New Nuclear Technology Tulane Engineering Forum Tulane University April 5, 2013
Alan E. Waltar Senior Advisor, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (Retired) Former Professor and Head, Dept. Nuclear Engineering, Texas A&M University Past President, American Nuclear Society
Outline I. Importance of Electricity II. Role of Nuclear Energy III. New Nuclear Energy Prospects IV. Non-Nuclear Energy Technology V. Economic Impact of Nuclear Technology
Global Energy Distribution
The American Scene History of U.S. operating plants prior to Fukushima
U.S. Nuclear Plant Uprates Cumulative Capacity Additions at Existing Plants 2000-2011* 6,000
1,383 MWe Expected 5,000
2,964 MWe Approved
4,000
2,964 MWe Approved
3,000
2,000
1,000
0 2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
* 5726 MWe added to existing fleet since 1977 (as of July 2010)
Sustained Reliability and Productivity U.S. Nuclear Capacity Factor, Percent 100 90 80
89.3% in 2005 89.6% in 2006 91.8% in 2007 91.1% in 2008 90.5% in 2009 91.2% in 2010 89.0% in 2011
70
60 50
'80
'85
'90
Source: Energy Information Administration
Updated: 3/12
'95
'00
'05
'10
Net Effect of Power Upgrades and Higher Capacity Factors The Equivalent of Approximately Two Dozen 1000 MWe Nuclear Plants Have Been Added to the Grid
Investing for the Future: License Renewals and Uprates Continue Approved
73
License Renewals 17 Unannounced
13
1
Under NRC Review
Intend to Renew
Total Capital Spending
Cumulative Power Uprates 10,000
Under Review and Expected - 2,654 MWe by 2017 Approved - 6,191 MWe
8,000 6,000
Billions of Dollars
8.0
6.0
4.0
4,000 2.0
2,000 0 1977 2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
0.0 1990
1993
Sources: Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Electric Utility Cost Group
1996
1999
2002
2005
2008
2011
Two New Reactor Site Projects Vogtle 3 & 4 2,200 workers now on the project 3,000 during peak construction 600 to 800 permanent jobs when the new reactors are operating
V.C. Summer 2 & 3 1,000 workers now on the project 3,000 during peak construction 600 to 800 permanent jobs when the new reactors are operating
Watts Bar Unit 2 Construction Renewed
• Construction
began in 1973 • Construction suspended in 1985 • Approval in April 2012 to continue construction • Completion scheduled for fall of 2015
Planned New Plants USA*
*US *USNRC NRC March March24, 24,2011 2011
Evolution of Reactor Designs
Comparison of 4 LWRs: Gen III
Nuclear Units Under Construction and Planned Worldwide China Russia India USA Japan S. Korea UAE Ukraine Argentina Iran Pakistan France China, Taiwan Slovakia Brazil Finland
26
51
11 7 5 2 10 4 5 13 22 11 2 2 11 21 2 1 1
17 18 11
Under construction
Planned
Totals:  68 units under construction*  160 units on order or planned**
Sources: International Atomic Energy Agency and project sponsors for units under construction and World Nuclear Association for units on order or planned. *Chart includes only countries with units under construction. **Countries planning new units are not all included in the chart.
