main challenges facing research reactors -...

IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency

Main Challenges Facing Research Reactors

Pablo Adelfang IAEA – Research Reactor Section

Meeting #1, October 23-24, 2014

The National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC

Current Status of and Progress toward Eliminating Highly Enriched Uranium Use in Fuel for

Civilian Research and Test Reactors

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Outline

• Background • Underutilization • Ageing • New Research Reactors •  Fuel Cycle

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TOTAL: 674 Operational 247 Temp. shutdown 12 Under construction / Planned 7

Background

Number: ~247 operational

Operational RRs in 56 countries Russia 65 USA 42 China 16 Japan 8 France 10 Germany 8

Source: IAEA RRDB, October 2014

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Background

•  Typically, RR cores have small volume •  Many have powers less than 5 MW(t)

•  ~50% 100kW or less. •  Higher fuel enrichments than power reactors •  Natural and forced cooling •  Pulsing capability •  Many different designs •  Diversity is a challenge.


Underutilization

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RR Applications

What are RRs Good For? •  Education & Training •  Fuel testing and qualification •  Supporting power reactor programmes •  Radioisotope Production •  Material science investigations

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Application Number of RR involved

Involved / Operational, %

Education & Training 176 71 Neutron Activation Analysis 128 52 Radioisotope production 98 40 Neutron radiography 72 29 Material/fuel testing/irradiations 60 24 Neutron scattering 50 20 Nuclear Data Measurements 42 17 Si doping 30 12 Geochronology 26 11 Gem coloration 21 9 Neutron Therapy 19 8 Other 140 56

RR applications and their distribution

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0

10

20

30

40

50

60

high, >20FPW/year medium small, <4FPW/year

Fra

ctio

n o

f al

l RR

s, %

Utilisation rate

Utilization: 50 % are underutilized

Underutilization

50% of RRs heavily underutilized

• 8 • Contact: [email protected]

• 8 • Contact: [email protected]

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Underutilization

Relevant challenges •  Underutilization

•  Lack of purpose •  Lack of funding •  Lack of initiative •  Lack of QA/QC

•  Strategic planning •  Often the cause of other

challenges

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Research Reactor Mission

•  The origin of most RR came from Government initiatives

•  RR justified existence on: •  need for utilization; or •  national prestige of ownership

•  Change in Government perspective of RR over time : •  from supportive initiator •  to perception of liability

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Sustainability

“A Research Reactor is sustainable if the

Stakeholders say so (and willing to fund it)!”

•  Government •  Upper Management •  Academic Institutions •  Commercial and Industrial Clients •  Regulatory Body •  Personnel •  Public

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Sustainability

•  Reducing over-reliance on government / public sector subsidy

•  Sustainability improved

Govt Subsidy

Revenues from Stakeholders

+

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Justification of the RR

•  Type, size, power and cost of the RR should match the needs of the potential Stakeholders

•  Meet requirements of a country or serve as a

regional or international centre •  Identifying and Involving RR Stakeholders

and adaptation of the RR to meet needs

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Benefits of Improving RR Sustainability

•  Improving sustainability of RRs can have important benefits for non-proliferation, nuclear security, and safety.

•  Effectively utilized and sustainable RRs have more resources to conform to non-proliferation trends and to fulfill international guidelines for safety and security.

•  A well-utilized facility will be motivated to protect its “investment” by maintaining safety and security standards.

•  Assisting RRs to improve sustainability would also demonstrate benefits of LEU conversion as well as provide incentive for others to convert.


Ageing

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Background

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Research Reactor (RR) Operation and Maintenance (O&M) and Ageing activities Focus on the RR / machine availability and reliability as a platform for •  Basic and applied science,

research and development •  Production of medical and

industrial isotopes and other industrial products

•  Education and training

• h#p://www-‐pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publica8ons/PDF/TRS455_web.pdf

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Age Distribution of Research Reactors

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•  247 Opera8ng Research Reactors •  ~60 % ≥ 40 years of service •  2007 – 2010 99Mo supply crisis

• Source: IAEA Research Reactor Database (h#p://nucleus.iaea.org/RRDB/RR/ReactorSearch.aspx)

• Major 99Mo producers (2007)

~60 %

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• NRU – Licensing commitments / / reactor vessel leak

• Reducer • Steel Jacket Pipe

• Weld

• HFR Petten – Primary piping leak

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•  0 50+

• OPAL – Fuel & Reflector Vessel

•  MAPELs cancelled

The ‘Bathtub Curve’

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Ageing: Context

•  About 60 % of the operating RRs are more

than 40 years old, with many exceeding their design life

•  The majority of these RRs are challenged by the negative impacts of ageing

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Feedback from IAEA activities: Ageing

•  I R S R R : A g e i n g o f components is one of the m o s t i m p o r t a n t r o o t causes of the incidents reported to the IRSRR.

