Determination of the efficiency of electric power production by nuclear power plants using the methodology of full energy costs. Part 2. Energy costs for nuclear fuel

The results of the detailed investigations of behavior of lignites Kolubara and Kovin, in fluidized bed combustion are presented in the paper. Investigation was carried out due to the interest of the Serbian Electric Power Production Company to use CFBC boilers in the process of refurbishment of old pulverized coal combustion boilers. As a part of a feasibility study for CFBC use in power plants in Serbia, investigation of combustion characteristics of lignites was performed using original methodology introduced many years ago by Laboratory for Thermal Engineering and Energy. Methodology was approved by numerous investigations of more than 20 Yugoslav coals for FBC combustion, with the aim to determine design data for bubbling FBC boilers. The main attention in present investigation was paid to the problem of using methodology developed for bubbling FBC in the conditions present in CFBC boilers. Four samples of Kolubara lignite, with heat capacity from 2.5 to 8.5 MJ/kg, and different ash contents were investigated, and also lignite Kovin in the same range of heat capacity. Investigations were performed in three phases: (1) ultimate and proximate analysis, determination of ash sintering temperature by standard method and in fluidized bed laboratory oven, (2) investigations in laboratory fluidized bed furnace and determination of coal particle fragmentation, burning rate, start-up temperature and self-sulfure-capture and (3) investigation of combustion in pilot-plant in stationary combustion conditions. In conclusion, suitability of results obtained in BFBC conditions is approved, and earlier statement that lignites are suitable for BFBC is confirmed by the statement that lignites are even more suitable for burning in CFBC boilers. Considering differences between combustion and flow conditions in bubbling and circulating FBC boilers, behavior of the lignites in CFBC is discussed in details and optimal regime parameters of the CFBC boilers are determined. The results obtained will be used by Serbian Electric Power Production Company for evaluation of bid for CFBC boiler implementation in refurbishment of old thermal power plants.

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Small nuclear power plants for power supply to the arctic regions: spent nuclear fuel radioactivity assessment

Izvestiya Wysshikh Uchebnykh Zawedeniy Yadernaya Energetika ◽

10.26583/npe.2018.1.08 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2018 (1) ◽

pp. 75-86

Author(s):

Vadim Alekseevich Naumov ◽

Sergey Andreevich Gusak ◽

Andrey Vadimovich Naumov

Keyword(s):

Nuclear Fuel ◽

Power Supply ◽

Nuclear Power ◽

Power Plants ◽

Nuclear Power Plants ◽

Spent Nuclear Fuel ◽

The Arctic ◽

Arctic Regions

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Probabilistic analysis of electrical energy costs comparing: production costs for gas, coal and nuclear power plants

Energy Policy ◽

10.1016/s0301-4215(03)00184-8 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 33 (1) ◽

pp. 5-13 ◽

Cited By ~ 38

Author(s):

Danilo Feretic ◽

Zeljko Tomsic

Keyword(s):

Probabilistic Analysis ◽

Nuclear Power ◽

Power Plants ◽

Nuclear Power Plants ◽

Electrical Energy ◽

Production Costs ◽

Energy Costs ◽

Gas Coal

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Small nuclear power plants for power supply in arctic regions: assessment of spent nuclear fuel radioactivity

Nuclear Energy and Technology ◽

10.3897/nucet.4.30677 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 119-125

Author(s):

Vadim Naumov ◽

Sergey Gusak ◽

Andrey Naumov

Keyword(s):

Nuclear Fuel ◽

Nuclear Power ◽

Power Plants ◽

Nuclear Power Plants ◽

Fuel Cycle ◽

Mass Composition ◽

Published Data ◽

Pressurized Water ◽

Fuel Cycles ◽

Reactor Cores

The purpose of the present study is the investigation of mass composition of long-lived radionuclides accumulated in the fuel cycle of small nuclear power plants (SNPP) as well as long-lived radioactivity of spent fuel of such reactors. Analysis was performed of the published data on the projects of SNPP with pressurized water-cooled reactors (LWR) and reactors cooled with Pb-Bi eutectics (SVBR). Information was obtained on the parameters of fuel cycle, design and materials of reactor cores, thermodynamic characteristics of coolants of the primary cooling circuit for reactor facilities of different types. Mathematical models of fuel cycles of the cores of reactors of ABV, KLT-40S, RITM-200M, UNITERM, SVBR-10 and SVBR-100 types were developed. The KRATER software was applied for mathematical modeling of the fuel cycles where spatial-energy distribution of neutron flux density is determined within multi-group diffusion approximation and heterogeneity of reactor cores is taken into account using albedo method within the reactor cell model. Calculation studies of kinetics of burnup of isotopes in the initial fuel load (235U, 238U) and accumulation of long-lived fission products (85Kr, 90Sr, 137Cs, 151Sm) and actinoids (238,239,240,241,242Pu, 236U, 237Np, 241Am, 244Cm) in the cores of the examined SNPP reactor facilities were performed. The obtained information allowed estimating radiation characteristics of irradiated nuclear fuel and implementing comparison of long-lived radioactivity of spent reactor fuel of the SNPPs under study and of their prototypes (nuclear propulsion reactors). The comparison performed allowed formulating the conclusion on the possibility in principle (from the viewpoint of radiation safety) of application of SNF handling technology used in prototype reactors in the transportation and technological process layouts of handling SNF of SNPP reactors.

