Futures for hydrogen produced using nuclear energy

What is the future of hydrogen (H₂) produced from nuclear energy? Assuming that economically competitive nuclear H₂ can be produced, production of H₂ may become the primary use of nuclear energy and the basis for both a nuclear-H₂ renewable (solar, wind, etc.) energy economy and a nuclear-H₂ transport system. The technical and economic bases for these conclusions are described. In a nuclear-H₂ renewable energy economy, nuclear energy is used to produce H₂ that is stored and becomes the energy-storage component of the electrical generating system. The stored H₂ replaces piles of coal and tanks of liquid fuel. Capital-intensive renewable energy sources and nuclear reactors produce electricity at their full capacity. The stored H₂ is used in fuel cells to produce the highly variable quantities of electricity needed to fill the gap between the electricity demand by the customer and the electricity generated by the rest of the electrical generating system. Hydrogen is also used to produce the liquid or gaseous transport fuels. This energy-system architecture is a consequence of the fundamental differences between the characteristics of electricity (movement of electrons) and those of H₂ (movement of atoms). Electricity can be generated, transformed, and used economically on either a small or a large scale. However, it is difficult to generate, store, and transform H₂ economically on a small scale. This distinction favors the use of large-scale nuclear systems for H₂ production.     

Expected role of nuclear science and technology to support the sustainable supply of energy in Indonesia

Energy resources are available in Indonesia but small per capita. The increase of oil price and its reserve depletion rate dictates to decrease the oil consumption. Therefore, it is imperative to increase the shares of other fossils as well as the new and renewable sources of energy in various energy sectors substituting the oil. The introduction of nuclear power plant becomes more indispensable, although the share is to be small but significantly important for electric generation in Java–Madura–Bali grid. Nuclear technology can have also important role enabling the increase of the shares of renewable, e.g. geothermal, hydro and bio-fuels as well as fossil energies to meet more sustainable energy mix sufficing the energy demand to attain intended economic and population growths while maintaining the environment. The first introduced nuclear power plant is to be the proven ones, but the innovative nuclear energy systems being developed by various countries will eventually also be partially employed to further improve the sustainability. The nuclear science and technology are to be symbiotic and synergistic to other sources of energy to enhance the sustainable supply of energy.     

Interpolation of nuclear reaction energy distributions

This paper discusses several methods of interpolation of data for tables of energy distributions for particles emitted by nuclear reactions. The methods are also applicable to angular distributions. Our primary interest is in interpolation with respect to the energy of the incident particle. We first examine four interpolation methods currently used in the nuclear data community: direct interpolation, unit-base interpolation, interpolation by averages on equiprobable bins, and interpolation by corresponding energies. Because each of these methods has shortcomings, a modified version of interpolation by corresponding energies is proposed here. We call this new method interpolation by cumulative points.     

直接充电式核电池能量转换效率提高研究

通过分析直接充电式核电池的结构和工作原理,给出了直接充电式核电池等效电路.在此基础上,得到了直接充电式核电池的充电方程,及用于计算在不同负载阻值情况下输出功率的简化模型.简化模型最大理论输出功率及伏安特性曲线与Warren F.Windle实验符合很好.考虑到直接充电式核电池能量转换过程,提出了提高能量转换效率的途径:...     

Role of nuclear energy in environment, economy, and energy issues of the 21st century – Growing energy demand in Asia and role of nuclear

The economic growth of recent Asia is rapid, and the GDP and the energy consumption growth rate are about 8–10% in China and India. The energy consumption forecast of Asia in this century was estimated based on the GDP growth rate by Goldman Sachs. As a result, about twice in India and Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and about 1.5 times in China of SRES B (Special Report on Emission Scenarios) are forecasted. The simulation was done by Grape Code to analyze the impact of energy increase in Asia. As for the nuclear plant in Asia, it is expected 1500 GWe in 2050 and 2000 GWe in 2100, in the case of the environmental constrain. To achieve this nuclear utilization, there are two important aspects, technically and institutionally.

A. Development of the CANDLE core and/or the Breed and Burn core.

B. The establishment of the stable nuclear fuel supply system like “Asian nuclear fuel supply organization”.

An energy recondensation method using the discrete generalized multigroup energy expansion theory

In this paper, the discrete generalized multigroup (DGM) method was used to recondense the coarse group cross-sections using the core level solution, thus providing a correction for neighboring effect found at the core level. This approach was tested using a discrete ordinates implementation in both 1-D and 2-D. Results indicate that 2 or 3 iterations can substantially improve the flux and fission density errors associated with strong interfacial spectral changes as found in the presence of strong absorbers, reflector of mixed-oxide fuel. The methodology is also proven to be fully consistent with the multigroup methodology as long as a flat-flux approximation is used spatially.     

