Development Trends in Nuclear Technology and Related Safety Aspects

2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Kuczera ◽  
P. E. Juhn ◽  
K. Fukuda
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Fuel Cycle ◽  
Nuclear Reactors ◽  
Nuclear Technology ◽  
User Requirements ◽  
Safety Standards ◽  
Safety Requirements ◽  
Fuel Cycles ◽  
High Level

The IAEA Safety Standards Series include, in a hierarchical manner, the categories of Safety Fundamentals, Safety Requirements and Safety Guides, which define the elements necessary to ensure the safety of nuclear installations. In the same way as nuclear technology and scientific knowledge advance continuously, also safety requirements may change with these advances. Therefore, in the framework of the International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO) one important aspect among others refers to user requirements on the safety of innovative nuclear installations, which may come into operation within the next fifty years. In this respect, the major objectives of the INPRO subtask “User Requirements and Nuclear Energy Development Criteria in the Area of Safety” have been: a. to overview existing national and international requirements in the safety area, b. to define high level user requirements in the area of safety of innovative nuclear technologies, c. to compile and to analyze existing innovative reactor and fuel cycle technology enhancement concepts and approaches intended to achieve a high degree of safety, and d. to identify the general areas of safety R&D needs for the establishment of these technologies. During the discussions it became evident that the application of the defence in depth strategy will continue to be the overriding approach for achieving the general safety objective in nuclear power plants and fuel cycle facilities, where the emphasis will be shifted from mitigation of accident consequences more towards prevention of accidents. In this context, four high level user requirements have been formulated for the safety of innovative nuclear reactors and fuel cycles. On this basis safety strategies for innovative reactor designs are highlighted in each of the five levels of defence in depth and specific requirements are discussed for the individual components of the fuel cycle.

The IAEA’s International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO)

2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juergen Kupitz
Keyword(s):  
Phase I ◽  
International Collaboration ◽  
Fuel Cycle ◽  
Nuclear Reactors ◽  
International Project ◽  
Nuclear Technology ◽  
User Requirements ◽  
Member States ◽  
Unique Role ◽  
Fuel Cycles

This paper presents the IAEA International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO). It defines its rationale, key objectives and specifies the organizational structure. The IAEA General Conference (2000) has invited “all interested Member States to combine their efforts under the aegis of the Agency in considering the issues of the nuclear fuel cycle, in particular by examining innovative and proliferation-resistant nuclear technology” (GC(44)/RES/21) and invited Member States to consider to contribute to a task force on innovative nuclear reactors and fuel cycle (GC(44)/RES/22). In response to this invitation, the IAEA initiated an “International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles”, INPRO. The Terms of Reference for INPRO were adopted at a preparatory meeting in November 2000, and the project was finally launched by the INPRO Steering Committee in May 2001. At the General Conference in 2001, first progress was reported, and the General Conference adopted a resolution on “Agency Activities in the Development of Innovative Nuclear Technology” [GC(45)/RES/12, Tab F], giving INPRO a broad basis of support. The resolution recognized the “unique role that the Agency can play in international collaboration in the nuclear field”. It invited both “interested Member States to contribute to innovative nuclear technology activities” at the Agency as well as the Agency itself “to continue it’s efforts in these areas”. Additional endorsement came in a UN General Assembly resolution in December 2001 (UN GA 2001, A/RES/56/94), that again emphasized “the unique role that the Agency can play in developing user requirements and in addressing safeguards, safety and environmental questions for innovative reactors and their fuel cycles” and stressed “the need for international collaboration in the development of innovative nuclear technology”. As of February 2002, the following countries or entities have become members of INPRO: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, India, Russian Federation, Spain, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Turkey and the European Commission. In total, 15 cost-free experts have been nominated by their respective governments or international organizations. The objective of INPRO is to support the safe, sustainable, economic and proliferation resistant use of nuclear technology to meet the global energy needs of the 21st century. Phase I of INPRO was initiated in May 2001. During Phase I, work is subdivided in two subphases: Phase IA (in progress): Selection of criteria and development of methodologies and guidelines for the comparison of different concepts and approaches, taking into account the compilation and review of such concepts and approaches, and determination of user requirements. Phase IB (to be started after Phase IA is completed): Examination of innovative nuclear energy technologies made available by Member States against criteria and requirements. This examination will be co-ordinated by the Agency and performed with participatio of Member States on the basis of the user requirements and methodologies established in Phase IA. In the first phase, six subject groups were established: Resources, Demand and User requirements for Economics; User requirements for the Environment, Fuel cycle and Waste; User requirements for Safety; User requirements for Non-proliferation; User requirements for crosscutting issues; Criteria and Methodology.

