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Prospects and Impediments on Advanced

Reactor Technology Development and

Deployment (Including IAEA Supporting Activities)

Stefano Monti

Section Head Nuclear Power Technology Development

Department of Nuclear Energy

IAEA TM on Technology Assessment of Small Modular Reactors for Near Term Deployment2 – 5 October 2017, Tunis, Tunisia

Small Modular Reactors

High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactors

Cogeneration & Non – Electric Applications of

Nuclear Energy

Advanced Water Cooled Reactors

Fast Reactors

Advanced Reactors and their Applications

CAREM-25, HTR-PM, KLT-405, RITM-200, AHWR, NuScale,

SMART, 4S, PRISM%

ABWR, ACR 1000, AP1000, APWR, Atmea-1, CANDU 6, EPR, ESBWR, VVER 1200,

CAP1400, APR1400, HPR1000%

LFR, GFR, SFR, SCWR, VHTR, MSR,

ADS

INNOVATIVE

SMRs

EVOLUTIONARY

https://aris.iaea.org/

Where to Find Up-to-Date Information about

Advanced Reactors

S

M

R

Fast Reactors

WCR

GCR

+

MSR

NEApp

Technology

Development

for Advanced

Reactor Lines

Nuclear Power Technology Development

Macro Areas for Each Reactor Line and

Non-Electric Applications

Information Exchange

Modelling and Simulations

Development of Methodologies

Safety

Technology Support

Education and Training

Knowledge Preservation

Assist MSs with national nuclear programmes; Support innovations in nuclear

power deployment; Facilitate and assist international R&D collaborations


Today’s WCRs build on 17,000+ years of past operating experience

and are larger, safer, and more efficient than ever, providing 95% of

the world’s nuclear power generating capacity.

PWR, VVER, BWR, PHWR all incorporate post-Fukushima safety

enhancements.

CURRENT

TECHNOLOGIES

INNOVATIVE

TECHNOLOGIES

CHALLENGES &

OPPORTUNITIES

EVENTS

& CRPsOUTPUTS

APR1400 - one of the most technologically advanced

nuclear reactor designs in the world meeting the highest

international standards for safety and performance.

Barakah NPP


High interest internationally in both developing and industrialized countries

in innovative super-critical water-cooled reactors (SCWRs), primarily

because such concepts will achieve high thermal efficiencies (44-45%) and

promise improved economic competitiveness utilizing and building on the

recent developments for highly efficient fossil power plants

SCWR is selected as one of the promising concepts for development by the

Generation-IV International Forum

CURRENT

TECHNOLOGIES

INNOVATIVE

TECHNOLOGIES

CHALLENGES &

OPPORTUNITIES

EVENTS

& CRPsOUTPUTS


Prime challenges to the deployment of Large WCRs are NOT technical:

• Public Acceptance

• Capital Costs and Schedule Delays

• De-regulated electricity markets drive short-term financial planning

Common technology goals:

• Shorter construction time

• Higher capacity factor

• Larger reactors and/or multi-

unit sites

• Severe accident robustness

CURRENT

TECHNOLOGIES

INNOVATIVE

TECHNOLOGIES

CHALLENGES &

OPPORTUNITIES

EVENTS

& CRPsOUTPUTS

Under design Construction In Operation

IAEA Activities on AWCR

CURRENT

TECHNOLOGIES

INNOVATIVE

TECHNOLOGIES

CHALLENGES &

OPPORTUNITIES

EVENTS

& CRPsOUTPUTS

•Data Bases�ARIS database updated with new and

revised reactor design descriptions

�THERPRO continuously updated with

new materials and additional data sets

•Training Courses: 6 new courses

•Simulators: New iPWR Simulator

IAEA Activities on AWCR

CURRENT

TECHNOLOGIES

INNOVATIVE

TECHNOLOGIES

CHALLENGES &

OPPORTUNITIES

EVENTS

& CRPsOUTPUTS


CURRENT

TECHNOLOGIES

INNOVATIVE

TECHNOLOGIES

CHALLENGES &

OPPORTUNITIES

EVENTS

& CRPsOUTPUTS

Water-cooled SMRs Gas-cooled SMRsLiquid metal-cooled

Fast SMRs


CURRENT

TECHNOLOGIES

INNOVATIVE

TECHNOLOGIES

CHALLENGES &

OPPORTUNITIES

EVENTS

& CRPsOUTPUTS

Sample of SMR adopting Gen-IV Technologies


CURRENT

TECHNOLOGIES

INNOVATIVE

TECHNOLOGIES

CHALLENGES &

OPPORTUNITIES

EVENTS

& CRPsOUTPUTS

Advantages Issues and Challenges

Tech

no

log

y I

ssu

es

• Shorter construction period

(modularization)

• Potential for enhanced safety and

reliability

• Design simplicity

• Suitability for non-electric application

(desalination, etc.).

