Transcript ****************X

The Nuclear Reactors
from a « Natural History » Perspective
Bertrand BARRÉ, AREVA
President European Nuclear Society
Director ANS
Vice-president INSC
The Nuclear Reactors
from a « Natural History » Perspective
 The
ebullient Beginnings
 The
Drivers of Selection
 Today
(and to-morrow)
 Biotope,
Dominance & Selection
 From
spontaneous Selection to a formalized
Process
 Conclusion
2
- BB Natural History – Obninsk 2004 IAEA-CN-114/P2-7
Darwin’s Life Tree
3
- BB Natural History – Obninsk 2004 IAEA-CN-114/P2-7
The ebullient Flourish of the 50s
(Idaho Falls Coffee Shop, 1973)
4
- BB Natural History – Obninsk 2004 IAEA-CN-114/P2-7
Chicago Pile #1
Graphite
Natural
uranium
(metal & oxide)
5
- BB Natural History – Obninsk 2004 IAEA-CN-114/P2-7
Simplified Nuclear Reactors « Phylum »
w-Pu
HWR
Candu
SGHWR
Graphite
w-Pu
Magnox
Fermi
AGR
HTR
RBMK
+SWU
BWR
LWR
Naval p.
PWR
+Reprocessing
+Accél. ?
6
- BB Natural History – Obninsk 2004 IAEA-CN-114/P2-7
FBR
+ MSR,ADS ?
A few Drivers of the Selection
• Excessive ambition
• Uranium Utilisation
• Technical problems
• Independance
• Incommodité
• Duality/synergies
• Accidents (or risks)
• Industrial Strength
• Bad « timing »
• Technical breakthrough
• Waste minimisation
7
- BB Natural History – Obninsk 2004 IAEA-CN-114/P2-7
The result of 50 years of « natural » selection :
Nuclear Power Plants, end 2000
Operating : 357 GWe
Construction : 43 GWe
PWR
BWR
VVR
GCR
RBMK
CANDU
FBR
LWR = 87%
8
- BB Natural History – Obninsk 2004 IAEA-CN-114/P2-7
Evolution
« If any species does not become modified and
improved in a corresponding degree with its
competitors, it will soon be exterminated »
Charles Darwin. The origin of species, 1859
9
- BB Natural History – Obninsk 2004 IAEA-CN-114/P2-7
Some LWR « Weaknesses »
• Inefficient U Ressources Utilisation
• Limits to Pu recycle, not efficient in
Transmutation
• Large Units
• Sophisticated Safety
• Mediocre thermal Efficiency
Opportunities for challengers ?
10
- BB Natural History – Obninsk 2004 IAEA-CN-114/P2-7
From « Natural » Selection to Formalized
Processes
11

First Failed Attempt : the
INFCE

Short Term Selection : URD
& EUR

The long View : Gen IV &
INPRO
- BB Natural History – Obninsk 2004 IAEA-CN-114/P2-7
The concept of « Generation IV »
Generation I
Generation II
Early Prototype
Reactors
Generation III
Commercial
Power
Reactors
Advanced
LWRs
Generation IV
- ABWR
- EPR
- System 80+
- AP600
-…
- Shippingport
- Dresden, Fermi I
- Magnox
- LWR-PWR,
-
Gen I
1950
12
1960
1970
-
BWR
CANDU
VVER/RBMK
Gen II
1980
- Highly
1990
- BB Natural History – Obninsk 2004 IAEA-CN-114/P2-7
2000
Gen
III
2010
Economical
Enhanced
Safety
Minimal
Waste
Proliferation
Resistant
Gen IV
2020
2030
Generation IV International Forum
To develop one or several
“generation 4”nuclear system(s)
 Ready for commercialisation

>2030
Significant progress in :
 Sustainability
 Safety & Reliability
 Resistance to proliferation &
physical protection
 Economy
 Competitive on diverse markets
 Multipurpose : Power, Heating,
desalination, hydrogen…
13
- BB Natural History – Obninsk 2004 IAEA-CN-114/P2-7
Overall GEN IV roadmap organisation
Generation IV International
Forum (GIF)
DOE-NE
Argentina
 National
Laboratories
Japan
UK
US
Evaluation Methodology
Technical Working Groups:
Water-Cooled Reactors
Gas-Cooled
Liquid-Metal-Cooled
Energy Products
 Universities
S. Africa Switzerland
France
Economics
 Industry
Korea
Canada
Risk & Safety
Technical Community
Roadmap Integration
Team (RIT)
Fuel Cycle Crosscut
GEN IV Roadmap
NERAC Subcommittee
(GRNS)
Brazil
Fuels & Materials
NERAC
Non-Classical Concepts
Nearly 100 technical experts contributing to the R&D planning
14
- BB Natural History – Obninsk 2004 IAEA-CN-114/P2-7
Generation IV Concepts
15
GEN IV Concepts
Acronym

Sodium Cooled Fast RS
SFR
Fast
Closed

Lead Alloy-Cooled RS
LSF
Fast
Closed

Gas-Cooled Fast RS
GFR
Fast
Closed

Very High Temperature RS
VHTR
Thermal
Once-Through

Supercritical Water Cooled RS SCWR
Th.&Fast
Once/Closed

Molten Salt RS
Thermal
Closed
MSR
- BB Natural History – Obninsk 2004 IAEA-CN-114/P2-7
Spectrum
Fuel cycle
Time sequencing and development phasing
2000
SFR
VHTR
SCWR
2005
2010
2020
2025
2030
Advanced
Recycle
Fuels, Materials,
H2 Production
Materials,
Safety
GFR
Fuels, Materials,
Recycle, H2
Production
Fuels, Materials,
Recycle, Safety
MSR
Fuels, Fuel Treatment,
Materials, Safety, Reliability
LFR
Viability
16
2015
Performance
- BB Natural History – Obninsk 2004 IAEA-CN-114/P2-7
Demonstration
Different systems for different applications
Hydrogen
Electricity Generation
Near-
Waste Burndown
Term
Systems
2000
17
2005
2010
Fissile Creation
2015
2020
2025
2030
2035
2040
- BB Natural History – Obninsk 2004 IAEA-CN-114/P2-7
2045
2050
2055
2060
2065
INPRO
18
- BB Natural History – Obninsk 2004 IAEA-CN-114/P2-7
10 Gtoe per year
6,8%
Oil
Gas
35%
23,5%
21%
19
- BB Natural History – Obninsk 2004 IAEA-CN-114/P2-7
Coal
Wood,…
Nuclear
Hydro
Renew.
The Challenge of the Climate Threat
Reduce CO2
Emissions
while
Producing more
Energy
Nuclear Power is Part
of the Answer
20
- BB Natural History – Obninsk 2004 IAEA-CN-114/P2-7