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NUCLEAR ENGINEERING OPPORTUNITIES

NUCLEAR ENGINEERING OPPORTUNITIES. Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant. James T. (Tom) Voss, NRRPT, CHP Fellow of the Health Physics Society PO Box 1362 Los Alamos, NM 87544 jtvoss@newmexico.com 505-920-1470 WWW.VOSS-ASSOCIATES.COM. Where are the Opportunities in Nuclear Engineering.

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NUCLEAR ENGINEERING OPPORTUNITIES

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  1. NUCLEAR ENGINEERING OPPORTUNITIES Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant

  2. James T. (Tom) Voss, NRRPT, CHP Fellow of the Health Physics Society PO Box 1362 Los Alamos, NM 87544 jtvoss@newmexico.com 505-920-1470 WWW.VOSS-ASSOCIATES.COM

  3. Where are the Opportunitiesin Nuclear Engineering Current Nuclear Power Reactors Current Research and Test Reactors New Nuclear Power Reactors Applications for License Renewals Applications Currently Under Review Small Transportable Nuclear Reactors Resurgence in Uranium Mining

  4. Where are the Opportunitiesin Nuclear Engineering Uranium Fuel Fabrication Thorium as a Reactor Fuel Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing Need for Remote Real-time Monitoring of Nuclear Facilities and Nuclear Materials Transport Vehicles Training

  5. Current Nuclear Power Reactors

  6. Current Research and Test Reactors

  7. New Nuclear Power Reactors

  8. Applications for License Renewal Calvert Cliffs, Units 1 and 2 Oconee Nuclear Station, Units 1, 2 and 3 Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit 1 Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2 Turkey Point Nuclear Plant, Units 3 and 4 North Anna, Units 1 and 2, and Surry, Units 1 and 2 Peach Bottom, Units 2 and 3 St. Lucie, Units 1 and 2 Fort Calhoun Station, Unit 1 McGuire, Units 1 and 2, and Catawba, Units 1 and 2 H.B. Robinson Nuclear Plant, Unit 2

  9. Applications for License Renewal R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant, Unit 1 V.C. Summer Nuclear Station, Unit 1 Dresden, Units 2 and 3, and Quad Cities, Units 1 & 2 Farley, Units 1 and 2 Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit 2 D.C. Cook, Units 1 and 2 Millstone, Units 2 and 3 Point Beach, Units 1 and 2 Browns Ferry, Units 1, 2, and 3 Brunswick, Units 1 and 2 Nine Mile Point, Units 1 and 2

  10. Applications for License Renewal Monticello Palisades James A. FitzPatrick Wolf Creek, Unit 1 Harris, Unit 1 Oyster Creek Vogtle, Units 1 and 2 Three Mile Island, Unit 1 Beaver Valley, Units 1 and 2 Susquehanna, Units 1 and 2 59 APPLICATIONS FOR LICENSE RENEWAL HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED

  11. Applications Currently Under Review Pilgrim 1, Unit 1 Vermont Yankee Indian Point, Units 2 and 3 Prairie Island, Units 1 and 2 Kewaunee Power Station Cooper Nuclear Station Duane Arnold Energy Center

  12. Applications Currently Under Review Palo Verde, Units 1, 2, and 3 Crystal River, Unit 3 Hope Creek Salem, Units 1 and 2 Diablo Canyon, Units 1 and 2 Columbia Generating Station 19 APPLICATIONS FOR LICENSE RENEWAL ARE UNDER REVIEW

  13. Security Requirements for Nuclear Research and Test Reactors • Security • All research and test reactors are designed and operated so that material is not easily handled or dispersed, thus protecting against potential radiological exposure or theft of material. These reactors have a limited amount of radioactive material on site and therefore pose a low risk from radiation and the theft of nuclear material. The NRC inspects the reactor’s security and emergency plans, as well as its operations and design to ensure protection of public health and safety.

  14. Security requirements are based on a graded approach with increasing requirements for material that is more attractive for theft or diversion and for facilities that have larger inventories of radiological material. • Prior to September 11, 2001, all reactors had security plans or procedures and emergency plans as required by NRC regulations. Following the terrorist attacks on 9/11, the NRC advised licensees to consider taking additional security measures. Later NRC imposed additional security measures on research and test reactors by Confirmatory Action Letter.

  15. While the specifics of these measures are not publicly available for security reasons, in general, they include: • enhancements in screening of personnel; • systems for controlling access to the facility; • observation of activities within the facilities; • alarms or other devices to detect unauthorized presence; • operability of communication systems; • vehicle and package searches; and • heightened coordination with appropriate local, State, and Federal resources liaisons with the FAA and law enforcement authorities to report unusual overflights or potential threats.

  16. Small Transportable Nuclear Power Reactors

  17. Small Transportable Nuclear Power Reactors What is in the future for these power reactors ? It seem unlikely the NRC will grant operating licenses for these types of nuclear power reactors. It seems unlikely the final cost for these types of nuclear power reactors could equal that of the new commercial nuclear power reactors.

  18. Resurgence in Uranium Mining

  19. Production from mines (tonnes U) World Uranium Production Tons of Uranium 2007 2008 Canada 9476 9000 Kazakhstan 6637 8521 Australia 8611 8430 Namibia 2879 4366 Russia 3413 3521 Niger 3153 3032 Uzbekistan 2320 2338 USA 1654 1430 World total 41,282 43,853

  20. Production from mines (tonnes U) United States Uranium Production Tons of Uranium 2007 2008 USA 1654 1430 World total 41,282 43,853 US Uranium Current Production is Primarily From 4 Mines. 90% of US Uranium Mining is In-Situ.