scholarly journals Small nuclear power plants for power supply in arctic regions: assessment of spent nuclear fuel radioactivity

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 119-125
Author(s):  
Vadim Naumov ◽  
Sergey Gusak ◽  
Andrey Naumov
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Fuel Cycle ◽  
Mass Composition ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Pressurized Water ◽  
Fuel Cycles ◽  
Reactor Cores

The purpose of the present study is the investigation of mass composition of long-lived radionuclides accumulated in the fuel cycle of small nuclear power plants (SNPP) as well as long-lived radioactivity of spent fuel of such reactors. Analysis was performed of the published data on the projects of SNPP with pressurized water-cooled reactors (LWR) and reactors cooled with Pb-Bi eutectics (SVBR). Information was obtained on the parameters of fuel cycle, design and materials of reactor cores, thermodynamic characteristics of coolants of the primary cooling circuit for reactor facilities of different types. Mathematical models of fuel cycles of the cores of reactors of ABV, KLT-40S, RITM-200M, UNITERM, SVBR-10 and SVBR-100 types were developed. The KRATER software was applied for mathematical modeling of the fuel cycles where spatial-energy distribution of neutron flux density is determined within multi-group diffusion approximation and heterogeneity of reactor cores is taken into account using albedo method within the reactor cell model. Calculation studies of kinetics of burnup of isotopes in the initial fuel load (235U, 238U) and accumulation of long-lived fission products (85Kr, 90Sr, 137Cs, 151Sm) and actinoids (238,239,240,241,242Pu, 236U, 237Np, 241Am, 244Cm) in the cores of the examined SNPP reactor facilities were performed. The obtained information allowed estimating radiation characteristics of irradiated nuclear fuel and implementing comparison of long-lived radioactivity of spent reactor fuel of the SNPPs under study and of their prototypes (nuclear propulsion reactors). The comparison performed allowed formulating the conclusion on the possibility in principle (from the viewpoint of radiation safety) of application of SNF handling technology used in prototype reactors in the transportation and technological process layouts of handling SNF of SNPP reactors.

scholarly journals Improving Nuclear Power Plant's Operational Efficiencies in the U.S.A.

2011 ◽  
Vol 133 (01) ◽  
pp. 47-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph S. Miller ◽  
Bob Stakenborghs ◽  
Robert Tsai
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Capacity Factor ◽  
Fuel Cycles ◽  
The Us ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Average Operating ◽  
High Level ◽  
Very High ◽  
Operating Plant

This article discusses improvement in nuclear power plant’s operational efficiencies in the USA in the past 40 years. The increase in nuclear generation has been achieved by a substantial increase in the overall capacity factor of the US plants from about 60% in 1980 to over 90% today. This large increase in capacity factor was achieved by reducing outages, having longer fuel cycles, using higher burnup fuel, and reducing unplanned outages and fuel failures. Combined with increases in power in various plants, this allowed nuclear power to maintain and increase its share of electricity generation. Such an increase in nuclear generation is the equivalent of having built 25–30 nuclear power plants during that period. The length of the planned outages has reduced from 106 days for an average operating plant in 1991 to 38 days in 2008. The fuel performance has also improved to a very high level over the last 20–30 years.

Aging Management of Nuclear Power Plants in Korea

2007 ◽  
Vol 120 ◽  
pp. 193-198
Author(s):  
Tae Eun Jin ◽  
Heung Bae Park ◽  
Hho Jung Kim
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Science And Technology ◽  
Operating Experience ◽  
System Structure ◽  
Regulatory Body ◽  
Aging Effects ◽  
Safety Standards ◽  
Periodic Safety ◽  
High Level

Kori Unit 1, which is the oldest nuclear power plant (NPP) in Korea has been operated since 1978. In addition, 10 other NPPs have been operating more than 10 years. As the number of aging plants rise, public concern over the safety of operating NPPs has increased. Periodic safety review (PSR) in addition to the existing safety assessments are proposed by IAEA as an effective way to verify that operating NPPs maintain the high level of safety. In this regard, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), Korea’s nuclear regulatory body, recently established an institutional process through revision to the atomic energy act to introduce PSR. This PSR considers, among other factors, improvements in safety standards and practices, the cumulative effects of plant aging, operating experience, and the evolution of science and technology. In particular, the assessment and management of plant aging is one of the major areas. It includes identification of the system, structure and components (SSCs) for aging management, assessment of aging effects and planning of aging management implementation program. PSR results could be one of the procedural requirements that are utilized to renew an operating license of a NPP. This paper describes safety assessment requirements including PSR and aging management activities in Korea. This paper also includes the strategy and method for the application of PSR results to the aging management and continued operation of NPPs.

