DOE’s Fuel Cycle Technologies Program - An Overview

DOE’s Fuel Cycle Technologies Program
- An Overview
Andrew Griffith
Director, Fuel Cycle Research & Development (NE-52)
Office of Nuclear Energy
U.S. Department of Energy
June 11, 2014
Agenda
 Program Mission and Objectives
 Budget Summaries
 Achievements and Planned Accomplishments
 Partnership Overview
 Nuclear Energy University Programs
 Integration with Other Programs
 Conclusion
June 2013
FY 2014 FCIX
2
FCRD Mission and Program Objectives
Mission
Ensure America’s security and prosperity
by addressing its energy, environmental,
and nuclear challenges through
transformative science and technology
solutions.
Program Objectives
Near
Term
DOE
Goal 3: Secure Our Nation
•
• Address BRC recommendations for Used
Fuel Disposition.
• Increase focus on accident tolerant fuels.
• Down select fuel cycle options for further
development.
Enhance nuclear security through defense,
nonproliferation, and environmental efforts.
Advance nuclear power as a resource
capable of making major contributions in
meeting the Nation’s energy supply,
environmental, and energy security
needs by resolving technical, cost,
safety, security and regulatory issues
through research, development, and
demonstration.
Develop used fuel waste
management strategies and
sustainable fuel cycles that
improve resource utilization,
minimize waste generation,
improve safety and limit
proliferation risk.
June 2013
NE
Medium
Term
• Conduct science based, engineering driven
R&D for selected fuel cycle options.
• Complete plans for developing a fuel
examination and testing facility for extended
storage of used nuclear fuel.
• Evaluate benefits of various geologic media
for disposal.
Long
Term
• Demonstrate the selected fuel cycle options
at engineering scale.
• Operate a fuel examination and testing
facility for extended storage of used fuel.
• Conduct engineering analysis of disposal
site(s) for selected geologic media.
FCR&D
FY 2014 FCIX
3
Nuclear Energy Research and
Development: an Integrated Approach
Front End
 Conventional
production
 Innovative
approaches
– U Seawater
 Safety
 Light Water
 Evaluating
enhanced
Reactor
extended
LWR fuel
Sustainability
time frames
– Accident
 SMR support  Transport
tolerance
and R&D
after storage
 Higher
performance  Advanced
Reactors
– Improved
burnup
Back End
 Separations
 Recycled
fuel
 Secondary
waste
treatment
 Alternative
geologies
 Alternative
waste forms
----------------Safeguards and Security By Design-------------
Optimize through Systems Analysis, Engineering, and Integration
4
4
Fuel Cycle as a System
Uranium
Supply
Conventional
/ Mining
Seawater
Extraction
Advanced
Fuels
Reactors
Separations
Technology
+Electricity
+Industry
Conventional
LWR Fuel
Fabrication
LWR Fuel w/
Improved
Accident
Tolerance
Other
Advanced
Techniques
Light
Water
Reactors
Pre-treat
/ Condition
Waste
Form
Product
Storage Disposal
Interim
Storage
Geology
X - TBD
Interim
Storage
Geology
X - TBD
Interim
Storage
Geology
X - TBD
Interim
Storage
Geology
X - TBD
Reprocess / Separate
Fast Reactor
Fuel
Advanced
Reactors
-Sodium
-Lead
-Gas
-Salt
Fast Rx
Recycle
Waste
Form
 Optimized System: We want the best performance for each step in harmony with other parts of the system
 Near-Term/Long-Term Balance: Seek near-term applications while maintaining the long-term objective of a
sustainable fuel cycle
June 2013
FY 2014 FCIX
5
New Focus for Some
Near-Term Activities
Administration policy
regarding the importance
of addressing the
disposition of UNF and
HLW, released January
2013.
Separations is renamed Material
Recovery in FY 2015 to reflect the
expanded portfolio to a wider array of
applications than just separations.
Open/Close
Fuel Cycles
Material
Recovery
Environmental
National
Security
June 2013
FY 2014 FCIX
6
Fuel Cycle Research and Development part of an integrated fuel cycle R&D approach
Mission
Budget Summary
$ in thousands
FY 2014
Enacted
FY 2015
Request
Material Recovery and Waste
Form Development
34,300
35,300
Advanced Fuels
60,100
43,100
Systems Analysis &
Integration
19,605
18,500
Materials Protection,
Accounting & Control
Technology
7,600
7,600
Used Nuclear Fuel
Disposition (UNFD) Research
& Development
30,000
49,000
UNFD Integrated
management system
30,000
30,000
Fuel Resources
4,600
5,600
186,205
189,100
Program Element
Total:
June 2013
Conduct R&D on advanced sustainable fuel cycle
technologies that have the potential to improve resource
utilization and energy generation, reduce waste generation,
enhance safety, and limit proliferation risk.
