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1

A Look at Nuclear Scienceand Technology

Larry Foulke

Module 6.4

Reactor Fuel and Economics

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Fuel Assembly Features

Top Nozzle

Bottom Nozzle

Grid Strap

Grid Strap

Grid Strap

Grid Strap

Guide Tubes

Fuel Rods

Rod Cluster ControlAssembly(not in all assemblies)

shown partially withdrawn

Image Source: See Note 1

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FUEL-ASSEMBLY DESIGN

HISTORY

Uranium Metal

Dimensional Changes

Thermal Cycling

Radiation Damage

Alloys

Dimensional Stability Parasitic Neutron Capture

Uranium Dioxide

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OXIDE FUEL CHALLENGES

GENERAL FEATURES

Radiation Damage

Gas Release

Fission Products

Oxygen

Swelling

Restructuring

Image Source: See Note 2

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Fuel Pellet Limitations

Temperature limits

Low conductivity, large thermal gradient across pin

Melting (UO2 @ 2850 C (5160 F))

High temperature in fuel element

Increases fission gas pressure, possible gas release

Pellet swelling, material restructuring Catalyzes chemical reactions, possible pellet clad

interactions (LWR reactors)

Oxide / Ceramic Fuel Limitations

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Energy removal - coolable geometry

Need good cladding material

Multiple-barrier fission-product retention

Optimized LWR neutron economy Maximize fuel utilization (burnup) Maximize fertile-to-fissile conversion

Adjustable design parameters

Fuel enrichment Pin diameter pin spacing (H/U Ratio)

Zirconium is most used cladding material But it reacts with steam at high temperatures

Fuel Assembly Design Objectives

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Objectives Flat power distribution

Minimum fluence on reactor vessel

Maximum burnup / minimum fuel

Minimum fuel cycle costs

Shape and structural design of reactor cannotbe changed after design and construction

Optimization is achieved through in-core fuelmanagement How to arrange fuel assemblies in core (based on

enrichment & burnup) to meet objectives

Fuel Utilization

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In-Core Fuel Management

Single fuel enrichment batch (poor)

Power peaking Low power capability

Uneven / relatively low burnup Poor economy

Multiple-batch fuel management (better)

Several Enrichments Flatten power distribution across core

Reduce pressure-vessel fluence

Compromises to achieve balance between objectives

Fuel Utilization

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TypicalFuel

Loading

Pattern

Image Source: See Note 1

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ECONOMICS

COST COMPONENTS

Capital

Fuel

Operating and Maintenance [O&M] CAPITAL COSTS

Hard to know current capital costs

Payback of Plant Investment Carrying Charges

Construction Work in Progress [CWIP] Loan from Rate-Payers

Regulatory Resistance

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Nuclear Plant Capital Cost Breakdown(From Table 8-2, Knief, From IAEA-CN-48/32 (Out of Date !! - Shown for Illustration

Only)

Land and Site Preparation 0.9%

Buildings and Site Equipment 10.6%

Nuclear Island Equipment & Spare Parts 19.0%

Conventional Island Equipment & Spare Parts 9.4%

Balance of Plant Equipment 5.2%

Nuclear Fuel (Initial Core) 5.8%

Erection 6.7%

Testing and Commissioning 1.5%

Project Management and Services 7.3% Other 4.6%

Contingencies 5.7%

Financing 22.9%

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Nuclear Capital Cost Estimates

Image Source: See Note 3

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Impact of Fuel Costs on Electricity Costs

Image Source: See Note 4

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Source: Energy Information Administration

Updated: 3/12

Image Source: See Note 5

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ECONOMICS

OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE [O&M] Operation

Corrective / Preventive Maintenance

Payroll / Supplies & Materials / Other Administration Insurance (Including Price-Anderson)

Contingency Funds (Including Decommissioning)

Physical Security

Guard ForcesEquipment

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U.S. Electricity Production Costs1995-2011, In 20 11 cen t s pe r k i l ow a t t -hou r

Production Costs = Operations and Maintenance Costs + Fuel Costs. Production costs do not include indirect costs and are based on FERC

Form 1 filings submitted by regulated utilities. Production costs are modeled for utilities that are not regulated.

