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Canada’s Natural Resources – Now and for the Future

NEO - 2010

Enhancing University R&D Capabilities in Support of Generation-IV Nuclear Reactor Development

Brady , D., Guzonas, D., Leung, L., Zheng, W., Poupore, J., Anderson, T.


NEO - 2010

Outline

  Generation IV International Forum

  Canada’s Generation IV Program

  NSERC/NRCan/AECL Generation IV Energy Technologies Program

  Summary


NEO - 2010

Generation IV International Forum (GIF)   Nuclear energy is essential for energy security

  Meet growing demand safely and economically without adverse environmental impacts

  Gen IV nuclear systems have challenging technology goals and no single nation could:   Overcome technological and engineering challenges in a timely manner   Afford costs and risks   Commit long-term resources required (skills and research facilities)

  GIF effectively leverages the resources of the participants to meet these goals.   Twelve countries plus Euratom have signed the Charter established in 2001

  A multilateral collaborative R&D effort on reactor “concepts” to develop innovative nuclear energy systems

  Nine countries plus Euratom have since signed the Framework Agreement (Treaty) established in 2005 - Russia signed in Nov. 2009


NEO - 2010

Canada’s main focus is on the development of the SCWR Canada’s VHTR effort is synergistic with SCWR development

Generation IV International Forum (GIF) Systems


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Canada’s Gen IV National Program   National program officially launched in 2006

  A program plan prepared following stakeholders workshop in August 2006

  Objectives   Development of SCWR and VHTR systems through

participation in GIF multilateral R&D collaborations   R&D for non-greenhouse-gas-emitting hydrogen

production technologies using nuclear energy   Approximately 90 percent of the projects funded

are directly tied to our international commitments


NEO - 2010

Delivery Agents

Target Recipients

Possible Collaborations Reach

Universities Industry International Organizations

AECL Labs AECL

Industry Universities

NSERC

Universities Industry

Federal Labs Industry OERD (NRCan)

Portfolio Committee

Program Director (NRCan) Gen IV Program Office

External Advisory Panel

Director, (NRCan) Energy S&T Program

Federal Executive Committee

Advice

Recommendations

Canada’s Gen IV Program Structure


NEO - 2010

GIF Agreements

GIF Charter -2001 * (13 signatories)

Framework Agreement – 2005 ** (10 signatories)

VHTR System Arrangement

Nov 2006 (CA, CH, EU, FR, JP, USA, KR, CN)

SCWR System Arrangement

Nov 2006 (CA, EU, JP)

Materials Project Arrangement

September 2009 (CA, CH, EU, FR, JP, USA,KR)

Fuels Project Arrangement

Hydrogen Project Arrangement March 2008

(CA, EU, FR, JP, USA KR)

System Integration and Assessment

Project Arrangement

Thermal Hydraulics & Safety

Project Arrangement (CA, EU, JP)

Materials and Chemistry Project Arrangement

(CA, EU, JP)

Withdrawn

Signed *Canada, France, Japan, UK, USA, Korea, Switzerland, EU, South Africa, Brazil, Argentina, China, Russia

** Canada, France, Japan, USA, Korea, Switzerland, EU, China, South Africa Russia

To be signed in 2010

To be negotiated

Fuel Qualification Project Arrangement

(CA, EU, JP)


NEO - 2010

A CANDU-SCWR CONCEPT

  Maintain key CANDU design features with evolutionary enhancements

8

Component Options

Pressure Tube Vertical

Moderator Heavy-Water

Moderator Pressure Moderator Temperature

Low 80°C

Fuel Channel Design High-Efficiency

Fuel Uranium/Thorium

Refueling Batch

Reheat Capability Yes

Pressure 25 MPa

Outlet Temperature 625°C

No. of Shut-Down Systems

Two


NEO - 2010

Program Delivery

  The program is delivered through two main mechanisms   Targeted calls for proposals to the national energy

S&T community (federal laboratories, agencies, and crown corporations)

  Call for proposals to universities through the NSERC/NRCan/AECL Generation IV Energy Technologies Program


NEO - 2010

  Collaborative initiative between three Canadian organizations:   NSERC – Natural Science and Engineering Research

