characteristics of a good energy source:

High energy density.

High “Energy Returned On Energy Invested (EROI)”.

Can be used to to provide base load energy demand. (minimumdemand, constant rate).

Minimum pollution and emission of “Green House Gases (GHG)”through the life cycle.

Long life of the resource.

Safe production and operation.

Nuclear Power

Why Nuclear Power

Nuclear Power

Why Nuclear Power

Nuclear Power

Why Nuclear Power

Nuclear Power

Why Nuclear Power

Nuclear Power

Why Nuclear Power

Nuclear Power

Why Nuclear Power

Energy Content of Various SourcesSource Energy Density Water To Boil(kg)Firewood (dry) 16 MJ/kg 53Brown coal (lignite) 10 MJ/kg 33Black coal (low quality) 13-23 MJ/kg 77Black coal (hard) 24-30 MJ/kg 100Natural Gas 38 MJ/m3 127Crude Oil 45-46 MJ/kg 153Uranium - in typical reactor 500,000 MJ/kg 1,600,000

(of natural U)

Nuclear Power

Why Nuclear Power

Energy Content of Various SourcesSource Energy Density Water To Boil(kg)Firewood (dry) 16 MJ/kg 53Brown coal (lignite) 10 MJ/kg 33Black coal (low quality) 13-23 MJ/kg 77Black coal (hard) 24-30 MJ/kg 100Natural Gas 38 MJ/m3 127Crude Oil 45-46 MJ/kg 153Uranium - in typical reactor 500,000 MJ/kg 1,600,000

(of natural U)

Energy Content of Wind and SolarSource Natural Energy Flows Providing 1 kW of Available Power

WindTurbine Wind speed 45 km/hr Turbine swept area 0.85 m2

Wind speed 14 km/hr Turbine swept area 31.84 m2

Solar PV

Surface perpendicular to the sun’sSurface area 1m2

rays at noon with sun directly overheadFor an hourly average of 1kW Surface area 2.5 - 5 m2

taken over a day depending on location

Source: http://www.mpoweruk.com/energy_resources.htm

Nuclear Power

Source:Energy intensities, EROIs (energy returned on invested), and energy payback times of electricity generating power plants.D. Weibach, G. Ruprecht, A. Huke, K. Czerski , S. Gottlieb, A. HusseinEnergy 52(2013)210-221.

to a high EROI of 93. There, it was argued that the enrichment isdone by nuclear power in Tricastin (France), but this happensoutside the analyzed plant, Forsmark, so it should be treated as an(external) input. Then, the EROI lowers to 53. On the other hand, theMelbourne analysis assumes a lifetime of only 40 years. This isa typical licensing time but not the lifetime which is much longer,see explanations above. Extending the physical lifetime to 60 years,leads to an EROI of 80 which is in good agreement to the results inTable 8.

8. Comparison with other results

There are not many EROI evaluations comparing fossil, nuclearand “renewable energies, and almost all determine the EMROI,mistakenly calling it “EROI”. For comparison reasons, Fig. 2 showsthe results for the weighted economical calculation, i.e. the EMROIsfor all techniques determined in this paper with a weighting factorof 3 (see Sec. 2.5) and a threshold of 16 (see Sec. 6). The corre-sponding EROIs are presented in the Conclusion, Fig. 3.

A book by Hall, Cleveland and Kaufmann from 1986 [20] pres-ents one of the first most extensive collections. However, themathematical procedure was not quite consistent, as the weightingwas applied for the input for all power plants while the outputenergy was weighted only for fossil fuels and “renewable” energiesbut not for nuclear energy. For nuclear energy, the power plant wasincluded in the energy demand but for fossil fuels not, just miningcosts and shipment. Additionally, the nuclear enrichment processwas based on the barely used but extremely energy-intense dif-fusion process. Furthermore, all EMROIs there are merely cost-based top-down calculations which include all the human laborcosts. This moves the results further away from R and Rem towardsa pure cost ratio excluding the power plant and there is no relationto the EROI anymore.