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Nuclear Power: Time to Start Again

2003 International Joint Power Generation Conference ◽

10.1115/ijpgc2003-40019 ◽

2003 ◽

Author(s):

William D. Rezak

Keyword(s):

Power Generation ◽

Electric Power ◽

Nuclear Power ◽

Power Plants ◽

Nuclear Power Plants ◽

Environmentally Friendly ◽

Power Industry ◽

Nuclear Industry ◽

The Us ◽

Generating Capacity

One of America’s best kept secrets is the success of its nuclear electric power industry. This paper presents data which support the construction and operating successes enjoyed by energy companies that operate nuclear power plants in the US. The result—the US nuclear industry is alive and well. Perhaps it’s time to start anew the building of nuclear power plants. Let’s take the wraps off the major successes achieved in the nuclear power industry. Over 20% of the electricity generated in the United States comes from nuclear power plants. An adequate, reliable supply of reasonably priced electric energy is not a consequence of an expanding economy and gross national product; it is an absolute necessity before such expansion can occur. It is hard to imagine any aspect of our business or personal lives not, in some way, dependent upon electricity. All over the world (in 34 countries) nuclear power is a low-cost, secure, safe, dependable, and environmentally friendly form of electric power generation. Nuclear plants in these countries are built in six to eight years using technology developed in the US, with good performance and safety records. This treatise addresses the success experienced by the US nuclear industry over the last 40 years, and makes the case that this reliable, cost-competitive source of electric power can help support the economic engine of the country and help prevent experiences like the recent crisis in California. Traditionally, the evaluation of electric power generation facility performance has focused on the ability of plants to produce at design capacity for high percentages of the time. Successful operation of nuclear facilities is determined by examining capacity or load factors. Load factor is the percentage of design generating capacity that a power plant actually produces over the course of a year’s operation. This paper makes the case that these operating performance indicators warrant renewed consideration of the nuclear option. Usage of electricity in the US now approaches total generating capacity. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has pre-approved construction and operating licenses for several nuclear plant designs. State public service commissions are beginning to understand that dramatic reform is required. The economy is recovering and inflation is minimal. It’s time, once more, to turn to the safe, reliable, environmentally friendly nuclear power alternative.

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Control Experiences Regarding Clearable Materials from Nuclear Power Plants and Nuclear Installations: Scaling Factors Determination and Measurements’ Acceptance Criteria Definition

Environments ◽

10.3390/environments6110120 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (11) ◽

pp. 120

Author(s):

Luca Albertone ◽

Massimo Altavilla ◽

Manuela Marga ◽

Laura Porzio ◽

Giuseppe Tozzi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nuclear Power ◽

Power Plants ◽

Nuclear Power Plants ◽

Fission Products ◽

Scaling Factors ◽

Activation Products ◽

Long Time ◽

Nuclear Installation ◽

Enriched Uranium

Arpa Piemonte has been carrying out, for a long time, controls on clearable materials from nuclear power plants to verify compliance with clearance levels set by ISIN (Ispettorato Nazionale per la Sicurezza Nucleare e la Radioprotezione - National Inspectorate for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection) in the technical prescriptions attached to the Ministerial Decree decommissioning authorization or into category A source authorization (higher level of associated risk, according to the categorization defined in the Italian Legislative Decree No. 230/95). After the experience undertaken at the “FN” (Fabbricazioni Nucleari) Bosco Marengo nuclear installation, some controls have been conducted at the Trino nuclear power plant “E. Fermi,” “LivaNova” nuclear installation based in Saluggia, and “EUREX” (Enriched Uranium Extraction) nuclear installation, also based in Saluggia, according to modalities that envisage, as a final control, the determination of γ-emitting radionuclides through in situ gamma spectrometry measurements. Clearance levels’ compliance verification should be performed for all radionuclides potentially present, including those that are not easily measurable (DTM, Difficult To Measure). It is therefore necessary to carry out upstream, based on a representative number of samples, those radionuclides’ determination in order to estimate scaling factors (SF), defined through the logarithmic average of the ratios between the i-th DTM radionuclide concentration and the related key nuclide. Specific radiochemistry is used for defining DTMs’ concentrations, such as Fe-55, Ni-59, Ni-63, Sr-90, Pu-238, and Pu-239/Pu-240. As a key nuclide, Co-60 was chosen for the activation products (Fe-55, Ni-59, Ni-63) and Cs-137 for fission products (Sr-90) and plutonium (Pu- 238, Pu-239/Pu-240, and Pu-241). The presence of very low radioactivity concentrations, often below the detection limits, can make it difficult to determine the related scaling factors. In this work, the results obtained and measurements’ acceptability criteria are presented, defined with ISIN, that can be used for confirming or excluding a radionuclide presence in the process of verifying clearance levels’ compliance. They are also exposed to evaluations regarding samples’ representativeness chosen for scaling factors’ assessment.

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