Transcript Maritime Business & Technology Summit Panel 5 – Energy

Maritime Business & Technology Summit
Panel 5 – Energy Savings & Innovation at the Port
Kevin Stull
Science Advisor, COMNAVSURFOR US Pacific Fleet
US Energy Demand
Oil Price Trend Estimates
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There is approximately 1.4 trillion barrels of recoverable oil left in the crust of the earth
Current consumption is 32 billion barrels per year (44 years of oil left)
US current oil imports amount to 10Mbbls/day or $365B/yr
US Navy uses 100,000 bbls/day (spent $11B last year on fuel)
Most likely
Energy Returned on Energy Invested
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When oil was originally discovered, it took (1) barrel of oil to find, extract, and process (100) barrels of oil
Today the ratio is (3) barrels gained for (1) barrel used, in U.S. and (10) for (1) in Saudi Arabia
Nuclear Power EREI is 10:1
(10:1)
(7:1)
(5:1)
(1:1)
SECNAV’s Energy Goals / Technologies / Practices
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when awarding contracts, consider the lifetime
energy cost of the system during the
acquisition process
by 2012, create a "Green Strike Group"
composed of nuclear vessels and ships
powered by biofuels and deploying that fleet
by 2016
by 2015, reduce petroleum use in its 50,000
commercial vehicle fleet by 50% by phasing in
hybrid fuel and electric vehicles
produce at least 50% the shore-based energy
requirements from renewable sources such as
solar, wind and ocean generated on base
by 2020, ensure at least 40% of the Navy's
total energy consumption comes from
alternative sources.
• Algea based biofuel
• Hybrid Electric Drive
• Advanced battery technology
• Higher efficiency PV panels
• Conservation
? Broader use of Nuclear Power
Nuclear Power in US Navy
Bainbridge destroyer
Virginia-class cruisers
Truxtun destroyer
all submarine
classes
Maintenance and personnel costs
drove move away from nuclear power
within surface fleet
Enterprise carrier
Virginia-class submarines
Ford-class carriers
Expended Nuclear Fleet?
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Current Russian Kirov-class Battle Cruiser
is nuclear powered but plagued by high
costs
Russian interest in Arctic operations
leading to re-look at nuclear power for
surface vessels
In 2007 HASC called for a re-evaluation of
nuclear power for surface Navy
US Navy Report on Alternative Propulsion
Methods for Surface Ships March 2007
– Med Surface Combatant break even point
$115-225/bbls for nuclear power
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Nuclear power for surface ships would
encompass the Gerald Ford A1B reactor
powering a gas turbine but…
Overall, traditional Uranium fuel cycle
approach might be too expensive and
complex – better way?
2007 World Energy Consumption
5.3 billion tonnes of
coal (128 quads)
Energy from Thorium
31.1 billion barrels of
oil (180 quads)
2.92 trillion m3 of
natural gas (105
quads)
6600 tonnes of thorium (500quads)
65,000 tonnes of
uranium ore (24
quads)
(cost 1/100th that of Uranium)
Thorium, huh?
• Earth's interior is fueled by the
decaying of radioactive isotopes
like Potassium 40, Uranium 238,
235, and Thorium 232 (80%)
contained within the mantle
• The flow of molten iron in the
earth’s core produces the
magnetic field that shields the
earth’s atmosphere from
neutron, gamma ray and
ultraviolet bombardment from
the sun
Today’s Uranium Fuel Cycle vs. Thorium
mission: make 1000 MW of electricity for one year
35 t of enriched uranium
(1.15 t U-235)
250 t of natural
uranium
containing 1.75 t
U-235
Uranium-235 content is
“burned” out of the fuel;
some plutonium is formed
and burned
215 t of depleted
uranium containing 0.6 t
U-235—disposal plans
uncertain.
35 t of spent fuel stored
on-site until disposal at
Yucca Mountain. It
contains:
• 33.4 t uranium-238
• 0.3 t uranium-235
• 0.3 t plutonium
• 1.0 t fission products.
Within 10 years, 83%
of fission products are
stable and can be
partitioned and sold.
One tonne
of natural
thorium
Thorium introduced into
blanket of fluoride reactor;
completely converted to
uranium-233 and “burned”.
One tonne of
fission products;
no uranium,
plutonium, or
other actinides.
The remaining 17%
fission products go to
geologic isolation for
~300 years.
Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactor
Proven in the 1960s at Oak Ridge National Lab
Th-232 in
Chemical
separator
Fertile
Th-232 blanket
Fissile
U-233 core
Chemical
separator
n
n
New U-233 fuel
Heat
Fission
products
out
Major advantages: atmospheric pressure operation and very high outlet temp (850 deg C)
Typical Pressurized-Water Reactor Containment
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This structure is steel-lined reinforced
concrete, designed to withstand the
overpressure expected if all the primary
coolant were released in an accident.
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Sprays and cooling systems (such as the
ice condenser) are available for washing
released radioactivity out of the
containment atmosphere and for cooling
the internal atmosphere, thereby keeping
the pressure below the containment
design pressure.
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The basic purpose of the containment
system, including its spray and cooling
functions, is to minimize the amount of
released radioactivity that escapes to the
external environment.
An amazing safety feature—the freeze plug
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The reactor is equipped with
a “freeze plug”—an open
line where a frozen plug of
salt is blocking the flow.
The plug is kept frozen by an
external cooling fan.
Freeze Plug
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In the event of TOTAL loss of
power, the freeze plug melts and
the core salt drains into a
passively cooled configuration
where nuclear fission is
impossible.
Drain Tank
Summary
• US Navy (and our country) needs to look for better
sources of energy
• Thorium presents an attractive alternative to
traditional means
• …and a threat to traditional thinking and rice bowls
• Warrants further study for Naval applications and
electric power generation for the country