Generation IV

Generation IV reactors

With the overall goals established, GIF selected six concepts of advanced nuclear reactors for indepth study: GFRs, LFRs, MSRs, SFRs, SCWRs and VHTRs. Many studies investigate nuclear reactor modifications and progress required to produce cheap electricity and high temperature heat with efficient coupling with industrial process plants. With respect to the process heat temperature level that they offer, GCRs, MSRs and heavy metal cooled reactors appear to be the most promising technologies for higher temperature industrial processes such as hydrogen production. The various nuclear reactor technologies combined with thermally driven hydrogen production processes adaptable to nuclear reactors will complement, and not compete, in shaping the future nuclear based process heat and steam generation capabilities.

They report: that:

“...liquid metal and gas-cooled reactors can generate very high temperatures, which could be used to create new synthetic fuels for energy. This will be an innovative application of nuclear energy and can considerably expand its use. This is because the transportation sector is responsible for about a quarter of the total energy use and almost 99% of this is currently supplied by organic fuel. Nuclear power can penetrate this large market through use of electric cars and production of synthetic fuels such as methanol, ethanol and their derivatives; nuclear power can also be used for coal gasification, oil extraction and hydrogen production. All of these are being seriously considered in the 21st century. However, the infrastructure for use of these fuels needs to be created first, particularly in the case of environmentally ideal hydrogen fuel.”

Innovative applications are being explored with gas-cooled reactors because of their high temperatures. Cost-effectiveness is in general a crucial issue for non-electric applications of nuclear power. For some applications, however, close proximity of the power plant to a population centre is needed (to reduce energy and/or product transmission losses) and this requires further public acceptance. Some large applications also require the development of infrastructure — heat-distribution networks for district heating and water distribution systems (water pipes and pumps) for fresh water.

1. Water cooled reactor concepts

The three concepts of a water cooled reactor under consideration are the supercritical water cooled reactor (SCWR), the integral primary system reactor (IPSR), and the next generation Canada deuterium-uranium (CANDU-NG) reactor covering a wide range of thermal and power outputs and operating temperatures. The CANDU-NG reactor is designed for the medium power range of400-1200 MW(e) and the reference concept with 650 MW(e), CANDU-NG reactors are expected to combine the advantages of both CANDU reactors and pressurized water reactors.

Evolving from conventional LWRs, SCWRs operate at very high pressures, above the critical point, to allow for high coolant exit temperatures (up to 625°C) and high thermal efficiencies, Such a temperature level is suitable for medium temperature process heat applications. Since water systems operate at elevated pressures, intermediate systems will be needed to convert thermal energy to lower pressure fluids used in industrial applications. All of the water cooled concepts can be used for bottoming cycles that include district heating and desalination. The SCWR concepts proposed in GIF have thermal ratings of 900-3800 MW(th). The reference concept has a thermal power of 3575 MW(th) to produce 1600 MW(e) with a coolant exit temperature of 500°C.

The IPSR is a smaller pressurized water reactor system in which all major components are integrated in the pressure vessel. Thermal power envisioned is in the range of 30-300 MW(th). Examples for this class include the following:

—   CAREM (Central Argentina de Elementos Modulares, Argentina);

—   SMART (system-integrated modular advanced reactor, Republic of Korea);

—   IRIS (International Reactor Innovative and Secure, international);

—   IMR (integrated modular water reactor, Japan).

Of these IPSR concepts, SMART was the first to be granted a standard design approval.

2. Gas cooled reactor concepts

Gas cooled reactor (GCR) concepts include the pebble bed reactor (PBR), the prismatic modular reactor, the GFR and the VHTR. Helium pressures enhance the coolant capacity to transmit heat. The coated particle fuel used in the thermal spectrum concepts is capable of high bumups, and they are easily adjustable to a wide range of fuel cycles.

VHTRs comprise four concepts:

—   GCRs aiming at ultrahigh helium temperatures of 1200-1500°C;

—   Modular helium reactor (MHR);

—   Annular PBR for the power range of 300-600 MW(th);

—   Advanced High Temperature Reactor (AHTR), which is the reference concept.