A widespread collection of numbers called “EROI” can be foundin blog entries assigned to Hall on the website “The Oil Drum”,managed by the “Institute for the Study of Energy and Our Future”,cumulated in a so-called “balloon graph” [46] which shows the“EROI” (actually more the EMROI) versus the (U.S. domestic)

primary energy contribution. They refer to Hall’s book for fossilfuels and therefore suffer from the same flaws. For fossil fuels theprocess chain ends when the fuel is delivered to the power plant,completely disregarding the power plant itself and thereforereducing the energy demand remarkably. Again, the energy outputfor fossil fuels as well as for “renewables” has beenweighted by 2e3, but for nuclear energy no weighting was applied, strongly dis-advantaging the latter.

To give an example, Hall’s result for the EMROI for coal is prettylarge, around65, contrary to the results here for coal (Sec. 7.6) of only49. However,when only themining is included, the EMROI climbs to61 in fair agreement with Halls result, though it does not describesneither the EROI, nor the EMROI anymore (see Sec. 7.6). For naturalgas, there are no reproducible data at all, just a statement that theEROI should be 10:1. Another extreme example is hydro powerwhich is based in the blogon apublication by L. Gagnon [41], see Sec.7.5. But there, numbers are just presented with no reference at all,nor any literature, nor any calculation, nor any database. The num-bers for “EROIs” are just stated, they are incredibly high (267), andare cited by the blog author as probably not “quality corrected”which would make them even “three times as high”, i.e. 800. Suchextreme valueswith no rationale of their origin can not be accepted.

In the recently published EROI evaluation by Raugei et al. [56] itis mentioned that the EROI gives no information about the fossilfuel range which justifies “upgrading” the output to its primaryenergy equivalent (in fact they provide both, the electrical EROI andthe “primary” EROI). It is not apparent how this possibly solves the“scope of inventory” problem, if there is any. The scope of theprimary energy source must be higher than the respective plant’slifetime which is clearly fulfilled for all techniques, but it must beanalyzed separately and there is no way to include it in the EROI.The electrical EROIs for photovoltaics presented by Raugei et al.[56], however, are similar to the result presented here when takingtheir 1700 full-load hours for photovoltaics into account. TheEMROIs from his numbers for coal, which are based on the Ecoin-vent database 2011, can be calculated to an intervall of 39e77which well covers the EMROI of 49 determined here. This agree-ment might be still a random coincidence as a wrong lifetime of 30years was assumed there and the mining demands seem extremelyhigh compared with the power plant energy demands. The Ecoin-vent database is not sufficiently transparent to clarify those details.

Fig. 2. EMROIs of all energy techniques with economic “threshold” based on thecurrent production cost ratio electricity/thermal energy of w ¼ 3. The weighting factorw is expected to decrease with time, approaching 1 or even lower, which makes theEMROI identical to the EROI as shown in Fig. 3. Biomass: Maize, 55 t/ha per yearharvested (wet).Wind: Location is Northern Schleswig Holstein (2000 full-load hours).Coal: Transportation not included. Nuclear: Enrichment 83% centrifuge, 17% diffusion.PV: Roof installation. Solar CSP: Grid connection to Europe not included.

Fig. 3. EROIs of all energy techniques with economic “threshold”. Biomass: Maize, 55 t/ha per year harvested (wet). Wind: Location is Northern Schleswig Holstein (2000 full-load hours). Coal: Transportation not included. Nuclear: Enrichment 83% centrifuge,17% diffusion. PV: Roof installation. Solar CSP: Grid connection to Europe not included.

D. Weißbach et al. / Energy 52 (2013) 210e221 219

Nuclear Power

Why Nuclear Power

Lifecycle Greenhouse Gas Emission Estimatesfor Electricity Generators

TechnologyMean Low High

g CO2Eq./kWhe

Lignite 1, 054 790 1, 372Coal 888 756 1, 310Oil 733 547 935Natural Gas 499 362 891Solar PV 85 13 731Biomass 45 10 101Nuclear 29 2 130Hydroelectric 26 2 237Wind 26 6 124

Source: http://www.cameco.com/common/pdf/uranium 101/Cameco -Corporation Report on GHG Emissions nov 2010.pdf

Nuclear Power

Why Nuclear Power

“DeathPrint” of Various Energy Sources

Energy SourceMortality Rate

Comments(deaths/TkWhr)

Coal global average 170, 000 50% global electricityCoal China 280, 000 75% China’s electricityCoal U.S. 15, 000 44% U.S. electricityOil 36, 000 36% of energy, 8% of electricityNatural Gas 4, 000 20% global electricityBiofuel/Biomass 24, 000 21% global energySolar (rooftop) 440 < 1% global electricityWind 150 ≈ 1% global electricityHydro global average 1, 400 15% global electricityNuclear global average 90 17% global electricity w/Chern&Fukush

Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2012/06/10/energys-deathprint-a-price-always-paid

Nuclear Power

Why Nuclear Power

Life Expectancy of Fossil FuelsFossil Fuel Reserves Consumption Year Life Time CO2 Emissions

(years) (tonnes)

Natural Gas 1·90×1014 m3 3·37×1012 m3 2011 56 6·75 × 109

Oil 1·47×1012 bbl 2·87×1010 bbl 2011 51 1·14 × 1010

Coal 8·60×1011 ton 6·64×109 ton 2008 129 1·44 × 1010

Source: US Energy Information Administrationhttp://www.eia.gov

Nuclear Power

Why Nuclear Power

Life Expectancy of Uranium for 5.33×106 tonne∗

% of WorldElectricity

Consumption (tonne/year) Life Time (years)0.7% of U 100% of U 0.7% of U 100% of U

17 6·50×104 4·55×102 82·0 1·17×104

100 3·82×105 2·67×103 13·9 2·00×103

∗For 2011 based on US$130/kg

Source: http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Facts-and-Figures/World-Nuclear-Power-Reactors-and-Uranium-Requirements/

Nuclear Power

Why Nuclear Power

Nuclear Reactors emit NO green house gases or radioactivity intothe atmosphere during operation.

Currently A 1000MW reactor produces solid wast with a volumeof 1 m3 per year.

Nuclear waste from current reactors is highly radioactive, withlong lived isotopes and weapons grade materials.

Fossil fuels emits billions of tons of CO2 of green house gasesduring operation every year. These gases spread all over theatmosphere.

Coal burning emits radioactive materials (like Uranium andRadon) into the atmosphere during operation.

Nuclear Power

Why Nuclear Power

Nuclear Power

Why Nuclear Power

Nuclear Power

Why Nuclear Power

Nuclear Power

Why Nuclear Power

Brief Description of Nuclear Reactors

Nuclear Fission

The Cornerstone of a nuclear reactor is the fission nuclear reaction.

There are two types of fission:

Spontaneous fission.Neutron induced fission.

continued..

Nuclear Fission

continued..

Nuclear Fission

Spontaneous fission.

Neutron induced fission.

continued..

Nuclear Fission

continued..

Nuclear Fission (Spontaneous)

92U235

(38Sr90)

(54Xe142)

92U235

(38Sr90)

(54Xe142)

92U235

(38Sr90)

(54Xe142)

92U235

(38Sr90)

(54Xe142)

92U235

(38Sr90)

(54Xe142)

92U235

(38Sr90)

(54Xe142)

Energy! 200 MeV

200 MeV = 3.2×10−11J, but

1kg U has 2.5×1024 atoms

1kg U has 8.1×1013 J

Nuclear Fission (Neutron Induced)

92U235

Energy! 200 MeV

Fission Reaction

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear fission product

Fission Chain Reaction

Neutron

Proton

FissionableNucleus

FissionFragment

Neutron

Proton

FissionableNucleus

FissionFragment

Neutron

Proton

FissionableNucleus

FissionFragment

Neutron

Proton

FissionableNucleus

FissionFragment

Neutron

Proton

FissionableNucleus

FissionFragment

ModeratorReflector

Fuel Rod Control Rod

Reactor Core

Fuel Rod

Control Rod

Moderator

Reflector

Cooling Fluid

Heat Exchange Water

Steam Turbine

Rotating Shaft

Electric Generator

Steam Condenser

Reactor Sheild

Tank #1

Tank #2

Tank #3

http://www.learnerstv.com/animation/animation.php?ani=160&cat=Physics(BC Humanist Society) Dual Fluid Reactor (DFR) February 14, 2016 26 / 51

Nuclear Power

Problems With Current Reactors

Thermal:

Uses only Uranium-235 which is only 0.7% of Natural Uranium, therest is Uranium-238.Low neutrons per fission (average 2.5).Not enough to reach and maintain criticality =⇒ enrichment(≈ 3− 5%). Except CANDU.Requires extensive infrastructure for enrichment.Produced actinides like Np, Pu, Am, Cm along with 238Uaccumulate and become the long half-life component of the wast.Accumulated Pu opens the door for weapons proliferation.