Conduct generic R&D on used nuclear fuel and nuclear
waste management strategies and technologies to support
USG responsibility to manage and dispose of the nation’s
commercial UNF and high-level waste.
FY 2015 Planned Accomplishments
–
–
–
–
FY 2014 FCIX
Continue to assess accident tolerant fuel concepts.
Increase technical knowledge and capability to examine
high-burnup UNF.
Continue to lay the ground work and develop options for
decision makers on the design of an integrated waste
management system as reflected in the Administration’s
Strategy.
Fuel Resources is investigating advanced ligand design
and advanced adsorbent material for extracting uranium
from seawater.
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Achievements and Planned
Accomplishments
 Material Recovery and Waste Form Development
 Advanced Fuels
 Systems Analysis and Integration
 Materials Protection, Accounting, and Control
Technologies (MPACT)
 Fuel Resources
 Used Nuclear Fuel R&D
June 2013
FY 2014 FCIX
8
Material Recovery and Waste Form
Development
Separations
and Waste
Forms is
renamed in
FY 2015 to
reflect the
expanded
portfolio to a
wider array of
applications
than just
separations.
June 2013
FY 2014 FCIX
9
Advanced Fuels
June 2013
FY 2014 FCIX
10
Accident Tolerant Fuels Became
a Major Focus Area after Fukushima
Goal: By 2022, develop and test, in an existing LWR, an advanced fuel rod
which tolerates loss of active cooling in the core for considerably
longer time period than existing fuel.
Objectives:




Significantly reduce or eliminate hydrogen generation
Reduce spent fuel volume through increased burnup
Reduce Fuel Pin Failures & Increased reliability
Improve Economics & Permit Power Upgrades
Congressional Direction:
The Fukushima (March 2011) accident led the U.S. Congress to direct the DOE to
focus efforts on development of fuels with enhanced accident tolerance.
June 2013
FY 2014 FCIX
11
U.S. RD&D Strategy For Enhanced Accident
Tolerant Fuels – 10 Year Goal
Phase 1
Feasibility
Phase 2
Development/Qualification
Phase 3
Commercialization
Workshops
Fuel Downselection
Feasibility studies on advanced fuel
and clad concepts
-- bench-scale fabrication
-- irradiation tests
-- steam reactions
-- mechanical properties
-- furnace tests
-- modeling
Steady State Tests
LTA/LTR Ready
Transient Irradiation Tests
LOCA/Furnace Tests
Assessment of new concepts
-- impact on economics
-- impact on fuel cycle
-- impact on operations
-- impact on safety envelope
-- environmental impact
2012
June 2013
2013
2014
Fuel Performance Code
Fuel Safety Basis
2015
2016
2017
FY 2014 FCIX
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
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Systems Analysis and Integration
Evaluation Group
Fuel Cycle Option Group
• Fuel cycle option 1
• Fuel cycle option 2
• Fuel cycle option 3
• Fuel cycle option 4
• Representative option
• Fuel cycle option 5
•…
Analyze
representative options
Identify the
most
promising
Evaluation
Groups
Evaluation Group
Apply value functions for
each representative option
Fuel Cycle Option Group
• Fuel cycle option 1
• Fuel cycle option 2
• Fuel cycle option 3
• Fuel cycle option 4
• Representative option
• Fuel cycle option 5
•…
Evaluation Group
Fuel Cycle Option Group
• Fuel cycle option 1
• Fuel cycle option 2
• Fuel cycle option 3
• Fuel cycle option 4
• Representative option
• Fuel cycle option 5
•…
•
•
•
Criteria informed by metrics
June 2013
Define value function
for each metric
FY 2014 FCIX
Evaluation Group
Fuel Cycle Option Group
• Fuel cycle option 1
• Fuel cycle option 2
• Fuel cycle option 3
• Fuel cycle option 4
• Representative option
• Fuel cycle option 5
•…
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Materials Protection, Accounting, and
Control Technologies (MPACT)
Supports innovative new
methods for proliferation
and terrorism risk
assessment and the
development of sensors
to fill gaps in nuclear
materials protection,
accounting and control
June 2013
FY 2014 FCIX
14
Fuel Resources (Uranium from Seawater)
Marine Environment Testing
Particle
Filter
Seawater
T
Water
Reservoir
Water
Reservoir
Sampling
Flow
Meters
Sorbent
Beds
•
Investigating the next generation of advanced adsorption
technologies that enable an economic recovery of uranium
from seawater.