Assessment of nuclear energy sustainability index using fuzzy logic

Nuclear energy is increasingly perceived as an attractive mature energy generation technology that can deliver an answer to the worldwide increasing energy demand while respecting environmental concerns as well as contributing to a reduced dependence on fossil fuel. Advancing nuclear energy deployment demands an assessment of nuclear energy with respect to all sustainability dimensions.In this paper, the nuclear energy, whose sustainability will be assessed, is governed by the dynamics of three subsystems: environmental, economic, and sociopolitical. The overall sustainability is then a non-linear function of the individual sustainabilities. Each subsystem is evaluated by means of many components (pressure, status, and response). The combination of each group of indicators by means of fuzzy logic provides a measurement of sustainability for each subsystem.     

用次级束流对硅望远镜的时间和能量定标

利用９５ＭｅＶ／ｕ的１６Ｏ束产生的次级束流对半导体硅探测器进行了时间和能量定标。实验结果表明，由于次级束流提供的次级粒子种类多，飞行距离长，因此，能给探测器带来非常精确的定标。     

In-situ energy calibration of SSRF macromolecular crystallography beamline using powder diffraction

<正>For X-ray powder diffraction spectra collected by an area detector of MarCCD on macromolecular crystallography beamline of SSRF,an energy calibration method was developed using LaB_6(660a) powder diffraction for in-situ rapid energy calibration of the X-rays without changing the experimental conditions.The intensity of each diffraction ring was integrated,and the accurate peak positions were fitted by Pseudo-Voigt function model.The sample's interplanar spacing for XRD analysis and the calibrated energy were obtained by the PCPDFWIN code and by fitting all the energies with the least-square method.The exposure time and the sample-to-detector distance were found no effect on accuracy of the energy calibration,and the in-situ energy calibration could be done with an accuracy of better than 0.4‰in 7-18 keV.This method is applicable to other X-ray beamlines.     

A stochastic model for neutrons simulation considering the spectrum and nuclear properties with continuous dependence of energy

In this work we developed a stochastic model to simulate neutron transport in a heterogeneous medium, considering continuous neutron spectra and the nuclear properties with its continuous dependence on energy. This model was implemented using the Monte Carlo method for the propagation of neutrons in different media. Due to restrictions with respect to the number of neutrons that can be simulated in reasonable computational time we introduced a variable control volume together with (pseudo-) periodic boundary conditions in order to overcome this problem. This study allowed a detailed analysis of the influence of energy on the neutron population and its impact on the life cycle of neutrons. From the results, even for a simple geometrical arrangement, we can conclude that there is need to consider the energy dependence and hence defined a spectral effective multiplication factor per Monte Carlo step.     

Challenge of nuclear data for innovative nuclear energy

The article devoted to assessment of present-day demand to nuclear data for transmutation problem, including the discussion of required accuracies, status and perspectives of nuclear data evaluation and development of nuclear models. The effect of nuclear data uncertainties on radiation damage of structural materials is discussed. An analysis of ISTC projects related to nuclear data measurement and evaluation is presented. The recommendations for differential, integral experiments and recommendations on the evaluated data preparation are presented.     

三单元探测器望远镜的能量刻度

介绍了３０ＭｅＶ／ｕ＾４０Ａｒ＋＾５８,６４Ｎｉ和＾１１５Ｉｎ反应中测得的部分实验结果,着重讨论了３０μｍＳｉ＋５００μｍＳｉ＋４ｃｍＣｓＩ（Ｔｌ）探测器望远镜的能量刻度,给出了一种可靠性好、可操作性强的能量刻度方法。     

核压力容器接管安全端不同焊接结构的失效评定图

基于英国R6规范选择3的方法构建了核压力容器接管安全端两种异种金属焊接结构(含隔离层的四材料结构和不含隔离层的三材料结构)的失效评定图(Failure assessment diagram,FAD),并分析了裂纹位置和裂纹深度对FAD的影响。结果表明,两种结构的极限载荷基本相同,裂纹位置对极限载荷基本没有影响。随裂纹位置由管嘴向316L安全端管区域靠近及随裂纹深度的增加,失效评定曲线(Failure assessment curve,FAC)下移,结构的安全性降低。由于两种焊接结构中,相同位置、相同尺寸裂纹的FAD和极限载荷基本相同,因而其抗断裂性能和结构强度基本相同。     

核能在新时期国家能源可持续发展战略中的地位和作用(英文)

从国家能源安全与能源可持续发展的角度论述了核能的优势地位和作用,及核能在满足能源和电力安全供应需求、缓解生态环境污染和降低温室气体排放等方面的作用。讲述了中国能源安全和可持续发展面临的挑战和严峻形势,指出发展核能是中国优化能源结构的客观要求,是我国未来能源及电力安全供应的重要保证。阐明了发展核能是实现中国能源与电力可持续发展的必然选择,核能利用符合循环经济的原则。研究分析了核电发展对中国未来生态环境保护的贡献,并对中国核能发展提出了一些建议。     