•  Safety Review Missions: Need to es tab l i sh a s y s t e m a t i c a g e i n g management programme.

Statistics - Cause of the Events

Human Factor40%

Other Cause of the Events

8%

Mechanical Failures23%

Mechanical Failures and Human Error

29%

•  Statistics on root causes of incidents reported to IRSRR

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Specific Safety Guide No. SSG-10

•  Provides recommendations and practical guidance on establishing a systematic ageing management for the Systems, Structures and Components (SSCs) important to safety

•  It also provides guidance for managing the obsolescence

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Elements of Ageing Management Programme (SSG-10)

•  Screening of SSCs for ageing management review: •  Based on importance to safety; •  Takes into consideration the SSCs replacement ease.

•  Minimization of expected ageing degradation: •  Prevention actions should have been defined at the design

stage; •  Periodic review of the effectiveness of these actions.

•  Detection, monitoring and trending of ageing degradation: •  Inspections; •  Monitoring; •  Performance tests; •  Periodic testing.

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Elements of Ageing Management Programme (SSG-10)

•  Mitigation of ageing degradation:

•  Periodic replacement of components, •  Refurbishment and modification; •  Altering of operating conditions and practices.

•  Continuous improvement of the ageing management programme:

•  Feedback experience; •  Review of programme effectiveness.

•  Record keeping.

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Interfaces of ageing management with other technical areas

Ageing management could be achieved by integration of the following technical areas:

•  Maintenance, periodic testing and inspection; •  Periodic safety review; •  Equipment qualification; •  Reconstitution of the design basis; •  Configuration management; •  Continued safe operation.

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Management of obsolescence

Condition Action

Changes in technology - Ensure systematic identification of useful service life and anticipated obsolescence; -  Prepare modification projects; -  Provide spare parts for the planned service lifetime/identify alternative suppliers.

C h a n g e s i n s a f e t y r e q u i r e m e n t s a n d regulations, advances in knowledge

-  Ensure compliance with current safety standards and regulations; -  Consider modification of SSCs important to safety as required.

D o c u m e n t a t i o n becoming out of date

- Ensure establishment of an ef fective management system.


New Research Reactors

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IAEA Nuclear Energy Series No. NP-T-5.1

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A New Research Reactor Project

•  Like other capital projects, but with special issues:

•  Requires a systematic, phased approach •  Imposes long-term governmental obligations

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• Nuclear safety • Nuclear material control & security

• Radiation Protection

• Supporting Infrastructure

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Systematic Phased Approach

PHASE 3Implementation

PHASE 1 Pre-project PHASE 2Project Formulation

5 – 10 years

Pre-Project Assessment Report and Preliminary

Strategic Plan

Preparatory work for aresearch reactor after a policydecision has been taken

Implementation of a research reactor

Operations

Feasibility Study

Bid Specification

CommissioningLicence

ResearchReactor Justification

INFRASTRUCTURE MILESTONE 1

Ready to make a knowledgeable

commitment to a Research Reactor

project

Continuous development of infrastructure elements,Ongoing research reactor technology assessment & fuel cycle assessment

DecommissioningPlan

Research Reactor

Decomm-issioning


Ready to invite bids for a Research Reactor


Ready to commission and operate the

Research Reactor

Considerations before a decision to launch a research reactor project is taken

Possibility of a research

reactorconsidered

Research Reactor

Project

Infrastructure Develop

men

t Program

Justification for

Research Reactor

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• PHASE 1 Pre-project

• Pre-Project • Assessment • Report and • Preliminary

• Strategic Plan

• Feasibility Study

• Research • Reactor Justification

• Possibility of a research

reactor • considered

•  Research Re

actor

Project

•  Infrastructure

Developm

ent P

rogram

• Research Reactor Justified

• Ready to make a knowledgeable commitment to a

RR project

• MILESTONE 1

• Considerations before • a decision to launch a research reactor project is taken

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• PHASE 1 Pre-project • PHASE 2 • Project Formulation

• 



• Preparatory work for a • research reactor after a policy • decision has been taken


