24 Jan (NucNet): Very small modular reactors (VSMRs) of 10 megawatts or less offer a number of advantages to remote areas, but proliferation resistance will need to be considered at an early stage of the design process if the technology is to become successful, a paper says.
The paper, published in the latest issue of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited’s (AECL) ‘Nuclear Review, says certain features of small modular reactors (SMRs) and particularly VSMRs offer potential advantages to safeguards implementation, while others present challenges that “may not have been widely appreciated”.
Addressing the proliferation resistance advantages of remotely located VSMRs will be essential for development of the technology and safeguard considerations must be incorporated early in the design process, the paper says.
The need to incorporate “safeguards by design” raises the possibility of increased monitoring of operational data for verification purposes, which may become a useful aspect of the safeguards approach for such systems.
Proliferation resistance is one case where either uncertainty exists due to the early stage of development, or a known gap exists that will require a technical solution.
As an example of this uncertainty, VSMRs that incorporate a sealed core will present a high level of resistance to the threat of both technology misuse and material diversion. However, a core that is sealed for many years (possibly decades) presents a potential challenge to regular physical inventory verification, as well as verification of the absence of misuse.
The paper says the range of design possibilities for VSMRs is considerable, ranging from evolutionary light water reactor (LWR) technology to more advanced fuel cycles. Cores may be factory fuelled and shipped to site, or fully assembled on site, and refueling may take place on a regular basis on site, or in a batch replacement process often referred to as the “nuclear battery” concept.
Operational modes may also differ widely, the paper notes. These design and operational parameters will all affect the assessment of proliferation resistance, and ultimately the safeguards approach implemented by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Another paper in AECL’s ‘Nuclear Review says proponents of SMRs and VSMRs must show that the technologies can be cost competitive with other energy sources and able to control overall project costs.
In addition to potential difficulties in acquiring capital, researchers need to show that SMR technologies can achieve manufacturing scalability – the process of creating a technology that can be manufactured in a manner similar to a highly efficient, or highly scaled, production line.
The paper says that the knowledge required to deliver SMRs, a highly complex technology, in a true modular format, is “still in its infancy”.
For SMRs to be viewed as a viable cost-effective solution, innovation in this technology will be required. “It is conceivable that this innovation push will generate another nuclear renaissance,” the paper concludes.
AECL’s special ‘Nuclear Review’ on small reactors is online:
www.aecl.ca/Assets/Nuclear_Review/ANR_1-2_ENG.pdf
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