Council of Canada   NRCan – Natural Resources Canada   AECL – Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd

  Program part of NSERC’s well established CRD grant program – requires industry support – AECL CRL

  Research priority areas included:   SCWR Chemistry   SCWR Materials   SCWR Thermalhydraulics   SCWR Safety

University Program


NEO - 2010

University Program Primary Objectives

  Undertake research in support of Canada’s CANDU-SCWR design

  Undertake research in support of Canada’s GIF commitments


NEO - 2010

Additional Gen IV National Program Objectives

  Train Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP)

  Promote collaborations between:   University and government researchers   University and AECL researchers   Researchers within the university community   Universities and international organizations

  Enhance university capabilities   Support the establishment of facilities

  Leverage Canada’s Gen IV Program resources

  National Program


NEO - 2010

Additional Program Requirements   Research undertaken supports Canada GIF

commitments as such:   University participants agree to adhere to GIF Quality

Assurance (QA) requirements:   AECL developed university QA document

  Participants agree to Project Arrangement requirements such as:

  Sharing of results and data   Ownership of any IP developed   belongs to the universities   Share with other GIF participants (royalty free) to further

promote GIF SCWR research


NEO - 2010

Call For Proposals Process

  Two step process   Initial screening of Preliminary Applications

 Ensure alignment to the Canadian program and international commitments

 Eliminate duplication  Promote collaborations

  Successful proposals from step one then followed NSERC’s standard process  Full application  Peer review process


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Preliminary Call for Proposal Results

Response   Enquirers > 50   Proposals Received 34   Number Approved** 25   Universities Interested 22

* * Ranked High/Medium


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University of New Brunswick Mount Allison University

Carleton University

Université de Sherbrooke

University of Ontario Institute of Technology

St. Mary’s University

University of Guelph

Simon Fraser University

University of British Columbia

University of Ottawa

University of Toronto McMaster University

McGill University University of Alberta

St. Francis Xavier University

Trent University University of Saskatchewan Queens University Ecole Polytechnique de Montréal University of Manitoba

Final Program Results   23 Projects Approved from   20 Universities Participating

  17 Different Lead Universities   3 Universities listed as co- applicants

  6 SCWR Material Research Projects   7 SCWR Chemistry Research Projects   5 SCWR Thermal Hydraulic Research Projects   5 SCWR Research Safety Projects

NSERC/NRCan/AECL Program Participants


NEO - 2010

Lessons Learnt

  Better communications between Gen IV Program and peer reviewers needed

  Effective to eliminate duplications   Construction of leading edge facilities take longer

than estimated   Material and equipment not standard

  Professors are resourceful and will continue to look at leveraging the program

  Proven effective to promote collaboration


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Communications

  Workshops – 3 held to date   Proven effective to:

 Support and establish collaboration

 Ensure research is on target  Provides a common update

on the program  Provides a means to address

issues   Costs -

  Extranet


NEO - 2010

Enhancing University Infra-structure for Th&S Research


NEO - 2010

Furnace

Protec've steel tube

SCW Capsule sample

Thermocouple

Pressure Gage

SCC Test Rig at U of Alberta

Schematic of UNB's supercritical water test loop

Modified diamond anvil cell for SCW solubility studies at SFX AC conductance apparatus at U of Guelph

Enhancing University Infra-structure for M&C Research

Apparatus for Hydrothermal Studies in HELIOS


NEO - 2010

Training of Highly Qualified Personnel

Total = 88


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Dissemination of Research Results and Knowledge

Total=80

(Includes Accepted/Published and Submitted)


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Feedback

  8 out of 18 professors reported staffing issues (44%)

  Mainly due to the timing of the funding awards (March)


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Summary

  Participation in the Generation IV International Forum provided a excellent opportunity to effectively align the research requirements of Canada’s Gen IV program with the capabilities and resources at universities.

  The Program is driven both by R&D needs identified at the GIF level, and by Canadian-specific R&D needs.

  Training of high-qualified personnel is important for the future of Canada.

  A model program for future considerations within the federal government.

  The program’s design is such that it fosters collaboration and the transfer of knowledge and expertise between universities, government laboratories, and industry.

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