Identification of fuel cycle simulator functionalities for analysis of transition to a new fuel cycle

DOE PAGES

Brown, Nicholas R.; Carlsen, Brett W.; Dixon, Brent W.; ...

2016-06-09

Dynamic fuel cycle simulation tools are intended to model holistic transient nuclear fuel cycle scenarios. As with all simulation tools, fuel cycle simulators require verification through unit tests, benchmark cases, and integral tests. Model validation is a vital aspect as well. Although compara-tive studies have been performed, there is no comprehensive unit test and benchmark library for fuel cycle simulator tools. The objective of this paper is to identify the must test functionalities of a fuel cycle simulator tool within the context of specific problems of interest to the Fuel Cycle Options Campaign within the U.S. Department of Energy smore » Office of Nuclear Energy. The approach in this paper identifies the features needed to cover the range of promising fuel cycle options identified in the DOE-NE Fuel Cycle Evaluation and Screening (E&S) and categorizes these features to facilitate prioritization. Features were categorized as essential functions, integrating features, and exemplary capabilities. One objective of this paper is to propose a library of unit tests applicable to each of the essential functions. Another underlying motivation for this paper is to encourage an international dialog on the functionalities and standard test methods for fuel cycle simulator tools.« less

Multiple recycle of REMIX fuel at VVER-1000 operation in closed fuel cycle

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Alekseev, P. N.; Bobrov, E. A., E-mail: evgeniybobrov89@rambler.ru; Chibinyaev, A. V.

2015-12-15

The basic features of loading the VVER-1000 core with a new variant of REMIX fuel (REgenerated MIXture of U–Pu oxides) are considered during its multiple recycle in a closed nuclear fuel cycle. The fuel composition is produced on the basis of the uranium–plutonium regenerate extracted at processing the spent nuclear fuel (SNF) from a VVER-1000, depleted uranium, and the fissionable material: {sup 235}U as a part of highly enriched uranium (HEU) from warheads superfluous for defense purposes or {sup 233}U accumulated in thorium blankets of fusion (electronuclear) neutron sources or fast reactors. Production of such a fuel assumes no usemore » of natural uranium in addition. When converting a part of the VVER-1000 reactors to the closed fuel cycle based on the REMIX technology, the consumption of natural uranium decreases considerably, and there is no substantial degradation of the isotopic composition of plutonium or change in the reactor-safety characteristics at the passage from recycle to recycle.« less

77 FR 65729 - Uranium Enrichment Fuel Cycle Facility Inspection Reports Regarding Louisiana Energy Services LLC...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-30

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. 70-3103; NRC-2010-0264] Uranium Enrichment Fuel Cycle Facility Inspection Reports Regarding Louisiana Energy Services LLC, National Enrichment Facility, Eunice..., Chief, Uranium Enrichment Branch, Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards, Office of Nuclear...

Safeguards Considerations for Thorium Fuel Cycles

DOE PAGES

Worrall, Louise G.; Worrall, Andrew; Flanagan, George F.; ...

2016-04-21

We report that by around 2025, thorium-based fuel cycles are likely to be deployed internationally. States such as China and India are pursuing research, development, and deployment pathways toward a number of commercial-scale thorium fuel cycles, and they are already building test reactors and the associated fuel cycle infrastructure. In the future, the potential exists for these emerging programs to sell, export, and deploy thorium fuel cycle technology in other states. Without technically adequate international safeguards protocols and measures in place, any future potential clandestine misuse of these fuel cycles could go undetected, compromising the deterrent value of these protocolsmore » and measures. The development of safeguards approaches for thorium-based fuel cycles is therefore a matter of some urgency. Yet, the focus of the international safeguards community remains mainly on safeguarding conventional 235U- and 239Pu-based fuel cycles while the safeguards challenges of thorium-uranium fuel cycles remain largely uninvestigated. This raises the following question: Is the International Atomic Energy Agency and international safeguards system ready for thorium fuel cycles? Furthermore, is the safeguards technology of today sufficiently mature to meet the verification challenges posed by thorium-based fuel cycles? In defining these and other related research questions, the objectives of this paper are to identify key safeguards considerations for thorium-based fuel cycles and to call for an early dialogue between the international safeguards and the nuclear fuel cycle communities to prepare for the potential safeguards challenges associated with these fuel cycles. In this paper, it is concluded that directed research and development programs are required to meet the identified safeguards challenges and to take timely action in preparation for the international deployment of thorium fuel cycles.« less

Benefits of barrier fuel on fuel cycle economics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Crowther, R.L.; Kunz, C.L.

1988-01-01

Barrier fuel rod cladding was developed to eliminate fuel rod failures from pellet/cladding stress/corrosion interaction and to eliminate the associated need to restrict the rate at which fuel rod power can be increased. The performance of barrier cladding has been demonstrated through extensive testing and through production application to many boiling water reactors (BWRs). Power reactor data have shown that barrier fuel rod cladding has a significant beneficial effect on plant capacity factor and plant operating costs and significantly increases fuel reliability. Independent of the fuel reliability benefit, it is less obvious that barrier fuel has a beneficial effect ofmore » fuel cycle costs, since barrier cladding is more costly to fabricate. Evaluations, measurements, and development activities, however, have shown that the fuel cycle cost benefits of barrier fuel are large. This paper is a summary of development activities that have shown that application of barrier fuel significantly reduces BWR fuel cycle costs.« less

Cycling transport safety quantification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drbohlav, Jiri; Kocourek, Josef

2018-05-01

Dynamic interest in cycling transport brings the necessity to design safety cycling infrastructure. In las few years, couple of norms with safety elements have been designed and suggested for the cycling infrastructure. But these were not fully examined. The main parameter of suitable and fully functional transport infrastructure is the evaluation of its safety. Common evaluation of transport infrastructure safety is based on accident statistics. These statistics are suitable for motor vehicle transport but unsuitable for the cycling transport. Cycling infrastructure evaluation of safety is suitable for the traffic conflicts monitoring. The results of this method are fast, based on real traffic situations and can be applied on any traffic situations.

Impacts of Heterogeneous Recycle in Fast Reactors on Overall Fuel Cycle

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Temitope A. Taiwo; Samuel E. Bays; Abdullatif M. Yacout

2011-03-01

A study in the United States has evaluated the attributes of the heterogeneous recycle approach for plutonium and minor actinide transmutation in fast reactor fuel cycles, with comparison to the homogeneous recycle approach, where pertinent. The work investigated the characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages of the approach in the overall fuel cycle, including reactor transmutation, systems and safety impacts, fuel separation and fabrication issues, and proliferation risk and transportation impacts. For this evaluation, data from previous and ongoing national studies on heterogeneous recycle were reviewed and synthesized. Where useful, information from international sources was included in the findings. The intent ofmore » the work was to provide a comprehensive assessment of the heterogeneous recycle approach at the current time.« less

The role of accelerators in the nuclear fuel cycle

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Takahashi, Hiroshi.

1990-01-01

The use of neutrons produced by the medium energy proton accelerator (1 GeV--3 GeV) has considerable potential in reconstructing the nuclear fuel cycle. About 1.5 {approximately} 2.5 ton of fissile material can be produced annually by injecting a 450 MW proton beam directly into fertile materials. A source of neutrons, produced by a proton beam, to supply subcritical reactors could alleviate many of the safety problems associated with critical assemblies, such as positive reactivity coefficients due to coolant voiding. The transient power of the target can be swiftly controlled by controlling the power of the proton beam. Also, the usemore » of a proton beam would allow more flexibility in the choice of fuel and structural materials which otherwise might reduce the reactivity of reactors. This paper discusses the rate of accelerators in the transmutation of radioactive wastes of the nuclear fuel cycles. 34 refs., 17 figs., 9 tabs.« less

Fuel cycle cost reduction through Westinghouse fuel design and core management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Frank, F.J.; Scherpereel, L.R.

1985-11-01

This paper describes advances in Westinghouse nuclear fuel and their impact on fuel cycle cost. Recent fabrication development has been aimed at maintaining high integrity, increased operating flexibility, longer operating cycles, and improved core margins. Development efforts at Westinghouse toward meeting these directions have culminated in VANTAGE 5 fuel. The current trend toward longer operating cycles provides a further driving force to minimize the resulting inherent increase in fuel cycle costs by further increases in region discharge burnup. Westinghouse studies indicate the capability of currently offered products to meet cycle lengths up to 24 months.

Sipping fuel and saving lives: increasing fuel economy withoutsacrificing safety

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gordon, Deborah; Greene, David L.; Ross, Marc H.

The public, automakers, and policymakers have long worried about trade-offs between increased fuel economy in motor vehicles and reduced safety. The conclusion of a broad group of experts on safety and fuel economy in the auto sector is that no trade-off is required. There are a wide variety of technologies and approaches available to advance vehicle fuel economy that have no effect on vehicle safety. Conversely, there are many technologies and approaches available to advance vehicle safety that are not detrimental to vehicle fuel economy. Congress is considering new policies to increase the fuel economy of new automobiles in ordermore » to reduce oil dependence and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The findings reported here offer reassurance on an important dimension of that work: It is possible to significantly increase the fuel economy of motor vehicles without compromising their safety. Automobiles on the road today demonstrate that higher fuel economy and greater safety can co-exist. Some of the safest vehicles have higher fuel economy, while some of the least safe vehicles driven today--heavy, large trucks and SUVs--have the lowest fuel economy. At an October 3, 2006 workshop, leading researchers from national laboratories, academia, auto manufacturers, insurance research industry, consumer and environmental groups, material supply industries, and the federal government agreed that vehicles could be designed to simultaneously improve safety and fuel economy. The real question is not whether we can realize this goal, but the best path to get there. The experts' studies reveal important new conclusions about fuel economy and safety, including: (1) Vehicle fuel economy can be increased without affecting safety, and vice versa; (2) Reducing the weight and height of the heaviest SUVs and pickup trucks will simultaneously increase both their fuel economy and overall safety; and (3) Advanced materials can decouple size from mass, creating important new

Occupational safety data and casualty rates for the uranium fuel cycle. [Glossaries

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

O'Donnell, F.R.; Hoy, H.C.

1981-10-01

Occupational casualty (injuries, illnesses, fatalities, and lost workdays) and production data are presented and used to calculate occupational casualty incidence rates for technologies that make up the uranium fuel cycle, including: mining, milling, conversion, and enrichment of uranium; fabrication of reactor fuel; transportation of uranium and fuel elements; generation of electric power; and transmission of electric power. Each technology is treated in a separate chapter. All data sources are referenced. All steps used to calculate normalized occupational casualty incidence rates from the data are presented. Rates given include fatalities, serious cases, and lost workdays per 100 man-years worked, per 10/supmore » 12/ Btu of energy output, and per other appropriate units of output.« less

Variants of closing the nuclear fuel cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andrianova, E. A.; Davidenko, V. D.; Tsibulskiy, V. F.; Tsibulskiy, S. V.

2015-12-01

Influence of the nuclear energy structure, the conditions of fuel burnup, and accumulation of new fissile isotopes from the raw isotopes on the main parameters of a closed fuel cycle is considered. The effects of the breeding ratio, the cooling time of the spent fuel in the external fuel cycle, and the separation of the breeding area and the fissile isotope burning area on the parameters of the fuel cycle are analyzed.

Indirect-fired gas turbine dual fuel cell power cycle

DOEpatents

Micheli, Paul L.; Williams, Mark C.; Sudhoff, Frederick A.

1996-01-01

A fuel cell and gas turbine combined cycle system which includes dual fuel cell cycles combined with a gas turbine cycle wherein a solid oxide fuel cell cycle operated at a pressure of between 6 to 15 atms tops the turbine cycle and is used to produce CO.sub.2 for a molten carbonate fuel cell cycle which bottoms the turbine and is operated at essentially atmospheric pressure. A high pressure combustor is used to combust the excess fuel from the topping fuel cell cycle to further heat the pressurized gas driving the turbine. A low pressure combustor is used to combust the excess fuel from the bottoming fuel cell to reheat the gas stream passing out of the turbine which is used to preheat the pressurized air stream entering the topping fuel cell before passing into the bottoming fuel cell cathode. The CO.sub.2 generated in the solid oxide fuel cell cycle cascades through the system to the molten carbonate fuel cell cycle cathode.

Assessment for advanced fuel cycle options in CANDU

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Morreale, A.C.; Luxat, J.C.; Friedlander, Y.

2013-07-01

The possible options for advanced fuel cycles in CANDU reactors including actinide burning options and thorium cycles were explored and are feasible options to increase the efficiency of uranium utilization and help close the fuel cycle. The actinide burning TRUMOX approach uses a mixed oxide fuel of reprocessed transuranic actinides from PWR spent fuel blended with natural uranium in the CANDU-900 reactor. This system reduced actinide content by 35% and decreased natural uranium consumption by 24% over a PWR once through cycle. The thorium cycles evaluated used two CANDU-900 units, a generator and a burner unit along with a drivermore » fuel feedstock. The driver fuels included plutonium reprocessed from PWR, from CANDU and low enriched uranium (LEU). All three cycles were effective options and reduced natural uranium consumption over a PWR once through cycle. The LEU driven system saw the largest reduction with a 94% savings while the plutonium driven cycles achieved 75% savings for PWR and 87% for CANDU. The high neutron economy, online fuelling and flexible compact fuel make the CANDU system an ideal reactor platform for many advanced fuel cycles.« less

Life cycle assessment of automobile/fuel options.

