Advanced Reactors with Innovative Fuels : Workshop Proceedings, Villigen, Switzerland 21-23 October 1998

463 Pages·1999·4.518 MB·English

by  OECD

Nuclear Science
A
dvanced Reactors
with Innovative Fuels
Workshop Proceedings
Villigen, Switzerland
21-23 October 1998
N U C L E A R • E N E R G Y • A G E N C Y
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OECD PROCEEDINGS
Proceedings of the Workshop on
Advanced Reactors
with Innovative Fuels
hosted by
Villigen, Switzerland
21-23 October 1998
NUCLEAR ENERGY AGENCY
ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT
ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT
Pursuant to Article 1 of the Convention signed in Paris on 14th December 1960, and which came into force on
30th September 1961, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) shall promote policies
designed:
- to achieve the highest sustainable economic growth and employment and a rising standard of living in
Member countries, while maintaining financial stability, and thus to contribute to the development of
the world economy;
- to contribute to sound economic expansion in Member as well as non-member countries in the process
of economic development; and
- to contribute to the expansion of world trade on a multilateral, non-discriminatory basis in accordance
with international obligations.
The original Member countries of the OECD are Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany,
Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey,
the United Kingdom and the United States. The following countries became Members subsequently through accession
at the dates indicated hereafter; Japan (28th April 1964), Finland (28th January 1969), Australia (7th June 1971), New
Zealand (29th May 1973), Mexico (18th May 1994), the Czech Republic (21st December 1995), Hungary (7th May
1996), Poland (22nd November 1996) and the Republic of Korea (12th December 1996). The Commission of the
European Communities takes part in the work of the OECD (Article 13 of the OECD Convention).
NUCLEAR ENERGY AGENCY
The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) was established on 1st February 1958 under the name of OEEC
European Nuclear Energy Agency. It received its present designation on 20th April 1972, when Japan became its first
non-European full Member. NEA membership today consists of all OECD Member countries, except New Zealand and
Poland. The Commission of the European Communities takes part in the work of the Agency.
The primary objective of the NEA is to promote co-operation among the governments of its participating
countries in furthering the development of nuclear power as a safe, environmentally acceptable and economic energy
source.
This is achieved by:
- encouraging harmonization of national regulatory policies and practices, with particular reference to
the safety of nuclear installations, protection of man against ionising radiation and preservation of the
environment, radioactive waste management, and nuclear third party liability and insurance;
- assessing the contribution of nuclear power to the overall energy supply by keeping under review the
technical and economic aspects of nuclear power growth and forecasting demand and supply for the
different phases of the nuclear fuel cycle;
- developing exchanges of scientific and technical information particularly through participation in
common services;
- setting up international research and development programmes and joint undertakings.
In these and related tasks, the NEA works in close collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency
in Vienna, with which it has concluded a Co-operation Agreement, as well as with other international organisations in
the nuclear field.
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FOREWORD
Nuclear power plants operating today utilise about 1% of the energy potential of the uranium
they use as fuel, namely the part that is easily and economically extractable with standard technology.
What is left is called in present terminology “spent fuel”. There has been an ongoing debate – already
lasting several decades – as to what to do with this spent fuel. Past projections based on the resources
and forecasts of energy requirements world-wide predicted a rapid depletion of uranium resources.
Fast reactor programmes were then developed as a means of extracting a larger proportion of the
energy potential from uranium and its derivatives present in the spent fuel. Some countries
consequently embarked into spent fuel reprocessing and recycling. Additionally, the oil crisis of 1973
led to strengthening nuclear power programmes.
Since then, several events have changed the picture. First the Three Mile Island accident, then
the catastrophe of Chernobyl and the concerns as presented in the media disenchanted public opinion.
A period of both hidden and open hostility to nuclear energy emerged in the general public. Since
then, a great effort has been invested in research and development for improving safety in nuclear
power plants; all of these plants have consequently been modernised. The opening of energy markets
world-wide added a strong short-term economical competition component; nuclear power had to
adapt, improve technology and reduce costs. The development of advanced nuclear power systems
was accordingly slowed down.
Nuclear power represents a substantial share of electricity production (about one quarter in the
OECD area), but is only about 5% of the total energy used world-wide. The largest part of this energy
comes from fossil fuels. Fossil fuel resources are quite large, but their extensive use feeds the concern
that they could contribute to a possible global warming of the atmosphere through greenhouse
emissions and to climate change. Satellites have observed intercontinental movements of pollution
clouds stemming mostly from fossil fuel combustion. One such pollution cloud was recently
discovered hovering over the Indian Ocean, its size being roughly the area of the continental United
States. Far reaching environmental impacts could result.
Within the OECD and elsewhere the issues of “sustainable development” are addressed covering
environmental, economic and social aspects. Such issues also encompass availability of resources.
