XYLENE POWER LTD.

CONFERENCE SLIDE PRESENTATION WITH AUDIO (20 MINUTE)
This presentation is intended for engineers who
recognize that climate change is the paramount problem facing
mankind and that public electricity systems need more reliable
power than is available from renewable energy sources alone.
 

SLIDE #1 AIChE
 

SLIDE #2, CHARLES PHOTO THE FUTURE OF POWER AND ENERGY
By Charles Rhodes, P.Eng., Ph.D.
www.xylenepower.com > Nuclear Power
> 50 years relevant engineering experience.
Welcome. My name is Charles Rhodes.
This presentation titled: "The Future of Power and Energy" addresses the roles of Nuclear Power and Interruptible Electricity in mitigation of climate change. A copy of this presentation is available at:
www.xylenepower.com.
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SLIDE #3 CLIMATE CHANGE PREVENTION
- leave fossil fuels in the ground;
- use Nuclear Power and Renewable Energy.
During the mid 1960s astrophysicists concluded that large scale combustion of fossil fuels would cause the climate change which we are now experiencing. To minimize further climate change we must leave fossil fuels in the ground and meet our future power and energy needs using only Nuclear Power and Renewable Energy.
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SLIDE #4 RENEWABLE ENERGY IS INTERMITTENT AND SEASONAL
Due to our planet's motion relative to the sun Renewable Energy availability is both intermittent and seasonal. Renewable Energy is an effective source of Interruptible Electricity. However, conversion of Interruptible Electricity into Dependable Electricity is frequently prohibitively expensive.
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SLIDE #5 NUCLEAR POWER PROVIDES DEPENDABLE ELECTRICITY
Often a much less expensive non-fossil source of Dependable Electricity is a nuclear power station.
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SLIDE #6 U-235 Fuel > NOT SUSTAINABLE FOR FOSSIL FUEL DISPLACEMENT
Most existing nuclear power reactors are fuelled by U-235 which is a relatively rare uranium isotope;
At present uranium mining rates the known naturally occurring uranium ore bodies will be exhausted in about 40 years. Hence the existing nuclear power reactor technology is not long term fuel sustainable.
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SLIDE #7 INTERNAL WATER COOLING > UNSUSTAINABLE WASTE PRODUCTION
Most existing nuclear power reactors are internally water cooled. However, the use of internal water cooling is unsustainable because the presence of water inside a nuclear reactor changes the neutron kinetic energy spectrum in a manner which causes production of large amounts of long lived nuclear waste.
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SLIDE #8 WATER COOLING > LOW ELECTRICITY GENERATION EFFICIENCY
The use of internal water cooling causes a high internal reactor pressure. This pressure limits a reactor's maximum operating temperature which in turn limits its maximum electricity generation efficiency.
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SLIDE #9 HIGH INTERNAL PRESSURE
- Robust pressure containment
- Robust reactor enclosure
- Public Safety Exclusion Zone
The use of high pressure and high temperature water/steam inside a nuclear power reactor triggers requirements for very robust pressure containment, a very robust reactor enclosure and a 1 km wide surrounding public safety exclusion zone. These requirements prevent siting of existing power reactors in urban areas.
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SLIDE #10 REMOTE REACTORS > LITTLE COMMERCIAL USE OF SURPLUS HEAT
Hence, most existing power reactors are located on remote sites where there is no market for their heat output.
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SLIDE #11 MOST EXISTING POWER REACTORS > DO NOT BALANCE RENEWABLE GENERATION
Power reactors designed in the 1970s were never intended to balance the rapid electricity grid load swings caused by today's increasing amounts of unconstrained grid connected solar and wind electricity generation.
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SLIDE #12 NEW NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE > FAST NEUTRON REACTORS
The existing nuclear power reactor fuel cycle is not suitable for full displacement of fossil fuels. We need to embrace a new power reactor fuel cycle that operates using modular liquid sodium cooled Fast Neutron Reactors, also known as FNRs, with fuel recycling.
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SLIDE #13 FNR FUEL TUBE ALLOY > NOT RESOLVED UNTIL ABOUT 1990
As the name indicates, FNRs operate with fast neutrons. Fast neutrons and fuel recycling enable greatly improved reactor performance by complete fissioning of the high atomic weight elements. However, a fuel tube alloy with a working life sufficient for use in commercial power FNRs was not developed until about 1990, long after most existing power reactors were constructed.
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SLIDE #14 FNRs > FUEL SUSTAINABLE
100X to 400X reduction in U consumption
Dominant Reactions:
2 n + U-238 > n + Pu-239 > 2.91 n + FP + energy
and
2 n + Th-232 > n + U-233 > 2.48 n + FP + energy
The fission fuels with sufficient natural abundance to sustainably displace fossil fuels are U-238 and Th-232. Depending upon the fuel mix a FNR with fuel recycling requires 100X to 400X less natural uranium per kWh than does a U-235 fuelled reactor. There are sufficient known reserves of U-238 and Th-232 to meet mankind's total energy needs for several thousand years.
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SLIDE #15 FNRs > WASTE SUSTAINABLE
1000X improvement
A FNR with fuel recycling produces about 1000X less long lived nuclear waste per kWh than does a reactor with internal water cooling.