PubMed

MacLean, Heather L; Lave, Lester B

2003-12-01

We examine the possibilities for a "greener" car that would use less material and fuel, be less polluting, and would have a well-managed end-of-life. Light-duty vehicles are fundamental to our economy and will continue to be for the indefinite future. Any redesign to make these vehicles greener requires consumer acceptance. Consumer desires for large, powerful vehicles have been the major stumbling block in achieving a "green car". The other major barrier is inherent contradictions among social goals such as fuel economy, safety, low emissions of pollutants, and low emissions of greenhouse gases, which has led to conflicting regulations such as emissions regulations blocking sales of direct injection diesels in California, which would save fuel. In evaluating fuel/vehicle options with the potential to improve the greenness of cars [diesel (direct injection) and ethanol in internal combustion engines, battery-powered, gasoline hybrid electric, and hydrogen fuel cells], we find no option dominates the others on all dimensions. The principles of green design developed by Anastas and Zimmerman (Environ. Sci. Technol. 2003, 37, 94A-101A) and the use of a life cycle approach provide insights on the key sustainability issues associated with the various options.

Modeling and analysis of tritium dynamics in a DT fusion fuel cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuan, William

1998-11-01

A number of crucial design issues have a profound effect on the dynamics of the tritium fuel cycle in a DT fusion reactor, where the development of appropriate solutions to these issues is of particular importance to the introduction of fusion as a commercial system. Such tritium-related issues can be classified according to their operational, safety, and economic impact to the operation of the reactor during its lifetime. Given such key design issues inherent in next generation fusion devices using the DT fuel cycle development of appropriate models can then lead to optimized designs of the fusion fuel cycle for different types of DT fusion reactors. In this work, two different types of modeling approaches are developed and their application to solving key tritium issues presented. For the first approach, time-dependent inventories, concentrations, and flow rates characterizing the main subsystems of the fuel cycle are simulated with a new dynamic modular model of a fusion reactor's fuel cycle, named X-TRUFFLES (X-Windows TRitiUm Fusion Fuel cycLE dynamic Simulation). The complex dynamic behavior of the recycled fuel within each of the modeled subsystems is investigated using this new integrated model for different reactor scenarios and design approaches. Results for a proposed fuel cycle design taking into account current technologies are presented, including sensitivity studies. Ways to minimize the tritium inventory are also assessed by examining various design options that could be used to minimize local and global tritium inventories. The second modeling approach involves an analytical model to be used for the calculation of the required tritium breeding ratio, i.e., a primary design issue which relates directly to the feasibility and economics of DT fusion systems. A time-integrated global tritium balance scheme is developed and appropriate analytical expressions are derived for tritium self-sufficiency relevant parameters. The easy exploration of the large

International nuclear fuel cycle fact book. Revision 6

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harmon, K.M.; Lakey, L.T.; Leigh, I.W.

1986-01-01

The International Fuel Cycle Fact Book has been compiled in an effort to provide (1) an overview of worldwide nuclear power and fuel cycle programs and (2) current data concerning fuel cycle and waste management facilities, R and D programs and key personnel. Additional information on each country's program is available in the International Source Book: Nuclear Fuel Cycle Research and Development, PNL-2478, Rev. 2.

Environmental Impacts, Health and Safety Impacts, and Financial Costs of the Front End of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brett W Carlsen; Urairisa Phathanapirom; Eric Schneider

2013-07-01

FEFC processes, unlike many of the proposed fuel cycles and technologies under consideration, involve mature operational processes presently in use at a number of facilities worldwide. This report identifies significant impacts resulting from these current FEFC processes and activities. Impacts considered to be significant are those that may be helpful in differentiating between fuel cycle performance and for which the FEFC impact is not negligible relative to those from the remainder of the full fuel cycle. This report: • Defines ‘representative’ processes that typify impacts associated with each step of the FEFC, • Establishes a framework and architecture for rollingmore » up impacts into normalized measures that can be scaled to quantify their contribution to the total impacts associated with various fuel cycles, and • Develops and documents the bases for estimates of the impacts and costs associated with each of the representative FEFC processes.« less

To Recycle or Not to Recycle? An Intergenerational Approach to Nuclear Fuel Cycles

PubMed Central

Kloosterman, Jan Leen

2007-01-01

This paper approaches the choice between the open and closed nuclear fuel cycles as a matter of intergenerational justice, by revealing the value conflicts in the production of nuclear energy. The closed fuel cycle improve sustainability in terms of the supply certainty of uranium and involves less long-term radiological risks and proliferation concerns. However, it compromises short-term public health and safety and security, due to the separation of plutonium. The trade-offs in nuclear energy are reducible to a chief trade-off between the present and the future. To what extent should we take care of our produced nuclear waste and to what extent should we accept additional risks to the present generation, in order to diminish the exposure of future generation to those risks? The advocates of the open fuel cycle should explain why they are willing to transfer all the risks for a very long period of time (200,000 years) to future generations. In addition, supporters of the closed fuel cycle should underpin their acceptance of additional risks to the present generation and make the actual reduction of risk to the future plausible. PMID:18075732

To recycle or not to recycle? An intergenerational approach to nuclear fuel cycles.

PubMed

Taebi, Behnam; Kloosterman, Jan Leen

2008-06-01

This paper approaches the choice between the open and closed nuclear fuel cycles as a matter of intergenerational justice, by revealing the value conflicts in the production of nuclear energy. The closed fuel cycle improve sustainability in terms of the supply certainty of uranium and involves less long-term radiological risks and proliferation concerns. However, it compromises short-term public health and safety and security, due to the separation of plutonium. The trade-offs in nuclear energy are reducible to a chief trade-off between the present and the future. To what extent should we take care of our produced nuclear waste and to what extent should we accept additional risks to the present generation, in order to diminish the exposure of future generation to those risks? The advocates of the open fuel cycle should explain why they are willing to transfer all the risks for a very long period of time (200,000 years) to future generations. In addition, supporters of the closed fuel cycle should underpin their acceptance of additional risks to the present generation and make the actual reduction of risk to the future plausible.

Standardized verification of fuel cycle modeling

DOE PAGES

Feng, B.; Dixon, B.; Sunny, E.; ...

2016-04-05

A nuclear fuel cycle systems modeling and code-to-code comparison effort was coordinated across multiple national laboratories to verify the tools needed to perform fuel cycle analyses of the transition from a once-through nuclear fuel cycle to a sustainable potential future fuel cycle. For this verification study, a simplified example transition scenario was developed to serve as a test case for the four systems codes involved (DYMOND, VISION, ORION, and MARKAL), each used by a different laboratory participant. In addition, all participants produced spreadsheet solutions for the test case to check all the mass flows and reactor/facility profiles on a year-by-yearmore » basis throughout the simulation period. The test case specifications describe a transition from the current US fleet of light water reactors to a future fleet of sodium-cooled fast reactors that continuously recycle transuranic elements as fuel. After several initial coordinated modeling and calculation attempts, it was revealed that most of the differences in code results were not due to different code algorithms or calculation approaches, but due to different interpretations of the input specifications among the analysts. Therefore, the specifications for the test case itself were iteratively updated to remove ambiguity and to help calibrate interpretations. In addition, a few corrections and modifications were made to the codes as well, which led to excellent agreement between all codes and spreadsheets for this test case. Although no fuel cycle transition analysis codes matched the spreadsheet results exactly, all remaining differences in the results were due to fundamental differences in code structure and/or were thoroughly explained. As a result, the specifications and example results are provided so that they can be used to verify additional codes in the future for such fuel cycle transition scenarios.« less

Engine performance with a hydrogenated safety fuel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schey, Oscar W; Young, Alfred W

1933-01-01

This report presents the results of an investigation to determine the engine performance obtained with a hydrogenated safety fuel developed to eliminate fire hazard. The tests were made on a single-cylinder universal test engine at compression ratios of 5.0, 5.5, and 6.0. Most of the tests were made with a fuel-injection system, although one set of runs was made with a carburetor when using gasoline to establish comparative performance. The tests show that the b.m.e.p. obtained with safety fuel when using a fuel-injection system is slightly higher than that obtained with gasoline when using a carburetor, although the fuel consumption with safety fuel is higher. When the fuel-injection system is used with each fuel and with normal engine temperatures the b.m.e.p. with safety fuel is from 2 to 4 percent lower than with gasoline and the fuel consumption about 25 to 30 percent higher. However, a few tests at an engine coolant temperature of 250 F have shown a specific fuel consumption approximating that obtained with gasoline with only a slight reduction in power. The idling of the test engine was satisfactory with the safety fuel. Starting was difficult with a cold engine but could be readily accomplished when the jacket water was hot. It is believed that the use of the safety fuel would practically eliminate crash fires.

International nuclear fuel cycle fact book. Revision 4

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harmon, K.M.; Lakey, L.T.; Leigh, I.W.

This Fact Book has been compiled in an effort to provide (1) an overview of worldwide nuclear power and fuel cycle programs and (2) current data concerning fuel cycle and waste management facilities, R and D programs, and key personnel in countries other than the United States. Additional information on each country's program is available in the International Source Book: Nuclear Fuel Cycle Research and Development, PNL-2478, Rev. 2. The Fact Book is organized as follows: (1) Overview section - summary tables which indicate national involvement in nuclear reactor, fuel cycle, and waste management development activities; (2) national summaries -more » a section for each country which summarizes nuclear policy, describes organizational relationships and provides addresses, names of key personnel, and facilities information; (3) international agencies - a section for each of the international agencies which has significant fuel cycle involvement; (4) energy supply and demand - summary tables, including nuclear power projections; (5) fuel cycle - summary tables; and (6) travel aids - international dialing instructions, international standard time chart, passport and visa requirements, and currency exchange rate.« less

International Nuclear Fuel Cycle Fact Book. Revision 5

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harmon, K.M.; Lakey, L.T.; Leigh, I.W.

This Fact Book has been compiled in an effort to provide: (1) an overview of worldwide nuclear power and fuel cycle programs; and (2) current data concerning fuel cycle and waste management facilities, R and D programs, and key personnel in countries other than the United States. Additional information on each country's program is available in the International Source Book: Nuclear Fuel Cycle Research and Development, PNL-2478, Rev. 2. The Fact Book is organized as follows: (1) Overview section - summary tables which indicate national involvement in nuclear reactor, fuel cycle, and waste management development activities; (2) national summaries -more » a section for each country which summarizes nuclear policy, describes organizational relationships and provides addresses, names of key personnel, and facilities information; (3) international agencies - a section for each of the international agencies which has significant fuel cycle involvement; (4) energy supply and demand - summary tables, including nuclear power projections; (5) fuel cycle - summary tables; and (6) travel aids international dialing instructions, international standard time chart, passport and visa requirements, and currency exchange rate.« less

Nuclear Fuel Cycle Options Catalog: FY16 Improvements and Additions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Price, Laura L.; Barela, Amanda Crystal; Schetnan, Richard Reed

2016-08-31

The United States Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy, Fuel Cycle Technology Program sponsors nuclear fuel cycle research and development. As part of its Fuel Cycle Options campaign, the DOE has established the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Options Catalog. The catalog is intended for use by the Fuel Cycle Technologies Program in planning its research and development activities and disseminating information regarding nuclear energy to interested parties. The purpose of this report is to document the improvements and additions that have been made to the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Options Catalog in the 2016 fiscal year.

ORIGEN-based Nuclear Fuel Inventory Module for Fuel Cycle Assessment: Final Project Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Skutnik, Steven E.

The goal of this project, “ORIGEN-based Nuclear Fuel Depletion Module for Fuel Cycle Assessment" is to create a physics-based reactor depletion and decay module for the Cyclus nuclear fuel cycle simulator in order to assess nuclear fuel inventories over a broad space of reactor operating conditions. The overall goal of this approach is to facilitate evaluations of nuclear fuel inventories for a broad space of scenarios, including extended used nuclear fuel storage and cascading impacts on fuel cycle options such as actinide recovery in used nuclear fuel, particularly for multiple recycle scenarios. The advantages of a physics-based approach (compared tomore » a recipe-based approach which has been typically employed for fuel cycle simulators) is in its inherent flexibility; such an approach can more readily accommodate the broad space of potential isotopic vectors that may be encountered under advanced fuel cycle options. In order to develop this flexible reactor analysis capability, we are leveraging the Origen nuclear fuel depletion and decay module from SCALE to produce a standalone “depletion engine” which will serve as the kernel of a Cyclus-based reactor analysis module. The ORIGEN depletion module is a rigorously benchmarked and extensively validated tool for nuclear fuel analysis and thus its incorporation into the Cyclus framework can bring these capabilities to bear on the problem of evaluating long-term impacts of fuel cycle option choices on relevant metrics of interest, including materials inventories and availability (for multiple recycle scenarios), long-term waste management and repository impacts, etc. Developing this Origen-based analysis capability for Cyclus requires the refinement of the Origen analysis sequence to the point where it can reasonably be compiled as a standalone sequence outside of SCALE; i.e., wherein all of the computational aspects of Origen (including reactor cross-section library processing and interpolation, input

An Integrated Fuel Depletion Calculator for Fuel Cycle Options Analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schneider, Erich; Scopatz, Anthony

2016-04-25

Bright-lite is a reactor modeling software developed at the University of Texas Austin to expand upon the work done with the Bright [1] reactor modeling software. Originally, bright-lite was designed to function as a standalone reactor modeling software. However, this aim was refocused t couple bright-lite with the Cyclus fuel cycle simulator [2] to make it a module for the fuel cycle simulator.

