htgr technology status and gap analysis - snetp...– modern nde techniques for quality control of...

HTGR technology status and gap analysis

Dominique HittnerAREVA

NC2I Conference, Brussels, 14-15/09/2015

Energy Union objectives• Energy Union objectives

– Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions– Security of supply– Re-industrialisation of Europe

• Agenda– Greenhouse gas cut by at least 40%

by 2030

NC2I Conference, Brussels, 14-15/09/2015 2

NC2I objectives• To contribute to the objectives of the

Energy Union by extending the use of nuclear energy to non-electric energy needs (electricity only ~ 22% of European energy consumption)

• To match with the agenda of the Energy Union

⇒To address a significant part of the non-electric energy sector→Industrial process heat applications

⇒To use mature technologiesNC2I Conference, Brussels, 14-15/09/2015 3

Industrial process heat market

Nuclear heat The temperatures indicated here are those accessible to applications, not those in the nuclear reactor (usually 50 to 100°C lower)

650°C 650°C

500°C

400°C

200°C

• T < 600°C ⇒ Steam networks• 87 GW in Europe


The available technologies• LWR: significant industrial experience of

heat supply, but only the lower range of temperature (< 240°C)

• HTGR → 600°C– Mature nuclear technology

• Historical legacy of experimental and industrial projects

• Large effort since 2000 to recover the technology (FP5-7, ANTARES, participation to PBMR, NGNP…)

– The industrial prototypes were coupled to steam cycles for electricity generation

→The next step is to use steam cycle to provide heat to industrial processes


The next step

• Coupling the steam cycle HTGR with existing steam distribution networks feeding industrial processes (“plug-in”)

• To operate the reactor in a heat and electricity cogeneration mode.


Why cogeneration?Why not simple nuclear boilers?

• Large industrial sites require both electricity and process heat presently supplied by conventional cogeneration plants: if nuclear plants substitute them, they have to provide the same service.

• Cogeneration is the most efficient way to use the primary energy (efficiency ~ 80%)

• Flexibility– To adapt to different sites with different needs

of process heat– To increase the nuclear plant capacity to

adapt to quick variations in required heat loads


ReboilerCirculator

Generator625MWtRx core

S.G.Steam turbine

Steam isolation valves

Condenser

Process Steam

ProcessWaterCleanupMakeup

He

Water/steam

Process water/steam

HTGR cogeneration: what is new?

The reactor and its steam power conversion system:

mature technologyThe steam network:

already operating

New: the coupling


HTGR cogeneration: the challenges• The coupling

– Proving that• It works as well as conventional cogeneration

in industrial environment• It is economically attractive

– Licensing it

Licensing an industrial size modular HTGR with its specific intrinsic safety concept

⇒Demonstration required


What is available for demonstration?The frame is the GEMINI partnership

⇒ Sharing technology advances, risks and funding effort

• In Europe– The legacy of the historical German programme– The FP5-7 R&D programmes– Participation of European organisations in international

projects (NGNP, PBMR, HTR-10…) and in GIF– The ANTARES project in AREVA

• In the US– The legacy of the historical US programme– The NGNP design and R&D programme– Participation in GIF


• HTGR Technologies

What is available for demonstration?

– Components

– Fuel

– Modelling (reactor physics, thermo-fluid dynamics, mechanics)

– Helium technologies

– Materials(< 800°C) including new graphite grades

– Several industrial designs

– Some experience of coupling


Technology achievements• Fuel

– In Europe• Lab. Scale fab.• Irradiation in US AGR test• Development of modern

quality control methods– In the US

• Optimisation of manufacturing process & industrial pilot plant

• Qualification of the industrialfuel: the AGR programme

UO2 kernel coating

Manufacturing of compacts

(CERCA / AREVA)

Steam coal gasification with nuclear simulated heat source

Lab scale testing, 1973-1980 with 5.0 kg/hSemi-technical scale testing, 1976-1984 with 0.5 t/hGasification at 750-850°C and 2-4 MPaTotal coal gasified: 2413 tOperation time of ~26,600 h with ~13,600h under gasification conditions

Conversion of coal intoliquid transport fuelwith nuclear heatsource demonstrated atthe level of industrialpilot plant

CEA Cadarache)

• Coupling with industrial process: legacy of PNP

Full height SG mock-up

• Graphite Selection, characterization & irradiation

• Europe: FP5-7• US: AGC

programme

• Components

X-Ray tomography of a TRISO particle UO2 kernel

fabrication

TOP TIERDESIGN

REQUIREMENTS

What is available for demonstration?