Planned units = Approvals, funding or major commitment in place, mostly expected in operation within 8-10 years. Updated: 10/12
CHINA: 24 Nuclear Power Plants Now Under Construction...Now 26! Table from 3 years ago NPP
Type
Power (MWe)
Status
Qinshan-1
PWR
300
Operation
Qinshan-2
PWR
2×600
Operation
PWR
2×600
Construction
Qinshan-3
PHWR
2×720
Operation
Daya Bay
PWR
2×900
Operation
Lingao
PWR
2×944
Operation
PWR
2×944
Construction
Tianwan
PWR
2×1000
Operation
Sanmen
PWR
2×1000
Planned
Yangjiang
PWR
2×1000
Planned
Hongyanhe
PWR
2×1000
Construction
Haiyang
PWR
2×1000
Planned
Fuqing
PWR
6×1000
Suggestion
Ningde
PWR
6×1000
Suggestion
INDIA: 17 Operating Stations TAPS-1&2 (2 x 160 MWe)
Oct., 1969/ Oct., 1969
TAPS-3&4 (2 x 540 MWe)
Jul., 2006/ Sept., 2005
RAPS-1&2 (100 & 200 MWe)
Dec., 1973/ April 1981
RAPS-3&4 (2 x 220 MWe)
Jun., 2000/ Dec., 2000
MAPS-1&2 (2 x 220 MWe)
Jan., 1984/ Mar., 1986
NAPS-1&2 (2 x 220 MWe)
Jan., 1991/ Jul., 1992
KAPS-1&2 (2 x 220 MWe)
May, 1993/ Sept., 1995
KGS-1&2 (2 x 220 MWe)
Nov., 2000/ Mar., 2000
KGS-3 220 MWe
MAY 2007
6 NPPs Under Construction
Implications of the Near Halt in Construction of New U.S. Nuclear Power Plants in Last Couple Decades
• Key Professionals Retired or Lost to Industry • Few Professionals Coming into the Industry • Manufacturing Plants Shut Down • Hence, New Construction Cost Much Higher in the Renaissance that began about 5 years ago
Utilities now “bet the farm” on new, large plants
Hence, the Principal Drivers for Small Modular Reactors • • • • • • •
Reduced capital costs per plant Meet electrical growth incrementally Shorter construction schedules (modular construction) Enhanced safety and security (some Fukushima influence) Improved quality (in-factory construction) Replace aging coal plants Re-establish U.S. leadership (largely lost during last two
decades)
• Create good domestic jobs • Serve international markets (with limited electrical infrastructure)
U.S. LWR-based SMR designs for electricity generation
SMR (Westinghouse)
225 MWe
mPower (B&W) 180 MWe
HI-SMUR (Holtec) NuScale (NuScale) 160 MWe 45 MWe Compliments of Dan Ingersoll
Gas-cooled reactor designs Able to provide high-temperature process heat
American Design
MHR (General Atomics) 280 MWe
French Design
ANTARES (Areva) 275 MWe
Fast spectrum reactor designs ((Liquid Metal Cooled) Able to provide improved fuel cycles …………….Sodium-Cooled………………………………
PRISM (General Electric) 300 MWe
4S (Toshiba, Japan)
10 MWe
…Lead-Bismuth Cooled…
SVBR-100 (AKME Engineering, Russian Federation)
100 MWe
Non-Power Applications of Nuclear Technology Overview
AGRICULTURE • Optimizing Water and Fertilizer Use • Speed Breeding of Improved Crops – Greater yield – Increased disease resistance – Better nutritional value
• Improved Animal Production – Increase body weight – Vaccines to eliminate diseases
• Insect Control – Sterilization (screw worm, Mediterranean fruit flies, gypsy moths)
• Improved Food Safety (Food Irradiation) – Kill bacteria, molds, yeasts, parasites, insects – Extend shelf life
MODERN INDUSTRY • Process Control – Thickness Gauges (sheet metal, paper, textiles) – Density & Level Gauges (oil and food industries)
Plant Diagnostics – Tracers (pipeline leaks, malfunctions, wear and corrosion)
• Materials Development – Cross linking (e.g. heat shrink) – Gamma curing (e.g. floors) – Vulcanization (e.g. tires)
• Materials Testing and Inspection – Engine wear – Welds in airplanes, oil and gas pipelines – Corrosion in pipes
Nuclear Gauges Film Thickness
Paper Thickness
QUALITY CONTROL Beverage Level
Oil Level
Compliments of Prof. Ilham Al-Qaradawi
Bore Hole Logging with Nuclear Source & Detector System
INDUSTRY (CONT.)