Advanced Fuel Cycle Cost Basis – 2017 Edition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dixon, B. W.; Ganda, F.; Williams, K. A.

This report, commissioned by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy (NE), provides a comprehensive set of cost data supporting a cost analysis for the relative economic comparison of options for use in the DOE Nuclear Technology Research and Development (NTRD) Program (previously the Fuel Cycle Research and Development (FCRD) and the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI)). The report describes the NTRD cost basis development process, reference information on NTRD cost modules, a procedure for estimating fuel cycle costs, economic evaluation guidelines, and a discussion on the integration of cost data into economic computer models. This reportmore » contains reference cost data for numerous fuel cycle cost modules (modules A-O) as well as cost modules for a number of reactor types (R modules). The fuel cycle cost modules were developed in the areas of natural uranium mining and milling, thorium mining and milling, conversion, enrichment, depleted uranium disposition, fuel fabrication, interim spent fuel storage, reprocessing, waste conditioning, spent nuclear fuel (SNF) packaging, long-term monitored retrievable storage, managed decay storage, recycled product storage, near surface disposal of low-level waste (LLW), geologic repository and other disposal concepts, and transportation processes for nuclear fuel, LLW, SNF, transuranic, and high-level waste. Since its inception, this report has been periodically updated. The last such internal document was published in August 2015 while the last external edition was published in December of 2009 as INL/EXT-07-12107 and is available on the Web at URL: www.inl.gov/technicalpublications/Documents/4536700.pdf. This current report (Sept 2017) is planned to be reviewed for external release, at which time it will replace the 2009 report as an external publication. This information is used in the ongoing evaluation of nuclear fuel cycles by the NE NTRD program.« less

Fuel Cycle Performance of Thermal Spectrum Small Modular Reactors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Worrall, Andrew; Todosow, Michael

2016-01-01

Small modular reactors may offer potential benefits, such as enhanced operational flexibility. However, it is vital to understand the holistic impact of small modular reactors on the nuclear fuel cycle and fuel cycle performance. The focus of this paper is on the fuel cycle impacts of light water small modular reactors in a once-through fuel cycle with low-enriched uranium fuel. A key objective of this paper is to describe preliminary reactor core physics and fuel cycle analyses conducted in support of the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy Fuel Cycle Options Campaign. Challenges with small modular reactors include:more » increased neutron leakage, fewer assemblies in the core (and therefore fewer degrees of freedom in the core design), complex enrichment and burnable absorber loadings, full power operation with inserted control rods, the potential for frequent load-following operation, and shortened core height. Each of these will impact the achievable discharge burn-up in the reactor and the fuel cycle performance. This paper summarizes the results of an expert elicitation focused on developing a list of the factors relevant to small modular reactor fuel, core, and operation that will impact fuel cycle performance. Preliminary scoping analyses were performed using a regulatory-grade reactor core simulator. The hypothetical light water small modular reactor considered in these preliminary scoping studies is a cartridge type one-batch core with 4.9% enrichment. Some core parameters, such as the size of the reactor and general assembly layout, are similar to an example small modular reactor concept from industry. The high-level issues identified and preliminary scoping calculations in this paper are intended to inform on potential fuel cycle impacts of one-batch thermal spectrum SMRs. In particular, this paper highlights the impact of increased neutron leakage and reduced number of batches on the achievable burn-up of the reactor. Fuel cycle

OECD/NEA Ongoing activities related to the nuclear fuel cycle

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cornet, S.M.; McCarthy, K.; Chauvin, N.

2013-07-01

As part of its role in encouraging international collaboration, the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency is coordinating a series of projects related to the Nuclear Fuel Cycle. The Nuclear Science Committee (NSC) Working Party on Scientific Issues of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle (WPFC) comprises five different expert groups covering all aspects of the fuel cycle from front to back-end. Activities related to fuels, materials, physics, separation chemistry, and fuel cycles scenarios are being undertaken. By publishing state-of-the-art reports and organizing workshops, the groups are able to disseminate recent research advancements to the international community. Current activities mainly focus on advanced nuclearmore » systems, and experts are working on analyzing results and establishing challenges associated to the adoption of new materials and fuels. By comparing different codes, the Expert Group on Advanced Fuel Cycle Scenarios is aiming at gaining further understanding of the scientific issues and specific national needs associated with the implementation of advanced fuel cycles. At the back end of the fuel cycle, separation technologies (aqueous and pyrochemical processing) are being assessed. Current and future activities comprise studies on minor actinides separation and post Fukushima studies. Regular workshops are also organized to discuss recent developments on Partitioning and Transmutation. In addition, the Nuclear Development Committee (NDC) focuses on the analysis of the economics of nuclear power across the fuel cycle in the context of changes of electricity markets, social acceptance and technological advances and assesses the availability of the nuclear fuel and infrastructure required for the deployment of existing and future nuclear power. The Expert Group on the Economics of the Back End of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle (EBENFC), in particular, is looking at assessing economic and financial issues related to the long term management of spent nuclear fuel. (authors)« less

Application of Framework for Integrating Safety, Security and Safeguards (3Ss) into the Design Of Used Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Badwan, Faris M.; Demuth, Scott F

Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy, Fuel Cycle Research and Development develops options to the current commercial fuel cycle management strategy to enable the safe, secure, economic, and sustainable expansion of nuclear energy while minimizing proliferation risks by conducting research and development focused on used nuclear fuel recycling and waste management to meet U.S. needs. Used nuclear fuel is currently stored onsite in either wet pools or in dry storage systems, with disposal envisioned in interim storage facility and, ultimately, in a deep-mined geologic repository. The safe management and disposition of used nuclear fuel and/or nuclear waste is amore » fundamental aspect of any nuclear fuel cycle. Integrating safety, security, and safeguards (3Ss) fully in the early stages of the design process for a new nuclear facility has the potential to effectively minimize safety, proliferation, and security risks. The 3Ss integration framework could become the new national and international norm and the standard process for designing future nuclear facilities. The purpose of this report is to develop a framework for integrating the safety, security and safeguards concept into the design of Used Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility (UNFSF). The primary focus is on integration of safeguards and security into the UNFSF based on the existing Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approach to addressing the safety/security interface (10 CFR 73.58 and Regulatory Guide 5.73) for nuclear power plants. The methodology used for adaptation of the NRC safety/security interface will be used as the basis for development of the safeguards /security interface and later will be used as the basis for development of safety and safeguards interface. Then this will complete the integration cycle of safety, security, and safeguards. The overall methodology for integration of 3Ss will be proposed, but only the integration of safeguards and security will be applied to the design

Fuel cycle for a fusion neutron source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ananyev, S. S.; Spitsyn, A. V.; Kuteev, B. V.

2015-12-01

The concept of a tokamak-based stationary fusion neutron source (FNS) for scientific research (neutron diffraction, etc.), tests of structural materials for future fusion reactors, nuclear waste transmutation, fission reactor fuel production, and control of subcritical nuclear systems (fusion-fission hybrid reactor) is being developed in Russia. The fuel cycle system is one of the most important systems of FNS that provides circulation and reprocessing of the deuterium-tritium fuel mixture in all fusion reactor systems: the vacuum chamber, neutral injection system, cryogenic pumps, tritium purification system, separation system, storage system, and tritium-breeding blanket. The existing technologies need to be significantly upgraded since the engineering solutions adopted in the ITER project can be only partially used in the FNS (considering the capacity factor higher than 0.3, tritium flow up to 200 m3Pa/s, and temperature of reactor elements up to 650°C). The deuterium-tritium fuel cycle of the stationary FNS is considered. The TC-FNS computer code developed for estimating the tritium distribution in the systems of FNS is described. The code calculates tritium flows and inventory in tokamak systems (vacuum chamber, cryogenic pumps, neutral injection system, fuel mixture purification system, isotope separation system, tritium storage system) and takes into account tritium loss in the fuel cycle due to thermonuclear burnup and β decay. For the two facility versions considered, FNS-ST and DEMO-FNS, the amount of fuel mixture needed for uninterrupted operation of all fuel cycle systems is 0.9 and 1.4 kg, consequently, and the tritium consumption is 0.3 and 1.8 kg per year, including 35 and 55 g/yr, respectively, due to tritium decay.

77 FR 19278 - Informational Meeting on Nuclear Fuel Cycle Options

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-30

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Informational Meeting on Nuclear Fuel Cycle Options AGENCY: Office of Fuel Cycle Technologies, Office of Nuclear Energy, Department of Energy. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: The Office of Fuel Cycle Technologies will be hosting a one- day informational meeting at the Argonne...

77 FR 823 - Guidance for Fuel Cycle Facility Change Processes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-06

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2009-0262] Guidance for Fuel Cycle Facility Change Processes... Fuel Cycle Facility Change Processes.'' This regulatory guide describes the types of changes for which fuel cycle facility licensees should seek prior approval from the NRC and discusses how licensees can...

76 FR 44049 - Guidance for Fuel Cycle Facility Change Processes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-22

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2009-0262] Guidance for Fuel Cycle Facility Change Processes...-issued Draft Regulatory Guide, DG- 3037, ``Guidance for Fuel Cycle Facility Change Processes'' in the...-3037 from August 12, 2011 to September 16, 2011. DG-3037 describes the types of changes for fuel cycle...

Thorium Fuel Cycle Option Screening in the United States

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Taiwo, Temitope A.; Kim, Taek K.; Wigeland, Roald A.

2016-05-01

As part of a nuclear fuel cycle Evaluation and Screening (E&S) study, a wide-range of thorium fuel cycle options were evaluated and their performance characteristics and challenges to implementation were compared to those of other nuclear fuel cycle options based on criteria specified by the Nuclear Energy Office of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The evaluated nuclear fuel cycles included the once-through, limited, and continuous recycle options using critical or externally-driven nuclear energy systems. The E&S study found that the continuous recycle of 233U/Th in fuel cycles using either thermal or fast reactors is an attractive promising fuel cyclemore » option with high effective fuel resource utilization and low waste generation, but did not perform quite as well as the continuous recycle of Pu/U using a fast critical system, which was identified as one of the most promising fuel cycle options in the E&S study. This is because compared to their uranium counterparts the thorium-based systems tended to have higher radioactivity in the short term (about 100 years post irradiation) because of differences in the fission product yield curves, and in the long term (100,000 years post irradiation) because of the decay of 233U and daughters, and because of higher mass flow rates due to lower discharge burnups. Some of the thorium-based systems also require enriched uranium support, which tends to be detrimental to resource utilization and waste generation metrics. Finally, similar to the need for developing recycle fuel fabrication, fuels separations and fast reactors for the most promising options using Pu/U recycle, the future thorium-based fuel cycle options with continuous recycle would also require such capabilities, although their deployment challenges are expected to be higher since such facilities have not been developed in the past to a comparable level of maturity for Th-based systems.« less

Open-Cycle Gas Turbine/Steam Turbine Combined Cycles with synthetic fuels from coal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shah, R. P.; Corman, J. C.

1977-01-01

The Open-Cycle Gas Turbine/Steam Turbine Combined Cycle can be an effective energy conversion system for converting coal to electricity. The intermediate step in this energy conversion process is to convert the coal into a fuel acceptable to a gas turbine. This can be accomplished by producing a synthetic gas or liquid, and by removing, in the fuel conversion step, the elements in the fuel that would be harmful to the environment if combusted. In this paper, two open-cycle gas turbine combined systems are evaluated: one employing an integrated low-Btu gasifier, and one utilizing a semi-clean liquid fuel. A consistent technical/economic information base is developed for these two systems, and is compared with a reference steam plant burning coal directly in a conventional furnace.