• Market knowledge

• Licensing requirements

EUROPAIRSNC2I-R


What is still to be done for demonstration?• Design

– Using as much as possible proven solutions

– Converging as much as possible with the design selected by the NGNP Industry Alliance. Possible residual differences should be justified by differences in

• Licensing requirements• Market features

• Licensing– Need of a licensing frame

• Adapted to the specific safety approach of modular HTGR based on inherent properties of the system

• Addressing the coupling with industrial processes

To be addressed right from the beginning of the design (safety option report during the conceptual design)

Steam Generators

Reactor

Circulator

SC-HTGR


What is still to be done for demonstration?• To rebuild a supply chain

• Some focused R&D– Modelling the source term and in particular

dust formation and transport– Graphite :

• Methods for internals design• Oxidation in accident conditions (complements)

• Qualification– Computer codes qualification– Component qualification


Qualification needs

KVK loopPower:10 MW

• Large scale high temperature helium test facilities: – SG, valves, circulator with magnetic bearings, etc.

• Irradiation facilities – Composites, instrumentation, etc.

What is still to be done for demonstration?• Innovation

– Use of composites (control rod cladding …)– Reactor instrumentation (temperature, flux,

flow rate, velocity, stresses…): not only for current system control but to take maximum benefit of the demonstration

– Magnetic bearings (circulator)– Modern NDE techniques for

quality control of fuel manufacturing

– …

Not necessary but welcome as long as• There is a clear benefit for the project• They don’t increase significantly the

risks and jeopardize the schedule

Magnetic bearing testing, Zittau

University


Longer term prospects

High temperature processes Very high temperature processes

Operation of the HTGR

demonstration plant

HTGR deployment

on the plug-in market

Extensionof the HTGR

market

Plug-in market Extended market

Pre-heating

Alternative processes

with lower t°

VHTR

600°C

Existing technologies Technologies to be developed

Heat transportProcess adaptation


Long term developments: 1. extending HTGR process

steam market • Interface with the heat network for

extended steam supply and pre-heating

• Decreasing the temperature of very high temperature processes, e.g. for H2production:– Membrane process for decreasing the

temperature of steam-methane reforming from 850°C to 650°C

– Water splitting by steam electrolysis at 650°C Vs thermo-chemical processes at ~ 900°C


Long term developments: 2. VHTR

• Materials (Ni base Alloys, ODS, ceramics, composites…)

• Fuel (e.g. ZrC coating instead of SiC)

• Development of heat carrying systems for very high temperature

• Interface with the heat carrying system

• Optimization of the process for heat supplied by convection


Long term developments: 3. other topics• Fuel cycle and waste management

– Alternative fuel to U: Pu, Th-U233– Closed cycles: reprocessing– Waste management

• Separation between fuel material and graphite + other carbonaceous materials

• Behaviour of irradiated fuel in geological repository• Irradiated graphite management (recycling or disposal)

• Alternative power conversion system (supercritical CO2)

• Replacement of C by H2 as a reducing agent in industrial processes


Conclusion (1)• HTGR id the most suitable nuclear system for

nuclear energy to address a significant part of the industrial process heat market in a time frame compatible with the Energy Union agenda,

• For initiating HTGR deployment for cogeneration of electricity and process heat an industrial scale demonstration of HTGR is necessary

• The technology is mature for a short term demonstration of HTGR cogeneration– R&D needs are limited and focused– Next step is design and licensing– Qualification effort not to be neglected


Conclusion (2)• The transatlantic partnership promoted by

GEMINI initiative enhances the readiness for demonstration

• The initial market for cogeneration HTGR will be “plug-in” industrial steam networks

• There is a large potential for extending HTGR market

• The need for VHTR is still to be confirmed, depending on the evolution of industrial very high temperature processes. The development of lower temperature processes might be an alternative.


The HTRs built and operated in the world

Fort Saint-Vrain, US (300 MWe, operated 1976-89)

THTR, Germany (300 MWe,operated 1986-89)

DRAGON, U.K. (20 MW, operated

1963-76)

AVR, Germany(15 MWe, operated 1967-88)

HTTR, Japan (30MWth, operated since 1998)

HTR-10, China(10 MWth, operated since 2000)

Peach Bottom, US (200 MWth,

operated 1967-74)

Test reactors

Industrial prototypes

HTR-PM, China (2 x 106 MWe)

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