  21. Uranium Mines in Canada

  22. Uranium Mines in Australia

  23. Worker, Public, and Environmental Protection for Uranium Mining • Controlled Ventilation • Radon and Airborne Uranium Monitoring • Portable and Personal Continuous Air Monitors • In-Situ Mining • Open Pit Mining

  24. Worker Protection for Uranium Mining Controlled Ventilation • Air volume turnover rates should be > 7 per hour • Ventilation velocities should be < 0.1 m/sec • But, underground temperatures might call for a higher ventilation rate to keep the miners cool

  25. Worker Protection for Uranium Mining Radon and Airborne Uranium Monitoring • Routine area radon and uranium monitoring with sophisticated instruments • Radon monitoring before opening a new area to workers • Personal radon and uranium monitors for workers

  26. Worker Protection for Uranium Mining Radon and Airborne Uranium Monitoring WWW.BLADEWERX.COM

  27. Public and Environmental Protectionfor Uranium Mining Airborne Uranium Continuous Air Monitors WWW.BLADEWERX.COM

  28. Public and Environmental Protectionfor Uranium Mining In-Situ Mining In-Situ mining leaches the uranium ore from the underground deposit and greatly reduces the volume of above ground waste.

  29. Public and Environmental Protectionfor Uranium Mining Open Pit Mining • Reduces the risk to the workers by providing better ventilation and reduces other risks in underground mining • Exposes more rock dust and uranium ore that could increase the spread of those into the environment • Australia’s Olympic Dam mine is converting to an open pit operation

  30. Public and Environmental Protectionfor Uranium Mining Closing and covering an open pit mine at the end of its useful life could provide the best permanent solution for protecting the public and the environment. In-Situ mining could also minimize the mine’s affect on the public and the environment.

  31. Uranium Fuel Cycle Facilities

  32. Uranium Fuel Cycle Facilities • Better Ventilation • Radiation Monitoring • Airborne Radioactivity Monitoring • Criticality Monitoring

  33. Uranium Fuel Cycle Facilities Uranium Hexafluoride Production Honeywell International, Inc. Metropolis, IL

  34. Uranium Fuel Cycle Facilities Gas Centrifuge Uranium Enrichment Areva Enrichment Services Idaho Falls, ID (under review) Louisiana Energy Services Eunice, NM (in construction) U.S. Enrichment Corporation Piketon, OH (in construction)

  35. Uranium Fuel Cycle Facilities Gaseous Diffusion Uranium Enrichment U.S. Enrichment Corporation Paducah, KY U.S. Enrichment Corporation Piketon, OH (cold standby)

  36. Uranium Fuel Cycle Facilities Laser Separation Uranium Enrichment GE-Hitachi Wilmington, NC (under review)

  37. Uranium Fuel Cycle Facilities Uranium Fuel Fabrication AREVA NP, Inc. Lynchburg, VA AREVA NP, Inc. Richland, WA B&W Nuclear Operations Group Lynchburg, VA Global Nuclear Fuel-Americas, LLC Wilmington, NC Nuclear Fuel Services Erwin, TN (license renewal application submitted) Westinghouse Electric Company, LLC Columbia, SC

  38. Uranium Fuel Cycle Facilities Mixed-Oxide Fuel Fabrication Shaw AREVA MOX Services , LLC Aiken, SC (in construction/under licensing review)

  39. Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing • Better Ventilation • Radiation Monitoring • Airborne Radioactivity Monitoring • Criticality Monitoring

  40. Benefits of Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing • Separation of LLW and High Level Wastes • Reduction of High Level Wastes by Recycling • Production of Useable Isotopes for RTGs, • Gamma Irradiators, Gauges, Etc. • Reduction of LLW

  41. Thorium as a Nuclear FuelWorld Supplies in Tons Australia 340,000 India 300,000 United States 300,000 Norway 180,000 Canada 100,000 South Africa 39,000 Brazil 18,000 Malaysia 4,500 Other Countries 100,000 World Total 1,400,000

  42. Benefits of Thorium as a Nuclear Fuel • Greater Abundance than Uranium • Production of Thorium Fuel Does Not Require • Isotopic Separation • Use of Thorium Fuel Produces Much Less • Long-Lived Transuranics Than Uranium Fuel

  43. Need For Remote Real-Time Radiological Monitoring of Nuclear Facilities and Nuclear Transport Vehicles • Notification of an Unplanned Release • Identification and Quantification of Unplanned • Releases • Tracking of Unplanned Releases to the • Environment • Prediction of the Path of Unplanned Releases

  44. Some Unplanned Releases from Nuclear Facilities • Three Mile Island - 1979 • Contributing Factors • Facility Design • Equipment Malfunction • Operator Training

  45. Some Unplanned Releases from Nuclear Facilities • Chernobyl - 1986 • Contributing Factors • Facility Design • Equipment Malfunction • Operator Training

  46. Some Unplanned Releases from Nuclear Facilities • Japan, Tokaimura - 1999 • Contributing Factors • Facility Design • Operator Training

  47. Some Unplanned Releases from Nuclear Facilities • Practices to Prevent and/or • Mitigate the Consequences • Better Facility Designs • Better Equipment Designs • Better Operator Training • Better Radiological Monitoring Inside and • Outside the Facilities

  48. References American Nuclear Society www.ans.org Health Physics Society www.hps.org Institute of Nuclear Power Operations www.inpo.info Nuclear Energy Institute www.nei.org Nuclear Engineering International www.neimagazine.com US Department Of Energy www.doe.gov US Nuclear Regulatory Commission www.nrc.org

  49. References Areva www.areva.com Babcock and Wilcox www.babcock.com Canberra www.canberra.com General Electric www.gepower.com/nuclear/ Nuke Worker www.nukeworker.com US Navy www.navy.com Westinghouse www.westinghousenuclear.com

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