Plutonium: Advancing our Understanding to Support Sustainable Nuclear Fuel Cycles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lines, Amanda M.; Adami, Susan R.; Casella, Amanda

With Global energy needs increasing, real energy solutions to meet demands now, are needed. Fossil fuels are not an ideal candidate to meet these needs because of their negative impact on the environment. Renewables such as wind and solar have huge potential, but still need major technological advancements (particularly in the area of battery storage) before they can effectively meet growing world needs. The best option for meeting large energy needs without a large carbon footprint is nuclear energy. Of course, nuclear energy can face a fair amount of opposition and concern. However, through modern engineering and science many ofmore » these concerns can now be addressed. Many safety concerns can be met by engineering advancements, but perhaps the biggest area of concern is what to do with the used nuclear fuel after it is removed from the reactor. Currently the United States (and several other countries) utilize an open fuel cycle, meaning fuel is only used once and then discarded. It should be noted that fuel coming out of a reactor has utilized approximately 1% of the total energy that could be produced by the uranium in the fuel rod. The answer here is to close the fuel cycle and recycle the nuclear materials. By reprocessing used nuclear fuel, all the U can be repurposed without requiring disposal. The various fission products can be removed and either discarded (hugely reduced waste volume) or more reasonably, utilized in specialty reactors to make more energy or needed research/medical isotopes. While reprocessing technology is currently advanced enough to meet energy needs, completing research to improve and better understand these techniques is still needed. Better understanding behavior of fission products is one area of important research. Despite it being discovered over 75 years ago, plutonium is still an exciting element to study because of the complex solution chemistry it exhibits. In aqueous solutions Pu can exist simultaneously in multiple

Economic Analysis of Complex Nuclear Fuel Cycles with NE-COST

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ganda, Francesco; Dixon, Brent; Hoffman, Edward

The purpose of this work is to present a new methodology, and associated computational tools, developed within the U.S. Department of Energy (U.S. DOE) Fuel Cycle Option Campaign to quantify the economic performance of complex nuclear fuel cycles. The levelized electricity cost at the busbar is generally chosen to quantify and compare the economic performance of different baseload generating technologies, including of nuclear: it is the cost of electricity which renders the risk-adjusted discounted net present value of the investment cash flow equal to zero. The work presented here is focused on the calculation of the levelized cost of electricitymore » of fuel cycles at mass balance equilibrium, which is termed LCAE (Levelized Cost of Electricity at Equilibrium). To alleviate the computational issues associated with the calculation of the LCAE for complex fuel cycles, a novel approach has been developed, which has been called the “island approach” because of its logical structure: a generic complex fuel cycle is subdivided into subsets of fuel cycle facilities, called islands, each containing one and only one type of reactor or blanket and an arbitrary number of fuel cycle facilities. A nuclear economic software tool, NE-COST, written in the commercial programming software MATLAB®, has been developed to calculate the LCAE of complex fuel cycles with the “island” computational approach. NE-COST has also been developed with the capability to handle uncertainty: the input parameters (both unit costs and fuel cycle characteristics) can have uncertainty distributions associated with them, and the output can be computed in terms of probability density functions of the LCAE. In this paper NE-COST will be used to quantify, as examples, the economic performance of (1) current Light Water Reactors (LWR) once-through systems; (2) continuous plutonium recycling in Fast Reactors (FR) with driver and blanket; (3) Recycling of plutonium bred in FR into LWR. For each

Advanced Nuclear Fuel Cycle Transitions: Optimization, Modeling Choices, and Disruptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlsen, Robert W.

Many nuclear fuel cycle simulators have evolved over time to help understan the nuclear industry/ecosystem at a macroscopic level. Cyclus is one of th first fuel cycle simulators to accommodate larger-scale analysis with it liberal open-source licensing and first-class Linux support. Cyclus also ha features that uniquely enable investigating the effects of modeling choices o fuel cycle simulators and scenarios. This work is divided into thre experiments focusing on optimization, effects of modeling choices, and fue cycle uncertainty. Effective optimization techniques are developed for automatically determinin desirable facility deployment schedules with Cyclus. A novel method fo mapping optimization variables to deployment schedules is developed. Thi allows relationships between reactor types and scenario constraints to b represented implicitly in the variable definitions enabling the usage o optimizers lacking constraint support. It also prevents wasting computationa resources evaluating infeasible deployment schedules. Deployed power capacit over time and deployment of non-reactor facilities are also included a optimization variables There are many fuel cycle simulators built with different combinations o modeling choices. Comparing results between them is often difficult. Cyclus flexibility allows comparing effects of many such modeling choices. Reacto refueling cycle synchronization and inter-facility competition among othe effects are compared in four cases each using combinations of fleet of individually modeled reactors with 1-month or 3-month time steps. There are noticeable differences in results for the different cases. The larges differences occur during periods of constrained reactor fuel availability This and similar work can help improve the quality of fuel cycle analysi generally There is significant uncertainty associated deploying new nuclear technologie such as time-frames for technology availability and the cost of buildin advanced reactors

Fuel economy and life-cycle cost analysis of a fuel cell hybrid vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeong, Kwi Seong; Oh, Byeong Soo

The most promising vehicle engine that can overcome the problem of present internal combustion is the hydrogen fuel cell. Fuel cells are devices that change chemical energy directly into electrical energy without combustion. Pure fuel cell vehicles and fuel cell hybrid vehicles (i.e. a combination of fuel cell and battery) as energy sources are studied. Considerations of efficiency, fuel economy, and the characteristics of power output in hybridization of fuel cell vehicle are necessary. In the case of Federal Urban Driving Schedule (FUDS) cycle simulation, hybridization is more efficient than a pure fuel cell vehicle. The reason is that it is possible to capture regenerative braking energy and to operate the fuel cell system within a more efficient range by using battery. Life-cycle cost is largely affected by the fuel cell size, fuel cell cost, and hydrogen cost. When the cost of fuel cell is high, hybridization is profitable, but when the cost of fuel cell is less than 400 US$/kW, a pure fuel cell vehicle is more profitable.

A Non-Proliferating Fuel Cycle: No Enrichment, Reprocessing or Accessible Spent Fuel - 12375

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Parker, Frank L.

2012-07-01

Current fuel cycles offer a number of opportunities for access to plutonium, opportunities to create highly enriched uranium and access highly radioactive wastes to create nuclear weapons and 'dirty' bombs. The non-proliferating fuel cycle however eliminates or reduces such opportunities and access by eliminating the mining, milling and enrichment of uranium. The non-proliferating fuel cycle also reduces the production of plutonium per unit of energy created, eliminates reprocessing and the separation of plutonium from the spent fuel and the creation of a stream of high-level waste. It further simplifies the search for land based deep geologic repositories and interim storagemore » sites for spent fuel in the USA by disposing of the spent fuel in deep sub-seabed sediments after storing the spent fuel at U.S. Navy Nuclear Shipyards that have the space and all of the necessary equipment and security already in place. The non-proliferating fuel cycle also reduces transportation risks by utilizing barges for the collection of spent fuel and transport to the Navy shipyards and specially designed ships to take the spent fuel to designated disposal sites at sea and to dispose of them there in deep sub-seabed sediments. Disposal in the sub-seabed sediments practically eliminates human intrusion. Potential disposal sites include Great Meteor East and Southern Nares Abyssal Plain. Such sites then could easily become international disposal sites since they occur in the open ocean. It also reduces the level of human exposure in case of failure because of the large physical and chemical dilution and the elimination of a major pathway to man-seawater is not potable. Of course, the recovery of uranium from sea water and the disposal of spent fuel in sub-seabed sediments must be proven on an industrial scale. All other technologies are already operating on an industrial scale. If externalities, such as reduced terrorist threats, environmental damage (including embedded emissions

40 CFR 86.335-79 - Gasoline-fueled engine test cycle.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 18 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Gasoline-fueled engine test cycle. 86... Regulations for New Gasoline-Fueled and Diesel-Fueled Heavy-Duty Engines; Gaseous Exhaust Test Procedures § 86.335-79 Gasoline-fueled engine test cycle. (a) The following test sequence shall be followed in...

40 CFR 86.335-79 - Gasoline-fueled engine test cycle.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 19 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Gasoline-fueled engine test cycle. 86... Regulations for New Gasoline-Fueled and Diesel-Fueled Heavy-Duty Engines; Gaseous Exhaust Test Procedures § 86.335-79 Gasoline-fueled engine test cycle. (a) The following test sequence shall be followed in...

40 CFR 86.335-79 - Gasoline-fueled engine test cycle.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 19 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Gasoline-fueled engine test cycle. 86... Regulations for New Gasoline-Fueled and Diesel-Fueled Heavy-Duty Engines; Gaseous Exhaust Test Procedures § 86.335-79 Gasoline-fueled engine test cycle. (a) The following test sequence shall be followed in...

Alternative Fuels Data Center: Biodiesel Codes, Standards, and Safety

Science.gov Websites

Codes, Standards, and Safety to someone by E-mail Share Alternative Fuels Data Center: Biodiesel Codes, Standards, and Safety on Facebook Tweet about Alternative Fuels Data Center: Biodiesel Codes , Standards, and Safety on Twitter Bookmark Alternative Fuels Data Center: Biodiesel Codes, Standards, and

Performance evaluation of two-stage fuel cycle from SFR to PWR

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fei, T.; Hoffman, E.A.; Kim, T.K.

2013-07-01

One potential fuel cycle option being considered is a two-stage fuel cycle system involving the continuous recycle of transuranics in a fast reactor and the use of bred plutonium in a thermal reactor. The first stage is a Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor (SFR) fuel cycle with metallic U-TRU-Zr fuel. The SFRs need to have a breeding ratio greater than 1.0 in order to produce fissile material for use in the second stage. The second stage is a PWR fuel cycle with uranium and plutonium mixed oxide fuel based on the design and performance of the current state-of-the-art commercial PWRs with anmore » average discharge burnup of 50 MWd/kgHM. This paper evaluates the possibility of this fuel cycle option and discusses its fuel cycle performance characteristics. The study focuses on an equilibrium stage of the fuel cycle. Results indicate that, in order to avoid a positive coolant void reactivity feedback in the stage-2 PWR, the reactor requires high quality of plutonium from the first stage and minor actinides in the discharge fuel of the PWR needs to be separated and sent back to the stage-1 SFR. The electricity-sharing ratio between the 2 stages is 87.0% (SFR) to 13.0% (PWR) for a TRU inventory ratio (the mass of TRU in the discharge fuel divided by the mass of TRU in the fresh fuel) of 1.06. A sensitivity study indicated that by increasing the TRU inventory ratio to 1.13, The electricity generation fraction of stage-2 PWR is increased to 28.9%. The two-stage fuel cycle system considered in this study was found to provide a high uranium utilization (>80%). (authors)« less

Nuclear reactor fuel containment safety structure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rosewell, M.P.

A nuclear reactor fuel containment safety structure is disclosed and is shown to include an atomic reactor fuel shield with a fuel containment chamber and exhaust passage means, and a deactivating containment base attached beneath the fuel reactor shield and having exhaust passages, manifold, and fluxing and control material and vessels. 1 claim, 8 figures.

Improvement of tritium accountancy technology for ITER fuel cycle safety enhancement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'hira, S.; Hayashi, T.; Nakamura, H.; Kobayashi, K.; Tadokoro, T.; Nakamura, H.; Itoh, T.; Yamanishi, T.; Kawamura, Y.; Iwai, Y.; Arita, T.; Maruyama, T.; Kakuta, T.; Konishi, S.; Enoeda, M.; Yamada, M.; Suzuki, T.; Nishi, M.; Nagashima, T.; Ohta, M.

2000-03-01

In order to improve the safe handling and control of tritium for the ITER fuel cycle, effective in situ tritium accounting methods have been developed at the Tritium Process Laboratory in the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute under one of the ITER-EDA R&D tasks. The remote and multilocation analysis of process gases by an application of laser Raman spectroscopy developed and tested could provide a measurement of hydrogen isotope gases with a detection limit of 0.3 kPa analytical periods of 120 s. An in situ tritium inventory measurement by application of a `self-assaying' storage bed with 25 g tritium capacity could provide a measurement with the required detection limit of less than 1% and a design proof of a bed with 100 g tritium capacity.

Variants of Regenerated Fissile Materials Usage in Thermal Reactors as the First Stage of Fuel Cycle Closing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andrianova, E. A.; Tsibul'skiy, V. F.

2017-12-01

At present, 240 000 t of spent nuclear fuel (SF) has been accumulated in the world. Its long-term storage should meet safety conditions and requires noticeable finances, which grow every year. Obviously, this situation cannot exist for a long time; in the end, it will require a final decision. At present, several variants of solution of the problem of SF management are considered. Since most of the operating reactors and those under construction are thermal reactors, it is reasonable to assume that the structure of the nuclear power industry in the near and medium-term future will be unchanged, and it will be necessary to utilize plutonium in thermal reactors. In this study, different strategies of SF management are compared: open fuel cycle with long-term SF storage, closed fuel cycle with MOX fuel usage in thermal reactors and subsequent long-term storage of SF from MOX fuel, and closed fuel cycle in thermal reactors with heterogeneous fuel arrangement. The concept of heterogeneous fuel arrangement is considered in detail. While in the case of traditional fuel it is necessary to reprocess the whole amount of spent fuel, in the case of heterogeneous arrangement, it is possible to separate plutonium and 238U in different fuel rods. In this case, it is possible to achieve nearly complete burning of fissile isotopes of plutonium in fuel rods loaded with plutonium. These fuel rods with burned plutonium can be buried after cooling without reprocessing. They would contain just several percent of initially loaded plutonium, mainly even isotopes. Fuel rods with 238U alone should be reprocessed in the usual way.

Closed DTU fuel cycle with Np recycle and waste transmutation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Beller, D.E.; Sailor, W.C.; Venneri, F.

