scholarly journals Neutronic safety analysis of proposed reactor technologies for Ghana’s nuclear power plant using the MCNP code

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 238-242
Author(s):  
Rex Abrefah ◽  
Prince Atsu ◽  
Robert Sogbadji
Keyword(s):  
High Pressure ◽  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Nuclear Reactor ◽  
Atomic Energy Commission ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Safety Analysis ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
The Government

In pursuance of sufficient, stable and clean energy to solve the ever-looming power crisis in Ghana, the Nuclear Power Institute of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission has on the agenda to advise the government on the nuclear power to include in the country's energy mix. After consideration of several proposed nuclear reactor technologies, the Nuclear Power Institute considered a high pressure reactor or vodo-vodyanoi energetichesky reactor as the nuclear power technologies for Ghana's first nuclear power plant. As part of technology assessments, neutronic safety parameters of both reactors are investigated. The MCNP neutronic code was employed as a computational tool to analyze the reactivity temperature coefficients, moderator void coefficient, criticality and neutron behavior at various operating conditions. The high pressure reactor which is still under construction and theoretical safety analysis, showed good inherent safety features which are comparable to the already existing European pressurized reactor technology.

scholarly journals Ghana’s Nuclear Power and Its Role in Climate Change

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.M.A. Dawood ◽  
Emmanuel O. Darko ◽  
Eric T. Glover
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Atomic Energy Commission ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Source Power ◽  
Energy Mix ◽  
The Government

Abstract The Ghana Nuclear Power Agenda is a programme laid out by the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission in collaboration with the government of Ghana to guide and facilitate the installation of Ghana’s first ever nuclear power plant. The nuclear power plant is expected to generate between 1000 and 12800 MW of electricity from its very first and final installations in a span of 20 years. Ghana's Third National Communication (TNC) Report to the UNFCCC indicates 59 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (MtCO2e) emission in 2011. Between 1991 and 2011, Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions grew by 20% as energy intensity of the economy rose alongside with a growing demand in industry, transport and households. If nothing is done to curtail GHG emission from fossil-source power plants, the looming catastrophe of the changing climate will occur faster than we imagine. On the basis of this, advocacy for nuclear power has been intensified in Ghana. Nuclear power is not only environmentally friendly (zero-to-low carbon emission), it is efficient and sustainable source of energy. It offers current and future energy needs without burdening future generations with a broken environment. Using Monte Carlo’s model, the current study estimates a cumulative increase (35%) in CO2 emission between 2016 and 2026 without nuclear power in Ghana’s energy mix. With the inclusion of nuclear power in the country’s energy mix by 2029, the model estimates CO2 emission cut by 12.5% between 2029 and 2039. Thus, given the same period of time, the rate of emission of CO2 was found to be more than twice its reduction.

scholarly journals Learning by Doing: The First Spanish Nuclear Plant

2018 ◽  
Vol 92 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseba De la Torre ◽  
Maria del Mar Rubio-Varas
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Nuclear Reactor ◽  
Learning By Doing ◽  
Business Leaders ◽  
Subsequent Growth ◽  
Archival Material ◽  
Conflicting Information ◽  
The Government

In the nuclear sector, turnkey projects can be considered an investment in obtaining information through “learning by doing” to capture rents from the next generation of reactors. As the first U.S. turnkey export project, the first Spanish nuclear power plant served that purpose and paved the way for the subsequent growth of the nuclear sector, for both Spanish and U.S. firms. Making use of archival material, we analyze the networks created by the government, experts, and business leaders, which sought to obtain, accumulate, and learn from the scarce and conflicting information about atomic technology that was available at the time. We also discern how firms on both sides of the Atlantic acquired and perfected the specific capabilities required to build a commercial nuclear reactor.

Distrust in government and its relationship with mental health after the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident

2020 ◽  
pp. 002076402096812
Author(s):  
Maiko Fukasawa ◽  
Norito Kawakami ◽  
Maki Umeda ◽  
Tsuyoshi Akiyama ◽  
Naoko Horikoshi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Residential Area ◽  
National Government ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant Accident ◽  
Fukushima Prefecture ◽  
The Government

Background: Distrust in authorities has negative effects on mental health. Aims: In this study, we aimed to explore whether the impact of distrust in government on mental health became stronger in the area heavily affected by the 2011 Fukushima nuclear power plant accident. Methods: We examined the effects of distrust in the national government on depressive symptoms three years after the accident among community residents in Fukushima prefecture using those in the Kanto area (the area surrounding Tokyo) as a control. A questionnaire survey was administered to a random sample of 1000 residents in Fukushima prefecture and 1650 residents in the Kanto area. Distrust in the national government was assessed using a four-point single-item scale. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. The associations of residential area (i.e. living in Fukushima prefecture or in the Kanto area) and distrust in the national government with depressive symptoms were examined, controlling for socio-demographic characteristics and disaster-related experiences using multivariate linear regression analyses. We used the interaction term of residential area and distrust in the government to explore the difference in the association between the respondents in Fukushima prefecture and those in the Kanto area. Results: Valid responses were obtained from 976 (36.8%) residents. Distrust in the government was associated with depressive symptoms and the association was stronger in Fukushima prefecture than in the Kanto area. Conclusion: The deleterious effects of distrust in the government on mental health may become more serious after a nuclear power plant accident and require careful attention during support activities in an affected area.

