IAEA Virtual Event: on 26 – 29 April 2021: TM on the Status, Design Features,

Technology Challenges and Deployment Models of Microreactors

Advances in SMR and Microreactors

Technology Development

Dr. Hadid SUBKI

Technical Officer, SMR Technology Development Team
Nuclear Power Technology Development Section
Division of Nuclear Power
 Driving Factors & Opportunities for SMRs
Cost Affordability
Small Power, Innovation, Standardization

Short Construction Span

Design Simplification, Modularization

Energy Resilience
Flexibility and ensured energy supply

Energy Sustainability
Hybrid with Renewables,
Replace Retiring Fossil Plants

Typically up to 300 MWe, High Degree of Modularity, Option to Energy Supply in

Countries with Smaller Grids; Contribute to Climate Change Mitigation
IAEA/NENP/NPTDS/SMR/MHS/26Apr2021
 Global SMR Technology Development CZECH REP RUSSIA VK-300 SVBR-100 VBER-300 ELENA UNITHERM
STARCORE CANADA RITM-200M KLT-40S BREST-OD-300 MHR-T ABV6-E SHELF
ENERGY WELL
SSR-WB CANDU SMR RITM-200 KARAT-45 KARAT-100 MHR-100 GT-MHR RUTA-70
TEPLATOR
ARC-100 MCSFR SWEDEN
U-BATTERY IMSR UK DENMARK SEALER
UK SMR CA WB
SSR-WB CMSR
SSR-TS REP OF KOREA
U-Battery SMART
LUXEMBOURG microURANUS
USA FRANCE
LFR-AS-200
NuScale JAPAN
LFR-TL-X NUWARD
mPower GTHTR300 FUJI
ITALY
W-SMR HTTR-30 IMR
IRIS
SMR-160 MOVELUX DMS
BWRX-300 BWRX-300 4S
SC-HTGR CHINA smTMSR
XE-100 HTR-PM ACPR 50S
MMR ACP100 CAP200
EM2 SAUDI ARABIA INDIA NHR-200 DHR400
W-LFR SMART AHWR300 HAPPY200 HTR-10
LFTR IHTR
MK1 PB-FHR IMSBR
KP-FHR
INDONESIA
MCSFR
RDE
eVinci
THORCON
SUPERSTAR
THORCON
AURORA SOUTH AFRICA
PBMR-400
HTMR-100
ARGENTINA
A-HTR 100
CAREM

3
IAEA/NENP/NPTDS/SMR/MHS/26Apr2021
 SMRs: 10-year Deployment Horizon
450
UK-SMR
Land WCR FR
CANDU-SMR
300 Marine WCR MSR
BREST-OD-300 BWRX300
Output Capacity, MW(e) per module

HTGR Micro Reactors

NUWARD
ThorCon
200
IMSR
SMR-160

SMART
HTR-PM ACP100 SVBR100
100
Xe-100

NuScale

RITM200M
50
RITM200 ACPR50S

KLT-40S CAREM
25
HTTR30
MMR U-Battery eVinci AURORA

2020 2022 2024 2025 2027 2029 2030

4
IAEA/NENP/NPTDS/SMR/MHS/26Apr2021
Categorization of Technology
Land Based
Water-
Cooled
Reactors
Marine
High
Based
Temperature
Gas-Cooled
Water-
Reactors Cooled
Reactors
SMR: Major
Lines of
Technology
Liquid
Metal-
Molten Salt
cooled Fast
Reactors
Neutron
Reactors
Micro
Reactors

More than 60 SMR Technology

Developers in 18 Member States IAEA/NENP/NPTDS/SMR/MHS/26Apr2021
 Micro
Reactors
Technical Background
• Several countries are developing
Microreactors technology for potential
deployment by 2030;
• Typically to generate from 1 to 10 MWe;
designed for enhanced transportability to
site by modularity;
• To supply power at remote sites with
mining operations, island communities, oil
platforms and maritime shipping.
• Deployment opportunities in remote areas
in North America, Middle East, Africa, and
the South-East Asian archipelagos.