•
Recovering this resource at an economically competitive cost
is a technical challenge but this value sets an upper limit in the
uranium market price.
Discharge
Sampling
Functionalized
fibers
Fixed bed
June 2013
FY 2014 FCIX
15
Used Nuclear Fuel R&D:
“Storage and Transportation”
Goal: In support of NRC licensing, develop the technical basis to support
UNF management with a strong emphasis on high-burnup spent fuel.
Objectives:
•
•
June 2013
Fuel retrievability and transportation after extended storage
Technical data to support NRC licensing for long-term storage of High-Burnup
fuels
FY 2014 FCIX
16
High-Burnup Dry Storage
R&D Project
 Goal - Develop the technical knowledge and the
capability to examine high-burnup UNF to
support NRC licensing for long-term storage.
 Involves:
 Loading a commercial storage cask with high-burnup
fuel in a utility storage pool
 Drying of the cask contents using prototypic process
 Cask will be housed at the utility’s dry cask storage site
– Continuously monitored and externally inspected until the
first internal inspection at ~10 years
 Initiate activities at INL to open cask by adapting
existing facilities.
June 2013
FY 2014 FCIX
17
Used Nuclear Fuel R&D: “Disposal”
 Provide a sound technical
basis for multiple viable
disposal options in the US
 Increase confidence in the
robustness of generic
disposal concepts
 Develop the science and
engineering tools needed to
support disposal concept
implementation
 Leverage international
collaborations
June 2013
FY 2014 FCIX
18
Partnership Overview
National Laboratories
• INL – fuels*, material recovery and waste form development*, program
assessment and coordination*, fuel cycle options*
• ORNL – fuel resources*, fuels, material recovery and waste form
development, fuel cycle options
• SNL – used nuclear fuel R&D*
• LANL – MPACT*, fuels
• PNNL – material recovery and waste form development, fuels
• ANL – material recovery and waste form development, fuel cycle options
• Others – SRNL, BNL, LLNL, LBNL
Industry
• Advisory and Assistance Services, Task Order Contracts
• Accident Tolerant Fuel Development
Universities
• NEUP – Numerous
International Partnerships
• China, France, Japan, Russia (suspended), ROK, UK, Euratom, OECD/NEA,
IAEA
Regulator
• Inter-Agency Agreement with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
* Lead laboratories noted with asterisks.
June 2013
FY 2014 FCIX
19
ATF development is supported by a
large part of the U.S. nuclear complex
National Laboratories
June 2013
Universities
FY 2014 FCIX
Nuclear Industry
20
Strong International Activities in ATF
European Union – New projects initiated
China – Observer to NEA and has ATF R&D
The NEA's current membership consists of 31 countries in Europe, North America and the Asia-Pacific region.
Together they account for approximately 85% of the world's installed nuclear capacity.
June 2013
FY 2014 FCIX
21
FY 2013 Nuclear Energy
University Programs (NEUP)
 20 percent of R&D funding is invested in NEUP: Infrastructure,
R&D, Integrated Research Projects (IRPs).
 In FY 2013, FCR&D funded 41 R&D awards and 0 IRPs.
 ~$400,000 each for 10 mission-supporting awards.
– 7 Uranium Resources, 3 nuclear data
 ~$800,000 each for 31 program-supporting awards.
– 7 UFD, 6 Seps&WFs, 6 Fuels, 4 MPACT, 4 SA&I, 4
Nanonuclear
June 2013
FY 2014 FCIX
22
Integration With Other Programs
NNSA
EM
SC
Within NE
• Safeguards - close
coordination with
large NNSA
programs:
• NA-24’s Next
Generation
Safeguards
Initiative:
Technology and
Concepts
• NA-22’s
Nonproliferation
R&D: Global
Safeguards
• Coordinated R&D is
conducted in:
• Waste treatment
technologies
• Disposal
technologies
• Waste forms
• Coordinated R&D is
conducted in:
• Modeling and
simulation
• Materials
• Nuclear physics
• Separations
• Coordinates with
Reactor Technologies
in crosscutting areas:
• NEAMS
• LWRS
• Nuclear data
• Proliferation risk
assessment
• Facilities
Management funds
crosscutting facilities
required by FCR&D:
ATR, advanced PIE
capability, and
transient testing
capability.
NE-led separations roadmap aimed at identifying the crosscutting
needs of DOE for separations technologies and to speed development,
examining opportunities to leverage R&D across DOE.
