Nuclear Power, OntarioTech, MECE3260U, PDF

Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science MECE3260U-Introduction to Energy Systems Nuclear Power Dr. Ibrahim Dincer Professor of Mechanical Engineering  OUTLINE Why nuclear energy? H...

Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science MECE3260U-Introduction to Energy Systems Nuclear Power Dr. Ibrahim Dincer Professor of Mechanical Engineering  OUTLINE Why nuclear energy? Historical Perspective Canadian Nuclear Industry Basic elements of nuclear power Fission vs Fusion Nuclear fuels Radiation aspects Nuclear power reactors SMRs and MMRs Nuclear hydrogen Integrated nuclear energy systems Closing Remarks 2 Three Key Options 3 4  Brief History Nuclear power was first discovered in 1934 by Enrico Fermi. The first nuclear bombs were built in 1945 as a result of the infamous Manhattan Project. The first plutonium bomb, code-named Trinity, was detonated on July 16, 1945 in New Mexico. On August 6th 1945 the first uranium bomb was detonated over Hiroshima. Three days later a plutonium bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. The result is over 200,000 deaths associated with these detonations. Electricity production with nuclear started in 1951. Source: The Green Peace Book of the Nuclear Age by John May 5  Some Facts about Canadian Nuclear Industry  Canada has 19 operating power reactors The plan: To increase Canada’s nuclear producing ~17% of Canadian electricity. electricity generating capacity to 18,000 MW  Canadian nuclear technology was among the first by 2025 (through 12,000 MW of and most innovative to emerge globally. Currently, refurbishments and an additional 6000 MW in there are 47 CANDU (or CANDU-derivative) new builds). reactors worldwide, 60% of which are operating AECL (Atomic Energy Limited Canada)  CNL outside of Canada. (Canadian Nuclear Laboratory)  Canada is the world’s leading provider of medical Quebec’s Excess Hydro Power vs Ontario’s isotopes, and the second-leading producer of Nuclear Power uranium. The off-peak price for residential users of  Canada’s nuclear industry directly employs over electricity has gone from 3.5 c/kWh in May 30,000 Canadians – a number that is poised to 2006 to 8.3 now – more than double in less increase to 42,000 by 2030 if current investment than 10 years, while Quebec exports power at plans are realized. 4.1 c/kWh on average.  Canada’s nuclear industry is among the most Worldwide, over 66.5 million m3 of water are highly monitored and regulated industries in the desalinated daily –seven times more than world. Canada’s total daily consumption. Source: Canadian Nuclear Association 6  Basic Elements of Nuclear Power Nuclear power: Use of nuclear energy in large quantities for peaceful applications (e.g., electricity, thermal, motive energy, hydrogen fuel). Initially nuclear power was used for military purpose only. (First kind of bomb: Nuclear fission reaction of uranium) (Second kind of bomb: Thermonuclear fusion reaction of hydrogen into helium) Both fission and fusion reactions could be used for energy production. Controlled fission reaction is already mastered and mature technology. Controlled fusion reaction is still at the developmental stage and expected that it will successfully be achieved in the future. 7 Fission vs Fusion 8 The fuel fabrication process: Source: https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/nuclear-fuel- cycle/conversion-enrichment-and-fabrication/fuel-fabrication.aspx Main stages in nuclear fuel fabrication for light-water reactors (LWRs) and pressurized heavy-water reactors (PHWRs): - Uranium arrives at a fuel manufacturing plant in either uranium hexafluoride (UF6) or uranium trioxide (UO3), depending on whether it is enriched or not. - Producing pure uranium dioxide (UO2) from incoming UF6 or UO3. - Producing high-density, accurately shaped ceramic UO2 pellets. - Producing the rigid metal framework for the fuel assembly – mainly from zirconium alloy; and loading the fuel pellets into the fuel rods, sealing them and assembling the rods into the final fuel assembly structure. 