Energy in the 1980s - Future trends in nuclear power generation

1974 ◽  
Vol 276 (1261) ◽  
pp. 587-601 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Fossil Fuel ◽  
Fusion Reactors ◽  
Future Trends ◽  
Nuclear Power Generation ◽  
Fuel Prices ◽  
Power Stations ◽  
Fundamental Limitations ◽  
Wide Experience

In the 20 years since the Calder Hall reactors were ordered, the U.K. has accumulated wide experience of building and operating nuclear power stations. Early stations proved expensive because of technological novelty and infrequent orders, but the economics of nuclear power stations where regular orders can be assured are increasingly favourable. Other factors do not provide fundamental limitations to nuclear power growth. Trends in fossil-fuel prices suggest that most utilities will look mainly to nuclear plant to meet their electricity requirements. The substantial savings of fossil fuel already achieved will thus grow rapidly on a world-wide basis. Though it would take quite unexpected shifts in relative economics for nuclear stations completely to supplant conventional stations, particularly for peak demand situations, a high nuclear share of new capacity may begin to throw some strain on uranium reserves in the 1980s. The fast reactor, prototypes of which after long and careful development are commissioning in France, Russia and the U.K., can provide a huge increase obtainable from uranium resources, pending the successful introduction in the long term of fusion reactors.

Sustainable Development of China With Nuclear Energy System Beyond Generation-IV

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiwei Zhou ◽  
Hong Xu ◽  
Yongwei Yang
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Nuclear Fission ◽  
Hybrid Reactor ◽  
Fissile Material ◽  
Nuclear Power Generation

Two aspects of the development trend of current nuclear fission technology are discussed. The first aspect is to improve economic competitiveness and safety for searching opportunity of enlarging the share of nuclear power. The second aspect is to explore new ways of improving the efficiency of nuclear fuel utilization and of reducing the geological repository volume of radioactive products from nuclear power generation. Sustainable development of Chinese economy in 21st century will mainly rely on sustainable supply of clean energy with indigenous natural resources. The burden of current coal-dominant energy mix and the environmental pollution due to energy consumptions has led nuclear power to be an indispensable choice for further expanding electricity generation capacity and for reducing greenhouse effect gases emission in China. The long-term sustainable development strategy with nuclear fission technology beyond generation-IV for electric power generation, namely the fusion-fission hybrid subcritical reactor technology, is discussed. The impact of the proposed fission-fusion hybrid reactor to future nuclear power generation technology will reply on the success of the ITER-scale (500MW fusion power) Tokamak to burn plasma continuously in the predictable future. The main challenges and prospects of the strategy are also analyzed. The preliminary analysis has shown that the fission in the subcritical blanket driven by fusion neutrons can effectively amplify the energy carried by fusion neutron and maintain breeding of fissile material and tritium. It has been found from the results of a conceptual design that this new type of fusion-fission hybrid reactor may meet the requirement of China’s long-term sustainable development of nuclear energy.

A long-term view of worldwide fossil fuel prices

2010 ◽  
Vol 87 (3) ◽  
pp. 988-1000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shahriar Shafiee ◽  
Erkan Topal
Keyword(s):  
Fossil Fuel ◽  
Fuel Prices

National Crisis and Resilience Planning – How to Measure Huge and Compound Disaster that Causes National Crisis –

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 911-925
Author(s):  
Itsuki Nakabayashi ◽  
◽  
Keyword(s):  
Disaster Management ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Nankai Trough ◽  
The Other ◽  
Addition Compound ◽  
National Crisis ◽  
Power Stations ◽  
Inland Earthquake ◽  
Compound Disaster

In the last two decades, three great earthquakes have occurred in Japan: the Hanshin-Awaji earthquake of 1995, the Mid-Niigata earthquake of 2004, and the East Japan Earthquake of 2011. After the East Japan earthquake, a devastating tsunami caused significant casualties and home destruction. More than 18,500 people were killed and more than 121,000 homes were destroyed. In addition, the tsunami destroyed nuclear power stations, which resulted in a severe crisis not previously experienced in Japan.On the other hand, earthquake disasters on a huge scale have been announced to occur as probability of about 70% in the next three decades. One such earthquake is Tokyo inland earthquake that destroys 610,000 homes and kills 23,000 people, and the other is the Nankai Trough earthquake that destroys 2,380,000 homes and kills 320,000 people. In addition, compound disasters where one disaster merges with another disaster may cause damage on a mega scale in this century.In order to address these mega disasters, it is very important to make efforts to reduce damage in the pre-disaster period. According to local plans for national resilience, each municipality must make efforts to reduce level of damage which is able to response trough a Business Continuity Plan (BCP). In addition, each municipality must implement long-term urban projects with a vision toward reconstruction after a mega disaster trough a pre-disaster recovery and reconstruction plan. It is necessary to make revolutionary efforts rather than standard disaster management efforts to reduce damages in the pre-disaster period.