June 2013
FY 2014 FCIX
23
Conclusion
 Expand UNF R&D to support long-term storage of highburnup fuel
 Continue to implement the accident tolerant fuel
development program in accordance with the program plan
 Continue to expand material recovery and waste form
technologies beyond advanced fuel cycles into
environmental remediation, national security, and
international nonproliferation
June 2013
FY 2014 FCIX
24
Background
June 2013
FY 2014 FCIX
25
Material Recovery and
Waste Form Development
FY 2013 Achievements
• Iodine-129 immobilization
and disposal –
development of low
temperature glass.
• Krypton-85 – major
advancement in alternative
waste forms to replace
pressurized gas storage
system.
• U.S. ROK Joint Fuel
Cycle Study successfully
completed Phase I.
• Aqueous separations case study to evaluate the
advantages of various unit
operations and processes.
June 2013
FY 2014 Planned
Accomplishments
FY 2015 Planned
Accomplishments
• Select and refine
advanced waste forms
and initiate integrated
lab-scale testing for the
case study.
• Initiate Phase II of USROK JFCS.
• Continue research on the
next generation
electrochemical separation
technology.
• Initiate hot demonstration of
zirconium purification from
hulls.
• Continue limited
exploration of used fuel
pretreatment
technologies as a low-risk
extended storage
alternative.
• Develop and demonstrate
alternative adsorbents for
iodine and conduct deep
bed adsorption tests for
krypton.
• Develop technologies for
Tritium capture.
• Continue Phase II of USROK JFCS.
• Continue development of
uranium/transuranic
drawdown technologies on
solid cathode.
• Leverage Collaborative
R&D with France, Japan,
China, and Russia
(suspended).
FY 2014 FCIX
26
Advanced Fuels
FY 2013 Achievements
• Initiated two NEUP Integrated
Research Projects with
Universities on ATF.
• Awarded 3 major competitively
selected industry ATF R&D
projects.
• Initiated testing of an advanced
metal fuel casting. New approach
will reduce wastes and improve
efficiency of metal fuel fabrication.
• Established metrics in two
workshops (domestic and
international) for the accident
tolerant fuel concepts being
developed and evaluated.
• Establish a thermal (steam) test
capability for the accident tolerant
fuel concepts at ORNL.
June 2013
FY 2014 Planned
Accomplishments
FY 2015 Planned
Accomplishments
• Test ATF irradiation capsule in
INL’s ATR.
• Expand work with Advanced
Post-irradiation Examination
Equipment in the Irradiated
Materials Characterization
Laboratory at INL.
• Leverage International R&D
Activities Collaborations with
Japan, France, Korea, Russia,
China, and Euratom.
• Acquire, prepare, characterize,
and maintain the uranium and
actinide feedstocks.
• Develop fabrication processes for
minor actinide bearing metallic fuels
and test mechanical, physical, and
thermal properties.
• Finalize performance
assessment, and characterization
for LWR Accident Tolerant Fuel.
• Acquire Feedstock - prepare,
characterize, and maintain the
uranium and actinide feedstocks.
• Continue development of
fabrication processes for minor
actinide bearing metallic fuels and
test mechanical, physical, and
thermal properties.
• Initiate down select of industry
concepts and initiate development
and qualification program.
• Leverage International R&D
Activities collaborations with
Japan, France, Korea, Russia
(suspended), China, and Euratom.
• Initiate Phase 2 industry
participation in the accident tolerant
fuel program.
FY 2014 FCIX
27
Systems Analysis and Integration
FY 2013 Achievements
• Conduct formal
screening of fuel
cycle options; define
set of options for further
consideration.
• Develop analysis
tools and established
fuel cycle data
packages.
• Coordinate the
development of
program R&D
objectives, strategies,
and activities.
June 2013
FY 2014 Planned
Accomplishments
• Complete draft
integrated fuel cycle
analysis: develop fuel
cycle data packages,
perform detailed
technology
assessments and
develop analysis tools.
• Identify Most
Promising fuel cycle
options and evaluate
whether further
research is warranted,
and integrate results
into ongoing R&D
activities.
FY 2014 FCIX
FY 2015 Planned
Accomplishments
• Sensitivity analysis of
fuel cycle
components.
• Develop
communication
products for the results
of the evaluation and
screening, focusing on
the identification of
potential R&D
directions.
• Release the FCT fuel
cycle catalog as a
resource of fuel cycle
knowledge.