•Personal Care –Contact lens solution –Band-Aids, –Cosmetics –High absorption baby diapers –Soft drinks
Cosmetics‌Irradiated to Remove Harmful Impurities
New Demands for Electricity in Transportation Sector • Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles & EVs • Charge off-peak
GM Volt/ Ampera 16,000 in 2012
Increase proportion as base-load Compliments Ian Hore-Lacey
SPACE EXPLORATION • Heat Generation • Radioisotope Heater Unit (RHU) • Pu-238 excellent heat source (87.7 yr half-life)
• Electricity Generation – Radio-Thermal Generators (RTG) • Direct conversion to electricity (~ 7% efficiency)
– Dynamic Isotope Power System (DIPS) • Pu-238 still excellent heat source • Rankine cycle active system (~20% efficiency)
• Nuclear Reactors • For Missions > 100 KW
= Radioisotope Heater Generator Unit RTG =RHU Radioisotope Thermoelectric
Radioisotope Power Sources Used on Galileo Spacecraft
The Mars rovers use radioisotope heat sources to keep warm during the night
Compliments of Dr. Harold McFarland
Environmental Protection …..ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION….. Determine 1) Amounts and Locations of Pollution 2) Causes of Pollution 3) Proper Remedy
• Managing Fresh Water Resources – Preserving and Obtaining Potable Water Sources
• Guarding the Oceans – Coastal Zones and the Deep Seas
• Understanding Soil Erosion – Loss of topsoil and erosion of waterways
• Radiological Contamination – Weapons production and commercial power
• Polluting our Atmosphere – Brown Clouds and global climate change
• Energy & the Environment
MEDICINE • Sterilization of Medical Products – Surgical dressings, sutures, catheters, syringes
• New Drug Testing – Over 80% of all new drugs tested with radioactive tagging before approval – Between 200 and 300 radiopharmaceuticals in routine use
• Medical Imaging (~90%) – Diagnose the ailment
• Therapy (~10%) • Cure the ailment NOTE: Much of the material on medicine was supplied by Professor Ilham Al-Qaradawi. Qatar University
Numbers of Patients Benefiting from Nuclear Medical Techniques • Over 12 million/year in the U.S. • Over 30 million/year globally • 1 in 3 patients entering U.S. hospitals or medical clinics benefit from nuclear medical techniques
Types of Medical Imaging (Diagnostics ~ 90% of nuclear procedures)
• X-ray (teeth, broken bones, mammograms…) • CT (Computerized Tomography, “3D X-ray”) • Radiotracers • Planer Scintigraphy • SPECT (single photon emission computerized tomography) • PET (positron emission tomography)
•MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
Volumetric CT < 0.4 sec/rotation Organ in a sec (17 cm/sec) Whole body < 10 sec
Compliments of Prof. Ilham Al-Qaradawi
PET/CT scanner CT
PET
Compliments of Prof. Ilham Al-Qaradawi
18F-FDG PET/CT
Courtesy HSR MILANO
HSR MILANO
MRI of upper torso (courtesy NASA)
WNU-SI 2010
Oxford - UK
MRI of knee
MRI of shoulder
Resolution Capability of the Major Nuclear Imaging Techniques Imaging Technique CT MRI SPECT PET
Resolution 0.3 mm 0.3 mm 7 mm 4 mm
Medical Therapy ~ 10 % of nuclear procedures
– First applied to Thyroid Cancer (20,000 patients/year) – Blood Irradiation – Other Cancer (prostate, breast, brain, liver, etc.) • External – External Beam Radiation – Protons – Hadron • Internal – BNCT (boron neutron capture)
– Cell Directed » Placed inside the body » Smart bullets
– Decrease pain of bone cancer
The authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 109 seeds of I-125
Monoclonal Antibodies “Smart Bullets”
• Specialized Radioisotopes are attached to unique molecules that target specific organs • Radiation is then applied to only those targeted organs •Alpha emitters are particularly powerful
Major Challenges of Monoclonal Antibody Applications â&#x20AC;˘ Developing chemical carriers to target only desired cells â&#x20AC;˘ Developing methods to clone specific radioisotopes to the specific chemical carrier â&#x20AC;˘ Making the desired radioisotope
New Medical Frontier: Use of Alpha Irradiation • Alpha very energetic over very short distances • Hence, exceptionally sharp focusing • Showing real promise for many solid tumors ( e.g. inoperable brain cancer )
• Principal Challenge: • Difficulty of Production • Requires neutrons (i.e. reactors)
MODERN ECONOMY Overall Impact in the U.S (using multiplicative economic model)
1991 SALES $ Billions
Radiation 257 Nuclear Power 73 TOTAL =
330
1995
JOBS SALES
JOBS
Millions
$ Billions
Millions
331 90
4.0 0.4
4.1 421
4.4
3.7 0.4
Distribution of Economic and Job Benefits to the US Economy by Radiation Technologies, 1996
Comparison of Radiation Technologies to Fortune 500 Companies
Comparison of Radiation Technologies in US to GDP of Major Countries
Medicine
IG0402007.1
Environment
IG0402007.2
Industry
IG0402007.3
Other Subcategories include: â&#x20AC;˘Agriculture, Arts and Sciences, Electricity, Future, Public Safety, Space Exploration, Transportation
IG0402007.4
Medicine
Total
Environment
Industry Other
IG0402007.5
Total
Two-Thirds of the Elements in the Periodic Table Contain Radioisotopes Already Harnessed for Human Benefit
CONCLUSIONS Nuclear Technology has made enormous contributions to Global Human Life over the past half-century Nuclear energy provides a major portion of global electricity..and is poised to contribute substantially more in the future Radioisotopes have made monumental contributions to oiur everyday life – Over 2/3 of the elements in the Periodic Chart have already been commercially harnessed for human benefit.