International Seminar on Energy Production in Nuclear Power Plants, BEST Association, University of Valladolid

1. INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON ENERGY PRODUCTION
Asociación BEST
Universidad de Valladolid
September 4th, 2017
Antonio González Jiménez
Technical Director

2. WHAT IS THE SPANISH NUCLEAR INDUSTRY FORUM?
Business association representing:
100% of nuclear electricity production
85% of the main national companies in the field
More than 50 member companies
More than 27,500 employees (direct & indirect)
Three main objectives:
Achieve the long-term operation of the Spanish nuclear fleet
Co-ordinate activities of common interest to the industry
Improve the international activities of the Spanish nuclear companies
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3. NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS
• Medicine: diagnosis, treatment, analysis, sterilization
• Archaeology: dating, restoration, conservation
• Agriculture: plague control, inhibición de la brotación en bulbos
• Foodstuff: preservation
• Space: isotopic energy generators
• Industry: gammagrams, atomic clocks, analysis, polymerization, ship and
submarine propulsion, electricity production
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4. MATTER STRUCTURE
NeutrónElectrón
MATERIA ~ 10-9 m ÁTOMO ~ 10-10 m NUCLEO ~ 10-14 m
ProtónÁtomo
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5. BASIS
• Nuclear fission produces 100 million times of energy than quemical combustion
• The mass lost in the process is converted into energy
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6. NUCLEAR FISSION REACTION
• Very heavy fissile isotopes (e.g. U-235) will undergo fission (i.e. break apart)
upon absorbing a neutrón
• Two fission fragments usually result, along with 2 or 3 neutros to continue
the chain reaction
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7. NUCLEAR CHAIN REACTION
• Neutrons generated in every fission reaction provoke new fission reactions
• An external neutrón source is not needed to maintain the chain reaction
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8. NUCLEAR PLANTS EVOLUTION
¿2100?
ITER
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9. NUCLEAR REACTOR
• System where the nuclear reaction chain is initiated,
maintained and controlled
• Main components are:
• Fuel
• Moderator
• Coolant
• Control rods
• Shielding
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10. URANIUM ISOTOPES
U- 235
0,71 %
U- 234
0,005 %
U- 238
99,28 %
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11. Reactor
Fabricación de
Combustible
(16%)
Enriquecimiento
(35%)
Conversión U3O8 a UF6
(3%)
Minería
(45%)
Desechos
AGP
ATC
ATI
Reprocesamiento
Plutonio
Uranio
Reconversión
UF6 a UO2 (1%)
NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE
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12. Natural uranium is mined and refined
Uranium concentrate U3O8
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13. Uranium Ore (solid) Uranium hexafluoride (gas)
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14. Enrichment concentrates the U-235 isotope
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15. Uranium is encased in solid UO2 ceramic pellets
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16. Fuel rods filled with pellets are grouped
into fuel assemblies
Skeleton
Components
UO2
Pellets
Rod
Fuel
assembly
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17. PRESSURIZED WATER REACTOR
PWR
FUEL ASSEMBLY
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18. PRESSURIZED WATER REACTOR PWR
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19. COOLING SYSTEM
3-LOOP PWR REACTOR
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20. PWR REACTOR
PRESSURE VESSEL
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21. BOILING WATER REACTOR
BWR
FUEL ASSEMBLY
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22. BOILING WATER REACTOR BWR
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23. BWR REACTOR
PRESSURE VESSEL
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24. Control rods
Fuel
Assemblies
Withdraw control rods,
reaction increases
Insert control rods,
reaction decreases
Controlling the chain reaction
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25. BWR REACTOR PRESSURE VESSEL
(Cofrentes NPP construction)
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26. BWR
REACTOR PRESSURE VESSEL
(Cofrentes NPP construction)
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27. NUCLEAR SAFETY
ContainmentVessel
1.5-inch thick steel
Shield Building Wall
3 foot thick reinforced concrete
Dry Well Wall
5 foot thick reinforced concrete
Bio Shield
4 foot thick leaded concrete with
1.5-inch thick steel lining inside and out
ReactorVessel
4 to 8 inches thick steel
Reactor Fuel
Weir Wall
1.5 foot thick concrete
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28. SPENT FUEL MANAGEMENT
Spent fuel is storaged in the nuclear power plants facilities
Spent fuel pool Dry casks storage
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29. ATC: Interim Centralized Storage
SPENT FUEL MANAGEMENT
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30. @ForoNuclear www.foronuclear.org