The radio toxicity of the FNR fission product waste stream naturally decays to below the radio toxicity of natural uranium in less than 300 years.
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SLIDE #16 FNRs > STABLE ELECTRICITY GRID
FNRs are compatible with solar and wind electricity generation
FNRs can stabilize the electricity grid by balancing the rapid net load changes caused by unconstrained solar and wind electricity generation. This power balancing is accomplished by control of the liquid flow rates in the FNR's intermediate heat transfer loops.
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SLIDE #17 FNRS > ENABLE URBAN REACTOR SITING FOR COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL AND DISTRICT HEATING
FNRs with atmospheric pressure liquid metal cooling can be safely sited in urban areas allowing use of the FNR heat output for commercial, industrial and district heating.
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SLIDE #18 FNR DEPLOYMENT
- US abandoned the field in 1994;
- Russians are dominant
- Chinese are catching up
- FNR technology was originally developed in the USA but, after 30 years of successful development and demonstration, the US FNR program was terminated in 1994 by the Clinton administration which was more interested in promoting the fossil fuel industry than in preventing global warming.

However, the Russians and Chinese recognized the merits of advanced nuclear power technology and today are dominating FNR technology and the international power reactor market.
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SLIDE #19, FNR DIAGRAM - FNR SIDE ELEVATION CROSS SECTION

This diagram shows a side elevation cross section of a FNR. A FNR consists of a core fuel zone (shown in red) containing Pu-239 surrounded by a blanket fuel zone (shown in pink) containing U-238, and fuel tube plenums (shown in orange) for inert gas fission product collection, all of which are immersed in a pool of liquid sodium (shown in yellow).
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SLIDE #20, FNR DIAGRAM FNR OPERATION:
Core (Pu fission neutrons) > Blanket (Pu formation)
During FNR operation the Pu-239 nuclei in the core fuel (shown in red) fission and emit heat and neutrons. The U-238 atoms in the blanket fuel (shown in pink) absorb the surplus neutrons and become new Pu-239 and Pu-240 atoms.

Due to its large thermal coefficient of expansion the liquid sodium naturally circulates and efficiently transfers heat from the vertical hot fuel tubes (shown in red and pink) to the vertical intermediate heat exchange tubes (shown in green).
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SLIDE #21, FNR DIAGRAM FNR GUARD BAND > LONG SODIUM POOL LIFE
A liquid sodium guard band around the FNR fuel assembly absorbs leakage neutrons thus preventing neutron activation and long term damage to the sodium pool structure and to the intermediate heat exchange tube bundles. The sodium guard band also absorbs hard gamma radiation.
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SLIDE #22, FNR OPERATING TEMPERATURE
- Set at 450 deg C by fuel geometry
- regulated by thermal expansion and contraction
The FNR operating temperature is a function of its core fuel geometry. This temperature is normally set at about 450 degrees C and is regulated by thermal expansion and contraction of the fuel and coolant. On heating the distance between the atomic nuclei increases, as a result of thermal expansion, allowing a larger fraction of the fission neutrons to escape from the reactor core, which stops the nuclear chain reaction. On cooling the chain reaction restarts.
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SLIDE #23 FNR SAFETY:
- site above maximum possible flood level;
- atmospheric pressure;
- high temperature > chain reaction shutdown;
- air cooling;
- natural sodium circulation;
- loss of control power > cold shutdown;
- formation of Pu-240 > prevents proliferation;
- walk away safe;
- autonomous operation;
Pool type liquid sodium cooled FNRs operate at atmospheric pressure and can be safely sited at urban locations above the maximum possible flood level.

