Results on transient scenarios towards GEN IV systems

1

• Results on transient scenarios towards GEN IV
  systems
• F. Varaine, J.P. Grouiller
• Commissariat à lEnergie Atomique (CEA) Cadarache
  Center
• 13108 Saint-Paul-lez-Durance Cedex, France
• M. Delpech, D. Warin
• CEA Saclay 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France

2
Overview

• Introduction and scenario goals
• Feasible transients for the French nuclear fleet
  
• Americium and Pu recycling in GEN III system
  (EPR)
• Double strata scenario with ADT
• Transient scenario with GEN IV System deployment
• Summary

3
Objectives and scenario goals

• The purpose of minor actinides and long lived
  fission products transmutation is to reduce the
  mass and the radiotoxicity inventory of the
  long-lived nuclear waste.
• In France, the 1991 law on this issue, has
  generated significant RD on the subject
• CEA is studying transmutation scenarios through
  a dynamic vision of the nuclear development based
  on
• Solutions offered by the existing fleet
  (reprocessing, fabrication and NPP)
• Solutions offered by the future fourth generation
  reactors.

4
Objectives and scenario goals (Contd)

• Those scenarios are declined as follows
• Use and adaptation of the existing installations
  of the fuel cycle (2020)
• partial plutonium recycling,
• partitioning and lightening the minor actinides
  content in the vitrified wastes
• temporary storage of separated MAs
• In 2035 the GEN IV systems will be deployed
• absorb the waste stockpile coming from the
  operation of previous PWR generation.
• If GEN IV systems appear later
• Mutirecycling of Plutonium and Americium in
  third PWR generation (EPR), with the MOX-UE
  concept
• ADT in a double strata scenario

5
French Fleet of Nuclear Power Plants

• Installed capacity in 2002
• 63.3 GWe
• Nuclear Electricity Generation
• Production 415 TWh
• 58 NPP in operation (EDF)
• 34 CP (900 MWe) (20 loaded with 30 MOX)
• 24 P4 (1300 MWe)
• 4 N4 (1450 MWe)
• (source RTE - 2003)

6
Transition scenarios between generations

• Generation IV nuclear energy systems for
  sustainable long term
• Important role of LWRs in the 21st century, that
  will be in operation until the end of the 21st
  century

7
Nuclear waste management From 2020-2025

• Reprocessing
• Optimized actinide extraction of UOX and MOX
  fuel from PWRs is necessary
• Global Actinide Extraction (GANEX) and fuel
  fabrication for GENIV systems

8
Nuclear waste management From 2020-2025

• Reprocessing
• Optimized actinide extraction of UOX and MOX
  fuel from PWRs is necessary
• Global Actinide Extraction (GANEX) and fuel
  fabrication for GENIV systems

• Actinide partitioning added to the PUREX cycle

9
Nuclear waste management From 2020-2025

• Reprocessing
• Optimized actinide extraction of UOX and MOX
  fuel from PWRs is necessary
• Global Actinide Extraction (GANEX) and fuel
  fabrication for GENIV systems

• Actinide partitioning added to the PUREX cycle

Goal from 2020 To lighten the minor actinides
content in the vitrified wastes
10
Americium and Pu recycling in GEN III system
(EPR)

• Only Americium in PWR reactors
• Cm recycling produces Cf, very considerable
  source of neutrons and induces large difficulties
  on fuel cycle
• (The neutron source is multiplied by a factor
  7900 in relation to the MOX case and creates both
  criticality and radioprotection difficulties.)
• Np was not considered, because its recycling
  doesnt give important benefit on radiotoxicity
  or heat decay, but it could be add up.
• Concept used
• MOX UE (8 Pu, 1 Am, 5 U5) with higher
  moderation ratio
• Interim storage is necessary for Cm and Np

11
Nuclear waste management From 2020-2025

• Minor actinides management
• Intermediate storage for MA (in case of
  partitioning)
• Curium storage Example

12
Americium and Pu recycling in GEN III system
(EPR)
o       52 of UOX fuel EPR, o       13 of
MOX-UE EPR for Pu recycling, o       35 of
MOX-UE EPR for PuAm recycling.

• Results

MA inventory decreasing 40 at the end of 21st
century But no feasible in present MOX fuel
fabrication plant (MELOX) Necessary to adapt the
pin design (He production increasing)
13
Double strata scenario with ADT
14
Double strata scenario with ADT (contd)

• The assumptions for this transient scenario are
• ADT deployment in 2045 (lifetime in operation 40
  years)
• Minor Actinides partitioning in 2020
• Pu multirecycling in EPR (lifetime in operation
  60 years)
• GEN IV deployment in 2080 (when the first EPR
  shutdown).

15
Double strata scenario with ADT (contd)

• ADT (Gas cooled) results

In order to manage and absorb the whole MA
production from EPR 10 of fleet power are
produced by ADS (2 ADT treat the production of
3 PWR) This large amount is due to the Pu
recycling in the first strata which produces a
large quantities of MAs
16
Transient scenario with GEN IV System deployment

• The assumptions for this transient scenario are
• First global actinide extraction in 2020
• Interim storage for manufacturing
• GEN III PWR are deployed from 2020 to 2035
• GEN IV systems are deployed in two time from 2035
  to 2050 and from 2080 to 2095 (to replace GEN III)

17
Transient scenario with GEN IV System deployment

• Results

GFR allows 5 of MAs content in respect of safety
criteria (Doppler, delay neutrons and He void)
and fuel behavior (He production by alpha
decay) The MAs in interim storage (32 tons) are
absorbed by GFR during their deployment duration
(With an average content of MAs around 3)
18
Summary

• The introduction of innovative PT has been
  evaluated by several studies of transient
  scenarios until the existing French nuclear fleet
  from pseudo equilibrium status with different
  systems and concepts deployed during the 21st
  century
• GEN III systems (EPR) with Pu and/or PuAm
  recycling
• ADT in double strata approach,
• and in reference GEN IV deployment with full
  actinides recycling were analysed
• GEN IV systems allow the best capability and
  efficiency to reach all the main goals together
  (economical competitiveness, flexibility,
  sustainability, non proliferation, and MA
  management).
• In case of the GEN IV systems deployment is
  postponed, alternative solutions for MA
  management with GEN III reactors or ADT let the
  possibility to limit the MA inventory during the
  21st century.
• Detailed studies on the overall fuel cycle
  (fabrication, reactors, actinides storage, spent
  fuel treatment, waste conditioning and disposal)
  must be continued, coupled with sensibilities
  impact of
• Various GEN IV systems (GFR, SFR, ..)
• Date of deployment of those systems
• Increase of nuclear energy needs