1999-09-01

A nuclear energy scenario for the 21st century that included a denatured thorium-uranium-oxide (DTU) fuel cycle and new light water reactors (LWRs) supported by accelerator-driven transmutation of waste (ATW) systems was previously described. This coupled system with the closed DTU fuel cycle provides several improvements beyond conventional LWR (CLWR) (once-through, UO{sub 2} fuel) nuclear technology: increased proliferation resistance, reduced waste, and efficient use of natural resources. However, like CLWR fuel cycles, the spent fuel in the first one-third core discharged after startup contains higher-quality Pu than the equilibrium fuel cycle. To eliminate this high-grade Pu, Np is separated and recycledmore » with Th and U--rather than with higher actinides [(HA) including Pu]. The presence of Np in the LWR feed greatly increases the production of {sup 238}Pu so that a few kilograms of Pu generated enough alpha-decay heat that the separated Pu is highly resistant to proliferation. This alternate process also simplifies the pyrochemical separation of fuel elements (Th and U) from HAs. To examine the advantages of this concept, the authors modeled a US deployment scenario for nuclear energy that includes DTU-LWRs plus ATW`s to burn the actinides produced by these LWRs and to close the back-end of the DTU fuel cycle.« less

Final Report on Two-Stage Fast Spectrum Fuel Cycle Options

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yang, Won Sik; Lin, C. S.; Hader, J. S.

2016-01-30

This report presents the performance characteristics of two “two-stage” fast spectrum fuel cycle options proposed to enhance uranium resource utilization and to reduce nuclear waste generation. One is a two-stage fast spectrum fuel cycle option of continuous recycle of plutonium (Pu) in a fast reactor (FR) and subsequent burning of minor actinides (MAs) in an accelerator-driven system (ADS). The first stage is a sodium-cooled FR fuel cycle starting with low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel; at the equilibrium cycle, the FR is operated using the recovered Pu and natural uranium without supporting LEU. Pu and uranium (U) are co-extracted from the dischargedmore » fuel and recycled in the first stage, and the recovered MAs are sent to the second stage. The second stage is a sodium-cooled ADS in which MAs are burned in an inert matrix fuel form. The discharged fuel of ADS is reprocessed, and all the recovered heavy metals (HMs) are recycled into the ADS. The other is a two-stage FR/ADS fuel cycle option with MA targets loaded in the FR. The recovered MAs are not directly sent to ADS, but partially incinerated in the FR in order to reduce the amount of MAs to be sent to the ADS. This is a heterogeneous recycling option of transuranic (TRU) elements« less

Nuclear Safety

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Silver, E G

This document is a review journal that covers significant developments in the field of nuclear safety. Its scope includes the analysis and control of hazards associated with nuclear energy, operations involving fissionable materials, and the products of nuclear fission and their effects on the environment. Primary emphasis is on safety in reactor design, construction, and operation; however, the safety aspects of the entire fuel cycle, including fuel fabrication, spent-fuel processing, nuclear waste disposal, handling of radioisotopes, and environmental effects of these operations, are also treated.

Sensitivity Analysis and Optimization of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: A Systematic Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Passerini, Stefano

For decades, nuclear energy development was based on the expectation that recycling of the fissionable materials in the used fuel from today's light water reactors into advanced (fast) reactors would be implemented as soon as technically feasible in order to extend the nuclear fuel resources. More recently, arguments have been made for deployment of fast reactors in order to reduce the amount of higher actinides, hence the longevity of radioactivity, in the materials destined to a geologic repository. The cost of the fast reactors, together with concerns about the proliferation of the technology of extraction of plutonium from used LWR fuel as well as the large investments in construction of reprocessing facilities have been the basis for arguments to defer the introduction of recycling technologies in many countries including the US. In this thesis, the impacts of alternative reactor technologies on the fuel cycle are assessed. Additionally, metrics to characterize the fuel cycles and systematic approaches to using them to optimize the fuel cycle are presented. The fuel cycle options of the 2010 MIT fuel cycle study are re-examined in light of the expected slower rate of growth in nuclear energy today, using the CAFCA (Code for Advanced Fuel Cycle Analysis). The Once Through Cycle (OTC) is considered as the base-line case, while advanced technologies with fuel recycling characterize the alternative fuel cycle options available in the future. The options include limited recycling in L WRs and full recycling in fast reactors and in high conversion LWRs. Fast reactor technologies studied include both oxide and metal fueled reactors. Additional fuel cycle scenarios presented for the first time in this work assume the deployment of innovative recycling reactor technologies such as the Reduced Moderation Boiling Water Reactors and Uranium-235 initiated Fast Reactors. A sensitivity study focused on system and technology parameters of interest has been conducted to test

40 CFR 86.335-79 - Gasoline-fueled engine test cycle.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 18 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Gasoline-fueled engine test cycle. 86....335-79 Gasoline-fueled engine test cycle. (a) The following test sequence shall be followed in.... Cycle No. Mode No. Mode Observed torque (percent of maximum observed) Time in mode-seconds Cumulative...

Modeling transit bus fuel consumption on the basis of cycle properties.

PubMed

Delgado, Oscar F; Clark, Nigel N; Thompson, Gregory J

2011-04-01

A method exists to predict heavy-duty vehicle fuel economy and emissions over an "unseen" cycle or during unseen on-road activity on the basis of fuel consumption and emissions data from measured chassis dynamometer test cycles and properties (statistical parameters) of those cycles. No regression is required for the method, which relies solely on the linear association of vehicle performance with cycle properties. This method has been advanced and examined using previously published heavy-duty truck data gathered using the West Virginia University heavy-duty chassis dynamometer with the trucks exercised over limited test cycles. In this study, data were available from a Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority emission testing program conducted in 2006. Chassis dynamometer data from two conventional diesel buses, two compressed natural gas buses, and one hybrid diesel bus were evaluated using an expanded driving cycle set of 16 or 17 different driving cycles. Cycle properties and vehicle fuel consumption measurements from three baseline cycles were selected to generate a linear model and then to predict unseen fuel consumption over the remaining 13 or 14 cycles. Average velocity, average positive acceleration, and number of stops per distance were found to be the desired cycle properties for use in the model. The methodology allowed for the prediction of fuel consumption with an average error of 8.5% from vehicles operating on a diverse set of chassis dynamometer cycles on the basis of relatively few experimental measurements. It was found that the data used for prediction should be acquired from a set that must include an idle cycle along with a relatively slow transient cycle and a relatively high speed cycle. The method was also applied to oxides of nitrogen prediction and was found to have less predictive capability than for fuel consumption with an average error of 20.4%.

78 FR 45983 - Acceptability of Corrective Action Programs for Fuel Cycle Facilities

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-30

... Programs for Fuel Cycle Facilities AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Draft NUREG; withdrawal... withdrawing draft NUREG-2154, ``Acceptability of Corrective Action Programs for Fuel Cycle Facilities,'' based... determine whether a submittal for a Corrective Action Program (CAP), voluntarily submitted by fuel cycle...

Integrating repositories with fuel cycles: The airport authority model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Forsberg, C.

2012-07-01

The organization of the fuel cycle is a legacy of World War II and the cold war. Fuel cycle facilities were developed and deployed without consideration of the waste management implications. This led to the fuel cycle model of a geological repository site with a single owner, a single function (disposal), and no other facilities on site. Recent studies indicate large economic, safety, repository performance, nonproliferation, and institutional incentives to collocate and integrate all back-end facilities. Site functions could include geological disposal of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) with the option for future retrievability, disposal of other wastes, reprocessing with fuelmore » fabrication, radioisotope production, other facilities that generate significant radioactive wastes, SNF inspection (navy and commercial), and related services such as SNF safeguards equipment testing and training. This implies a site with multiple facilities with different owners sharing some facilities and using common facilities - the repository and SNF receiving. This requires a different repository site institutional structure. We propose development of repository site authorities modeled after airport authorities. Airport authorities manage airports with government-owned runways, collocated or shared public and private airline terminals, commercial and federal military facilities, aircraft maintenance bases, and related operations - all enabled and benefiting the high-value runway asset and access to it via taxi ways. With a repository site authority the high value asset is the repository. The SNF and HLW receiving and storage facilities (equivalent to the airport terminal) serve the repository, any future reprocessing plants, and others with needs for access to SNF and other wastes. Non-public special-built roadways and on-site rail lines (equivalent to taxi ways) connect facilities. Airport authorities are typically chartered by state governments and managed by commissions with

Nuclear Fuel Cycle Introductory Concepts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Karpius, Peter Joseph

2017-02-02

The nuclear fuel cycle is a complex entity, with many stages and possibilities, encompassing natural resources, energy, science, commerce, and security, involving a host of nations around the world. This overview describes the process for generating nuclear power using fissionable nuclei.

Market-Based and System-Wide Fuel Cycle Optimization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wilson, Paul Philip Hood; Scopatz, Anthony; Gidden, Matthew

This work introduces automated optimization into fuel cycle simulations in the Cyclus platform. This includes system-level optimizations, seeking a deployment plan that optimizes the performance over the entire transition, and market-level optimization, seeking an optimal set of material trades at each time step. These concepts were introduced in a way that preserves the flexibility of the Cyclus fuel cycle framework, one of its most important design principles.

Thermally regenerative hydrogen/oxygen fuel cell power cycles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morehouse, J. H.

1986-01-01

Two innovative thermodynamic power cycles are analytically examined for future engineering feasibility. The power cycles use a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell for electrical energy production and use the thermal dissociation of water for regeneration of the hydrogen and oxygen. The TDS (thermal dissociation system) uses a thermal energy input at over 2000 K to thermally dissociate the water. The other cycle, the HTE (high temperature electrolyzer) system, dissociates the water using an electrolyzer operating at high temperature (1300 K) which receives its electrical energy from the fuel cell. The primary advantages of these cycles is that they are basically a no moving parts system, thus having the potential for long life and high reliability, and they have the potential for high thermal efficiency. Both cycles are shown to be classical heat engines with ideal efficiency close to Carnot cycle efficiency. The feasibility of constructing actual cycles is investigated by examining process irreversibilities and device efficiencies for the two types of cycles. The results show that while the processes and devices of the 2000 K TDS exceed current technology limits, the high temperature electrolyzer system appears to be a state-of-the-art technology development. The requirements for very high electrolyzer and fuel cell efficiencies are seen as determining the feasbility of the HTE system, and these high efficiency devices are currently being developed. It is concluded that a proof-of-concept HTE system experiment can and should be conducted.

Life-Cycle Assessment of Cookstove Fuels in India and China ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

A life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted to compare the environmental footprint of current and possible fuels used for cooking within China and India. Current fuel mix profiles are compared to scenarios of projected differences in and/or cleaner cooking fuels. Results are reported for a suite of relevant life cycle impact assessment indicators: global climate change, energy demand, fossil depletion, water consumption, particulate matter formation, acidification, eutrophication and photochemical smog formation. Traditional fuels demonstrate notably poor relative performance in particulate matter formation, photochemical oxidant formation, freshwater eutrophication, and black carbon emissions. Most fuels demonstrate trade-offs between impact categories. Stove efficiency is found to be a crucial variable determining environmental performance across all impact categories. The study shows that electricity and many of the processed fuels, while yielding emission reductions in homes at the point of use, transfer many of those emissions upstream into the processing and distribution life cycle stage. To conduct LCA study of the cookstove fuels being used in India and China to determine how fuels and stoves compare based on a holistic assessment considering the LCA environmental tradeoffs

A fuel cycle assessment guide for utility and state energy planners

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1994-07-01

This guide, one in a series of documents designed to help assess fuel cycles, is a framework for setting parameters, collecting data, and analyzing fuel cycles for supply-side and demand-side management. It provides an automated tool for entering comparative fuel cycle data that are meaningful to state and utility integrated resource planning, collaborative, and regional energy planning activities. It outlines an extensive range of energy technology characteristics and environmental, social, and economic considerations within each stage of a fuel cycle. The guide permits users to focus on specific stages or effects that are relevant to the technology being evaluated andmore » that meet the user`s planning requirements.« less

Reducing Proliferation Rick Through Multinational Fuel Cycle Facilities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Amanda Rynes

2010-11-01

With the prospect of rapid expansion of the nuclear energy industry and the ongoing concern over weapons proliferation, there is a growing need for a viable alternative to traditional nation-based fuel production facilities. While some in the international community remain apprehensive, the advantages of multinational fuel cycle facilities are becoming increasingly apparent, with states on both sides of the supply chain able to garner the security and financial benefits of such facilities. Proliferation risk is minimized by eliminating the need of states to establish indigenous fuel production capabilities and the concept's structure provides an additional internationally monitored barrier against themore » misuse or diversion of nuclear materials. This article gives a brief description of the arguments for and against the implementation of a complete multinational fuel cycle.« less

A life-cycle comparison of alternative automobile fuels.