In fact, shortages of or difficulty in accessing resources have often been at the origin of conflicts.
Can nuclear energy play a role and contribute to sustainable development? In the nuclear field the
question has been raised as to whether it is ethically acceptable to skim off 1% of the energy potential
from uranium and declare the remaining 99% as waste. Do we have the right to deplete energy
resources in this way without considering the requirements of future generations? Are there other
ways of utilising the huge potential of uranium and other nuclear fuels such as thorium in accordance
with the criteria of sustainable development? In order to be able to answer such questions in an
objective way it is necessary to identify, based on the most recent technological evolutions, what
possibilities do exist, what their characteristics are, and to what extent they meet established safety,
economical and environmental criteria. A sound scientific-technical knowledge base first needs to be
established, which can be called upon by policy and decision makers.
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The Nuclear Science Committee of the OECD/NEA intends to contribute to building such a
sound knowledge base. One step in this direction is the Workshop on Advanced Reactors with
Innovative Fuel Cycles. This workshop was hosted by the Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen,
Switzerland, from 21-23 October 1998. The proceedings of the workshop, including panel discussions
on the role international organisations should play in this context, are presented here.
This text is published under the responsibility of the Secretary-General of the OECD. The views
expressed do not necessarily correspond to those of the national authorities concerned.
In memory of...
(cid:239) Pedro Landeyro (cid:240)

Pedro Landeyro had wished to participate and contribute to the ARWIF’98 workshop. His illness
did not permit him to do so. Though he was unable to be present at the workshop, he had hoped to
submit a completed article to be published in the proceedings. He was unfortunately unable to finish
this last project. He died on 9 December 1998.
Pedro had submitted an extended abstract for ARWIF’98 containing some of his results. Though
incomplete, we are including this work in the proceedings. In doing so, we wish to pay tribute to
Pedro for the outstanding work he accomplished in the field of criticality safety calculations and more
recently in accelerator driven transmutation systems. He will be greatly missed by his friends and
colleagues.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
FOREWORD.................................................................................................................................... 3
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.............................................................................................................. 9
OPENING SESSION........................................................................................................................ 25
Chair: W. Kröger
H. Fuchs
The View Point of Swiss Nuclear Utilities.............................................................................. 27
H. Mouney
A Utility View Point................................................................................................................ 33
ADVANCED U/PU OXIDE-BASED REACTORS........................................................................ 41
Chair: A. Zaetta
S. Pillon, M. Delpech, J. Tommasi, H. Beaumont, T. Newton
Plutonium Utilisation in PWR and FR..................................................................................... 43
G. Youinou, M. Delpech, R. Girieud, B. Guigon
Plutonium Multirecycling in a 100% MOX Core with a High Moderation Ratio .................. 55
K. Hesketh, R. Hagger
Aspects of Uranium Recycle in Light Water Reactors............................................................ 59
H. Tochihara, Y. Komano, M. Ishida
The Concept of a Breeding PWR............................................................................................. 67
T. Yokoyama, R. Yoshioka, Y. Tsuboi, Y. Sakashita, S. Matsuyama
Study on Fast Spectrum BWR Core with Breeding Characteristics........................................ 77
R. Takeda, M. Aoyama, J. Miwa
Conceptual Core Design of a Resource Renewable BWR and Long-Term
Energy Supply.......................................................................................................................... 89
K. Bae, H. Choi, J. Lee, M.S. Yang, H. Park
Process Development for DUPIC Fuel Fabrication................................................................. 103
V. Lelek, (cid:246). Svoboda
The LR-0 Reactor Possibilities for MOX Type Fuel Pins Research....................................... 111
5
T. Williams, R. Chawla, P. Grimm, S. Pelloni, R. Seiler, A. Stanculescu
First Criticality of LWR-PROTEUS: A New Programme of Integral Experiments
for Current, Advanced and Innovative LWR Fuels................................................................. 117
T. Okubo, T. Kugo, T. Shirakawa, S. Shimada, M. Ochiai
Conceptual Designing of Water-Cooled Reactors with Increased or Reduced
Moderation............................................................................................................................... 127
M. Aoyama, T. Kanagawa, K. Sakurada, T. Yamamoto, M. Matsu-ura,
M. Ueji, H. Ota
Study of Advanced LWR Cores for Effective Use of Plutonium............................................ 139
J.L. Kloosterman, R.J.M. Konings