Nuclear Power

Thermal:

Uses only Uranium-235 which is only 0.7% of Natural Uranium, therest is Uranium-238.

Low neutrons per fission (average 2.5).Not enough to reach and maintain criticality =⇒ enrichment(≈ 3− 5%). Except CANDU.Requires extensive infrastructure for enrichment.Produced actinides like Np, Pu, Am, Cm along with 238Uaccumulate and become the long half-life component of the wast.Accumulated Pu opens the door for weapons proliferation.

Nuclear Power

Thermal:

Uses only Uranium-235 which is only 0.7% of Natural Uranium, therest is Uranium-238.Low neutrons per fission (average 2.5).

Not enough to reach and maintain criticality =⇒ enrichment(≈ 3− 5%). Except CANDU.Requires extensive infrastructure for enrichment.Produced actinides like Np, Pu, Am, Cm along with 238Uaccumulate and become the long half-life component of the wast.Accumulated Pu opens the door for weapons proliferation.

Nuclear Power

Thermal:

Uses only Uranium-235 which is only 0.7% of Natural Uranium, therest is Uranium-238.Low neutrons per fission (average 2.5).Not enough to reach and maintain criticality =⇒ enrichment(≈ 3− 5%). Except CANDU.

Requires extensive infrastructure for enrichment.Produced actinides like Np, Pu, Am, Cm along with 238Uaccumulate and become the long half-life component of the wast.Accumulated Pu opens the door for weapons proliferation.

Nuclear Power

Thermal:

Uses only Uranium-235 which is only 0.7% of Natural Uranium, therest is Uranium-238.Low neutrons per fission (average 2.5).Not enough to reach and maintain criticality =⇒ enrichment(≈ 3− 5%). Except CANDU.Requires extensive infrastructure for enrichment.

Produced actinides like Np, Pu, Am, Cm along with 238Uaccumulate and become the long half-life component of the wast.Accumulated Pu opens the door for weapons proliferation.

Nuclear Power

Thermal:

Uses only Uranium-235 which is only 0.7% of Natural Uranium, therest is Uranium-238.Low neutrons per fission (average 2.5).Not enough to reach and maintain criticality =⇒ enrichment(≈ 3− 5%). Except CANDU.Requires extensive infrastructure for enrichment.Produced actinides like Np, Pu, Am, Cm along with 238Uaccumulate and become the long half-life component of the wast.

Accumulated Pu opens the door for weapons proliferation.

Nuclear Power

Thermal:

Uses only Uranium-235 which is only 0.7% of Natural Uranium, therest is Uranium-238.Low neutrons per fission (average 2.5).Not enough to reach and maintain criticality =⇒ enrichment(≈ 3− 5%). Except CANDU.Requires extensive infrastructure for enrichment.Produced actinides like Np, Pu, Am, Cm along with 238Uaccumulate and become the long half-life component of the wast.Accumulated Pu opens the door for weapons proliferation.

Nuclear Power

High Pressure =⇒ special materials & extensive containment.

Low Operating Temperature =⇒ low heat transfer efficiency

PWR =⇒ 160 Atm, 180− 280◦CCANDU =⇒ moderator at 1 atm, coolant at 98 atm, 265− 310◦CBWR =⇒ 75 atm, 275− 315◦C,

Nuclear Power

PWR =⇒ 160 Atm, 180− 280◦C

CANDU =⇒ moderator at 1 atm, coolant at 98 atm, 265− 310◦CBWR =⇒ 75 atm, 275− 315◦C,

Nuclear Power

PWR =⇒ 160 Atm, 180− 280◦CCANDU =⇒ moderator at 1 atm, coolant at 98 atm, 265− 310◦C

BWR =⇒ 75 atm, 275− 315◦C,

Nuclear Power

Solid Fuel

Requires control RodsWith the exception of CANDU, requires shutdown for refueling.Requires active safety, very little passive safety features.Susceptible to Core meltdown in the event of coolant loss. Due toheat from radioactive decay of fission fragments.

Nuclear Power

Solid Fuel

Requires control Rods

With the exception of CANDU, requires shutdown for refueling.Requires active safety, very little passive safety features.Susceptible to Core meltdown in the event of coolant loss. Due toheat from radioactive decay of fission fragments.

Nuclear Power

Solid Fuel

Requires control RodsWith the exception of CANDU, requires shutdown for refueling.