Initially, the fuel cycle will be a once through cycle achieving very high burnups. The VHTR system has been primarily developed for non-electric process heat applications because of its ability to provide temperatures above 700°C. Operating in the cogeneration mode, the VHTR is capable of providing both electricity and process heat delivered at various temperature levels needed in industrial processes (e.g. in chemical and metal industries).

The GFR is a helium cooled, fast reactor with a fully closed fuel cycle, also with high helium exit temperatures

3. Liquid metal cooled reactor concepts

All concepts in the liquid metal systems category are driven toward medium to large scale electrical power production. Closed fuel cycles are employed for the purpose of maximizing the uranium resource utilization and minimizing the amount of high level radioactive waste.

These concepts have been optimized for power production. Most of these concepts operate with core outlet temperatures in the range of 500-560°C. One such concept, lead cooled with a plutonium-uranium-minor-actinide fuel in a nitride matrix, has a core exit temperature of 780°C, already in compliance with the needs of higher temperature applications. Several of the liquid metal systems including sodium cooled fast reactors (SFRs) could play a role using hybrid approaches to meet industrial temperature requirements. The medium temperature liquid metal systems could contribute to hydrogen production nuclear assisted steam reforming of natural gas and membrane reformers. However, the fact that the liquid metal concepts are designed to operate at relatively high thermal powers optimal for electrical power production could make them less attractive for alternative energy product applications.

The operation experience of SFRs in several countries has already been gathered. The GIF concepts are considered to cover a power range from smaller sized (150-500 MW(e)) modules to larger plants (up to 1500 MW(e)). They are designed for management of high level wastes, and the nominal outlet temperature is 550°C for all options. An intermediate sodium circuit is used between primary system and the tertiary steam cycle.

LFR systems use pure lead or lead-bismuth eutectic liquid as coolant. Plant sizes are in the range of 1200 MW(e) for a large plant and 50-150 MW(e) for a battery type. High coolant temperatures allow for process heat applications, including the production of hydrogen by HTSE. The battery system LFRs with their long life without refuelling (up to 20 years) are designed to serve as power sources in isolated locations or on small grids, and also can be used for distributed generation of electricity and other energy products. An example is the Secure, Transportable, Autonomous Reactor (United States of America) concept, with a size of 300-400 MW(th) and uranium-transuranic nitride fuel, which needs to be replaced every 15 years. A congenial variant is the Small, Sealed, Transportable, Autonomous Reactor (Japan) concept, with a smaller size of 45 MW(th)/20 MW(e). After a 20 year life without refuelling, the whole reactor unit is returned to recycle the fuel.

4. Non-classical reactor concepts for other energy missions

The three Generation IV concepts characterized as non-classical reactors are the MSR, the vapour core reactor (VCR) and the AHTR.

The MSR transmutates actinides while producing significant amounts of electricity. The power is nominally 2250 MW(th), although it is not limited by inherent reactor characteristics. With a nominal outlet temperature of 700°C, the efficiency is expected to be around 45%. The design pressure of the system is as low as 520 kPa to allow for pumping losses and hydrostatic head. MSR development is going in two directions:

• the first is a fuel that is a liquid mixture of sodium, zirconium and uranium fluorides flowing through graphite core channels;
• the second is a fuel that is kept in graphite prisms separate from the molten salt coolant.

A 5 MW(th) demonstration version is currently being developed at the Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics.

The VCR has the highest outlet temperature of the non-classical concepts. It operates with a UF4 fuel at sufficiently high temperatures to vaporize the fuel which is then uniformly mixed with the working fluid. The temperature is limited by reactor vessel and heat exchanger materials. The VCR has the primary mission to produce heat at very high temperatures for use either in efficient electricity generation (magnetohydrodynamic generation as topping cycle plus a conventional Brayton gas turbine bottoming cycle) or in the production of hydrogen and high grade process heat.

The AHTR is essentially a prismatic graphite moderated, molten salt cooled pool type reactor in the power range of 600-2400 MW(th).The molten salt coolant can be at temperatures of up to 1000°C in a non-pressurized reactor vessel. The thermal power is limited due to the need for passive heat removal in the event of a loss of coolant. The outlet temperature is similar to that of the VHTR and its upper limit mainly dictated by heat exchanger and reactor vessel liner materials rather than by temperatures of the coated particle fuel. Respective development and improvement of the materials could make the reactor attractive for industrial high temperature heat applications.