PubMed

MacLean, H L; Lave, L B; Lankey, R; Joshi, S

2000-10-01

We examine the life cycles of gasoline, diesel, compressed natural gas (CNG), and ethanol (C2H5OH)-fueled internal combustion engine (ICE) automobiles. Port and direct injection and spark and compression ignition engines are examined. We investigate diesel fuel from both petroleum and biosources as well as C2H5OH from corn, herbaceous bio-mass, and woody biomass. The baseline vehicle is a gasoline-fueled 1998 Ford Taurus. We optimize the other fuel/powertrain combinations for each specific fuel as a part of making the vehicles comparable to the baseline in terms of range, emissions level, and vehicle lifetime. Life-cycle calculations are done using the economic input-output life-cycle analysis (EIO-LCA) software; fuel cycles and vehicle end-of-life stages are based on published model results. We find that recent advances in gasoline vehicles, the low petroleum price, and the extensive gasoline infrastructure make it difficult for any alternative fuel to become commercially viable. The most attractive alternative fuel is compressed natural gas because it is less expensive than gasoline, has lower regulated pollutant and toxics emissions, produces less greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and is available in North America in large quantities. However, the bulk and weight of gas storage cylinders required for the vehicle to attain a range comparable to that of gasoline vehicles necessitates a redesign of the engine and chassis. Additional natural gas transportation and distribution infrastructure is required for large-scale use of natural gas for transportation. Diesel engines are extremely attractive in terms of energy efficiency, but expert judgment is divided on whether these engines will be able to meet strict emissions standards, even with reformulated fuel. The attractiveness of direct injection engines depends on their being able to meet strict emissions standards without losing their greater efficiency. Biofuels offer lower GHG emissions, are sustainable, and

A Life-Cycle Comparison of Alternative Automobile Fuels.

PubMed

MacLean, Heather L; Lave, Lester B; Lankey, Rebecca; Joshi, Satish

2000-10-01

We examine the life cycles of gasoline, diesel, compressed natural gas (CNG), and ethanol (C 2 H 5 OH)-fueled internal combustion engine (ICE) automobiles. Port and direct injection and spark and compression ignition engines are examined. We investigate diesel fuel from both petroleum and biosources as well as C 2 H 5 OH from corn, herbaceous bio-mass, and woody biomass. The baseline vehicle is a gasoline-fueled 1998 Ford Taurus. We optimize the other fuel/powertrain combinations for each specific fuel as a part of making the vehicles comparable to the baseline in terms of range, emissions level, and vehicle lifetime. Life-cycle calculations are done using the economic input-output life-cycle analysis (EIO-LCA) software; fuel cycles and vehicle end-of-life stages are based on published model results. We find that recent advances in gasoline vehicles, the low petroleum price, and the extensive gasoline infrastructure make it difficult for any alternative fuel to become commercially viable. The most attractive alternative fuel is compressed natural gas because it is less expensive than gasoline, has lower regulated pollutant and toxics emissions, produces less greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and is available in North America in large quantities. However, the bulk and weight of gas storage cylinders required for the vehicle to attain a range comparable to that of gasoline vehicles necessitates a redesign of the engine and chassis. Additional natural gas transportation and distribution infrastructure is required for large-scale use of natural gas for transportation. Diesel engines are extremely attractive in terms of energy efficiency, but expert judgment is divided on whether these engines will be able to meet strict emissions standards, even with reformulated fuel. The attractiveness of direct injection engines depends on their being able to meet strict emissions standards without losing their greater efficiency. Biofuels offer lower GHG emissions, are sustainable

DE-NE0000735 - FINAL REPORT ON THORIUM FUEL CYCLE NEUP PROJECT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Krahn, Steven; Ault, Timothy; Worrall, Andrew

The report is broken into six chapters, including this executive summary chapter. Following an introduction, this report discusses each of the project’s three major components (Fuel Cycle Data Package (FCDP) Development, Thorium Fuel Cycle Literature Analysis and Database Development, and the Thorium Fuel Cycle Technical Track and Proceedings). A final chapter is devoted to summarization. Various outcomes, publications, etc. originating from this project can be found in the Appendices at the end of the document.

Fuel cycle cost, reactor physics and fuel manufacturing considerations for Erbia-bearing PWR fuel with > 5 wt% U-235 content

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Franceschini, F.; Lahoda, E. J.; Kucukboyaci, V. N.

2012-07-01

The efforts to reduce fuel cycle cost have driven LWR fuel close to the licensed limit in fuel fissile content, 5.0 wt% U-235 enrichment, and the acceptable duty on current Zr-based cladding. An increase in the fuel enrichment beyond the 5 wt% limit, while certainly possible, entails costly investment in infrastructure and licensing. As a possible way to offset some of these costs, the addition of small amounts of Erbia to the UO{sub 2} powder with >5 wt% U-235 has been proposed, so that its initial reactivity is reduced to that of licensed fuel and most modifications to the existingmore » facilities and equipment could be avoided. This paper discusses the potentialities of such a fuel on the US market from a vendor's perspective. An analysis of the in-core behavior and fuel cycle performance of a typical 4-loop PWR with 18 and 24-month operating cycles has been conducted, with the aim of quantifying the potential economic advantage and other operational benefits of this concept. Subsequently, the implications on fuel manufacturing and storage are discussed. While this concept has certainly good potential, a compelling case for its short-term introduction as PWR fuel for the US market could not be determined. (authors)« less

On feasibility of a closed nuclear power fuel cycle with minimum radioactivity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Andrianova, E. A.; Davidenko, V. D.; Tsibulskiy, V. F., E-mail: Tsibulskiy-VF@nrcki.ru

2015-12-15

Practical implementation of a closed nuclear fuel cycle implies solution of two main tasks. The first task is creation of environmentally acceptable operating conditions of the nuclear fuel cycle considering, first of all, high radioactivity of the involved materials. The second task is creation of effective and economically appropriate conditions of involving fertile isotopes in the fuel cycle. Creation of technologies for management of the high-level radioactivity of spent fuel reliable in terms of radiological protection seems to be the hardest problem.

Performance of a Fuel-Injection Spark-Ignition Engine Using a Hydrogenated Safety Fuel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schey, Oscar W; Young, Alfred W

1934-01-01

This report presents the performance of a single-cylinder test engine using a hydrogenated safety fuel. The safety fuel has a flash point of 125 degrees f. (Cleveland open-dup method), which is high enough to remove most of the fire hazard, and an octane number of 95, which permits higher compression ratios to be used than are permissible with most undoped gasolines.

Hydrogen and Gaseous Fuel Safety and Toxicity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee C. Cadwallader; J. Sephen Herring

2007-06-01

Non-traditional motor fuels are receiving increased attention and use. This paper examines the safety of three alternative gaseous fuels plus gasoline and the advantages and disadvantages of each. The gaseous fuels are hydrogen, methane (natural gas), and propane. Qualitatively, the overall risks of the four fuels should be close. Gasoline is the most toxic. For small leaks, hydrogen has the highest ignition probability and the gaseous fuels have the highest risk of a burning jet or cloud.

Alternative Fuels Data Center: Natural Gas Safety after a Traffic Accident

Science.gov Websites

Natural Gas Safety after a Traffic Accident to someone by E-mail Share Alternative Fuels Data Center: Natural Gas Safety after a Traffic Accident on Facebook Tweet about Alternative Fuels Data Center : Natural Gas Safety after a Traffic Accident on Twitter Bookmark Alternative Fuels Data Center: Natural Gas

Fuel consumption for various driving styles in conventional and hybrid electric vehicles: Integrating driving cycle predictions with fuel consumption optimization

DOE PAGES

Rios-Torres, Jackeline; Liu, Jun; Khattak, Asad

2018-06-14

Here, improving fuel economy and lowering emissions are key societal goals. Standard driving cycles, pre-designed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), have long been used to estimate vehicle fuel economy in laboratory-controlled conditions. They have also been used to test and tune different energy management strategies for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). This paper aims to estimate fuel consumption for a conventional vehicle and a HEV using personalized driving cycles extracted from real-world data to study the effects of different driving styles and vehicle types on fuel consumption when compared to the estimates based on standard driving cycles. To domore » this, we extracted driving cycles for conventional vehicles and HEVs from a large-scale U.S. survey that contains real-world GPS-based driving records. Next, the driving cycles were assigned to one of three categories: volatile, normal, or calm. Then, the driving cycles were used along with a driver-vehicle simulation that captures driver decisions (vehicle speed during a trip), powertrain, and vehicle dynamics to estimate fuel consumption for conventional vehicles and HEVs with power-split powertrain. To further optimize fuel consumption for HEVs, the Equivalent Consumption Minimization Strategy (ECMS) is applied. The results show that depending on the driving style and the driving scenario, conventional vehicle fuel consumption can vary widely compared with standard EPA driving cycles. Specifically, conventional vehicle fuel consumption was 13% lower in calm urban driving, but almost 34% higher for volatile highway driving compared with standard EPA driving cycles. Interestingly, when a driving cycle is predicted based on the application of case-based reasoning and used to tune the power distribution in a hybrid electric vehicle, its fuel consumption can be reduced by up to 12% in urban driving. Implications and limitations of the findings are discussed.« less

Fuel consumption for various driving styles in conventional and hybrid electric vehicles: Integrating driving cycle predictions with fuel consumption optimization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rios-Torres, Jackeline; Liu, Jun; Khattak, Asad

Here, improving fuel economy and lowering emissions are key societal goals. Standard driving cycles, pre-designed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), have long been used to estimate vehicle fuel economy in laboratory-controlled conditions. They have also been used to test and tune different energy management strategies for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). This paper aims to estimate fuel consumption for a conventional vehicle and a HEV using personalized driving cycles extracted from real-world data to study the effects of different driving styles and vehicle types on fuel consumption when compared to the estimates based on standard driving cycles. To domore » this, we extracted driving cycles for conventional vehicles and HEVs from a large-scale U.S. survey that contains real-world GPS-based driving records. Next, the driving cycles were assigned to one of three categories: volatile, normal, or calm. Then, the driving cycles were used along with a driver-vehicle simulation that captures driver decisions (vehicle speed during a trip), powertrain, and vehicle dynamics to estimate fuel consumption for conventional vehicles and HEVs with power-split powertrain. To further optimize fuel consumption for HEVs, the Equivalent Consumption Minimization Strategy (ECMS) is applied. The results show that depending on the driving style and the driving scenario, conventional vehicle fuel consumption can vary widely compared with standard EPA driving cycles. Specifically, conventional vehicle fuel consumption was 13% lower in calm urban driving, but almost 34% higher for volatile highway driving compared with standard EPA driving cycles. Interestingly, when a driving cycle is predicted based on the application of case-based reasoning and used to tune the power distribution in a hybrid electric vehicle, its fuel consumption can be reduced by up to 12% in urban driving. Implications and limitations of the findings are discussed.« less

78 FR 11903 - Acceptability of Corrective Action Programs for Fuel Cycle Facilities

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-20

... Cycle Facilities AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Draft NUREG; request for public comment... ``Acceptability of Corrective Action Programs for Fuel Cycle Facilities.'' The draft NUREG provides guidance to... a fuel cycle facility is acceptable. DATES: Comments may be submitted by April 22, 2013. Comments...

Hazards of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holdren, John P.

1974-01-01

Outlines the stages of the nuclear fuel cycle where routine radiation releases occur and where nonroutine releases could occur. Examines the impact of these occurrences and emphasizes the regulations, practices, and technologies that prevail in the United States. (Author/GS)

The basic features of a closed fuel cycle without fast reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bobrov, E. A.; Alekseev, P. N.; Teplov, P. S.

2017-01-01

In this paper the basic features of a closed fuel cycle with thermal reactors are considered. The three variants of multiple Pu and U recycling in VVER reactors was investigated. The comparison of MOX and REMIX fuel approaches for closed fuel cycle with thermal reactors is presented. All variants make possible to recycle several times the total amount of Pu and U obtained from spent fuel. The reported study was funded by RFBR according to the research project № 16-38-00021

A physical and economic model of the nuclear fuel cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, Erich Alfred

A model of the nuclear fuel cycle that is suitable for use in strategic planning and economic forecasting is presented. The model, to be made available as a stand-alone software package, requires only a small set of fuel cycle and reactor specific input parameters. Critical design criteria include ease of use by nonspecialists, suppression of errors to within a range dictated by unit cost uncertainties, and limitation of runtime to under one minute on a typical desktop computer. Collision probability approximations to the neutron transport equation that lead to a computationally efficient decoupling of the spatial and energy variables are presented and implemented. The energy dependent flux, governed by coupled integral equations, is treated by multigroup or continuous thermalization methods. The model's output includes a comprehensive nuclear materials flowchart that begins with ore requirements, calculates the buildup of 24 actinides as well as fission products, and concludes with spent fuel or reprocessed material composition. The costs, direct and hidden, of the fuel cycle under study are also computed. In addition to direct disposal and plutonium recycling strategies in current use, the model addresses hypothetical cycles. These include cycles chosen for minor actinide burning and for their low weapons-usable content.

Study on lockage safety of LNG-fueled ships based on FSA

PubMed Central

Lv, Pengfei; Zhuang, Yuan; Deng, Jian; Su, Wei

2017-01-01

In the present study, formal safety assessment (FSA) is introduced to investigate lockage safety of LNG-fueled ships. Risk sources during lockage of LNG-fueled ships in four typical scenarios, namely, navigation between two dams, lockage, anchorage, and fueling, are identified, and studied in combination with fundamental leakage probabilities of various components of LNG storage tanks, and simulation results of accident consequences. Some suggestions for lockage safety management of LNG-fueled ships are then proposed. The present research results have certain practical significance for promoting applications of LNG-fueled ships along Chuanjiang River and in Three Gorges Reservoir Region. PMID:28437482

Study on lockage safety of LNG-fueled ships based on FSA.