A FNR rejects waste heat via air cooling and via distributed district heating and dehumidification systems. This heat rejection methodology minimizes environmental impact.

All essential FNR internal cooling is by natural circulation of sodium. Hence maintaining liquid sodium pump power after reactor shutdown is not a concern.

On loss of control power gravity changes the fuel geometry which causes a reactor cold shutdown.

Formation of Pu-240 prevents the fuel being used to make fission bombs.

Thus, properly designed FNRs are walk away safe and are potentially suitable for unmanned automous operation.
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SLIDE #24 FNR FUEL REPROCESSING:

Fuel Source	Blanket	Core	Zr recovery	Storage
U-238 >	Pu-239 >	Fission Products >	>	Containers

Closed cycle fuel reprocessing is periodically used to remove fission products from the reactor core, to transfer new plutonium from the reactor blanket to the reactor core and to load new U-238 into the reactor blanket.

Zirconium is selectively extracted from the fission products and is used to maintain the required fuel alloy zirconium fraction.

After zirconium extraction the fission products, which have short half lives, are packaged in porcelain-metal containers and moved into isolated dry storage.
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SLIDE #25 FISSION PRODUCT DECAY & CHEMICAL SEPARATION
- 300 years in isolated storage
- subsequent chemical separation of trace radioactive elements
- yields stable rare earth elements
During 300 years in isolated dry storage natural radioactive decay reduces the radio toxicity of the fission products to less than the radio toxicity of natural uranium.

After 300 years the fission products are removed from storage and the remaining radio active elements are chemically separated from the stable rare earth elements.
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SLIDE #26 REMAINING RADIOACTIVE ELEMENTS > DEEP GEOLOGIC REPOSITORY
The remaining radio active elements, now mass reduced by more than 1000 fold as compared to spent fuel from existing reactors, are permanently stored in high density granite rock caverns that are naturally dry and are located high above both sea level and the surrounding water table.
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SLIDE #27
FNR CORE FUEL = 20% (Pu-239, Pu-240), 70% U-238, 10% Zr
An issue that may limit the rate of FNR deployment is conservation of the existing inventories of U-235, plutonium and spent reactor fuel which will be required to make FNR core start fuel. All present actions to consume, bury or otherwise render such material inaccessible should be terminated forthwith.
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SLIDE #28 ELECTRICITY MARKET PROBLEMS:
Presently, when non-fossil generation > load
the excess non-fossil power is discarded

Presently, when intermittent generation < load
fossil fuel generation is used.

I now address Electricity Market Problems which impact all non-fossil electricity generation.

At present electricity generation is dispatched to equal the uncontrolled electricity load. When the non-fossil generation capacity exceeds the load non-fossil energy is discarded by generation curtailment instead of being used to displace fossil fuels.

At present when intermittent non-fossil generation is insufficient to meet the load there is an implicit assumption that the generation shortfall will be met by fossil fuelled generation instead of by load reduction.
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SLIDE #29 MATCHING LOAD TO GENERATION:
In the future Non-fossil generation should be almost unconstrained.
Adjust Total Load to equal Total available non-fossil generation.

Interruptible Electricity > New energy category

In the future to maximize displacement of fossil fuels the non-fossil generation should run almost unconstrained. The amount of enabled Interruptible Load should be continuously adjusted by the electricity distributor so that the Total Load equals the Total Available Non-Fossil Generation.

Interruptible Electricity is available non-fossil power that is surplus to the instantaneous Dependable Electricity load. Interruptible Electricity is an entirely new energy category.
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SLIDE #30 INTERRUPTIBLE ELECTRICITY APPLICATIONS:
- charge energy storage;
- electrolytic hydrogen production;
- heating fuel displacement.
Interruptible electricity has almost zero marginal cost and should be priced at about $0.02 / kWh to make it cheaper than fossil fuels. Low cost interruptible electricity can used for charging energy storage, for hydrogen production and for heating fuel displacement. Hydrogen is a feedstock for a wide array of processes including producing high energy density synthetic fuels, realizing high temperatures in industrial processes and meeting peak winter space heating loads.
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SLIDE #31 NEW ELECTRICITY RATE STRUCTURE
Each consumer has:
- A load requiring Dependable Power;
- A load which uses only Interruptible Power;
- The Interruptible Load is enabled by the electricity distributor only to the extent that the Dependable Power load remains satisfied.