Requires active safety, very little passive safety features.Susceptible to Core meltdown in the event of coolant loss. Due toheat from radioactive decay of fission fragments.

Nuclear Power

Solid Fuel

Requires control RodsWith the exception of CANDU, requires shutdown for refueling.Requires active safety, very little passive safety features.

Susceptible to Core meltdown in the event of coolant loss. Due toheat from radioactive decay of fission fragments.

Nuclear Power

Solid Fuel

Requires control RodsWith the exception of CANDU, requires shutdown for refueling.Requires active safety, very little passive safety features.Susceptible to Core meltdown in the event of coolant loss. Due toheat from radioactive decay of fission fragments.

Nuclear Reactors

Source:“A Technology Roadmap for Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems”U.S. DOE Nuclear Energy Research Advisory Committee and the Generation IV International Forum.

A Technology Roadmap for Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems

THE GENERATION IV TECHNOLOGY ROADMAP IN BRIEF

An International EffortTo advance nuclear energy to meet future energy needs,ten countries—Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Japan,the Republic of Korea, the Republic of South Africa,Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the UnitedStates—have agreed on a framework for internationalcooperation in research for a future generation of nuclearenergy systems, known as Generation IV. The figurebelow gives an overview of the generations of nuclearenergy systems. The first generation was advanced inthe 1950s and 60s in the early prototype reactors. Thesecond generation began in the 1970s in the largecommercial power plants that are still operating today.Generation III was developed more recently in the 1990swith a number of evolutionary designs that offer signifi-cant advances in safety and economics, and a numberhave been built, primarily in East Asia. Advances toGeneration III are underway, resulting in several (so-called Generation III+) near-term deployable plants thatare actively under development and are being consideredfor deployment in several countries. New plants builtbetween now and 2030 will likely be chosen from theseplants. Beyond 2030, the prospect for innovativeadvances through renewed R&D has stimulated interest

worldwide in a fourth generation of nuclear energysystems.

The ten countries have joined together to form theGeneration IV International Forum (GIF) to developfuture-generation nuclear energy systems that can belicensed, constructed, and operated in a manner that willprovide competitively priced and reliable energy prod-ucts while satisfactorily addressing nuclear safety, waste,proliferation, and public perception concerns. Theobjective for Generation IV nuclear energy systems is tohave them available for international deployment aboutthe year 2030, when many of the world’s currentlyoperating nuclear power plants will be at or near the endof their operating licenses.

Nuclear energy research programs around the worldhave been developing concepts that could form the basisfor Generation IV systems. Increased collaboration onR&D to be undertaken by the GIF countries will stimu-late progress toward the realization of such systems.With international commitment and resolve, the worldcan begin to realize the benefits of Generation IVnuclear energy systems within the next few decades.

Gen I Gen II

Commercial PowerReactors

Early PrototypeReactors

Generation I

- Shippingport- Dresden, Fermi I- Magnox

Generation II

- LWR-PWR, BWR- CANDU- AGR

1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030

Generation IV

- Highly Economical

- Enhanced Safety

- Minimal Waste

- Proliferation Resistant

- ABWR- System 80+

AdvancedLWRs

Generation III

Gen III Gen III+ Gen IV

Generation III +

Evolutionary Designs Offering Improved Economics for Near-Term Deployment

Gen I Gen II

Commercial PowerReactors

Generation I

Generation II

- LWR-PWR, BWR- CANDU- AGR

1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030

Generation IV

- Highly Economical

- Enhanced Safety

- Minimal Waste

- Proliferation Resistant

- ABWR- System 80+

AdvancedLWRs

Generation III

AdvancedLWRs

Generation III

Gen III Gen III+ Gen IV

Generation III +

Nuclear Reactors

Generation IV ReactorsGeneration IV Reactor Systems

System Description AcronymGas-Cooled Fast Reactor System GFRLead-Cooled Fast Reactor System LFRMolten Salt Reactor System MSRSodium-Cooled Fast Reactor System SFRSupercritical-Water-Cooled Reactor System SCWRVery-High-Temperature Reactor System VHTR

Source:“A Technology Roadmap for Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems”U.S. DOE Nuclear Energy Research Advisory Committee and the Generation IV International Forum.

The Molten Salt Reactor Experiment

Some Details

An experimental reactor at ORNL.

Constructed 1964, went critical 1965 and was shutdown 1969.