scholarly journals RECENT VALIDATION STUDY OF THE TECHNIQUE FOR EXPRESS EVALUATION OF BURNUP IN LEAKING FUEL ASSEMBLIES OF WWER POWER UNITS

2021 ◽  
Vol 247 ◽  
pp. 10013
Author(s):  
O.V. Vilkhivskaya ◽  
I.A. Evdokimov ◽  
V.V. Likhanskii ◽  
E.Yu. Afanasieva
Keyword(s):  
Validation Study ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Fuel Cycle ◽  
Conventional Technique ◽  
Fuel Burnup ◽  
Fuel Cycles ◽  
Activity Measurements ◽  
Fuel Assemblies ◽  
Activity Ratios

The present work continues the series of papers on the revision of the conventional technique for evaluation of leaking fuel burnup during reactor operation at nuclear power plants (NPPs). The focus was made on reduction of uncertainties in evaluation of leaking fuel burnup in modern fuel cycles at WWER-1000 power units. A set of models was proposed for express calculation of the build-up of caesium isotopes in fuel and to relate 134Cs/137Cs activity ratio with fuel burnup for each rod in the core. These models are based on routine neutronic calculations of pin-by-pin linear heat generation rates which are performed at NPPs for each particular fuel cycle with particular core loading pattern (however, these calculations do not provide data on caesium inventory in fuel). Previously, the proposed models have been validated against several practical cases. This latest validation study relied on the analysis of the most recent fuel cycles at two NPPs that reported spike-events and identified the leaking fuel assemblies (LFAs) after the reactor shutdown. The calculated 134Cs/137Cs activity ratios in the fuel of the LFAs were compared to the NPPs data on the activity measurements, and to the post-irradiation examination (PIE) data provided for one FA. A reasonable agreement between the model predictions and the experimental data on 134Cs/137Cs activity ratios in the fuel as a function of its burnup is shown for the advanced FA designs in modern fuel cycles.

The Status of the IAEA International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO) and the Ongoing Activities of the Phase 1B of INPRO

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald Steur ◽  
Frank Depisch ◽  
Juergen Kupitz
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Fuel Cycle ◽  
Nuclear Reactors ◽  
International Project ◽  
Member States ◽  
Fuel Cycles ◽  
Energy Needs ◽  
The Status ◽  
Phase 1B ◽  
Technology Users

The IAEA General Conference in 2000 has invited “all interested Member States to combine their efforts under the aegis of the Agency in considering the issues of the nuclear fuel cycle, in particular by examining innovative and proliferation-resistant nuclear technology”. In response to this invitation, the IAEA initiated an “International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles” (INPRO). The overall objectives of INPRO are to help to ensure that nuclear energy is available to contribute in fulfilling in a sustainable manner energy needs in the 21st century, and to bring together all interested Member States, both technology holders and technology users, to consider jointly the international and national actions required to achieve desired innovations in nuclear reactors and fuel cycles that use sound and economically competitive technology. In the first phase of the project the report “Guidance for the evaluation of innovative nuclear reactors and fuel cycles” has been published. (June 2003, IAEA tecdoc 1362, Report of Phase 1A) In the following phase member states are contributing by case studies to validate the methodology for assessment and to evaluate the application of the basic principles, requirements and criteria. The paper will shortly summarize the main findings of the published report in the following fields (a) Prospects and Potentials of Nuclear Power, (b) Economics; (c) Sustainability and Environment, (d) Safety of Nuclear Installations, (e) Waste Management, (f) Proliferation Resistance, (g) Crosscutting issues and (h) the Methodology for Assessment. Further on the paper will deal with the actual phase of INPRO and the ongoing activities.

The Methodology for Innovative Nuclear Technology Evaluation

2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Kagramanian ◽  
A. Garmash
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Approach ◽  
Nuclear Reactors ◽  
Nuclear Technology ◽  
User Requirements ◽  
Technology Evaluation ◽  
Material Flows ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Fuel Cycles ◽  
Institutional Issues ◽  
Term Objective

Other papers in this INPRO session address the possible user requirements for nuclear reactors and fuel cycles that might be applicable in the middle of this century. Each paper has dealt with a certain category of user requirements — safety, proliferation resistance, environmental impacts and material flows, and the broader infrastructure and institutional issues. These user requirements will need to be elaborated in terms of specific criteria applicable to the options and alternatives to be evaluated in different countries. A systematic approach to applying these criteria will also be required. Current technology assessment methods, however, are unlikely to be perfectly suited to the longer-term objective of establishing the directions, which will encourage the innovation we are seeking for the middle of this century. This paper will therefore identify methodological adjustments and extensions appropriate for this longer-term objective and present a possible “top down” approach for creating the necessary methodology.

