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Nuclear Reactor PowerNuclear Reactor PowerSystemsSystems

Dwight L. Williams, Ph.D., P.E.Dwight L. Williams, Ph.D., P.E.

Potomac ChapterPotomac Chapter

Maryland Society of Professional EngineersMaryland Society of Professional Engineers

27 October 200527 October 2005

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Ov er view Ov er view 

IntroductionsIntroductions

Categories of Nuclear ReactorsCategories of Nuclear Reactors

Nuclear Power AccidentsNuclear Power Accidents Summary and Nuclear Power Systems Q/ASummary and Nuclear Power Systems Q/A

General Q/AGeneral Q/A

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D w ight Williams at a GlanceD w ight Williams at a Glance

Education and Registration: Nuclear Engineering Education and Registration: Nuclear Engineering 

Ph.D.Ph.D. ---- University of MarylandUniversity of Maryland

B.S., M.S.B.S., M.S. ---- North Carolina State University North Carolina State University 

Licensed Professional Engineer, Commonwealth of Licensed Professional Engineer, Commonwealth of  Virginia Virginia

Professional Experience: Department of DefenseProfessional Experience: Department of Defense

 Awards and Activities Awards and Activities 20052005 -- 2006 Young Engineer of the Year, NSPE2006 Young Engineer of the Year, NSPE

20042004 -- 2005 Young Engineer of the Year, DCCEAS2005 Young Engineer of the Year, DCCEAS

20032003 -- 2004 Young Engineer of the Year, MDSPE2004 Young Engineer of the Year, MDSPE

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Power SystemsPower Systems

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Nuclear PrimerNuclear Primer

Subatomic ParticlesSubatomic Particles

Concept of IsotopesConcept of Isotopes

Concept of Half Concept of Half--LifeLife Types of Radiation Types of Radiation

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Subatomic ParticlesSubatomic Particles

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Concept of IsotopesConcept of Isotopes

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Concept of Half Concept of Half--LifeLife

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 T ypes of Radiation T ypes of Radiation

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Categories of Nuclear ReactorsCategories of Nuclear Reactors

Light Water ReactorsLight Water Reactors

Use HUse H22OO

Most PrevalentMost Prevalent Heavy Water ReactorsHeavy Water Reactors

Use DUse D22OO

Prevalent in Canada and RussiaPrevalent in Canada and Russia

Other Reactor CategoriesOther Reactor Categories

Liquid Metal CooledLiquid Metal Cooled

Gas CooledGas Cooled

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Light Water ReactorsLight Water Reactors

Boiling Water Reactors (BWRs)Boiling Water Reactors (BWRs)

Located throughout U.S., Europe, and AsiaLocated throughout U.S., Europe, and Asia

Power: 570Power: 570 ---- 1300 MWe; Efficiency: ~30%1300 MWe; Efficiency: ~30% T Tmaxmax: 570: 570ooF; PF; PRxr CoolantRxr Coolant: 1000 psi: 1000 psi

Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs)Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs)

Manufactured by U.S., European, and AsianManufactured by U.S., European, and Asiancompaniescompanies

 T Tmaxmax: 590: 590ooF; PF; PRxr CoolantRxr Coolant: 2250 psi: 2250 psi

 VVER Reactors (VVERs) VVER Reactors (VVERs) ---- Russian PWR Russian PWR 

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B WR B WR 

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PWR PWR 

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Hea v  y Water ReactorsHea v  y Water Reactors

Canadian DeuteriumCanadian Deuterium--Uranium (CANDU) ReactorsUranium (CANDU) Reactors

Use natural (nonUse natural (non--isotopically concentrated) uraniumisotopically concentrated) uranium

 T Tmaxmax: 590: 590oo

F; PF; PRxr CoolantRxr Coolant: 1500 psi: 1500 psi Can run 2 ½ years without refueling/downtimeCan run 2 ½ years without refueling/downtime

RBMK ReactorsRBMK Reactors

ChernobylChernobyl--style reactorstyle reactor

Graphite and DGraphite and D22O in reactor coreO in reactor core

Much improved designs today Much improved designs today 

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CA NDU ReactorCA NDU Reactor

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R BMK ReactorR BMK Reactor

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Other Reactor CategoriesOther Reactor Categories

Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactors (LMFBRs)Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactors (LMFBRs)

Use liquid sodium as coolantUse liquid sodium as coolant

33--loop cycleloop cycle None operating commercially None operating commercially 

 Advanced Gas Advanced Gas--cooled Reactors (AGRs)cooled Reactors (AGRs)

Use natural uraniumUse natural uranium

He or COHe or CO22 gas coolant at 1430gas coolant at 1430ooF and 600 psiF and 600 psi

Primarily operated in United KingdomPrimarily operated in United Kingdom

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LMFBR LMFBR 

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Nuclear Power Gone  A  wry (Cont.)Nuclear Power Gone  A  wry (Cont.)

Chernobyl (1986)Chernobyl (1986) ---- RBMK (no containment vessel)RBMK (no containment vessel) Experiment to take place during scheduled shutdownExperiment to take place during scheduled shutdown

Primary and secondary emergency systems known toPrimary and secondary emergency systems known to work effectively; even so, ternary emergency system work effectively; even so, ternary emergency system

sought and investigatedsought and investigated In order to isolate role/effect of ternary system, primary In order to isolate role/effect of ternary system, primary 

and secondary systems manually shut off and secondary systems manually shut off 

HOWEVER, ternary system did not work properly HOWEVER, ternary system did not work properly  Result: Core meltdown, explosion, major radiation releaseResult: Core meltdown, explosion, major radiation release

Chernobyl Lesson:Chernobyl Lesson: Minimize operator·s ability toMinimize operator·s ability toimpede automated emergency systemsimpede automated emergency systems

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SummarySummary

Nuclear Power Reactors Serve Same Role asNuclear Power Reactors Serve Same Role as

Other Power Cycle Heat SourcesOther Power Cycle Heat Sources

Several Types of Nuclear Power Reactors ExistSeveral Types of Nuclear Power Reactors Exist Most Recent Nuclear Accidents were Likely Most Recent Nuclear Accidents were Likely 

PreventablePreventable

Operator errors crippled automated systemsOperator errors crippled automated systems

 Another TMI is nearly impossible Another TMI is nearly impossible

 Another Chernobyl is unlikely  Another Chernobyl is unlikely 

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ForMore InformationForMore Information

 Visit ´The Virtual Nuclear Touristµ website at Visit ´The Virtual Nuclear Touristµ website at

http://www.nucleartourist.comhttp://www.nucleartourist.com

EE--mail Dwight Williams atmail Dwight Williams atmdyoungengineer@nspe.org mdyoungengineer@nspe.org 

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NeutronModeration (Backup)NeutronModeration (Backup)

For most nuclear reactors, fission is initiated by For most nuclear reactors, fission is initiated by slow neutrons (even though the fission neutronsslow neutrons (even though the fission neutrons

generated are fast)generated are fast)

Liquid Metal FAST Breeder Reactor (LMFBR) isLiquid Metal FAST Breeder Reactor (LMFBR) isone of few reactors that does not initiate fission withone of few reactors that does not initiate fission withSLOW neutronsSLOW neutrons

Goal: Slow down neutrons to make them availableGoal: Slow down neutrons to make them available

for fission, but keep neutrons from being absorbedfor fission, but keep neutrons from being absorbedinto a nucleus while slowing them downinto a nucleus while slowing them down

Best Substances: 1. DBest Substances: 1. D22O 2. Carbon 3. HO 2. Carbon 3. H22OO

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 VVER (Older Designs) VVER (Older Designs)