The fuel, which also doubled as coolant, was LiF-BeF2-ZrF4-UF4

(65-29-5-1).

The MSRE successfully proved:

A liquid fuel worksA frozen plug can provide passive safety (more on that later).

Some Details

(65-29-5-1).

Some Details

(65-29-5-1).

Some Details

(65-29-5-1).

Some Details

(65-29-5-1).

A liquid fuel works

A frozen plug can provide passive safety (more on that later).

Some Details

(65-29-5-1).

Dual Fluid Reactor

The Dual Fluid Reactor (DFR)

General Description

DFR concept combines features form MSRE, LFR, and VHTR.

All theses concepts are Generation IV concepts.

MSRE ran successfully for about four years.

Liquid lead cooling was used successfully in the Soviet Alfa classsubmarines.

DFR, however, is a fast reactor operating at 1000◦C andatmospheric pressure.

DFR concept goes beyond Generation IV in using two separatefluids:

Molten salt for fuel, andLiquid lead for coolant.

continued..

General Description

continued..

General Description

continued..

General Description

continued..

General Description

continued..

General Description

continued..

General Description

Molten salt for fuel, and

Liquid lead for coolant.

continued..

General Description

continued..

Pyroprocessing

Unit (PPU)

Coolant pump

Heat exchanger

to conventional

part (turbine loop)

Coolant

Turbine

Residual heat

storage

Accelerator driven neutron source

Optional for su

bcritical

The Dual Fluid concept

DFR core

Integral fuel cycle

PyroprocessingModule

Power plant used fuel element pellets,natural/depleted Uranium, Thorium

Short-lived wasteIsotope production

Heat cycle

Heat use@ 1000 °C

exchanger

Melting fuseplug

Subcritical fuel storage

Sonntag, 23. Juni 13

The fuel will be processed on-line using the “pyroprocessing unit”.

Speed of fluid circulation will be optimized for maximum burn out.

Two options for fuel:

High mass halogens like UCl3 and PuCl3. With 37Cl to avoidneutron Capture by 35Cl and forming the long lived 36Cl, orMolten metallic fuel.

continued..

High mass halogens like UCl3 and PuCl3. With 37Cl to avoidneutron Capture by 35Cl and forming the long lived 36Cl, or

Molten metallic fuel.

continued..

Fuel239Pu, 235U, natural U, natural Th, and produced actinides can beused in the fuel.

DFR can consume its own produced actinides or those in thewaste of other reactors.

Fuel239Pu, 235U, natural U, natural Th, and produced actinides can beused in the fuel.

DFR can consume its own produced actinides or those in thewaste of other reactors.

Coolant

Liquid Lead

Melting point: 327◦C, Boiling point: 1749◦C.

Very low fast neutron capture cross-section.

Any radioactive isotopes formed will eventually decay back tostable lead.

A good reflector for fast neutron.

Good heat transfer properties.

Circulation speed will be optimized for heat transfer.

Coolant

Liquid Lead

Coolant

Liquid Lead

Coolant

Liquid Lead

Coolant

Liquid Lead

Coolant

Liquid Lead

Coolant

Liquid Lead

Safety

Unchecked rise in core temperature due to Loss of coolant or anyother reason, is the most serious problem in a reactor.

DFR has a negative temperature coefficient.

If the core temperature rises for any reason, the DFR has severalinherent passive safety features:

The fuse plug will melt and drain the liquid fuel into the subcriticaltanks.The subcritical tanks will lose the residual heat by naturalconvection.The decrease in fuel density decreases the concentration of fissilematerial in the fuel.The decrease in liquid lead density reduces its neutron reflectivity.Doppler broadening of resonances increases the neutron capturecross-section.

Safety

The fuse plug will melt and drain the liquid fuel into the subcriticaltanks.

The subcritical tanks will lose the residual heat by naturalconvection.The decrease in fuel density decreases the concentration of fissilematerial in the fuel.The decrease in liquid lead density reduces its neutron reflectivity.Doppler broadening of resonances increases the neutron capturecross-section.

Safety

The fuse plug will melt and drain the liquid fuel into the subcriticaltanks.The subcritical tanks will lose the residual heat by naturalconvection.

The decrease in fuel density decreases the concentration of fissilematerial in the fuel.The decrease in liquid lead density reduces its neutron reflectivity.Doppler broadening of resonances increases the neutron capturecross-section.

