nuclear plant operations 101

Nuclear Plant Operations 101

December 1, 2010

Vijay K. Sazawal, Ph.D.

Director, Government Programs

Disclaimer: Views expressed in the presentation are attributable solely to the author

Restricted Proprietary Information

Presentation

Global Nuclear Power Map and Market

Nuclear Fuel Cycle

Front end

Back end

Power Reactors

Nuclear Power Plants in operation

Light Water Reactors (LWRs)

Evolution of Nuclear Reactor Designs

Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)

Application of Export Controls

Definition of key terms

Departmental delineation

When in doubt…..

Closing remarks


Global Nuclear Map and Market

30 Countries with 438 total units operating

U.S.: 104 (20%)

France: 58 (78%)

Japan: 53 (27%)

Russia: 31 (17%)

Canada: 21 (15%)

S. Korea: 20 (37%)

Germany: 17 (27%)

50 Reactors in construction in 13 countries

68 Countries considering nuclear power, nearly half seriously

Key markets for U.S. companies include China, India, Canada, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Italy, Vietnam, UAE and U.K.


Nuclear Fuel Cycle


Front End of Nuclear Fuel Cycle

Mining (Uranium Ore)

Milling (“Yellowcake”/Uranium Oxide)

Conversion (UF6)

Enrichment (LEU)

Fuel Fabrication/Assembly


Nuclear Enrichment


Fuel Assemblies

PWR FUEL BWR FUEL


Back End of Nuclear Fuel Cycle

Interim storage

Spent fuel processing

Repository


Interim Wet Storage


Interim Dry Storage


Reprocessing

PUREX

COEX


Repository - WIPP


Repository – Yucca Mountain


Nuclear Power Plants in Commercial Operation

Reactor Type Main Countries Number GWe Fuel Coolant Moderator

Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR)

US, France, Japan, Russia, China

265 251.6 Enriched UO2 Water Water

Boiling Water Reactor (BWR)

US, Japan, Sweden 94 86.4 Enriched UO2 Water Water

Pressurised Heavy Water

Reactor ‘CANDU’ (PHWR)

Canada 44 24.3 Natural UO2 Heavy Water Heavy Water

Gas-cooled Reactor

(AGR & Magnox)

UK 18 10.8 Natural U (metal)

Enriched UO2

CO2 Graphite

Light Water Graphite Reactor

(RBMK)

Russia 12 12.3 Enriched UO2 Water Graphite

Fast Neutron Reactor (FBR)

Japan, Russia 2 1.0 PuO2 and UO2 Liquid Sodium None

Source: Nuclear Engineering International Handbook 2010


Light Water Reactors (LWRs)


Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR)


PWR Steam Generator


PWR Coolant Pump


BWR Reactor System


Balance of Plant (BoP)


Evolution of Nuclear Reactor Designs


Small Nuclear Power Reactors

IAEA defines “small” as under 300 MWe

Renewed interest in small reactors partly in response to high capital cost of large power reactors

Lends to modular construction and incremental additions in capacity

Assessment by IAEA in 2009 concluded that there could be 43-96 small modular reactors (SMRs) in operation by 2030

Other countries are likely to build and operate SMRs ahead of the U.S. Russia will commission a floating nuclear plan (35 MWe PWR) in 2011

FY 2011 President’s Budget Request included $39M for SMR development

DOE exploring public-private partnership to pursue NRC design certification for 1 to 2 SMRs employing LWR technologies

Commercial deployment of SMRs expected in the U.S. around 2020


NRC Pre-Application Review of Small Reactors

Gas Turbine-Modular Helium General Atomics-OKBM 600MWt/285 MWe HTR N/A

Reactor (GT-MHR)

Energy Multiplier Module General Atomics 250 MWe HFR N/A

(EM2)

Traveling Wave Reactor TerraPower, LLC

No. Design Applicant Capacity Type Design Certification Application

1. NuScale NuScale Power, Inc. 160 MWt/45 MWe PWR 1Q CY 2012

2. Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR)

PBMR (Pty.), Ltd. 400 MWt/165 MWe HTR FY 2013

3. Super-Safe Small & Simple (4S)

Toshiba 30MWt/10 MWe LMR 2Q CY 2012

4. Hyperion Power Module (HPM)

Hyperion Power Generation, Inc.

