Mitglied der Helmholtz-Gem meinschaft

The Safe Production of H d Hydrogen b by N Nuclear l P Power

Karl Verfondern
Research Center Jlich, Germany
3rd Nuclear N l H Hydrogen d W Workshop k h "N "Nuclear l H Hydrogen d f for G Green H Horizon" i " May 20, 2009, Jeju, Republic of Korea

Energy-Related CO2 Emission per Capita

Forms of Energy Utilization

Final Energy Market dominated by fossil fuels Electricity is 16 % of final energy (25 % for OECD) Nuclear only for electricity Penetration of nuclear into two directions or combined Nuclear process heat has a huge potential in the energy sector !!!
Electricity 16%

Final Energy Consumption Forms of energy utilisation (10 224 MTOE in 2004) (10,224
Coal 7%
Combustible renewables 14%

Other renewables 4%

Oil 43%

Combined Heat & Power saves resources & reduces GHG emissions Nuclear Energy gy today

Gas 16%

Heat Market

Driving Forces for Nuclear Hydrogen

Nuclear energy can be taken to produce hydrogen at a large scale to replace GHG emitting fossil fuels; Thus fossil reserves will be saved for later use in environmentally friendly applications; Energy E security it from f extended fuel reserves and independence of foreign oil uncertainties. uncertainties
EC High Level Group 2003

Nuclear Power Plant Generations

Advanced R t Reactors: Commercial Power Reactors
Gen II Concepts PWR, BWR, CANDU, WWER, RBMK, ... Generation I

e.g., EPR, SWR1000 1000, CANDU 6, ABWR, ...

Generation II

Future Reactor Concepts: e g HTR e.g.,

Fusion

Generation IV

Generation III, Generation III+

Early Prototype-Reactors

EPR / SWR 1000

HTR

Fusion

1950

1970

1990

2010

2030

2050
5

Requirements for a Gen-IV Nuclear Reactor

Safety improvements by innovative technologies Competitive cost New approaches for waste minimization & disposal Reduction of proliferation risk Improvement p of public p acceptance p Extension of applications (electricity, heat, hydrogen) Conservation and extension of expertise & competence

Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR)

400-600 MW(th) for electricity and process heat production; Helium-cooled, g p graphite-moderated, thermal spectrum; Gas outlet temperature of 900-1000 C; IHX for heat transfer to H2 production plant or gas turbine.
7

AVR

Experience with HTGR

HTTR

HTR-10
8

Intermediate Heat Exchanger (IHX)

HTTR

Steinmller Heatrix

Balcke-Drr

Short-Term Option: Steam Methane Reforming

appears to be a reasonable first step
most widely applied conventional production method savings of ~ 35% of NG, if process heat is from nuclear
Electric heater

Steam reformer

Steam g generator

He circulator

Oarai, Japan Jlich, Germany

tested under nuclear conditions in pilot plants i both in b th Germany G and d Japan

10

Combined HTTR/SMR Complex

Reactor System Hydrogen Production System

Containment vessel

Control center

Hot gas duct Reactor vessel IHX Steam reforming

CH4 + H2O 3H2 + CO

11

Potential Hazards Ha ards in a Combined Nuclear/Chemical Complex

Thermal turbulences induced by yp problems in steam reforming system; Tritium transportation from core to product gases; Fire and explosion of flammable mixtures with process gases gases.

12

Tritium and Hydrogen Flow Paths in the HTTR

Sources: - fission (51%) - lithium (34%) - helium ( (15%) )

13

Problem Tritium
High mobility of both HT and H2 at high temperatures - radiation problem to consumer - corrosion i problem bl i in graphitic hiti core structures t t Measures of reducing HT and H2 transport - oxide layers (doping with O2) - gas purification system - intermediate circuit (doping with H2O) Results from German and Japanese studies - HT l level li in product d t gas d deemed d sufficiently ffi i tl l low - permeability of oxide layer reduced by factor 100-1000
14

Tritium in German Legislation

According to German Preventive Radiation Protection Ordinance, specific radioactivity limit for any fabricated product is 0.5 Bq/g. p qg Exception from the rule: No licensing required for fossil products to be refined by nuclear process heat with tritium content < 5 Bq/g.

15

Possible Causes of Fire/Explosion in HTTR/SR

16

Safety Design against Fire and Explosion

Reactor System Hydrogen Production System

Take safe distance

Take safe distance to storage tank

- Prevent inflow into nuclear building

- Prevent leakage and ignition - Detect leakage g and shut off natural gas line
17

JAEA Analytical A l ti l St Study d of f Explosion/Fire Scenarios

Inaba 2004

Accident scenarios considered

Pipe rupture with NG release 175 m distance, 35 kg/s NG ignition at 140 m result: 6.3 kPa at reactor building LNG pool fire 6 m dia pool Detonation inside containment 16.2 kg methane leaks within 0.1 s
18

Flame Velocities of H2-CO-Air Mixtures

PNP Vapor Cloud Explosion Program

Breitung 2000
19

Fraunhofer Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT)

Hydrogen Storage Option as Liquid

Option: stored as LH2 in underground tank;
p IAEA recommended assumption of cryogen vaporization rate (too low for LH2) Observation: Ob i 30-66 30 66 mm/min / i (can be up to 1000 mm/min) Assuming tank of dia. 15 m, height 10 m, vaporization takes 25h 2-5 hours
O erpress res Overpressures

Zabetakis 1960

20

German BMI Guideline (1974) for the Protection of NPP against External Explosions
Protection by means of safety distance

R = 8 * M 1/3
100% for unsaturated HC and non-liquefied gases 50% f for gases li liquefied fi d under d pressure 10% for gases liquefied at low temperatures 0 3% for combustible liquids 0.3% TNT equivalent for explosives Minimum Distance: R 100 m
21

German BMI Guideline (1974)

Protection by means of design against pressure wave

22

German BMI Guideline (1974)

Guideline was the result of experts opinion. It was confirmed by PNP gas cloud program that gas mixtures typical for PNP cannot generate pressures beyond the design curve. Guideline, however, must not be applied to nuclear process heat plants. If applied pp to HTTR/SR: k = 3.7 R = 205 m for LNG storage tank (not considered: inventory in steam reformer)
23

US Regulatory Guide 1.91 (1975)

LNG: 400 m3 169 t 1859 t TNT R = 2.2 km ( show (or h th that t attendant tt d t risk i k be b sufficiently ffi i tl low) l )
24

Safe Design of Gen-IV Concepts

H2 storage

Reactor building

Heat exchange

Thermo-chemical Water splitting process

Example: France

25

Further Safety Research Needed

Safety aspects in nuclear hydrogen production systems based on I-S process, HT electrolysis Sufficient cleanliness of nuclear hydrogen y g (tritium) ( ) Effect of thermal turbulences on systems others than HTTR/SR ( (design g of components). p ) Protection of chemical plant against nuclear accidents (confinement vs. vs containment)

26

Thank you f your ki for kind d attention tt ti !

!

email: k.verfondern@fz-juelich.de

27