Image Source: See Note 6

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Projected Costs of Electricity

Image Source: See Note 7

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Five Major Design Categories

NUCLEAR DESIGN

MATERIALSTHERMAL HYDRAULICS

ECONOMICS

CONTROL AND SAFETY

Reactor Design Principles

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NUCLEAR DESIGN

Fissile / Fertile / Other

Fuel Assemblies

Composition / Geometry

Coolant / Moderator

Neutron Spectrum

Relative Reaction Rates

Reactor Design Principles

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THERMAL HYDRAULICS

Temperature / Coolant Flow Distributions

Linear Heat Rate / DNB / Margins Conductivity / Heat Capacity

Melting / Boiling Points

Surface-to-Volume Ratio

Power Density

Steam Temperature

Reactor Design Principles

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MATERIALS

Fuel / Clad

Moderator / Coolant

Structure

Compatibility

Corrosion

Chemical Reactions

Thermal / Radiation Stability

Strength / Mechanical Properties

Reactor Design Principles

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CONTROL AND SAFETY

Integrated Control

Control Rods

Monitoring / Protection System

Decay Heat

Multiple-Barrier Containment

Radioactive Waste Quantities

Defense in Depth

Reactor Design Principles

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1. Reprinted with permission from Westinghouse. Source: The Westinghouse PressurizedWater Reactor Nuclear Power Plant (The Masche Book).

2. Public domain: USNRC, http://www.nrc.gov/images/reading-rm/photo-gallery/20071114-022.jpg

3. Reprinted with permission from Nuclear Energy Institute.

http://www.nei.org/resourcesandstats/documentlibrary/newplants/graphicsandcharts/the-cost-of-new-generating-capacity-in-perspective/

4. Reprinted with permission from the World Nuclear Association. http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Economic-Aspects/Economics-of-Nuclear-Power/#.UWNeWHDA5sE

5. Reprinted with permission from Nuclear Energy Institute.http://www.nei.org/resourcesandstats/documentlibrary/reliableandaffordableenergy/graphicsandcharts/usnuclearindustrycapacityfactors/

6. Reprinted with permission from Nuclear Energy Institute.http://www.nei.org/resourcesandstats/documentlibrary/reliableandaffordableenergy/graphicsandcharts/uselectricityproductioncosts/

7. Energy Information Administration, Annual Energy Outlook for 2013, December 2012.http://www.eia.gov/forecasts/aeo/er/index.cfm

Image Source Notes

http://www.nrc.gov/images/reading-rm/photo-gallery/20071114-022.jpghttp://www.nrc.gov/images/reading-rm/photo-gallery/20071114-022.jpghttp://www.nei.org/resourcesandstats/documentlibrary/newplants/graphicsandcharts/the-cost-of-new-generating-capacity-in-perspective/http://www.nei.org/resourcesandstats/documentlibrary/newplants/graphicsandcharts/the-cost-of-new-generating-capacity-in-perspective/http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Economic-Aspects/Economics-of-Nuclear-Power/http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Economic-Aspects/Economics-of-Nuclear-Power/http://www.nei.org/resourcesandstats/documentlibrary/reliableandaffordableenergy/graphicsandcharts/usnuclearindustrycapacityfactors/http://www.nei.org/resourcesandstats/documentlibrary/reliableandaffordableenergy/graphicsandcharts/usnuclearindustrycapacityfactors/http://www.nei.org/resourcesandstats/documentlibrary/reliableandaffordableenergy/graphicsandcharts/uselectricityproductioncosts/http://www.nei.org/resourcesandstats/documentlibrary/reliableandaffordableenergy/graphicsandcharts/uselectricityproductioncosts/http://www.eia.gov/forecasts/aeo/er/index.cfmhttp://www.eia.gov/forecasts/aeo/er/index.cfmhttp://www.nei.org/resourcesandstats/documentlibrary/reliableandaffordableenergy/graphicsandcharts/uselectricityproductioncosts/http://www.nei.org/resourcesandstats/documentlibrary/reliableandaffordableenergy/graphicsandcharts/uselectricityproductioncosts/http://www.nei.org/resourcesandstats/documentlibrary/reliableandaffordableenergy/graphicsandcharts/usnuclearindustrycapacityfactors/http://www.nei.org/resourcesandstats/documentlibrary/reliableandaffordableenergy/graphicsandcharts/usnuclearindustrycapacityfactors/http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Economic-Aspects/Economics-of-Nuclear-Power/http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Economic-Aspects/Economics-of-Nuclear-Power/http://www.nei.org/resourcesandstats/documentlibrary/newplants/graphicsandcharts/the-cost-of-new-generating-capacity-in-perspective/http://www.nei.org/resourcesandstats/documentlibrary/newplants/graphicsandcharts/the-cost-of-new-generating-capacity-in-perspective/http://www.nrc.gov/images/reading-rm/photo-gallery/20071114-022.jpghttp://www.nrc.gov/images/reading-rm/photo-gallery/20071114-022.jpg