PubMed

Lv, Pengfei; Zhuang, Yuan; Deng, Jian; Su, Wei

2017-01-01

In the present study, formal safety assessment (FSA) is introduced to investigate lockage safety of LNG-fueled ships. Risk sources during lockage of LNG-fueled ships in four typical scenarios, namely, navigation between two dams, lockage, anchorage, and fueling, are identified, and studied in combination with fundamental leakage probabilities of various components of LNG storage tanks, and simulation results of accident consequences. Some suggestions for lockage safety management of LNG-fueled ships are then proposed. The present research results have certain practical significance for promoting applications of LNG-fueled ships along Chuanjiang River and in Three Gorges Reservoir Region.

Fuel Cycle Technologies 2014 Achievement Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hong, Bonnie C.

2015-01-01

The Fuel Cycle Technologies (FCT) program supports the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) mission to: “Enhance U.S. security and economic growth through transformative science, technology innovation, and market solutions to meet our energy, nuclear security, and environmental challenges.” Goal 1 of DOE’s Strategic Plan is to innovate energy technologies that enhance U.S. economic growth and job creation, energy security, and environmental quality. FCT does this by investing in advanced technologies that could transform the nuclear fuel cycle in the decades to come. Goal 2 of DOE’s Strategic Plan is to strengthen national security by strengthening key science, technology, and engineering capabilities.more » FCT does this by working closely with the National Nuclear Security Administration and the U.S Department of State to develop advanced technologies that support the Nation’s nuclear nonproliferation goals.« less

Proceedings of GLOBAL 2013: International Nuclear Fuel Cycle Conference - Nuclear Energy at a Crossroads

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

2013-07-01

The Global conference is a forum for the discussion of the scientific, technical, social and regulatory aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle. Relevant topics include global utilization of nuclear energy, current fuel cycle technologies, advanced reactors, advanced fuel cycles, nuclear nonproliferation and public acceptance.

The myth of the ``proliferation-resistant'' closed nuclear fuel cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyman, Edwin S.

2000-07-01

National nuclear energy programs that engage in reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and the development of "closed" nuclear fuel cycles based on the utilization of plutonium process and store large quantities of weapons-usable nuclear materials in forms vulnerable to diversion or theft by national or subnational groups. Proliferation resistance, an idea dating back at least as far as the International Fuel Cycle Evaluation (INFCE) of the late 1970s, is a loosely defined term referring to processes for chemical separation of SNF that do not extract weapons-usable materials in a purified form.

Potential External (non-DOE) Constraints on U.S. Fuel Cycle Options

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Steven J. Piet

2012-07-01

The DOE Fuel Cycle Technologies (FCT) Program will be conducting a screening of fuel cycle options in FY2013 to help focus fuel cycle R&D activities. As part of this screening, performance criteria and go/no-go criteria are being identified. To help ensure that these criteria are consistent with current policy, an effort was initiated to identify the status and basis of potentially relevant regulations, laws, and policies that have been established external to DOE. As such regulations, laws, and policies may be beyond DOE’s control to change, they may constrain the screening criteria and internally-developed policy. This report contains a historicalmore » survey and analysis of publically available domestic documents that could pertain to external constraints on advanced nuclear fuel cycles. “External” is defined as public documents outside DOE. This effort did not include survey and analysis of constraints established internal to DOE.« less

Nuclear power generation and fuel cycle report 1996

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-10-01

This report presents the current status and projections through 2015 of nuclear capacity, generation, and fuel cycle requirements for all countries using nuclear power to generate electricity for commercial use. It also contains information and forecasts of developments in the worldwide nuclear fuel market. Long term projections of U.S. nuclear capacity, generation, and spent fuel discharges for two different scenarios through 2040 are developed. A discussion on decommissioning of nuclear power plants is included.

77 FR 73060 - Standard Review Plan for Review of Fuel Cycle Facility License Applications

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-07

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2012-0220] Standard Review Plan for Review of Fuel Cycle... 1, ``Standard Review Plan (SRP) for the Review of a License Application for a Fuel Cycle Facility... for a fuel cycle facility (NUREG-1520) provides NRC staff guidance for reviewing and evaluating the...

Closed fuel cycle with increased fuel burn-up and economy applying of thorium resources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kulikov, G. G.; Apse, V. A.

2017-01-01

The possible role of existing thorium reserves in the Russian Federation on engaging thorium in being currently closed (U-Pu)-fuel cycle of nuclear power of the country is considered. The application efficiency of thermonuclear neutron sources with thorium blanket for the economical use of existing thorium reserves is demonstrated. The aim of the work is to find solutions of such major tasks as the reduction of both front-end and back-end of nuclear fuel cycle and an enhancing its protection against the uncontrolled proliferation of fissile materials by means of the smallest changes in the fuel cycle. During implementation of the work we analyzed the results obtained earlier by the authors, brought new information on the number of thorium available in the Russian Federation and made further assessments. On the basis of proposal on the inclusion of hybrid reactors with Th-blanket into the future nuclear power for the production of light uranium fraction 232+233+234U, and 231Pa, we obtained the following results: 1. The fuel cycle will shift from fissile 235U to 233U which is more attractive for thermal power reactors. 2. The light uranium fraction is the most "protected" in the uranium component of fuel and mixed with regenerated uranium will in addition become a low enriched uranium fuel, that will weaken the problem of uncontrolled proliferation of fissile materials. 3. 231Pa doping into the fuel stabilizes its multiplying properties that will allow us to implement long-term fuel residence time and eventually to increase the export potential of all nuclear power technologies. 4. The thorium reserves being near city Krasnoufimsk (Russia) are large enough for operation of large-scale nuclear power of the Russian Federation of 70 GWe capacity during more than a quarter century under assumption that thorium is loaded into blankets of hybrid TNS only. The general conclusion: the inclusion of a small number of hybrid reactors with Th-blanket into the future nuclear

Uranium to Electricity: The Chemistry of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Settle, Frank A.

2009-01-01

The nuclear fuel cycle consists of a series of industrial processes that produce fuel for the production of electricity in nuclear reactors, use the fuel to generate electricity, and subsequently manage the spent reactor fuel. While the physics and engineering of controlled fission are central to the generation of nuclear power, chemistry…

Safety features of subcritical fluid fueled systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bell, C.R.

1995-10-01

Accelerator-driven transmutation technology has been under study at Los Alamos for several years for application to nuclear waste treatment, tritium production, energy generation, and recently, to the disposition of excess weapons plutonium. Studies and evaluations performed to date at Los Alamos have led to a current focus on a fluid-fuel, fission system operating in a neutron source-supported subcritical mode, using molten salt reactor technology and accelerator-driven proton-neutron spallation. In this paper, the safety features and characteristics of such systems are explored from the perspective of the fundamental nuclear safety objectives that any reactor-type system should address. This exploration is qualitativemore » in nature and uses current vintage solid-fueled reactors as a baseline for comparison. Based on the safety perspectives presented, such systems should be capable of meeting the fundamental nuclear safety objectives. In addition, they should be able to provide the safety robustness desired for advanced reactors. However, the manner in which safety objectives and robustness are achieved is very different from that associated with conventional reactors. Also, there are a number of safety design and operational challenges that will have to be addressed for the safety potential of such systems to be credible.« less

Rapid methods for radionuclide contaminant transport in nuclear fuel cycle simulation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huff, Kathryn

Here, nuclear fuel cycle and nuclear waste disposal decisions are technologically coupled. However, current nuclear fuel cycle simulators lack dynamic repository performance analysis due to the computational burden of high-fidelity hydrolgic contaminant transport models. The Cyder disposal environment and repository module was developed to fill this gap. It implements medium-fidelity hydrologic radionuclide transport models to support assessment appropriate for fuel cycle simulation in the Cyclus fuel cycle simulator. Rapid modeling of hundreds of discrete waste packages in a geologic environment is enabled within this module by a suite of four closed form models for advective, dispersive, coupled, and idealized con-more » taminant transport: a Degradation Rate model, a Mixed Cell model, a Lumped Parameter model, and a 1-D Permeable Porous Medium model. A summary of the Cyder module, its timestepping algorithm, and the mathematical models implemented within it are presented. Additionally, parametric demonstrations simulations performed with Cyder are presented and shown to demonstrate functional agreement with parametric simulations conducted in a standalone hydrologic transport model, the Clay Generic Disposal System Model developed by the Used Fuel Disposition Campaign Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy.« less

Rapid methods for radionuclide contaminant transport in nuclear fuel cycle simulation

DOE PAGES

Huff, Kathryn

2017-08-01

Here, nuclear fuel cycle and nuclear waste disposal decisions are technologically coupled. However, current nuclear fuel cycle simulators lack dynamic repository performance analysis due to the computational burden of high-fidelity hydrolgic contaminant transport models. The Cyder disposal environment and repository module was developed to fill this gap. It implements medium-fidelity hydrologic radionuclide transport models to support assessment appropriate for fuel cycle simulation in the Cyclus fuel cycle simulator. Rapid modeling of hundreds of discrete waste packages in a geologic environment is enabled within this module by a suite of four closed form models for advective, dispersive, coupled, and idealized con-more » taminant transport: a Degradation Rate model, a Mixed Cell model, a Lumped Parameter model, and a 1-D Permeable Porous Medium model. A summary of the Cyder module, its timestepping algorithm, and the mathematical models implemented within it are presented. Additionally, parametric demonstrations simulations performed with Cyder are presented and shown to demonstrate functional agreement with parametric simulations conducted in a standalone hydrologic transport model, the Clay Generic Disposal System Model developed by the Used Fuel Disposition Campaign Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy.« less

A combined gas cooled nuclear reactor and fuel cell cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palmer, David J.

Rising oil costs, global warming, national security concerns, economic concerns and escalating energy demands are forcing the engineering communities to explore methods to address these concerns. It is the intention of this thesis to offer a proposal for a novel design of a combined cycle, an advanced nuclear helium reactor/solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) plant that will help to mitigate some of the above concerns. Moreover, the adoption of this proposal may help to reinvigorate the Nuclear Power industry while providing a practical method to foster the development of a hydrogen economy. Specifically, this thesis concentrates on the importance of the U.S. Nuclear Navy adopting this novel design for its nuclear electric vessels of the future with discussion on efficiency and thermodynamic performance characteristics related to the combined cycle. Thus, the goals and objectives are to develop an innovative combined cycle that provides a solution to the stated concerns and show that it provides superior performance. In order to show performance, it is necessary to develop a rigorous thermodynamic model and computer program to analyze the SOFC in relation with the overall cycle. A large increase in efficiency over the conventional pressurized water reactor cycle is realized. Both sides of the cycle achieve higher efficiencies at partial loads which is extremely important as most naval vessels operate at partial loads as well as the fact that traditional gas turbines operating alone have poor performance at reduced speeds. Furthermore, each side of the cycle provides important benefits to the other side. The high temperature exhaust from the overall exothermic reaction of the fuel cell provides heat for the reheater allowing for an overall increase in power on the nuclear side of the cycle. Likewise, the high temperature helium exiting the nuclear reactor provides a controllable method to stabilize the fuel cell at an optimal temperature band even during transients helping

Life-Cycle Assessment of Cookstove Fuels in India and China

EPA Science Inventory

A life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted to compare the environmental footprint of current and possible fuels used for cooking within China and India. Current fuel mix profiles are compared to scenarios of projected differences in and/or cleaner cooking fuels. Results are repo...

Method for modeling driving cycles, fuel use, and emissions for over snow vehicles.

PubMed

Hu, Jiangchuan; Frey, H Christopher; Sandhu, Gurdas S; Graver, Brandon M; Bishop, Gary A; Schuchmann, Brent G; Ray, John D

2014-07-15

As input to a winter use plan, activity, fuel use, and tailpipe exhaust emissions of over snow vehicles (OSV), including five snow coaches and one snowmobile, were measured on a designated route in Yellowstone National Park (YNP). Engine load was quantified in terms of vehicle specific power (VSP), which is a function of speed, acceleration, and road grade. Compared to highway vehicles, VSP for OSVs is more sensitive to rolling resistance and less sensitive to aerodynamic drag. Fuel use rates increased linearly (R2>0.96) with VSP. For gasoline-fueled OSVs, fuel-based emission rates of carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) typically increased with increasing fuel use rate, with some cases of very high CO emissions. For the diesel OSVs, which had selective catalytic reduction and diesel particulate filters, fuel-based NOx and particulate matter (PM) emission rates were not sensitive to fuel flow rate, and the emission controls were effective. Inter vehicle variability in cycle average fuel use and emissions rates for CO and NOx was substantial. However, there was relatively little inter-cycle variation in cycle average fuel use and emission rates when comparing driving cycles. Recommendations are made regarding how real-world OSV activity, fuel use, and emissions data can be improved.