• Bid • Specification


• Ready to make a • knowledgeable

• commitment to a • RR project




•  Research Re

actor

Project


Developm

ent P

rogram


• MILESTONE 1

• Ready to invite bids for a RR

• MILESTONE 2

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• PHASE 3 • Implementation

• PHASE 1 Pre-project • PHASE 2 • Project Formulation

• 5 – 10 years • 



• Preparatory work for a • research reactor after a policy • decision has been taken

• Implementation of a research reactor

• Operations


• Bid • Specification

• Commissioning • Licence


• Ready to make a • knowledgeable

• commitment to a • RR project

• Continuous infrastructure development

• Ongoing assessments of RR technology & fuel cycle

• Decommissioning • Plan




•  Research Re

actor

Project


Developm

ent P

rogram


• MILESTONE 1

• Ready to invite bids for a RR

• MILESTONE 2

• Ready to commission •  and operate the RR

• MILESTONE 3 • RR

• Decommissioned

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Research Reactor Justification

•  Critical and most sensitive phase •  Drivers different / more complex than for NPP •  Aiming to gather the minimum set of conditions for

a realistic RR project •  Understand stakeholder needs •  Build stakeholder support •  Develop strategic and business plans for

sustainability and good utilization •  Subsequent phases expected to be reasonably

generic

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Infrastructure Milestone Issue Examples

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• National Position

•  RRPIC established, staffed and authorised •  Safety, security and non-proliferation needs recognised by Government •  Appropriate international legal instruments identified •  Requirements for participation in the Global Nuclear Safety Regime identified. •  Required intergovernmental agreements identified •  Government liabilities for radioactive waste management and decommissioning

accepted

• Nuclear Safety

• The importance of nuclear safety recognised including: •  Application of the Code of Conduct on the Safety of Research Reactors •  Participation in the Global Nuclear Safety Regime •  Operator role as the primary responsibility for safety •  Accident prevention and mitigation •  Emergency preparedness and responsese

• Milestone 1: Ready To Make A Knowledgeable Commitment to a RR Project

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• National Position

•  International legal instruments adopted •  Regulatory body established •  An effective SSAC established •  Policy for spent nuclear fuel management established •  Legal & financial arrangements for decommissioning established •  Human resources development programme started •  Safeguards programme provided •  Security programme provided •  Radiation protection and emergency plans established •  International standards for environmental protection adopted •  Commitments and obligations of operator organisations established

• Milestone 2: Ready to Invite Bids for the Research Reactor

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• Milestone 2: Ready to Invite Bids for the Research Reactor

• Nuclear Safety

•  All stakeholders recognise their safety responsibilities •  The operating organisation understands the issue of having the prime

responsibility for safety •  Legal and governmental framework consistent with Fundamental Safety

Principles implemented •  Safety culture evaluated •  Regulatory body able to evaluate the safety submission


Fuel Cycle

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RR Fuel Cycle

•  Challenges •  Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU)

minimization •  Back-end management (esp. for MS

with no nuclear energy programme) •  Long term interim storage (wet and dry)

•  Fuel supply •  Developing countries with limited fuel

procurement capability •  TRIGA; unique design with a limited

market

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Spent Fuel “Take Back” Programmes

•  Russian Research Reactor Fuel Return Program” (RRRFR)

•  Foreign Research Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel (FRRSNF) Acceptance Program

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Back-end Issues and Challenges

• Accumulation of spent fuel • Reluctance to decommission

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•  Little availability of back-end options for RR spent fuel

•  “Take-back” programmes will soon achieve their goals and eventually cease

•  As majority of the RRs wish to continue operating using LEU, inventories of LEU spent fuel will continue increasing

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Back-end Issues and Challenges Countries with one or more RRs and no nuclear power programme may have to choose between creating a national final disposition route for relatively small amounts of RR SNF (prohibitive in most cases), or permanently shutting down their RRs before the termination of the SNF take-back programmes

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Finding appropriate, sustainable and cost effective solutions for the management of the back end of the fuel cycle for these countries is critical to the continued use of RRs in these countries

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RRS Activities on RR Spent Fuel Management •  Elaboration of documents gathering examples

of good practices and lessons learned, with a focus on: Ø Proven technology solutions Ø Direct help to RR managers and operators Ø “How to do” rather than on “What has to be done” Ø Contributions from well operated facilities

worldwide Ø Non-proliferation concerns, HEU minimization

•  Direct assistance to MS with RR Spent Fuel Issues

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Thanks for your attention!

• [email protected]

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