Safety

The fuse plug will melt and drain the liquid fuel into the subcriticaltanks.The subcritical tanks will lose the residual heat by naturalconvection.The decrease in fuel density decreases the concentration of fissilematerial in the fuel.

The decrease in liquid lead density reduces its neutron reflectivity.Doppler broadening of resonances increases the neutron capturecross-section.

Safety

The fuse plug will melt and drain the liquid fuel into the subcriticaltanks.The subcritical tanks will lose the residual heat by naturalconvection.The decrease in fuel density decreases the concentration of fissilematerial in the fuel.The decrease in liquid lead density reduces its neutron reflectivity.

Doppler broadening of resonances increases the neutron capturecross-section.

Safety

Economics of DFR

Electricity CostsEstimated Total Costs OF Electricity Produced With DFR In US¢/kWh

Item 500 MWe 1500 MWe

Capital costs 0.60 0.35Operating costs 0.65 0.45Sum 1.25 0.80DFR/PWR or Coal 0.30 0.20

Note1: PWR ≡ Pressurized Water Reactor, most commonly used reactor.Note2: Cost of electricity produced by Coal fired power stations are close to

those produced by PWRs.

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What Is “DFR?”

DFR Is A Nuclear Reactor That:

Is immune from core melt down,

Does not accumulate weapons fissile fuels (like 239Pu),

Produces considerably less radioactive waste,

Is compact and operates under atmospheric pressure,

Can operate under subcritical conditions, and an accelerator isused to provide extra neutrons to achieve criticality,

In case of emergency (e.g. power failure), the accelerator turns offinstantly, and the reactor becomes subcritical,

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What Is “DFR?”

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What Is “DFR?”

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What Is “DFR?”

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What Is “DFR?”

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What Is “DFR?”

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What Is “DFR?”

Operates at high temperature ≈1000◦C, and atmospheric pressure:

very efficient heat transfer, andsimplify choice of materials

Uses no water, so it can be build anywhere, includingunderground. continued..

What Is “DFR?”

very efficient heat transfer, and

simplify choice of materials

What Is “DFR?”

What Is “DFR”

Is a Fast Reactor, uses fast neutrons and not thermal neutrons likemost current power reactors,

Fast neutron fission produces more neutrons per fission thanthermal fission.As a fast reactor it uses natural Uranium/Thorium/Plutonium,eliminating the need for uranium enrichment facilities,Using fast neutrons eliminates the need for a moderator, simplifyingthe design and reducing radioactive waste.The excess neutrons can be used to convert “long life” waste fromcurrent reactors to “short life wast”.

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What Is “DFR”

Fast neutron fission produces more neutrons per fission thanthermal fission.

As a fast reactor it uses natural Uranium/Thorium/Plutonium,eliminating the need for uranium enrichment facilities,Using fast neutrons eliminates the need for a moderator, simplifyingthe design and reducing radioactive waste.The excess neutrons can be used to convert “long life” waste fromcurrent reactors to “short life wast”.

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What Is “DFR”

Fast neutron fission produces more neutrons per fission thanthermal fission.As a fast reactor it uses natural Uranium/Thorium/Plutonium,eliminating the need for uranium enrichment facilities,

Using fast neutrons eliminates the need for a moderator, simplifyingthe design and reducing radioactive waste.The excess neutrons can be used to convert “long life” waste fromcurrent reactors to “short life wast”.

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What Is “DFR”

Fast neutron fission produces more neutrons per fission thanthermal fission.As a fast reactor it uses natural Uranium/Thorium/Plutonium,eliminating the need for uranium enrichment facilities,Using fast neutrons eliminates the need for a moderator, simplifyingthe design and reducing radioactive waste.

The excess neutrons can be used to convert “long life” waste fromcurrent reactors to “short life wast”.

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What Is “DFR”

Fast neutron fission produces more neutrons per fission thanthermal fission.As a fast reactor it uses natural Uranium/Thorium/Plutonium,eliminating the need for uranium enrichment facilities,Using fast neutrons eliminates the need for a moderator, simplifyingthe design and reducing radioactive waste.The excess neutrons can be used to convert “long life” waste fromcurrent reactors to “short life wast”.

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What Is “DFR”

Has the highest Energy Returned On Energy Invested (EROEI)among all sources including all fossil fuels, all renewables, andcurrent nuclear reactors.

