( By Michael Bloom ) [Approx. Read Time: 4 minutes]
The world is in the midst of a “Nuclear Renaissance” where a large number of new nuclear energy projects are under way. Currently, new nuclear plants are being designed to be larger and larger in order to take advantage of economies of scale and offset the large capital cost of construction. Large reactors are reliable, clean, and produce safe energy to the masses, but they do have some limitations.
Large plants are limited by the infrastructure of the power grid, the difficulty to finance, and the long construction timeline. Nuclear plant designers could address these limits by building much smaller reactors and also making them more cost effective. Doing so would create a strong catalyst for continued growth and diversification in the nuclear industry.
Several decades from now there might be a bright future for a small class of nuclear reactors known as (STAR) short for Secure Transportable Autonomous Reactor. Currently in development by a team that includes the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory and the University of California, the goal of STAR is to make small scaleable power plants that can compete with the cost per output of the larger plants.
In order to do so, STAR reactors will be manufactured in a plant similar to commercial airliners. After being manufactured, STAR will be shipped safely to a construction site determined by a utility. At any point in time, the utility could increase capacity of their plants by adding more modules of STAR. The flexibility and scalability would make financing much easier and in turn, give utilities the ability to constantly add new plants to their nuclear fleets.
“In addition to those pioneering efforts, small-size reactors are employed in training, isotope production, research, naval propulsion, and in some space applications.
But what role could small-scale nuclear reactors have in generating central station power? The International Atomic Energy Agency indicates that more than 50 new concepts and designs for advanced small or moderate-size reactors are under development in more than 15 IAEA member states. Proponents of such designs believe they have the potential to meet such needs as providing energy for islands that are not served by a national grid or for regions lacking the infrastructures and grid capacity needed for large plants. Small reactors could also power such energy-intensive industrial activities as water desalinization or the extraction of oil from tar sands.”
STAR reactors may also mitigate any existing concerns, real or make-believe, about nuclear material proliferation.
“One frequently cited drawback to widespread use of nuclear power is the risk of fissionable material being diverted to produce weapons. In the 1990s, researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory began looking at reactor system designs intended to minimize the potential for nuclear weapons proliferation. The initial research effort concluded that this goal could be met by a sealed reactor that was transportable and autonomous in operation and that would have a very long reactor core lifetime. Such a reactor would eliminate the need for handling or processing fresh or spent nuclear fuel and otherwise minimize the potential for any possible misuse of the reactor.”
Currently, the power grids in many developing nations are unable to transmit large quantities of electricity over long distances making it pointless to construct a large plant. STAR would make it possible to spread nuclear power to developing countries, increasing the standard of living all over the globe.
STAR might be the next big thing in nuclear industry but it will be a while before it is ready. Several technological advances are still needed as seen below.
“One of those technologies is a yet-to-be-developed and qualified advanced cladding and structural materials that will enable service in lead for the 15 to 30 years core lifetime at peak temperatures of up to about 650 °C. Other technologies that need to be developed are qualified transuranic nitride fuel meeting performance requirements, a whole-core cassette refueling system, and a means for in-service inspection of components immersed in lead coolant.”
Hopefully, for the sake of global energy needs and environmental concerns, STAR will have a bright future.
For more information and a link to this story featured in ME’s July Magazine follow this link.
