Strategic and Policy Issues Raised by the Transition from Thermal to Fast Nuclear Systems


Book Description

The renewed interest in nuclear energy triggered by concerns about global climate change and security of supply, which could lead to substantial growth in nuclear electricity generation, enhances the attractiveness of fast neutron reactors with closed fuel cycles. Moving from the current fleet of thermal neutron reactors to fast neutron systems will require many decades and extensive RD&D efforts. This book identifies and analyses key strategic and policy issues raised by such a transition, aiming at providing guidance to decision makers on the best approaches for implementing transition scenarios. The topics covered in this book will be of interest to government and nuclear industry policy makers as well as to specialists working on nuclear energy system analyses and advanced fuel cycle issues.







Thermodynamics in Nuclear Power Plant Systems


Book Description

This revised book covers the fundamentals of thermodynamics required to understand electrical power generation systems, honing in on the application of these principles to nuclear reactor power systems. This text treats the fundamentals of thermodynamics from the perspective of nuclear power systems. In addition to the Four Laws of Thermodynamics, it discusses Brayton and Rankine power cycles in detail with an emphasis on how they are implemented in nuclear systems. Chapters have been brought up-to-date due to significant new results that have become available for intercooled systems and combined cycles and include an updated steam table. The book starts with basic principles of thermodynamics as applied to power plant systems. It then describes how Nuclear Air-Brayton systems will work. It documents how they can be designed and the expected ultimate performance. It describes several types of Nuclear Air-Brayton systems that can be employed to meet different requirements and estimates component sizes and performance criteria for Small Modular Reactors (SMR) based on the Air-Brayton concept. The book provides useful insight into the engineering of nuclear power systems for students and the tabular data will be of great use to practicing engineers.




Engineering Response to Climate Change, Second Edition


Book Description

A clear, concise discussion of today’s hottest topics in climate change, including adapting to climate change and geo-engineering to mitigate the effects of change, Engineering Response to Climate Change, Second Edition takes on the tough questions of what to do and offers real solutions to the practical problems caused by radical changes in the Earth’s climate. From energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions reduction, to climate-altering technologies, this new edition explores the latest concerns such as acidification of the ocean, energy efficiency, transportation, space solar power, and future and emerging possibilities. The editors set the stage by discussing the separate issues of the emissions of radiatively important atmospheric constituents, energy demand, energy supply, agriculture, water resources, coastal hazards, adaption strategies, and geo-engineering. They explain the difference between the natural and human drivers of climate change and describe how humans have influenced the global climate during past decades. Each chapter concludes with discussion questions, calculations, and possible research topics. See What’s in the Second Edition: New conceptual tools and research necessary for problems associated with fossil fuels Cutting-edge topics such as adaption and geo-engineering The latest concerns such as acidification of the ocean, energy efficiency, transportation, and space solar power Solutions to problems caused by changes in the Earth’s climate So much has changed in the 15 years since the publication of the first edition, that this is, in effect, a completely new book. However, the general theme is the same: the climate energy problem has become largely an engineering problem. With this in mind, the book explores what engineers can do to prevent, mitigate, or adapt to climate change.




Combined Cycle Driven Efficiency for Next Generation Nuclear Power Plants


Book Description

Introduces the concept of combined cycles for next generation nuclear power plants, explaining how recent advances in gas turbines have made these systems increasingly desirable for efficiency gains and cost-of-ownership reduction. Promulgates modelling and analysis techniques to identify opportunities for increased thermodynamic efficiency and decreased water usage over current Light Water Reactor (LWR) systems. Examines all power conversion aspects, from the fluid exiting the reactor to energy releases into the environment, with special focus on heat exchangers and turbo-machinery. Provides examples of small projects to facilitate nuanced understanding of the theories and implementation of combined-cycle nuclear plants. This book explores combined cycle driven efficiency of new nuclear power plants and describes how to model and analyze a nuclear heated multi-turbine power conversion system operating with atmospheric air as the working fluid. The included studies are intended to identify paths for future work on next generation nuclear power plants (GEN-IV), leveraging advances in natural-gas-fired turbines that enable coupling salt-cooled, helium-cooled, and sodium-cooled reactors to a Nuclear Air-Brayton Combined Cycle (NACC). These reactors provide the option of operating base-load nuclear plants with variable electricity output to the grid using natural gas or stored heat to produce peak power. The author describes overall system architecture, components and detailed modelling results of Brayton-Rankine Combined Cycle power conversion systems and Recuperated Brayton Cycle systems, since they offer the highest overall energy conversion efficiencies. With ever-higher temperatures predicted in GEN-IV plants, this book’s investigation of potential avenues for thermodynamic efficiency gains will be of great interest to nuclear engineers and researchers, as well as power plant operators and students.




Application of Compact Heat Exchangers For Combined Cycle Driven Efficiency In Next Generation Nuclear Power Plants


Book Description

Covers the fundamentals of combined-cycle plants to provide background for understanding the progressive design approaches at the heart of the text Discusses the types of compact heat exchanger surfaces, suggesting novel designs that can be considered for optimal cost effectiveness and maximum energy production Undertakes the thermal analysis of these compact heat exchangers throughout the life cycle, from the design perspective through operational and safety assurance stages This book describes the quest to create novel designs for compact heat exchangers in support of emergent combined cycle nuclear plants. The text opens with a concise explanation of the fundamentals of combined cycles, describing their efficiency impacts on electrical power generation systems. It then covers the implementation of these principles in nuclear reactor power systems, focusing on the role of compact heat exchangers in the combined cycle loop and applying them to the challenges facing actual nuclear power systems. The various types of compact heat exchanger surfaces and designs are given thorough consideration before the author turns his attention to discussing current and projected reactor systems, and how the novel design of these compact heat e xchangers can be applied to innovative designs, operation and safety analyses to optimize thermal efficiency. The book is written at an undergraduate level, but will be useful to practicing engineers and scientists as well.




Nuclear Energy Development in Asia


Book Description

An exploration of how and why Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, China and India have initiated and developed nuclear energy programs and what challenges they face today. Were the nuclear programmes driven by the low energy endowment, a desire to pursue international prestige, national security concerns, environmental pollution or economic development?




Nuclear News


Book Description




The OECD Observer


Book Description




NEA News


Book Description