Advances in Reactor Concepts:

Generation IV Reactors

Research Workshop
Future Opportunities in Nuclear Power

October 16-17, 2014

Purdue University

Prof. Won Sik Yang

Purdue University
 Status of Nuclear Power Production
 Nuclear energy is a significant contributor to U.S. and international
electricity production
– 15% world, 20% U.S., 74% France

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 Status of Nuclear Power Production
 Nuclear energy and hydropower are the only two major established
base-load low-carbon energy sources.
 Efforts to reduce CO2 emissions are thus a major factor in the
renewed interest in nuclear energy that has become apparent in
recent years.

Total:
20130 TWh

World Electricity Generation (2009) IEA/NEA, Nuclear Energy Technology

Roadmap (2010)

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 Future Use of Nuclear Energy

 Extended lifetime and optimized operation of existing plants

 Construction of new plants (evolutionary designs in near term)
 Closure of fuel cycle to improve waste management
– Strengthened international safeguards regime
 Sustainable generation of electricity, hydrogen and other energy
products

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Generations of Nuclear Reactors

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 Generation IV Systems: Technology Goals
 Sustainability
– Sustainable energy generation through long-term availability of
systems and effective fuel utilization
– Minimize and manage nuclear waste and reduce the stewardship
burden in the future
 Safety & Reliability
– Very low likelihood and degree of reactor core damage
– Eliminate the need for offsite emergency response
 Economics
– Life-cycle cost advantage over other energy sources
– Level of financial risk comparable to other energy projects
 Proliferation Resistance & Physical Protection
– Unattractive materials diversion pathway
– Enhanced physical protection against terrorism

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 Overview of Generation IV Systems
Neutron Fuel Coolant Power Plant
System Spectrum /Fuel Cycle Temp. (C) (MWe) Effici. (%) Applications

Sodium Cooled Fast MOX, Metal 500 - 550 50 42 Electricity,

Fast Reactor /Closed 300-600 Actinide Recycle
(SFR) 1500
Very High Thermal Coated particles 900 -1000 250 > 47 Electricity,
Temperature /Open Hydrogen Production,
Reactor (VHTR) Process Heat
Gas-Cooled Fast Carbides 850 200- 45 - 48 Electricity,
Fast /Closed 1200 Hydrogen Production,
Reactor (GFR) Actinide Recycle
Supercritical Thermal, UOX, MOX 510 - 625 1500 Max. 50 Electricity
Water Reactor Fast /Open; Closed
(SCWR)
Lead-Cooled Fast Nitrides; MOX 480 - 570 50-150 42 - 44 Electricity,
Fast Reactor /Closed 300-600 Hydrogen Production
(LFR) 1200
Molten Salt Thermal, Fluorides salts 700 - 800 1000 Max. 45 Electricity,
Reactor Fast /Closed Hydrogen Production,
(MSR) Actinide Recycle

A Technology Roadmap for Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems, December 2002

GIF R&D Outlook for Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems, August 2009

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 Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor (SFR)
 Features fast spectrum and closed fuel cycle
– Can either burn actinides or breed fissile material
 High level of safety can be achieved through
inherent and passive means
 R&D focus
ESFR
– Analyses and experiments that demonstrate safety
approaches
– High-burnup, minor actinide bearing fuels
– Develop advanced components and energy conversion
systems

KALIMER

JSFR SMFR

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 Designs Being Developed
 In the US, innovative fast reactor designs are being developed
– Advanced burner sodium-cooled fast reactor (ABR) for waste management
– Breed and burn nuclear systems for improved fuel utilization
– Small modular reactors for near-term deployment in remote locations and
other countries
 China has constructed CEFR, which achieved the initial criticality on
July 21, 2010. Developing CFR-600 with oxide fuel, but will be
converted to metallic fuel.
 In India, the 500 MWe DFBR is expected to be online soon; they plan to
construct 4 more 500 MWe units by 2020, and then 1000 MWe plants
 Russia has constructed a BN-800 reactor, which achieved the initial
criticality on June 27, 2014, and is developing the BN-1200 design
 Japan envisions commercial fast reactors by 2050, and plans to
construct a demo plant by 2025 (JSFR)
 France envisions commercial fast reactors by ~2045, and plans a demo
plant by 2020 (ASTRID)
 Korea is developing the 150 MWe PGSFR design for demonstrating
TRU transmutation
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 Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR)
 High temperature, helium cooled, graphite moderated reactor
– High temperature enables non-electric applications
 Goal – reach 1000 °C, with near term focus on 700 - 950 °C
 Reference configurations are the prismatic and the pebble bed