9  World Distribution of Uranium https://www.eniscuola.net/en/mediateca/world-reserves-uranium-in-2019/ 10  Types of Radiation Radiation is the result of an unstable atom decaying to reach a stable state. There are several different kinds of radiation: alpha radiation, beta radiation, gamma rays, and neutron emission. Alpha radiation is the release of two protons and two neutrons, and normally occurs in fission of heavier elements. Alpha particles are heavy and cannot penetrate human skin, but are hazardous if ingested. Beta radiation is when a neutron is changed to a proton or visa versa, beta radiation is what is released from this change. Beta particles can penetrate the skin, but not light metals. Gamma rays is a type of electromagnetic radiation which is left over after alpha and beta are released and include X-rays, light, radio waves, and Source: http://www.ratical.org/radiation/NRBE/NRBE3.html microwaves. Severe effects consist of burns, vomiting, hemorrhage, blood changes, hair loss, increased susceptibility to infection, and death. With lower levels of exposure symptoms are cancer (namely thyroid, leukemia, breast, and skin cancers), but also include eye cataracts. Source: The Green Peace Book of the Nuclear Age by John May 11 Simple Nuclear Power Plant Layout Nuclear fuel 1,000 kg/s Turbine, Process 80% efficiency Heat Power out o Steam 330 C generator 11,000 kg/s Nuclear reactor Condenser 30oC Pump Cooling water, 300oC 30,000 kg/s Rejected heat (moderator) 20oC Heat Valve exchanger 12 13 14 Reactor Types PWR—Pressurized Water Reactor—does not boil, but uses the pressure of the water to heat a secondary source of water that generates electricity. Most popular (accounts for 65% of reactors worldwide). Considered a light water reactor. BWR—Boiling Water Reactor—boils water (coolant) that makes steam to turn turbines. Conducive to internal contamination. Also considered a light water reactor. GMBWR—Graphite-moderated pressure tube boiling- water reactor similar to BWR but uses graphite and oxygen. Complex and difficult to examine. CANDU—Canadian Deuterium Uranium—Doesn’t use enriched fuel. Has lots of tubes and internal contamination issues. Magnox—Gas cooled reactor. Cooled with carbon dioxide or helium, and uses natural uranium. (UK and France). AGR—Advanced Gas-cooled—also cooled with carbon dioxide or helium. Uses enriched uranium. (UK). 3% enriched uranium pellets formed into rods, which are formed into bundles Fast Breeder—high temperature gas reactor. Uses U235, U238, and Plutonium 239. Very dangerous because it uses Bundles submerged in water coolant inside pressure vessel, liquid sodium in the primary circuit and in inflammable with with control rods. air and explosive with water. Bundles must be supercritical; will overheat and melt if no control rods. Reaction converts water to steam, which powers steam turbine Source: www.world-nuclear.org/ 15 (Bereznai, 2006) 16 (Bereznai, 2006) 17 GenIV Reactor Systems Gas-Cooled Fast Reactor (GFR) Lead-Cooled Fast Reactor (LFR) Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) Suppiah (2016) Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor (SFR) Supercritical-Water-cooled Reactor (SCWR) Very-High-Temperature Reactor (VHTR)  Canada’s primary interest: SCWR 18 Key Advantages of SCWR: Suppiah (2016).  Prime goal: To play a key role in hydrogen economy 19  SMRs and MMRs Source: IAEA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zU2UFsnS2aA 20 21 22 https://www.world-nuclear- news.org/Articles/US-Korean-partners-to- build-SMR-powered-hydrogen-p 23  Thermochemical Cycles H 2O Nuclear Power Plant H2 From Thermochemical Solar Heat Cycle System O2 24  Thermoelectrochemical (Hybrid) Cycles H 2O Nuclear Power Plant Electricity H2 From Hybrid Cycle Solar System Heat O2 25  Example: Integrated System (Al-Zareer-Dincer-Rosen, 2017) Hydrogen production by the thermochemical hybrid water decomposition cycle, which the copper-chlorine cycle from nuclear heat. 26 Enhancement of a current Bruce Power’s CANDU nuclear reactor with solar based system for Saugeen First Nation Community 27  Closing Remarks  One of the key energy solutions  Essential to meet the base load demands  Smaller and micro modular reactor options  Potential for hydrogen production  Increased interest in small modular reactors (SMRs)  System hybridization with renewables 28