28
Materials Protection, Accounting, and
Control Technology (MPACT)
FY 2013 Achievements
• Completed National Academy
Study on Proliferation Risks in
Nuclear Fuel Cycles.
• Fissile material imaging –
conduct R&D on material
holdups to better understand
behavior of actinides in piping
and tanks.
• Lead slowing down
spectrometer – benchmark
accuracy of plutonium
measurement in spent fuel.
• Safeguards and Security by
Design - develop guidelines to
support IAEA for use by
designers of fuel cycle facilities.
June 2013
FY 2014 Planned
Accomplishments
• Complete assessment of used
fuel transportation and
consolidated storage safeguards.
• Develop and test new
innovative methods for
proliferation and terrorism risk
assessment in support of
Safeguards and Security by
Design.
• Continue development and
initiate testing of improved
nuclear materials accountancy
technologies to support
electrochemical separations
processes. (shared under the
US-ROK JFCS as appropriate)
FY 2014 FCIX
FY 2015 Planned
Accomplishments
• Develop & demonstrate
sensors to fill gaps in nuclear
materials accountancy for
electrochemical processing.
• Support management and
disposal of used nuclear fuel
and High-Level Radioactive
Waste through Safeguards and
Security by Design.
• Demonstrate Next Generation
Nuclear Materials Management
Technologies - Echem, HCanyon, bilateral engagements,
etc.
• Support NRC Material
Attractiveness Rulemaking.
• Leverage International R&D
through engagement to help
influence and support nuclear
energy enterprise.
29
Fuel Resources
(Uranium from Seawater)
FY 2013 Achievements
• Initiate testing of leading
candidate adsorbent materials
at marine laboratory facility.
• Completed comprehensive
review of the U.S. adsorbent
performance – demonstrated
3x Japan’s adsorption
capacity.
June 2013
FY 2014 Planned
Accomplishments
• Determine scale-up and
evaluation of the Uranium
adsorption in marine
environment.
• Develop polymers and
nanomanufacturing
techniques for new sorbents.
• Expand the optimization
synthesis and design of new
functional ligands via
computational tools.
• Develop advanced adsorbent
materials by irradiation (ebeam and x-ray) induced and
chemical grafting methods.
• Perform cost and energy
analyses for newly developed
adsorbents and technologies.
FY 2014 FCIX
FY 2015 Planned
Accomplishments
• Continue scale-up and
evaluation of the uranium
adsorption in marine
environment.
• Focus on cost reduction and
increase performance of
selected new polymer
materials.
• Expand utilizing of
nanosynthesis and
nanomanufacturing techniques
to develop new polymer
sorbents.
• Continue optimizing synthesis
and the design of new
functional ligands via
computational tools.
• Continue material durability
testing.
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Used Nuclear Fuel
Research and Development
FY 2013 Achievements
• Define the technical basis for
long-term storage and subsequent
transportation of SNF in dry casks.
• Award High-Burnup Long Term
Storage Cask Demonstration
Project with industry.
• Evaluate engineering barrier
systems for disposal at four generic
repository geologies.
• Leverage Knowledge by
increased collaboration with
international organizations and
groups working on the disposition of
spent nuclear fuel.
• Evaluation of disposal of dualpurpose canister technical
feasibility.
• Continued development of the
scientific basis for multiple
geologic options for permanent
disposal of UNF and HLW, including
computational models supported by
physical experiments.
June 2013
FY 2014 Planned
Accomplishments
• Perform field testing to assess
realistic loadings during
transport of dry casks.
• Initiate high-burnup UNF
demonstartion to support NRC
licensing for long-term storage.
• Continue Work on Direct
Disposal of Dual Purpose
canisters in a repository.
• Expand borehole R&D to further
the understanding of hydrogeochemical, physical geology,
structural geology, geophysical
state and engineering properties of
deep crystalline rocks.
• Perform R&D on alternative
disposal environments (modeling,
evaluation and experiments).
• Continue collaboration with
international organizations and
groups working on the disposition of
spent nuclear fuel to leverage
existing international knowledge.
FY 2014 FCIX
FY 2015 Planned
Accomplishments
• Develop instrumentation for HighBurnup Storage Demonstration
Project with industry.
• Continue R&D work to explore the
possibility of direct disposing
existing loaded dual purpose
canisters in a repository.
• Continue international
collaborations on alternative
disposal environments.
• Conduct corrosion tests in highburnup cladding and stainless steel
canisters.
• Measure loads on fuel assemblies
during transportation.
• Evaluate alternative concepts for
deep borehole disposal.
• Continue existing work in
development of advanced
modeling tools for system-level
analysis of repository concepts.
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