scholarly journals The institutional structure for decommissioning Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant

2021 ◽  
pp. 014664532110153
Author(s):  
Hajimu Yamana
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Institutional Structure ◽  
Legal Responsibility ◽  
Radiological Protection ◽  
Ministry Of Education ◽  
Sports Science ◽  
Fukushima Daiichi ◽  
The Government

This paper does not necessarily reflect the views of the International Commission on Radiological Protection. This article describes the institutional structure established for decommissioning Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. To deal with the aftermath of the unprecedented nuclear accident in Fukushima, several responsible institutions such as Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) have worked together at the initiative of the Government of Japan. In this structure, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO) implements the decommissioning due to its legal responsibility, while the essential direction and milestones are set by the Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters of the Government of Japan. Nuclear Damage Compensation and Decommissioning Facilitation Corporation, a government-affiliated organisation, oversees and facilitates the decommissioning by TEPCO, and the Nuclear Regulatory Authority regulates safety from an independent standpoint. The main basic elements essential for the success of this long-term project have been developed, such as the technical strategy, financial system, and organisational capability. Decommissioning is making progress.

A High Effective Parallel Method for the Coupling Between Neutronics and Thermal-Hydraulic

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaomeng Dong ◽  
Zhijian Zhang ◽  
Zhaofei Tian ◽  
Lei Li ◽  
Guangliang Chen
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Nuclear Reactor ◽  
Reactor Core ◽  
Decisive Role ◽  
Reactor Power ◽  
Coupling Method ◽  
Outlet Temperature

Multi-physics coupling analysis is one of the most important fields among the analysis of nuclear power plant. The basis of multi-physics coupling is the coupling between neutronics and thermal-hydraulic because it plays a decisive role in the computation of reactor power, outlet temperature of the reactor core and pressure of vessel, which determines the economy and security of the nuclear power plant. This paper develops a coupling method which uses OPENFOAM and the REMARK code. OPENFOAM is a 3-dimension CFD open-source code for thermal-hydraulic, and the REMARK code (produced by GSE Systems) is a real-time simulation multi-group core model for neutronics while it solves diffusion equations. Additionally, a coupled computation using these two codes is new and has not been done. The method is tested and verified using data of the QINSHAN Phase II typical nuclear reactor which will have 16 × 121 elements. The coupled code has been modified to adapt unlimited CPUs after parallelization. With the further development and additional testing, this coupling method has the potential to extend to a more large-scale and accurate computation.

Research and Software Implementation of Seismic Probabilistic Safety Analysis Quantification Method

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Gao ◽  
Guofeng Tang ◽  
Jingyu Zhang ◽  
Qinfang Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Fragility Curves ◽  
Safety Analysis ◽  
Fukushima Accident ◽  
Binary Decision ◽  
Plant Level ◽  
Accurate Quantification ◽  
Probabilistic Safety

Seismic risk of nuclear power plant has drawn increasing attention after Fukushima accident. An intensive study has been carried out in this paper, including sampling of component and structure fragility based on Monte Carlo method, fragility analysis on system or plant level, convolution of seismic hazard curves and fragility curves. To derive more accurate quantification results, the binary decision diagram (BDD) algorithm was introduced into the quantification process, which effectively reduces the deficiency of the conventional method on coping with large probability events and negated logic. Seismic Probabilistic Safety Analysis (PSA/PRA) quantification software was developed based on algorithms discussed in this paper. Tests and application has been made for this software with a specific nuclear power plant seismic PSA model. The results show that this software is effective on seismic PSA quantification.

Application of TRACE and FRAPTRAN in the Spent Fuel Pool of Chinshan Nuclear Power Plant

2013 ◽  
Vol 479-480 ◽  
pp. 543-547
Author(s):  
Jong Rong Wang ◽  
Hao Tzu Lin ◽  
Wan Yun Li ◽  
Shao Wen Chen ◽  
Chun Kuan Shih
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Cooling System ◽  
Safety Issue ◽  
Water Injection ◽  
Safety Analysis ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Spent Fuel Pool ◽  
Study Case

In the nuclear power plant (NPP) safety, the safety analysis of the NPP is very important work. In Fukushima NPP event, due to the earthquake and tsunami, the cooling system of the spent fuel pool failed and the safety issue of the spent fuel pool generated. In this study, the safety analysis of the Chinshan NPP spent fuel pool was performed by using TRACE and FRAPTRAN, which also assumed the cooling system of the spent fuel pool failed. There are two cases considered in this study. Case 1 is the no fire water injection in the spent fuel pool. Case 2 is the fire water injection while the water level of the spent fuel pool uncover the length of fuel rods over 1/3 full length. The analysis results of the case 1 show that the failure of cladding occurs in about 3.6 day. However, the results of case 2 indicate that the integrity of cladding is kept after the fire water injection.

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