scholarly journals Study of Thorium Fuel Cycles for Light Water Reactor VBER-150

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Daniel Evelio Milian Lorenzo ◽  
Daniel Milian Pérez ◽  
Lorena Pilar Rodríguez García ◽  
Jesús Salomón Llanes ◽  
Carlos Alberto Brayner de Oliveira Lira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Fuel Cycle ◽  
Light Water Reactor ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Light Water ◽  
Fuel Cycles ◽  
Standard Design ◽  
Pu Isotopes ◽  
Open Cycle

The main objective of this paper is to examine the use of thorium-based fuel cycle for the transportable reactors or transportable nuclear power plants (TNPP) VBER-150 concept, in particular the neutronic behavior. The thorium-based fuel cycles included Th232+Pu239, Th232+U233, and Th232+U and the standard design fuel UOX. Parameters related to the neutronic behavior such as burnup, nuclear fuel breeding, MA stockpile, and Pu isotopes production (among others) were used to compare the fuel cycles. The Pu transmutation rate and accumulation of Pu with MA in the spent fuel were compared mutually and with an UOX open cycle. The Th232+U233 fuel cycle proved to be the best cycle for minimizing the production of Pu and MA. The neutronic calculations have been performed with the well-known MCNPX computational code, which was verified for this type of fuel performing calculation of the IAEA benchmark announced by IAEA-TECDOC-1349.

scholarly journals Model-Driven Architectural Framework towards Safe and Secure Nuclear Power Reactors

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (15) ◽  
pp. 5136
Author(s):  
Bassem Ouni ◽  
Christophe Aussagues ◽  
Saadia Dhouib ◽  
Chokri Mraidha
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Nuclear Reactors ◽  
System Development ◽  
Levels Of Abstraction ◽  
Model Driven ◽  
Case System ◽  
Architectural Framework ◽  
Performance Check ◽  
High Level ◽  
Different Levels

Sensor-based digital systems for Instrumentation and Control (I&C) of nuclear reactors are quite complex in terms of architecture and functionalities. A high-level framework is highly required to pre-evaluate the system’s performance, check the consistency between different levels of abstraction and address the concerns of various stakeholders. In this work, we integrate the development process of I&C systems and the involvement of stakeholders within a model-driven methodology. The proposed approach introduces a new architectural framework that defines various concepts, allowing system implementations and encompassing different development phases, all actors, and system concerns. In addition, we define a new I&C Modeling Language (ICML) and a set of methodological rules needed to build different architectural framework views. To illustrate this methodology, we extend the specific use of an open-source system engineering tool, named Eclipse Papyrus, to carry out many automation and verification steps at different levels of abstraction. The architectural framework modeling capabilities will be validated using a realistic use case system for the protection of nuclear reactors. The proposed framework is able to reduce the overall system development cost by improving links between different specification tasks and providing a high abstraction level of system components.

NUCLEAR WASTE MANAGEMENT IN SPAIN: ANALYSIS OF THE CURRENT SITUATION AND ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES

10.6036/10156 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 96 (4) ◽  
pp. 355-358
Author(s):  
Pablo Fernández Arias ◽  
DIEGO VERGARA RODRIGUEZ
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Waste ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Nuclear Waste Storage ◽  
Alternative Strategies ◽  
Temporary Storage ◽  
Long Term Storage ◽  
High Level

Centralized Temporary Storage Facility (CTS) is an industrial facility designed to store spent fuel (SF) and high level radioactive waste (HLW) generated at Spanish nuclear power plants (NPP) in a single location. At the end of 2011, the Spanish Government approved the installation of the CTS in the municipality of Villar de Cañas in Cuenca. This approval was the outcome of a long process of technical studies and political decisions that were always surrounded by great social rejection. After years of confrontations between the different political levels, with hardly any progress in its construction, this infrastructure of national importance seems to have been definitively postponed. The present research analyzes the management strategy of SF and HLW in Spain, as well as the alternative strategies proposed, taking into account the current schedule foreseen for the closure of the Spanish NPPs. In view of the results obtained, it is difficult to affirm that the CTS will be available in 2028, with the possibility that its implementation may be delayed to 2032, or even that it may never happen, making it necessary to adopt an alternative strategy for the management of GC and ARAR in Spain. Among the different alternatives, the permanence of the current Individualized Temporary Stores (ITS) as a long-term storage strategy stands out, and even the possibility of building several distributed temporary storage facilities (DTS) in which to store the SF and HLW from several Spanish NPP. Keywords: nuclear waste, storage, nuclear power plants.

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