»Cogeneration Technologies

Generation IV
~ comprises nuclear systems likely to reach technical maturity by 2030
~ design will take cognizance of the progress made in economics and safety
~ the aim is for these reactors to support sustainable energy development worldwide, and
~ to open up the range of nuclear systems’ applications to hydrogen generation for transport in addition to electricity production

Goals

sustainable:
~ be efficiency in the use of the natural resources
~ to minimize environmental impact
~ minimize waste in terms of mass, radio toxicity, residual power, etc.

economically viable:
~ generating cost should be competitive when compared with other energy sources
~ capital investment cost should be low enough for the nuclear system under development to remain accessible to a large number of countries

safe and reliable:
~ future reactors must perform at least as well in terms of safety and reliability as current reactors
~ key focus is to be placed on eliminating, as far as possible, the need for public evacuations from areas outside nuclear sites
~ – in the event of an accident, whatever its cause and extent of gravity

Resistant to proliferation risks and likely to be easily protected from external attack

Besides electricity generation, the Generation IV systems will offer potential for the generation of hydrogen
from water for use in transport, seawater desalination, and heat generation for industrial processes.


VHTR
~ an evolution from the HTGR family of reactors but would operate at even higher temperatures than designs now undergoing pre-certification
~ in contrast with the GFR, the VHTR would not be a breeder reactor
~ it would produce less potentially usable fuel than it consumes
~ in addition to generating electricity, the design would provide process heat
~ that could be used in industrial activities including hydrogen production and desalinization
~ electricity generation targets have not yet been set
~ deployment is targeted for 2020, earlier than most other Generation IV designs
~ is now the favored design in the US, where it is the basis for the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) program in Idaho
~ France also favors the design


VHTR – Very-High-Temperature Reactor System
~ system uses a thermal neutron spectrum and a once-through uranium cycle
~ is primarily aimed at relatively faster deployment of a system for hightemperature process heat applications,
~ such as coal gasification and thermochemical hydrogen production, with superior efficiency
~ the reference reactor concept has a 600-MWth heliumcooled core based on either the prismatic block fuel of the Gas Turbine–Modular Helium Reactor (GT-MHR) or
~ the pebble fuel of the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR)
~ the primary circuit is connected to a steam reformer/steam generator to deliver process heat
~ the VHTR system has coolant outlet temperatures above 1000°C
~ it is intended to be a high-efficiency system that can supply process heat to a broad spectrum of hightemperature and energy-intensive, nonelectric processes
~ may incorporate electricity generation equipment to meet cogeneration needs
~ also has the flexibility to adopt U/Pu fuel cycles and offer enhanced waste minimization
~ VHTR requires significant advances in fuel performance and hightemperature materials
~ could benefit from many of the developments proposed for earlier prismatic or pebble bed gas-cooled reactors
~ additional technology R&D for the VHTR includes high-temperature alloys,
~ fiber-reinforced ceramics or composite materials, and zirconium-carbide fuel coatings
~ VHTR system is highly ranked in economics because of its high hydrogen production efficiency, and
~ in safety and reliability because of the inherent safety features of the fuel and reactor
~ it is rated good in proliferation resistance and physical protection, and
~ neutral in sustainability because of its open fuel cycle
~ it is primarily envisioned for missions in hydrogen production and other process-heat applications,
~ although it could produce electricity as well
~ VHTR system is the nearest-term hydrogen production system, estimated to be deployable by 2020

»Generation IV by DOE
Generation IV nuclear energy systems will:
~ provide sustainable energy generation that meets clean air objectives and
~ promotes long-term availability of systems and effective fuel utilization for worldwide energy production
~ minimize and manage their nuclear waste and notably reduce the long term stewardship burden in the future,
~ thereby improving protection for the public health and the environment
~ increase the assurance that they are a very unattractive and least desirable route for diversion or theft of weapons-usable materials
~ excel in safety and reliability
~ have a very low likelihood and degree of reactor core damage
~ eliminate the need for offsite emergency response
~ have a clear life-cycle cost advantage over other energy sources
~ have a level of financial risk comparable to other energy projects

»Next-Generation Nuclear by Canada
~ Canada participates in the Supercritical-Water-Cooled Reactor (SCWR) and the Very-High-Temperature Reactor (VHTR)
~ the Office of Energy Research and Development (OERD) leads the Gen IV National Program
~ to fund and coordinate nuclear R&D in support of the multilateral endeavor
~ OERD activities focus on the development of:
* a national program;
* advanced nuclear-based energy systems, specifically SCWR and VHTR;
* technologies required in the production of hydrogen using nuclear energy from Generation IV reactors; and
* other non-electricity-based applications of advanced nuclear reactors

»Lappeenranta University of Technology

»Cormet
~ manufactures material and corrosion testing instruments for laboratory and field environment
~ specialised in high temperature high pressure applications (collaborates with VTT)