In the future each consumer will have two electricity loads, a load requiring Dependable Electricity and a load that uses only Interruptible Electricity. The energy cost per kWh will be the same for both loads but the load requiring Dependable Electricity will be subject to a further peak demand charge which reflects the extra cost of providing Dependable non-fossil electricity.

The interruptible load will only be enabled by the electricity distributor during time intervals when there is non-fossil power available that is surplus to the Dependable Electricity load requirement. The peak demand for billing purposes for a particular consumer will be calculated only during time intervals when that consumer's interruptible load is not enabled by the electricity distributor.

The total amount of interruptible load enabled at any instant in time will change to match the available amount of interruptible power.

Under this electricity rate structure consumers pay for energy (kWhe) and for their use of dependable electricity system capacity (peak kWe). Dependable generation is adequately rewarded for its capacity. Adoption of this electricity rate structure will likely be a precondition for financing new nuclear power stations.

This electricity rate structure also gives value to consumer owned energy storage that can convert low cost Interruptible Electricity into more Dependable Electricity.
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SLIDE #32
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES:
a) High purity sodium (~ 5000 tonnes / 1000 MWt);

b) High purity ferrochrome tubing
(0.5 inch OD, ~ 2600 km / 1000 MWt);

c) Selective uranium oxide extraction from
existing spent reactor fuel ;

d) Reduction of spent fuel oxides to metals;
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES:
a) High purity sodium production (~ 5000 tonnes / 1000 MWt reactor);

b) High purity ferrochrome tube production
(0.5 inch OD X 0.065 inch wall, 12% Cr, low Ni, low C, ~ 2600 km / 1000 MWt reactor);

c) Selective uranium oxide extraction from existing spent reactor
fuel via two step recrystalization;

d) Reduction of spent fuel oxides to metals;
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SLIDE #33
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES (CONTINUED):
e) High temperature electrolytic separation of
high and low atomic weight elements;

f) Selective zirconium extraction from F.P.;

g) Production of porcelain-metal containers
for storage of fission products.

h) Production of synthetic liquid fuels from hydrogen,
biomass and nuclear reactor supplied heat.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES (CONTINUED):
e) High temperature electrolytic separation of high (U, Pu) and low (F.P.) atomic weight elements;

f) Selective zirconium extraction from fission products;

g) Production of porcelain-metal containers
for storage of fission products.

h) Production of synthetic liquid fuels from hydrogen,
biomass and nuclear reactor supplied heat.
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SLIDE #34
TAKE AWAY MESSAGES :
a) Renewable Energy is intermittent and seasonal
Dependable Power is from hydro and FNRs;

b) FNRs feature:
- improved safety
- 100X improved fuel efficiency,
- 1000X less long lived waste,
- load following;

c) Conserve spent reactor fuel, Pu-239 and U-235;
TAKE AWAY MESSAGES :
a) Renewable Energy is intermittent and seasonal
Dependable Power is hydro-electric and from FNRs;

b) FNRs feature:
- improved safety
- 100X improved fuel efficiency,
- 1000X less long lived waste,
- load following;

c) Conserve spent reactor fuel, Pu-239 and U-235;
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SLIDE #35
TAKE AWAY MESSAGES (CONTINUED):
d) Interruptible electricity rates
enable use of otherwise discarded
non-fossil electricity;

e) Chemical engineering opportunities in:
- Fast Neutron Reactors, fuel reprocessing
- hydrogen and synthetic fuels
- energy storage systems.
TAKE AWAY MESSAGES (CONTINUED):
d) Interruptible electricity rates
enable use of otherwise discarded
non-fossil electricity;

e) Chemical engineering opportunities in:
- Fast Neutron Reactors, fuel reprocessing
- hydrogen and synthetic fuels
- energy storage systems.
 

Thank you for your attention.

This web page last updated March 10, 2019.