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 Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR)
 R&D focus on materials and fuels HTR-PM
– Shared irradiation
• Confirmed excellent performance of UO2
TRISO fuel
– Develop a worldwide material handbook
– Benchmarking of computer codes
 Japanese HTTR (30 MWt) is in operation
– 50 days continuous operation at 950 °C
completed March 2010
 Chinese HTR-PM demonstration plant is
under construction
– Pebble bed core, 750 °C outlet temperature,
steam cycle, 40% efficiency
– Two 250 MWt NSSS modules for 210 MWe
electricity
– First concrete poured in Dec. 2012
– Plant operation expected around end of 2017

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 Gas-Cooled Fast Reactor (GFR)
 High temperature, helium
cooled fast reactor with closed
fuel cycle
– Fast spectrum enables efficient
use of uranium resources and
waste minimization
– High temperature enables non-
electric applications
– Non-reactive coolant eliminates
material corrosion
 Very advanced system
– Requires advanced materials
and fuels
 Key R&D focus
Decay heat removal (LOCA) is a challenge
– SiC clad carbide fuel
– High power density
– High temperature components – Low thermal inertia
and materials

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 Supercritical-Water-Cooled Reactor (SCWR)
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 Merges Gen-III+ reactor technology with compressible liquid supercritical fluid
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advanced supercritical water technology SCWR

Pressure (MPa)
used in coal plants 20 liquid
PWR

 Operates above the thermodynamic

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superheated vapor

critical point (374 °C, 22.1 MPa) of water 10 BWR

vapor

 Fast and thermal spectrum options 5

0
 Pressure tube or pressure vessel 250 350 450
Temperature (C)
550

options
 Key R&D focus
– Materials, water chemistry, and radiolysis
– Thermal-hydraulics and safety to address
gaps in SCWR heat transfer and critical
flow databases
– Fuel qualification

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 Lead-Cooled Fast Reactor (LFR)
 Lead is not chemically reactive with ELFR
air or water
– Highly corrosive and erosive
 Fast spectrum and closed fuel cycle
 Three design thrusts
– European Lead Cooled Fast Reactor
(Large, central station)
– Russian BREST-OD-300 (Medium
size)
– US SSTAR (Small transportable
system)
 R&D focus – 1500 MWt / 600 MWe
– Materials corrosion – MOX fuel
– High burnup, MA-bearing fuels – Coolant temp., 400/480C
– Max. clad temp., 550C
– Safety – Efficiency: ~42%
– Breeding ratio: ~1

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 LFR Concepts Being Studied
BREST-OD-300
– 700 MWt / 300 MWe
– UN+PuN fuel
– Coolant temp: 420/540C
– Max. cladding temp., 650C
– Efficiency: 42%
– Breeding ratio: ~1
SSTAR
– SSTAR is a small natural
circulation fast reactor of 20
MWe/45 MWt, that can be scaled
up to 180 MWe/400 MWt.
– Uranium nitride fuel with 15-20
year lifetime
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 Molten Salt Reactor (MSR)

 High temperature system

 Design options
– Fuel dissolved in molten salt coolant
• Traditional MSF concept
• On-line waste management
– Solid fuel with molten salt coolant
• VHTR + molten salt coolant
 Key R&D focus
– Neutronics
– Materials and components
– Safety and safety systems MSFR
– Since 2005, European R&D interest
– Liquid salt chemistry and properties has focused on Molten Salt Fast
– Salt processing neutron Reactor (MSFR) as a long
term alternative to solid fueled fast
neutrons reactors

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 MSR Concepts Studied
 Two reactors concepts using molten salt are studied in the GIF MSR
– Molten salt reactors, in which the salt is both the fuel and the coolant
• France and Euratom work on MSFR
• Russia works on MOSART (Molten Salt Actinide Recycler & Transmuter)
– Reactors with solid fuel cooled by molten salt
• USA and China work on FHR (fluoride salt-cooled
|high-temperature reactor) concepts

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 Summary
 Generation-IV systems are being developed worldwide
– Gen-IV International Forum was established in 2001 and provides
an international framework for development of Gen-IV systems
– Collaborative projects started with significant R&D investment
worldwide
– Prototype demonstration reactors are being designed and/or built
• SFR (France and Russia)
• VHTR (China)
 Much still needs to be done before Gen-IV systems become a
reality
– Continue R&D on Gen-IV systems
– Develop advanced research facilities
– Engage industry on the design of Gen-IV systems
– Develop the workforce for the future

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