scholarly journals Local corrosion of austenitic steels and alloys for heat exchanger tubes of nuclear power stations steam generators

2019 ◽  
Vol 75 (2) ◽  
pp. 227-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. A. Pisarevskii ◽  
A. B. Korostelev ◽  
A. A. Lipatov ◽  
G. A. Filippov ◽  
T. Yu. Kin
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Aging ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Austenitic Steels ◽  
Local Corrosion ◽  
Nickel Steel ◽  
Water Type ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Steam Generators ◽  
Power Stations

Elaboration of modern domestic structural materials with increased corrosion resistance in contact with advanced heatcarriers of future reactor plants is an important problem at development of innovation projects of nuclear power engineering. Heatexchanging tubes are the critical components, which influence on the safety and reliability of steam generators operation. Corrosion properties of non-stabilized nitrogen-containing corrosion resistant steels of austenite class after cold deformation, thermal treatment and long-term thermal aging studied. It was shown, that silicon introducing into chrome-nickel steel, alloyed by nitrogen and molybdenum, results in increasing of its resistance against local kinds of corrosion and equated it on resistance against intercrystallite and pitting corrosion with particularly low-carbon steels and alloys. But the experimental 03Х18Н13С2АМ2ВФБР-Ш low carbon micro-alloyed steel, proposed for operation at a heat-carrier temperature of 450–500 о С, in the first version had a tendency to a decrease of resistance against local corrosion and impact resistance after long-term thermal aging at temperatures of 360 о С and higher. At present specifying of technological parameters of production and balanced alloying element content takes place, which prevents heat exchanging tubes properties degradation. Steel 03Х17Н13С2АМ2 which has higher resistance against local corrosion and strength comparing with 316LN and 08Х18Н10Т grades, can be taken as a candidate material for production of heat-exchanging tubes of steam generators of nuclear power stations having power reactors of water-water type. The new 03Х17Н9АС2 steel, resistant against inter-crystallite corrosion in high-oxidizing media, was proposed for tests of its operation under conditions of contact with lead heat-carriers instead of 10Х15Н9С3Б1-Ш (ЭП 302-Ш) steel.

French PWR Nuclear Power Plants Steam Generators and Reactor Pressure Vessel Heads Aging Management Criteria and Replacement Strategy

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georges Bezdikian
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Vessel ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Life Time ◽  
Reactor Pressure Vessel ◽  
Steam Generators ◽  
Life Management ◽  
Power Stations ◽  
Reactor Pressure

The approach used by the French utility, concerning the Aging Management system of the Steam Generators (SG) and Reactor Pressure Vessel Heads, applied on 58 PWR NPPs, involves the verification of the integrity of the component and the Life Management of each plant to guarantee in the first step the design life management and in the second step to prepare long term life time in operation, taking into account the degradation of Alloy 600 material and the replacement of these materials by components made with Alloy 690. The financial stakes associated with maintaining the lifetime of nuclear power stations are very high; thus, if their lifetime is shortened by about ten years, dismantling and renewal would be brought forward which would increase their costs by several tens of billions of Euros. The main objectives are: • to maintain current operating performances (safety, availability, costs, security, environment) in the long term, and possibly improve on some aspects; • wherever possible, to operate the units throughout their design lifetime, 40 years, and even more if possible. This paper shows the program to follow the aging evaluation with application of specific criteria for SG and for Vessel Heads, and the replacement of the Steam Generators and Vessel Heads at the best period. The strategy of Steam Generators Replacement are developed and Vessel Head program of monitoring and replacement are detailed.

scholarly journals Development of nuclear power as an alternative to fossil fuels

2019 ◽  
pp. 38-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marek Michalski
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Terrorist Attack ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Production Capacity ◽  
Nuclear Power Generation ◽  
Developed Economies ◽  
High Production ◽  
The Cost

Research into environmental pollution and global warming has induced the energy industry and various levels of government to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels, especially coal and oil. One of the options being considered is increasing nuclear power generation, which has the advantage of high production capacity that can be fully utilized, low fuel consumption and low cost relative to the amount of electricity being generated. However, despite technological progress, the share of nuclear energy in the world’s energy mix is decreasing, especially in countries with highly developed economies. The reasons for this are high capital expenditures and their uncontrolled increase, fear of contamination of the natural environment in the event of a failure or terrorist attack as well as difficulties in long-term disposal of radioactive waste. This article analyzes the development of nuclear power as an alternative to fossil fuels in the pursuit of sustainable development, in particular with regard to investment outlays, the cost of generating electricity, environmental protection and security.

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