• Replacement for aging fossil plants,

reducing GHG emissions

• Licensability (first-of-a-kind structure,

systems and components)

• Non-LWR technologies

• Operability and Maintainability

• Staffing for multi-module plant;

Human factor engineering;

• Supply Chain for multi-modules

• Advanced R&D needs

No

n-T

ech

no

Issu

es • Fitness for smaller electricity grids

• Options to match demand growth by

incremental capacity increase

• Site flexibility

• Reduced emergency planning zone

• Lower upfront capital cost (better

affordability)

• Easier financing scheme

• Economic competitiveness

• Plant cost estimate

• Regulatory infrastructure

• Availability of design for newcomers

• Physical Security

• Post Fukushima action items on

institutional issues and public

acceptance

IAEA Activities on Small Modular Reactors

CURRENT

TECHNOLOGIES

INNOVATIVE

TECHNOLOGIES

CHALLENGES &

OPPORTUNITIES

EVENTS

& CRPsOUTPUTS

• TM on Technology Assessment of SMRs for Near Term Deployment, hosted by the Tunisian State Electricity & Gas Company (STEG), in Tunis, 2 – 5 October

• RCM-1 for CRPI32010 “Design and Performance Assessment of Passive Safety Features for water-cooled SMRs”, 30 October – 2 November

Technical Meetings

• CRP on Design and Performance Assessment of Passive Engineered

Safety Features in SMRs – Post Fukushima (2017 – 2019)

• CRP on Development of Approaches for Determining Technical Basis for

Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) for SMR (2018 – 2020)

CRPs

IAEA is engaged to support Member States in

SMR Technology Development and Deployment

IAEA Activities on Small Modular Reactors

CURRENT

TECHNOLOGIES

INNOVATIVE

TECHNOLOGIES

CHALLENGES &

OPPORTUNITIES

EVENTS

& CRPsOUTPUTS

Fast Reactors

� Sodium cooled fast reactor (SFR) is the most mature technology: more

than 480 reactor years of operational experience

� Currently operating SFRs: BN-600 and BN-800, BOR-60 (MTR) in

Russia, FBTR (MTR) in India, and CEFR in China

� JOYO (exp. SFR) in long term shut down in Japan

� PFBR SFR under commissioning in India

� MBIR SFR under construction in Russia

� MONJU SFR in Japan announced to be decommissioned

CURRENT

TECHNOLOGIES

INNOVATIVE

TECHNOLOGIES

CHALLENGES &

OPPORTUNITIES

EVENTS

& CRPsOUTPUTS

BN-800PFBR

Fast Reactors

� Active R&D is undergoing on the designs of GEN-IV SFR, LFR, GFR, MSFR

� SFRs: JSFR, ASTRID, BN-1200, CFR-600, PRISM, TWR,

� Lead(LBE)-cooled FRs: BREST-300, MYRRHA, ALFRED, SEALER

� Gas-cooled fast reactor: ALLEGRO

CURRENT

TECHNOLOGIES

INNOVATIVE

TECHNOLOGIES

CHALLENGES &

OPPORTUNITIES

EVENTS

& CRPsOUTPUTS

Status of the Innovative Fast Reactor Technology

Fast Reactors

CURRENT

TECHNOLOGIES

INNOVATIVE

TECHNOLOGIES

CHALLENGES &

OPPORTUNITIES

EVENTS

& CRPsOUTPUTS

• FR can be adapted to different national nuclear policy and needs:– Can operate as a breeder

– Can operate as burner (to minimize Pu stockpiles and reduce waste)