ERoEI For Different Electricity Generating Technologies

Power plant technology ERoEIRun-of-the-river hydroelectricity 36Black-coal fired power 29Gas-steam power 28Solar thermal (desert) 9Wind power (german coast) 4Photovoltaics (desert) 2.3Pressurized water reactor 75DFR (500 MWe)∗ 1000DFR (1500 MWe)∗ 1800∗EROEI for DFR may increase by 25% if cyclone

separator heat exchanger works.

Applications of DFR

Application of DFR

Production of Electricity,

Water desalination,

Production of Synthetic Automotive Fuels for transportation,

Production of medical & industrial isotopes.

Many others. continued..

Applications of DFR

Application of DFR

Water desalination,

Applications of DFR

Application of DFR

Water desalination,

Applications of DFR

Application of DFR

Water desalination,

Applications of DFR

Application of DFR

Water desalination,

DFR ApplicationsDual Fluid Reactor

V.588 9 Mar 12, 2012

DFR Applications

GasTurbine

Desali-nation

Petro-chemicalPlant10

Cold air Cold sea water

Electricity

Desalinatedwater

Hydrazinefuel

Petroproducts

Steelproduction

Water or methane

Nitrogen

°C Hydrogen

HydrazinePlant

Investment<1.5 € /We

0.6 ¢/kWh

26 $/barrele

Figure 3. Applications of the Dual Fluid Reactor

The heat can be used to provide electricity with an efficiency of 50% or higher. The gas turbineoutlet temperature is still high enough to drive processes like water desalination on a large scaleas it is desired in many desert countries. Alternatively, the high temperature can be used for theproduction of petrochemical products, an essential part of the modern chemical industry, more cost-effective.

Most interesting is the production of hydrogen, the base material for many chemical procedures.Current steam reforming and similar processes are CO2 intense and consume fossil fuels. At thehigh temperature of the DFR, hydrogen can be produced from water by high-temperature catalyticthermolysis with high efficiency. Ammonia and synthetic fuels like hydrazine can therefore beproduced completely CO2 neutral. Energy density and chemical toxicity of hydrazine are similar togasoline 1, though with the DFR it can be produced for 1/3 of the current pre-tax gasoline marketprice.

Low hydrogen costs make also the hydrogen reduction of iron for steel production very attractive.Replacing the coke reduction reduces the CO2 footprint of the steel industry remarkably.

Automotive fuel production

With respect to the high and conceivably rising costs of natural gas and petroleum the nuclearsynthesis of fuel is a worthwhile business, especially since it can end the dependency on producercountries in a timely manner.

Those synthesis processes are well-tested in chemical engineering. However, they are not very en-ergy efficient. Thus, for the past several years more sophisticated processes have been being devel-

1 Pure hydrazine has half of the energy density of gasoline. However, contrary to gasoline it mixes well with water whichboosts the efficiency in combustion engines while reducing the toxicity and flammability.

Economics

Synthetic Automotive Fuels

DFR operates at a very high temperature of 1000◦C, whichprovides a very efficient use of heat.

This combined with low construction and operational costsreduces the cost per unit heat.

DFR can then be used as a very low cost source of Hydrogen gasfrom water through combined electrolysis and thermaldecomposition

This cheap Hydrogen makes the production of Nitrogen andSilicon based synthetic automotive fuels economically viable.

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Economics

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Economics

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Economics

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Economics

There are other synthesized fuels that are not based on Carbon.Examples are Hydrazine and Silane

Hydrazine is made of Nitrogen and Hydrogen while Silane is madeof Silicon and Hydrogen

Hydrazine has been used as rocket fuel in NASA’s space program.

It can be used in automotive combustion engines with properadditives, resulting in Water Vapour and Nitrogen as waste.

Similarly, Silane burns to Water Vapour and Silicon Nitride, aninert compound.

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Economics

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Economics

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Economics

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Economics

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Economics

In addition, Hydrazine and Silane have a wide range of industrialapplications.

The hazardous properties and toxicity of these fuels are similar toGasoline.

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Economics

In addition, Hydrazine and Silane have a wide range of industrialapplications.

The hazardous properties and toxicity of these fuels are similar toGasoline.

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Dr Ahmed Hussein - Dual Fluid Reactor

Science

Transcript of Dr Ahmed Hussein - Dual Fluid Reactor