This open access book discusses the eroding economics of nuclear power for electricity generation as well as technical, legal, and political acceptance issues. The use of nuclear power for electricity generation is still a heavily disputed issue. Aside from technical risks, safety issues, and the unsolved problem of nuclear waste disposal, the economic performance is currently a major barrier. In recent years, the costs have skyrocketed especially in the European countries and North America. At the same time, the costs of alternatives such as photovoltaics and wind power have significantly decreased.
Nuclear Power Plant Design and Analysis Codes: Development, Validation, and Application presents the latest research on the most widely used nuclear codes and the wealth of successful accomplishments which have been achieved over the past decades by experts in the field. Editors Wang, Li,Allison, and Hohorst and their team of authors provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of nuclear code development and how to apply it to their work and research to make their energy production more flexible, economical, reliable and safe.Written in an accessible and practical way, each chapter considers strengths and limitations, data availability needs, verification and validation methodologies and quality assurance guidelines to develop thorough and robust models and simulation tools both inside and outside a nuclear setting. This book benefits those working in nuclear reactor physics and thermal-hydraulics, as well as those involved in nuclear reactor licensing. It also provides early career researchers with a solid understanding of fundamental knowledge of mainstream nuclear modelling codes, as well as the more experienced engineers seeking advanced information on the best solutions to suit their needs. - Captures important research conducted over last few decades by experts and allows new researchers and professionals to learn from the work of their predecessors - Presents the most recent updates and developments, including the capabilities, limitations, and future development needs of all codes - Incudes applications for each code to ensure readers have complete knowledge to apply to their own setting
The reactors around the world have produced more than 2000 tonnes of plutonium, contained in spent fuel or as separated forms through reprocessing. Disposition of fissile materials has become a primary concern of nuclear non-proliferation efforts worldwide. There is a significant interest in IAEA Member States to develop proliferation resistant nuclear fuel cycles for incineration of plutonium such as inert matrix fuels (IMFs). This publication reviews the status of potential IMF candidates and describes several identified candidate materials for both fast and thermal reactors: MgO, ZrO2, SiC, Zr alloy, SiAl, ZrN; some of these have undergone test irradiations and post irradiation examination. Also discussed are modelling of IMF fuel performance and safety analysis. System studies have identified strategies for both implementation of IMF fuel as homogeneous or heterogeneous phases, as assemblies or core loadings and in existing reactors in the shorter term, as well as in new reactors in the longer term.
Annotation The 41 papers of this proceedings volume were first presented at the 13th symposium on Zirconium in the Nuclear Industry held in Annecy, France in June of 2001. Many of the papers are devoted to material related issues, corrosion and hydriding behavior, in-reactor studies, and the behavior and properties of Zr alloys used in storing spent fuel. Some papers report on studies of second phase particles, irradiation creep and growth, and material performance during loss of coolant and reactivity initiated accidents. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.
Presents brief descriptions of 20 fuel-related safety criteria along with both the rationale for having such criteria and possible new design and operational issues which could have an effect on them.
Describes the rationale and vision for the peaceful use of nuclear energy. The publication identifies the basic principles that nuclear energy systems must satisfy to fulfil their promise of meeting growing global energy demands.
This publication summarizes the findings and conclusions of an IAEA coordinated research project (CRP) on fuel modelling in accident conditions, which was initiated under the IAEA Action Plan on Nuclear Safety following the Fukushima accident. The overall aim of the project was to analyse and better understand fuel behavior in accident conditions, with a focus on loss of coolant accidents. In the course of the project the participants used a mixture of data derived from accident simulation experiments, in particular data designed to investigate the fuel behaviour during design basis accident and design extension conditions. They carried out calculations on priority cases selected from a matrix of cases identified at the first research coordination meeting and designed to support their individual priorities. These priority cases were chosen as the best available to help determine which of the many models used in the codes best reflect reality. The CRP provided an ideal platform to compare their code results with others and especially with experimental data, to which they otherwise would not have had access. The achievements made within this CRP fostered new collaborations and enhanced the development and improvement of common models and highlighted differences in the interpretation of some experiments and therefore in the use of the codes ? the so-called user effects.
This publication is the result of an IAEA technical meeting and reports on Member States' capabilities in modelling, predicting and improving their understanding of the behaviour of nuclear fuel under accident conditions. The main results and outcomes of a coordinated research project (CRP) on this topic are also presented.
The purpose of this report is to provide a combined presentation of the worldwide experience gained on fuel failures in water cooled reactors and to give statistical data on fuel failures for the period 1987 to 1994. It contains detailed descriptions of primary and secondary failure mechanisms which occurred in 'western' type boiling and pressurized water reactors (BWRs and PWRs), Soviet type pressurized light water reactors (WWERs) and Canadian type heavy water reactors (CANDUs). It also includes information on detection, examination and analysis of fuel failures as well as on fuel failure prevention and management in plant operation.