– FRs are proven, mature technology that can guarantee sustainable energy source for the

future generations

Opportunities

• High capital cost as currently it is some 30-50% higher than the project

cost of an evolutionary reactor

• Competitiveness depends on the uranium price

• Operation and Maintenance are more challenging than for WCRs

Challenges

IAEA is engaged to support Member States in

FR Technology Development and Deployment

IAEA Activities on Fast Reactors

CURRENT

TECHNOLOGIES

INNOVATIVE

TECHNOLOGIES

CHALLENGES &

OPPORTUNITIES

EVENTS

& CRPsOUTPUTS

Annual Meeting of the Technical Working Group on Fast ReactorsThe Driving Force

International Conference GIF-IAEA Workshops on Safety of SFR

Reviewing the report on Safety

Design Criteria and Safety Design

Guidelines for SFRs

i. 0 ms ii. 50

ms

iii. 100

ms

iv. 150

ms

v. 200 ms

IAEA Activities on Fast Reactors

CURRENT

TECHNOLOGIES

INNOVATIVE

TECHNOLOGIES

CHALLENGES &

OPPORTUNITIES

EVENTS

& CRPsOUTPUTS

Experimental facilities Database

FR Knowledge Preservation Portal

Technical Documents Conference papers/proceedings

Gas-Cooled Reactor Technology

CURRENT

TECHNOLOGIES

INNOVATIVE

TECHNOLOGIES

CHALLENGES &

OPPORTUNITIES

EVENTS

& CRPsOUTPUTS

Family of gas cooled reactors (Magnox, AGRs)

• Many GCRs constructed but only 14 AGRs

remains in operation in the UK

• Recent good performance: Record 940 days of

continuous operation for Heysham unit II (in 2016)

• All will be closed in the mid to late 2020’s

High temperature reactors with coated particle fuel

and helium as coolant were also developed

• 3 prototype and 2 demonstration units

• The technology was established and many

lessons learned


CURRENT

TECHNOLOGIES

INNOVATIVE

TECHNOLOGIES

CHALLENGES &

OPPORTUNITIES

EVENTS

& CRPsOUTPUTS

High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactors are one of the Innovative Technologies (Gen-IV )

Future

0

High efficiency with gas turbines

0

SteelmakingGas to liquid

Ammonia fertilizerOil refining

Tar sands oil extractionPulp & paper production

District heating

600300 900

o

C

Industrial heat applications

Modular HTGRs (<600MWth) designs under development

• Technology and materials to up to 850 oC outlet

temperatures ready for deployment

• The HTR-PM commercial demonstration plant in China

scheduled for operation in 2018

• Technology development areas are high-temperature

materials, hydrogen production, compact IHX

HTR-PM 600


CURRENT

TECHNOLOGIES

INNOVATIVE

TECHNOLOGIES

CHALLENGES &

OPPORTUNITIES

EVENTS

& CRPsOUTPUTS

• The enhanced safety characteristics (practically no release form fuel under all accident conditions)

• The supply of high-temperature process heat give access to the total energy market (not only electricity)

• Attractive option for newcomer countries with smaller grids, need for industrial heat and less-developed infrastructure

Opportunities

• Development of simplified but still appropriate Licensing and Regulatory Frameworks for HTGRs – many systems are no longer required or have no safety function

• Coated particle fuel costs are expected to be higher

• Co-location with process heat users (petro-chemical industry, hydrogen production plant) requires additional studies, but also different models of ownership and commercial deployment.

Challenges

IAEA Activities on Gas-Cooled Reactor Technology

CURRENT

TECHNOLOGIES

INNOVATIVE

TECHNOLOGIES

CHALLENGES &

OPPORTUNITIES

EVENTS

& CRPsOUTPUTS

• TM of the Technical Working Group on Gas Cooled Reactors (TWG-GCR),

30 October – 1 November

• TM on on the Status of the IAEA Nuclear Graphite Knowledge Base

2 – 3 November

Technical Meetings

• CRP I31020 HTGR Reactor Physics, Thermal-Hydraulics and Depletion Uncertainty Analysis (2012 – 2019)

• CRP I31026 Modular High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor Safety Design (2013 – 2017)

• CRP T11006 HTGR Application for Sustainable Extraction and Mineral Product development Processes – with NEFW-NFCM (2014 – 2018)

CRPs

IAEA support Member States in HTGR Technology

Development and through TC projects - such as the

EPR of Indonesia

IAEA Activities on Gas-Cooled Reactor Technology

CURRENT

TECHNOLOGIES

INNOVATIVE

TECHNOLOGIES

CHALLENGES &

OPPORTUNITIES

EVENTS

& CRPsOUTPUTS

TECDOC under development:

• Improving the Understanding of Irradiation-

Creep Behaviour in Nuclear Graphite

• Graphite Oxidation in Modular HTGR

• Performance of German mixed Th-U and

UO TRISO Fuels

• Status of Molten Salt Reactor Technology

• Modular High Temperature Gas-cooled

Reactor Safety Design Criteria

• High temperature reactor application for

mineral processing

An important effort is required for Knowledge

Preservation and to make codes and material to the

IAEA and member states


CURRENT

TECHNOLOGIES

INNOVATIVE

TECHNOLOGIESCHALLENGES EVENTS OUTPUTS

District Heating - Demonstrated at industrial scale & currently

operating (Russia, Switzerland, France,..…);

- Option for new build in Finland or Poland,

feasibility studies in France for coupling existing

NPPs to DH systems

Desalination - Tested at industrial scale in the past (BN-350)

- Small scale applications in NPPs to supply fresh

water to plant (e.g. India, Pakistan)

- Huge needs in the future but no project in sight

Process heat - Demonstrated at industrial scale for low temp.

steam applications.

- R&D HTR and cogeneration


CURRENT

TECHNOLOGIES

INNOVATIVE


High temperature

process heat

� NHDD project in Korea “clean steel”

� NGNP Alliance & EU’s NC2I collaboration

� Synthetic fuel production

Hydrogen production � NHDD in Korea, on-going R&D (Gen IV),

JAEA (thermochemical S-I Cycle), Canada

(hybrid thermochemical CuCl Cycle)

Nuclear hybrid energy

system

� Assessment of services provided by

nuclear (electricity, storage, heat)

NHDD: Nuclear Hydrogen Development and Demonstration

S-I Cycle: the thermochemical Sulfur-Iodine Cycle for hydrogen production

CuCl Cycle: hybrid thermochemical Copper-Chlorine Cycle for hydrogen production


CURRENT

TECHNOLOGIES

INNOVATIVE


District Heating Differences between electricity & heat

markets. Economic assessment.

Desalination Complexity and scale of investments in water

infrastructures.

Public acceptance?

Long term?

High temperature process

heat

Business model (nuclear operator ≠ industrial

application operator)

Licensing, safety, public acceptance, Long term

Hydrogen production Hydrogen economy?

Competition with electric mobility?

Nuclear hybrid energy

system

Economic assessment

Long term prospects

IAEA Activities on Non-Electric Applications

CURRENT

TECHNOLOGIES

INNOVATIVE


CRP on Application of advanced low temperature desalination systems to support NPPs

and non-electric applications (2012-2017)

CRP on Assessing Technical and Economic Aspects of Nuclear Hydrogen Production for

Near-Term Deployment (starts 2018)

Coordinated Research Projects CRP

Technical Meetings TM (2017)

Technical Meeting to Examine the Techno-Economics of and Opportunities for Non-Electric

Applications of Small and Medium-Sized or Modular Reactors, Vienna, 29-31 May

Technical Meeting to Examine the Role of Nuclear Hydrogen Production in the Context of

the Hydrogen Economy, Vienna, 17–19 July 2017

6th TM of the Technical Working Group on Nuclear Desalination (TWG-ND), 13-15 Nov

Technical Meeting on the Responsibilities of Users and Vendors in Nuclear Desalination

Projects, VIC, 20-22 Nov

IAEA Activities on Non-Electric Applications

CURRENT

TECHNOLOGIES

INNOVATIVE


DEEP DE-TOP HEEP

TOOLKITSOpportunities for

cogeneration with

nuclear energy Industrial applications

of nuclear energy

Published

2017To be released soon

Education & Training:

Joint ICTP-IAEA Schools and Workshops

Joint ICTP-IAEA 1st Course

on Scientific Novelties in

Phenomenology of Severe

Accidents in Water-Cooled

Reactors

Joint ICTP-IAEA Workshop on

the Physics and Technology

of Innovative Nuclear Energy

Systems for Sustainable

Development

2015

2016

20172018

“Preparing the next generation1”

Atoms for peace and Development…

Thank you!

(For more information please visit

https://www.iaea.org/NuclearPower/Technology/home.

html)

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