The fusion-supported decentralized nuclear energy system

A decentralized nuclear energy system is proposed comprising mass-produced pressurized water reactors in the size range 10 to 300 MW (thermal), to be used for the production of process heat, space heat, and electricity in applications where petroleum and natural gas are presently used. Special attention is given to maximizing the refueling interval with no interim batch shuffling in order to minimize fuel transport, reactor downtime, and opportunity for fissile diversion. The smallest reactors could be deployed as nuclear batteries, kept in the equivalent of spent-fuel shipping casks and returned to nuclear fuel centers for refueling. These objectives demand a substantial fissile enrichment (7 to 15%). The preferred fissile fuel is U-233, which offers an order of magnitude savings in ore requirements (compared with U-235 fuel), and whose higher conversion ratio in thermal reactors serves to extend the period of useful reactivity and relieve demand on the fissile breeding plants (compared with Pu-239 fuel). Application of the neutral-beam-driven tokamak fusion-neutron source to a U-233 breeding pilot plant is examined. This scheme can be extended in part to a decentralized fusion energy system, wherein remotely located large fusion reactors supply excess tritium to a distributed system of relatively smallnonbreeding D-T reactors.     

Ion irradiation—induced structure damage to botanic samples using the ion transmission energy spectrum

1 INTRODUCTIONThe new aPplications of low energy heavy ion beam in irradi4ted botanical materialswere studied in recellt yeaxs. The beaminduced mutation effect on crop seeds has causedthe attention of physicist and biologists.[1l:] FOr examPle, 1ow energy ions can induceremarkable mutation to rice seeds.[3] There are many special phenomena when heavyions bombard botanic sW1e due to its special structure. Some studies showed that tllepenetration depths of some ions were far larger than t…     

核电四极矩的共振能量

核电四极矩共振探测是目前国际上备受关注的探雷技术,比起广泛应用的电磁感应探雷能够更本质揭示被测物质。从经典电磁学理论和量子力学两个方面对其理论共振能量进行了推导。     

Molten salts and nuclear energy production

Molten salts (fluorides or chlorides) were considered near the beginning of research into nuclear energy production. This was initially due to their advantageous physical and chemical properties: good heat transfer capacity, radiation insensitivity, high boiling point, wide range solubility for actinides. In addition it was realised that molten salts could be used in numerous situations: high temperature heat transfer, core coolants with solid fuels, liquid fuel in a molten salt reactor, solvents for spent nuclear solid fuel in the case of pyro-reprocessing and coolant and tritium production in the case of fusion. Molten salt reactors, one of the six innovative concepts chosen by the Generation IV international forum, are particularly interesting for use as either waste incinerators or thorium cycle systems. As the neutron balance in the thorium cycle is very tight, the possibility to perform online extraction of some fission product poisons from the salt is very attractive. In this article the most important questions that must be addressed to demonstrate the feasibility of molten salt reactor will be reviewed.     

能源的需求与核能的未来

石油和天然气可维持人类对能源需要的时间是暂短的,煤储量虽较为丰富,但对环境的污染严重.核能是相对干净的能源,但现有的裂变核能源主要是消耗占天然铀中0.72%的235U,受到铀资源不足的严重制约.聚变能作为能源的利用,还有相当的距离.利用平衡燃料成分反应堆的概念,设计一种可充分利用铀、钍资源,处理高放废物,又可防核扩散的新型快堆的可能途径.介绍了国外类似研究工作的进展和动态.     

Hydrogen and its relationship with nuclear energy

In broad terms it is estimated that the world will need 17 TW of additional primary energy to meet its needs by 2050. Much of this growth in energy demand will take place in developing countries. Wind, biomass, solar, nuclear and coal will all compete to fill this gap as oil market share declines. Economics, environmental issues, and public acceptance elements of sustainable development goals will be as important as the engineering issues of efficiency and reliability in this competition.

Nuclear power is increasingly recognized as a principal contender to provide economic, “carbon free” electricity for the grid, but it does not directly provide a transportation fuel as flexible as is gasoline. Nuclear-produced hydrogen might help to fill this transportation fuel gap. This presentation will discuss the processes for manufacture of hydrogen from nuclear heat, and the integration of nuclear-produced hydrogen into the transportation fuel system – in part via synergies with traditional oil, natural gas and coal, and/or synergies with nontraditional shale and tar sands. We will discuss the nuclear hydrogen system as we expect it to appear in 2050 and will discuss some of processes that will provide a pathway to creating that system.