Reactor Physics

Chapter 3: Introduction to NPP

Elin Yusibani, D.Eng
Sources: 1. Nuclear Reactor Analysis, J.J. duderstads and L.J. Hamilton 2. Nuclear Energy, Murray 3. Heather J. MacLean Chichester, Ph.D. (ppt of Fuel Performance & Design, Idaho National Laboratory

Updated: September 2013

Introduction of Nuclear Power Plant (NPP)

Currently, approxi.17% of electricity worldwide is produced by nuclear power plants. France, over 75% of their electricity is produced by nuclear power. The United States, produces about 15% of the electricity from nuclear power.

NPP in USA (104 in total)

Thn: 2011

NPP in France (75% total production)

France is the world's largest net exporter of electricity due to its very low cost of generation, and gains over EUR 3 billion per year from this. Reactors and fuel products and services are a major export. About 17% of France's electricity is from recycled nuclear fuel.

Thn: 2013

Thn: 2006

Components of nuclear reactor system

(1) Fuel : This can be either fissile material (233U, 235U, 239Pu, 241Pu) or fissionable material (232Th, 238U, 240Pu). Most modern NPP utilize this fuel in a ceramic form - oxide (UO2), carbide (UC), nitride (UN). (2) Fuel element: The smallest sealed unit of fuel. In LWR/LMFBR the fuel element is a metal tube containing ceramic pellets of fuel. In HTGR, its can be a tiny particle (300um in diam.) of UC coated with pyrolytic graphite layers (3) Fuel assembly or bundle : the smallest unit combining fuel elements into an assembly. In LWR, the fuel assembly is composed of several hundred fuel elements fastened together at top and bottom

(4) Moderator: Material of low mass number which is inserted into the reactor to slow down or moderate neutrons via scattering collisions. Typical moderators: light water, heavy water, graphite and beryllium (5) Coolant: A fluid which circulates though the reactor removing fission heat. The coolant can be either liquid (water, sodium) or gaseous (helium, carbon dioxide). It may serve a dual role as both coolant and moderator (in LWR) (6) Coolant channel: One of the many channels through which coolant flows in the fuel lattice (7) Structure: The geometry and integrity of the reactor core is maintained by structural elements such as support plates, spacer grids, metallic tube used to clad the fuel (8) Control elements: absorbing material inserted into the reactor to control core multiplication (ex. Boron, cadmium, gadolinium and hafnium)

(9) Reactor core: the total array of fuel, moderator and control elements (10) Reactor blanket: In a breeder reactor, the core is usually surrounded by a blanket of fertile material that more effectively utilized the neutron leaking out of the core (11) Reflector: A material characterized by a low absorption cross section used to surround the core in order to reflect or scatter leaking neutrons back to the core (12) Shielding: Absorbing material introduced to attenuate both neutron and gamma radiation (radioactive protection) (13) Support structure: The support plates that serve to maintain the core geometry (14) Reactor pressure vessel : The high pressure containment for reactor and associated primary coolant system

Reactor pressure vessel

Comanche Peak Power Plant, Glen Rose, TX USA Source: P. A. Scholle & D. S. Ulmer-Scholle, 1997

Control rod serves to maintain k factor

Water as a coolant and moderator

Fuel rod contains pellet

radioactive zirconium-coated rods with uranium pellets immersed in water

This effect, known as Cherenkov radiation, was observed as a faint blue glow by Pavel Cherenkov in 1934 when he was asked to look at the effects of radioactivity in liquids. The explanation for the light was provided by Ilya Franc and Igor Tamm. It is possible to detect the Cherenkov radiation as it forms circles on a surface, and it can be used to measure the speed and direction the particle was travelling in. It is therefore a very useful means of studying the products of particle collisions and cosmic rays.

The blue glow in the water surrounding nuclear reactors is Cherenkov radiation. The water is there to stop neutrons; but neutrons are uncharged and so do not themselves directly cause the radiation. The Cherenkov radiation actually comes from beta particles (fast electrons) emitted by fission products.

Refueling the Reactor Core Source: P. A. Scholle & D. S. Ulmer-Scholle, 1997

FAST BREEDER TEST REACTOR

As per the initial design, the core was rated for 40 MWt and had 65 fuel subassemblies, 3 test steel subassemblies, 6 control rods, 143 nickel reflectors, 342 thorium blankets and 163 steel reflector subassemblies. In addition, there are 23 storage locations in the outermost steel reflector row.

The core consists of 745 closely packed locations, with fuel at the centre, surrounded by nickel reflectors, thorium blankets and steel reflectors.

Oxides
Nitrides
Uranium ore (99.3% of 238U and 0.7% 235U)

Carbides

Geometrical configuration of fuel and cladding 1. Fuel rod 2. Fuel Plate 3. TRISO pellets

Fuel plate (Advance Test Reactor)

Fuel rod

The pebble bed nuclear reactor. helium gas is used to cool the spherical fuel elements

Nuclear power plants use pellets to fuel the plants. A pellet contains approximately 3% U-235 that is encased in a ceramic matrix.

TRISO Fuel Pellet (Modular Pebble Bed Reactor Nuclear)

Geometrical form in which nuclear fuel surrounded by cladding material is inserted into a reactor. Several fuel rods are normally compiled into a fuel element. In the Krmmel Nuclear Power Plant with (BWR) 72 fuel rods form a fuel element, Emsland Nuclear Power Plant (PWR), a fuel element contains 300 fuel rods.

Coolant and Moderator

In LWR water serve as coolant and moderator

Coolant system: 1. Primary Coolant system 2. Secondary Coolant System

Fast Breeder Reactor doesnt need a moderator

Liquid Sodium serve as a coolant, other candidate is liquid lead-Bismuth (Pb-Bi)

The characteristics of liquid metals as coolant candidates for NPP