Investigation of the Fuel Temperature Coefficient of Innovative Fuel Types ........................ 153
URANIUM-FREE REACTORS..................................................................................................... 167
Chair: R.J.M. Konings
J. Porta, A. Puill
U-Free Pu Fuels for LWRs – The CEA/DRN Strategy........................................................... 169
Hj. Matzke
Radiation Stability of Inert Matrix Fuels................................................................................. 187
H. Akie, T. Yamashira, N. Nitani, H. Kimura, H. Takano, T. Muromura
A. Yasuda, Y. Matsuno
Disposition of Excess Plutonium by the ROX-LWR System.................................................. 199
J. Tommasi, A. Puill, Y.K. Lee
Reactors with Th/Pu Based Fuels............................................................................................ 209
S. Baldi, J. Porta, L. Zanotti, G. Rouvière
Preliminary Evaluation of a BWR with CERMET Fuel Core Loading................................... 219
P.S.W. Chan, M.J.N. Gagnon, P.G. Boczar
Reactor Physics Analysis of Plutonium Annihilation and Actinide Burning
in Candu Reactors.................................................................................................................... 225
S. Pelloni, J.-M. Paratte, A. Stanculescu, R. Chawla
Neutronics of Inert Matrix Pu-Fuel Rods in a UO PWR Environment.................................. 235
2
J. Porta, S. Baldi, B. Guigon
Some Neutronic Properties of an Inert Matrix for the Definition of a 100% IMF Core......... 245
S. Coelli, T. La Toretta, C. Lombardi, L. Luzzi, E. Marmo, A. Mazzola,
E. Padovani, M. Ricotti, F. Vettraino, G. Zappa
Inert Matrix and Thoria Fuels for Plutonium Burning in LWRs............................................. 253
M. Burghartz, G. Ledergerber, F. Ingold, T. Xie, F. Botta, K. Idemitsu
Concepts and First Fabrication Studies of Inert Matrix Fuel for the Incineration
of Plutonium............................................................................................................................. 267
6
N. Messaoudi, J. Tommasi, M. Delpech
Uranium-Free Burner Reactor Dedicated to Minor Actinides Transmutation........................ 277
R.A. Verrall, M.D. Vlajic, V.D. Krstic
Silicon Carbide as an Inert Matrix Fuel for Candu Reactors................................................... 287
T. Nakamura, H. Akie, K. Okonogi, M. Yoshinaga, K. Ishijima, H. Takano
Plutonium Rock-Like Fuel Behaviour Under RIA Conditions................................................ 299
M. Beauvy, C. Dodane, P. Raison, S. Bouffard
Irradiation Damage in Intert Matrix of Uranium-Free Fuels................................................... 311
REACTORS WITH NON-OXIDE FUELS................................................................................... 313
Chairs: M. Nakagawa, T. Osugi
L.C. Walters, G.L. Hofman, T.H. Bauer, D.C. Wade
Metallic Fuel for Fast Reactors................................................................................................ 315
T. Osugi, M. Andoh, H. Takano, T. Ogawa, T. Kobayashi
Fuel Cycle Systems with Nitride Fuel for Transmutation....................................................... 333
J. Tommasi, H.M. Beaumont, T.D. Newton
A Fast Spectrum Pu Burner Reactor wtih Nitride Fuel........................................................... 343
S.-J. Kim, Y.-I. Kim, Y.-J. Kim, C.-K. Park
Conceptual Core Design for Uranium Metallic Fuelled Liquid Metal Reactor ...................... 351
B.C. Na, P. Lo Pinto, J.-C. Garnier, M. Delpech
Dynamic Behaviour of Nitride LMR Core During Unprotected Transients........................... 361
M. Kato, T. Hiyama, J. Kurakami
Thermal Decomposition Behaviour of UN and (U Pu )N.................................................... 371
0.8 0.2
V.V. Ignatiev, R.Y. Zakirov, K.F. Grebenkine
Review of Russian Molten Salt Reactor Technology Studies................................................. 381
M. Hron
Concept of Nuclear Incineration of PWR Spent Fuel in a Transmuter
with Liquid Fuel....................................................................................................................... 393
P.A. Landeyro, M. Guidotti, P. Neuhold
Study of an Accelerator Driven System Operating in Epithermal Spectrum
with a Constant K ................................................................................................................... 401
eff
INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES................................................................................................. 405
Chair: K. Hesketh
P.E. Juhn
Thorium Fuel Cycle Options for Advanced Reactors: Overview of IAEA Activities............ 407
7
M. Hugon
Transmutation and Future Systems: Overview of the Activities Supported
by the European Commission.................................................................................................. 415
J.N.C. van Geel, R. Conrad, R.J.M. Konings, G. Mühling, J. Rouault, G. Vambenepe
Recent Progress of the EFTTRA Research on Fuels and Targets for Transmutation
of Actinides and Fission Products............................................................................................ 427
Annex 1. LIST OF PARTICIPANTS............................................................................................. 437
Annex 2. TECHNICAL PROGRAMME....................................................................................... 451
Annex 3. QUESTIONS ADDRESSED BY THE WORKSHOP ON ADVANCED
REACTORS WITH INNOVATIVE FUELS................................................................ 457
8