IAEA/NENP/NPTDS/SMR/MHS/26Apr2021
 Factors in Microreactors Development
Rationales
• More specific nuclear portfolios
beyond ‘known’ SMRs
• The need for energy resiliency
• Power needs in regions inaccessible
by known power generators / plants
• Power needs in cities / techno parks
Target Applications
• Microgrids for critical infrastructures
• Remote off-grid areas, minings
• Emergency power supply
• Wide spectrum non-electric apps
• Space and Naval applications (UUV)
IAEA/NENP/NPTDS/SMR/MHS/26Apr2021
Pursued Advantages
• New technologies with innovative
inherent safety features
• Substantially lower capital cost
• Modularity, Mobility, more of “installation”
than construction
• Long refueling interval or no refuel
Potential Issues and Key Challenges
• Safeguards: factory-sealed cores, new configs.
• Security: remote off grid areas, attractive theft
target of new fuels / higher enrichment
• Strategies for waste treatment and disposal
• Operator requirements, oversights / inspections
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 Microreactors (examples reported in IAEA Booklet on SMR)
Energy Well
Design Status:
Pre-conceptual design,
neutronics, thermohydraulic
and materials studies done
• Centrum výzkumu Řež,
Czech Republic
• Fluoride HTR, Pool type
• Molten Salt FLiBe
coolant
• 20 MWt / 8 MWe
• Forced circulation
• TRISO fuel
• Enrichment: ~ 15%
• No onsite refueling
• Refuel interval: 84 mths
IAEA/NENP/NPTDS/SMR/MHS/26Apr2021
MoveluX
Design Status:
Conceptual design,
complete test without fuel,
FOAK demo after 2030
• Toshiba, Japan
• Heat-Pipe cooled
• Calcium-hydride
moderated reactor
• 10 MWt / 4 MWe
• Natural circulation
• Silicide fuel,
Hexagonal
• Enrichment: < 5%
• Continuous operation
• 100 m2 plant footprint
ELENA
Design Status:
Conceptual design of
Nuclear Thermo Electric
Plant (NTEP)
• Kurchatov Institute,
Russian Federation
• PWR
• 3.3 MWt / 0.068 MWe
• Natural circulation
• UO2 pellet, MOX option
• Enrichment: 15.2%
• Refuel interval:
300 months – entire life
time
• Unattended operation
U-Battery MMR
Design Status: Design Status:
Conceptual design, VDR Preliminary Design, vendor
with CNSC design review with CNSC
• URENCO, United • USNC, USA, Canada
Kingdom • HTGR / micro-reactor /
• HTGR nuclear battery
• 10 MWt / 4 MWe • 15 MWt / 5 MWe
• Forced helium • Core Outlet Temp: 630oC
circulation • FCM TRISO graphite,
• TRISO fuel / hexagonal Hexagonal fuel block
• Enrichment: < 20% • Enrichment:
• Refuel interval: HALEU 19.75%
Continuous • Refuel interval: Fueled
once during lifetime
eVinci
Design Status:
Conceptual Design, vendor design
review with CNSC
• Westinghouse, United States
• Heat Pipe cooled
• Metal hydride moderator
• TRISO or another encapsulation
• 7-12 MWt / 2-3.5 MWe per
module
• Core Outlet Temp: 800oC
• Enrichment: 5-19.75%
• Refuel interval: 36+ months
• No onsite refuelling, Replace
reactor approach
• Transportable, can operate
continuously
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 Microreactors (others, in organizations’ website)
Technology Category
• Subcritical power modules in
ISO container
• UCO TRISO fuel with
gas/steam turbine generator
• Self cooling heat pipe
• Sodium Potassium eutectic-
cooled, UZrH, HALEU
• lightweight fission power
system to fuel deep-space
exploration

IAEA/NENP/NPTDS/SMR/MHS/26Apr2021
 Microreactors, Key Attributes:
Development Objective: micro nuclear power system to produce reliable, safe, clean, and cost-effective
electricity and heat to small islands, communities in remote regions, and mining industries, and as
alternative to diesel generators

• Cogeneration of heat and electricity of 1 MWe to 10 MWe;

• Key technology lines: HTGRs, fast reactors, heat pipe-cooled, FHR, micro PWR
• Factory built, transported to site, fueled and assembled;
• 40 to 60-year design life;
• Long refuelling intervals: 3+ years to without refuelling;
• Quick onsite installation; Underground construction (some designs);
• Autonomous operation (optional);
• Load following capability in synergy with renewables;
• Small site footprint; Power-appropriated Emergency Planning Zone;
• Minimum maintenance requirements, no on-site fuel storage, handling, or
processing;
• Commercial Availability by 2026 (First of a Kind)
IAEA/NENP/NPTDS/SMR/MHS/26Apr2021
 Challenges facing SMRs
Demonstration of Safety and
Operational Performance of
FOAK, Novel Designs & Technologies
Continuity of Orders, cost
competitiveness against alternatives,
robust supply chain, and
viable financing Option

SMR Deployment Competitiveness:

How and When

Regulatory framework, licensing Development of Nuclear Infrastructure

pathways: global deployment, for near-term deployment particularly
need of harmonization? in Embarking countries

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 IAEA Activities on SMRs (examples)
Development and Deployment Status
- ARIS Database
- SMR Booklet
Technology Roadmap
- Provide Member States with
‘model’ technology roadmaps for
specific SMR projects
Economics
- Economic Appraisal of SMR
Projects: Methodologies and
Applications
Safeguards-by-Design
- Incorporate facilitation of
safeguards inspection early in
reactor design stage
IAEA/NENP/NPTDS/SMR/MHS/26Apr2021
Infrastructure Development
- The IAEA Milestones
Approach applicable to SMR
- Integrated Work Plan for
Embarking Countries
Safety
- SMR Regulators’ Forum
- Applicability of the IAEA
Safety Standards to SMRs
Generic User Requirements and
Criteria
- key policy of Member State on
the expectations of its users on
SMR technology
Reactor Technology Assessment
- Updated Method incorporate SMR
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 Technical Working Group on SMR

13
IAEA/NENP/NPTDS/SMR/MHS/26Apr2021
 Expected Outcome from this TM
• Feedbacks from the participating Member States for a
common proposal on the encompassing definition of
micro-reactors;
• Questions to answer:
– Should a single 25 to 50 MWe integral-PWR module be
also considered a microreactor?
– Should microreactors be categorized by design / techno
characteristics, e.g., simplicity, mobility, and flexibility in
addition to a specific size or range of sizes?
– What would be the low-end capacity feasible by design?
 8 December 1953 1 to 23 October 1957 11 December 1957 1959

10 December 2005 1958 to 1979

Thank you for your attention!

For inquiries, please contact:
Dr. M. Hadid SUBKI 23 August 1979
IAEA Division of Nuclear Power, Nuclear Power Atoms for peace and Development…
Technology Development Section
E-mail: M.Subki@iaea.org