70MWt/25 MWe MSR N/A

5. Power Reactor Innovative Small Module (PRISM)

GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy

840MWt/311 MWe LMR 1Q CY 2012

6. mPower Babcock & Wilcox Company

400MWt/125MWe PWR 4Q CY 2012

•HTR N/A


Application of Export ControlsDefinition of Key Terms

Source Materials:

Material in any physical or chemical form or ores that contain by weight 0.05 percent or more of uranium or thorium (or in combination). Depleted uranium (left over from uranium enrichment) is considered a source material

Source Material Licensing: 10 CFR Part 40

Special Nuclear Material (SNM):

Plutonium, Uranium-233, Uranium enriched in the isotopes U-233 or U-235. Pu and U-233 do not occur naturally

SNM Licensing: 10 CFR Part 70

By Product Material:

Non-SNM material that is radioactive and produced either by fission process or by using SNM. Examples are Tritium (H-3), Carbon-14, Flourine-18, Cobalt-57, Krypton-87, Radium-226

By Product Licensing: 10 CFR Part 30


Nuclear Facilities and Equipment Under NRC Export Licensing Authority

Major equipment used in nuclear reactors:

Reactor pressure vessel

On-line fuel charging and discharging machines

Control rod system and drive mechanisms

Reactor primary coolant pump

Zirconium tubes

Reactor internals (NSSS)

Major equipment (especially designed or critically important) for following plants:

Separation and enrichment of isotopes of uranium and lithium

Fabrication of nuclear reactor fuel assemblies

Reprocessing of irradiated nuclear reactor fuel

Production of heavy water

Conversion of uranium and plutonium

Production of SNM using accelerator driven systems above 5MWt


Nuclear Material Under NRC Export Licensing Material

SNM*

Source Material*

Byproduct Material*

Deuterium (heavy water)

Nuclear grade graphite

Full details in 10 CFR Part 110, including latest updates

* Requires NRC Import License


Department of Commerce-Bureau of Industry & Security (BIS)

Export licenses cover “Dual Use” items

BIS export licenses may be required depending on the nature of the item, the country of destination and specific “end-use”

Export licenses may apply to major equipment and technology in the Balance of Plant (BoP)

High pressure turbines

Condensate pumps, valves and motors

Main generators and back-up generators

Transformers

Fire detection and suppression systems

I&C used in BoP

Radiation detection

Telecommunications

Tools and maintenance

Additional guidance from BIS: www.bis.doc.gov


When in Doubt…..

Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration (ITA)

Civil Nuclear Exporters Guide: www.ita.doc.gov

(202) 482-8245

(202) 482-3851

NRC (10CFR 110)

Office of Export Controls and International Programs

(301) 415-3684

(301) 415-1780

NNSA (10CFR 810)

Office of International Regimes and Agreements

(202) 586-0269

(202) 586-3806

DOC (“Dual Use”)

Bureau of Industry and Security

(202) 482-16414

(202) 482-2180

DOS (“123 Agreements”)

Office of Nuclear Energy, Safety and Security

(202) 647-4061

(202) 647-3978

http://www.ita.doc.gov/


Closing Remarks

U.S. Government

Executive Order – National Export Initiative

Civil Nuclear Trade Initiative

Interagency Working Group

Trade Promotion

Government – Industry Coordination

Civil Nuclear Trade Advisory Committee (CINTAC)

Civil Nuclear Exporters Guide

Export Control Seminars

Industry Briefings

Any Questions?

nuclear plant operations 101

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