Fuel Cycle System Analysis Handbook

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Steven J. Piet; Brent W. Dixon; Dirk Gombert

2009-06-01

This Handbook aims to improve understanding and communication regarding nuclear fuel cycle options. It is intended to assist DOE, Campaign Managers, and other presenters prepare presentations and reports. When looking for information, check here. The Handbook generally includes few details of how calculations were performed, which can be found by consulting references provided to the reader. The Handbook emphasizes results in the form of graphics and diagrams, with only enough text to explain the graphic, to ensure that the messages associated with the graphic is clear, and to explain key assumptions and methods that cause the graphed results. Some ofmore » the material is new and is not found in previous reports, for example: (1) Section 3 has system-level mass flow diagrams for 0-tier (once-through), 1-tier (UOX to CR=0.50 fast reactor), and 2-tier (UOX to MOX-Pu to CR=0.50 fast reactor) scenarios - at both static and dynamic equilibrium. (2) To help inform fast reactor transuranic (TRU) conversion ratio and uranium supply behavior, section 5 provides the sustainable fast reactor growth rate as a function of TRU conversion ratio. (3) To help clarify the difference in recycling Pu, NpPu, NpPuAm, and all-TRU, section 5 provides mass fraction, gamma, and neutron emission for those four cases for MOX, heterogeneous LWR IMF (assemblies mixing IMF and UOX pins), and a CR=0.50 fast reactor. There are data for the first 10 LWR recycle passes and equilibrium. (4) Section 6 provides information on the cycle length, planned and unplanned outages, and TRU enrichment as a function of fast reactor TRU conversion ratio, as well as the dilution of TRU feedstock by uranium in making fast reactor fuel. (The recovered uranium is considered to be more pure than recovered TRU.) The latter parameter impacts the required TRU impurity limits specified by the Fuels Campaign. (5) Section 7 provides flows for an 800-tonne UOX separation plant. (6) To complement 'tornado' economic

Double-clad nuclear fuel safety rod

DOEpatents

McCarthy, William H.; Atcheson, Donald B.; Vaidyanathan, Swaminathan

1984-01-01

A device for shutting down a nuclear reactor during an undercooling or overpower event, whether or not the reactor's scram system operates properly. This is accomplished by double-clad fuel safety rods positioned at various locations throughout the reactor core, wherein melting of a secondary internal cladding of the rod allows the fuel column therein to shift from the reactor core to place the reactor in a subcritical condition.

Double-clad nuclear-fuel safety rod

DOEpatents

McCarthy, W.H.; Atcheson, D.B.

1981-12-30

A device for shutting down a nuclear reactor during an undercooling or overpower event, whether or not the reactor's scram system operates properly. This is accomplished by double-clad fuel safety rods positioned at various locations throughout the reactor core, wherein melting of a secondary internal cladding of the rod allows the fuel column therein to shift from the reactor core to place the reactor in a subcritical condition.

Hybrid life-cycle assessment of natural gas based fuel chains for transportation.

PubMed

Strømman, Anders Hammer; Solli, Christian; Hertwich, Edgar G

2006-04-15

This research compares the use of natural gas, methanol, and hydrogen as transportation fuels. These three fuel chains start with the extraction and processing of natural gas in the Norwegian North Sea and end with final use in Central Europe. The end use is passenger transportation with a sub-compact car that has an internal combustion engine for the natural gas case and a fuel cell for the methanol and hydrogen cases. The life cycle assessment is performed by combining a process based life-cycle inventory with economic input-output data. The analysis shows that the potential climate impacts are lowest for the hydrogen fuel scenario with CO2 deposition. The hydrogen fuel chain scenario has no significant environmental disadvantage compared to the other fuel chains. Detailed analysis shows that the construction of the car contributes significantly to most impact categories. Finally, it is shown how the application of a hybrid inventory model ensures a more complete inventory description compared to standard process-based life-cycle assessment. This is particularly significant for car construction which would have been significantly underestimated in this study using standard process life-cycle assessment alone.

Open-type ferry safety system design for using LNG fuel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pagonis, D. N.; Livanos, G.; Theotokatos, G.; Peppa, S.; Themelis, N.

2016-12-01

In this feasibility study, we investigate the viability of using Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) fuel in an open type Ro-Ro passenger ferry and the associated potential challenges with regard to the vessel safety systems. We recommend an appropriate methodology for converting existing ships to run on LNG fuel, discuss all the necessary modifications to the ship's safety systems, and also evaluate the relevant ship evacuation procedures. We outline the basic requirements with which the ship already complies for each safety system and analyze the additional restrictions that must be taken into consideration for the use of LNG fuel. Appropriate actions are recommended. Furthermore, we carry out a hazard identification study. Overall, we clearly demonstrate the technical feasibility of the investigated scenario. Minimal modifications to the ship's safety systems are required to comply with existing safety rules for this specific type of ship.

System Theoretic Frameworks for Mitigating Risk Complexity in the Nuclear Fuel Cycle

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Williams, Adam David; Mohagheghi, Amir H.; Cohn, Brian

In response to the expansion of nuclear fuel cycle (NFC) activities -- and the associated suite of risks -- around the world, this project evaluated systems-based solutions for managing such risk complexity in multimodal and multi-jurisdictional international spent nuclear fuel (SNF) transportation. By better understanding systemic risks in SNF transportation, developing SNF transportation risk assessment frameworks, and evaluating these systems-based risk assessment frameworks, this research illustrated interdependency between safety, security, and safeguards risks is inherent in NFC activities and can go unidentified when each "S" is independently evaluated. Two novel system-theoretic analysis techniques -- dynamic probabilistic risk assessment (DPRA) andmore » system-theoretic process analysis (STPA) -- provide integrated "3S" analysis to address these interdependencies and the research results suggest a need -- and provide a way -- to reprioritize United States engagement efforts to reduce global nuclear risks. Lastly, this research identifies areas where Sandia National Laboratories can spearhead technical advances to reduce global nuclear dangers.« less

A Characteristics-Based Approach to Radioactive Waste Classification in Advanced Nuclear Fuel Cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Djokic, Denia

The radioactive waste classification system currently used in the United States primarily relies on a source-based framework. This has lead to numerous issues, such as wastes that are not categorized by their intrinsic risk, or wastes that do not fall under a category within the framework and therefore are without a legal imperative for responsible management. Furthermore, in the possible case that advanced fuel cycles were to be deployed in the United States, the shortcomings of the source-based classification system would be exacerbated: advanced fuel cycles implement processes such as the separation of used nuclear fuel, which introduce new waste streams of varying characteristics. To be able to manage and dispose of these potential new wastes properly, development of a classification system that would assign appropriate level of management to each type of waste based on its physical properties is imperative. This dissertation explores how characteristics from wastes generated from potential future nuclear fuel cycles could be coupled with a characteristics-based classification framework. A static mass flow model developed under the Department of Energy's Fuel Cycle Research & Development program, called the Fuel-cycle Integration and Tradeoffs (FIT) model, was used to calculate the composition of waste streams resulting from different nuclear fuel cycle choices: two modified open fuel cycle cases (recycle in MOX reactor) and two different continuous-recycle fast reactor recycle cases (oxide and metal fuel fast reactors). This analysis focuses on the impact of waste heat load on waste classification practices, although future work could involve coupling waste heat load with metrics of radiotoxicity and longevity. The value of separation of heat-generating fission products and actinides in different fuel cycles and how it could inform long- and short-term disposal management is discussed. It is shown that the benefits of reducing the short-term fission

Impact of minor actinide recycling on sustainable fuel cycle options

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Heidet, F.; Kim, T. K.; Taiwo, T. A.

The recent Evaluation and Screening study chartered by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy, has identified four fuel cycle options as being the most promising. Among these four options, the two single-stage fuel cycles rely on a fast reactor and are differing in the fact that in one case only uranium and plutonium are recycled while in the other case minor actinides are also recycled. The two other fuel cycles are two-stage and rely on both fast and thermal reactors. They also differ in the fact that in one case only uranium and plutonium are recycled whilemore » in the other case minor actinides are also recycled. The current study assesses the impact of recycling minor actinides on the reactor core design, its performance characteristics, and the characteristics of the recycled material and waste material. The recycling of minor actinides is found not to affect the reactor core performance, as long as the same cycle length, core layout and specific power are being used. One notable difference is that the required transuranics (TRU) content is slightly increased when minor actinides are recycled. The mass flows are mostly unchanged given a same specific power and cycle length. Although the material mass flows and reactor performance characteristics are hardly affected by recycling minor actinides, some differences are observed in the waste characteristics between the two fuel cycles considered. The absence of minor actinides in the waste results in a different buildup of decay products, and in somewhat different behaviors depending on the characteristic and time frame considered. Recycling of minor actinides is found to result in a reduction of the waste characteristics ranging from 10% to 90%. These results are consistent with previous studies in this domain and depending on the time frame considered, packaging conditions, repository site, repository strategy, the differences observed in the waste characteristics could be beneficial and help

Zirconia-magnesia inert matrix fuel and waste form: Synthesis, characterization and chemical performance in an advanced fuel cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holliday, Kiel Steven

There is a significant buildup in plutonium stockpiles throughout the world, because of spent nuclear fuel and the dismantling of weapons. The radiotoxicity of this material and proliferation risk has led to a desire for destroying excess plutonium. To do this effectively, it must be fissioned in a reactor as part of a uranium free fuel to eliminate the generation of more plutonium. This requires an inert matrix to volumetrically dilute the fissile plutonium. Zirconia-magnesia dual phase ceramic has been demonstrated to be a favorable material for this task. It is neutron transparent, zirconia is chemically robust, magnesia has good thermal conductivity and the ceramic has been calculated to conform to current economic and safety standards. This dissertation contributes to the knowledge of zirconia-magnesia as an inert matrix fuel to establish behavior of the material containing a fissile component. First, the zirconia-magnesia inert matrix is synthesized in a dual phase ceramic containing a fissile component and a burnable poison. The chemical constitution of the ceramic is then determined. Next, the material performance is assessed under conditions relevant to an advanced fuel cycle. Reactor conditions were assessed with high temperature, high pressure water. Various acid solutions were used in an effort to dissolve the material for reprocessing. The ceramic was also tested as a waste form under environmental conditions, should it go directly to a repository as a spent fuel. The applicability of zirconia-magnesia as an inert matrix fuel and waste form was tested and found to be a promising material for such applications.

THE ATTRACTIVENESS OF MATERIAS ASSOCIATED WITH THORIUM-BASED NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLES FOR PHWRS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Prichard, Andrew W.; Niehus, Mark T.; Collins, Brian A.

2011-07-17

This paper reports the continued evaluation of the attractiveness of materials mixtures containing special nuclear materials (SNM) associated with thorium based nuclear fuel cycles. Specifically, this paper examines a thorium fuel cycle in which a pressurized heavy water reactor (PHWR) is fueled with mixtures of natural uranium/233U/thorium. This paper uses a PHWR fueled with natural uranium as a base fuel cycle, and then compares material attractiveness of fuel cycles that use 233U/thorium salted with natural uranium. The results include the material attractiveness of fuel at beginning of life (BoL), end of life (EoL), and the number of fuel assemblies requiredmore » to collect a bare critical mass of plutonium or uranium. This study indicates what is required to render the uranium as having low utility for use in nuclear weapons; in addition, this study estimates the increased number of assemblies required to accumulate a bare critical mass of plutonium that has a higher utility for use in nuclear weapons. This approach identifies that some fuel cycles may be easier to implement the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards approach and have a more effective safeguards by design outcome. For this study, approximately one year of fuel is required to be reprocessed to obtain one bare critical mass of plutonium. Nevertheless, the result of this paper suggests that all spent fuel needs to be rigorously safeguarded and provided with high levels of physical protection. This study was performed at the request of the United States Department of Energy /National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA). The methodology and key findings will be presented.« less

Uranium oxide fuel cycle analysis in VVER-1000 with VISTA simulation code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirekhtiary, Seyedeh Fatemeh; Abbasi, Akbar

2018-02-01

The VVER-1000 Nuclear power plant generates about 20-25 tons of spent fuel per year. In this research, the fuel transmutation of Uranium Oxide (UOX) fuel was calculated by using of nuclear fuel cycle simulation system (VISTA) code. In this simulation, we evaluated the back end components fuel cycle. The back end component calculations are Spent Fuel (SF), Actinide Inventory (AI) and Fission Product (FP) radioisotopes. The SF, AI and FP values were obtained 23.792178 ton/y, 22.811139 ton/y, 0.981039 ton/y, respectively. The obtained value of spent fuel, major actinide, and minor actinide and fission products were 23.8 ton/year, 22.795 ton/year, 0.024 ton/year and 0.981 ton/year, respectively.

Simulation on reactor TRIGA Puspati core kinetics fueled with thorium (Th) based fuel element

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohammed, Abdul Aziz; Pauzi, Anas Muhamad; Rahman, Shaik Mohmmed Haikhal Abdul; Zin, Muhamad Rawi Muhammad; Jamro, Rafhayudi; Idris, Faridah Mohamad

2016-01-01

In confronting global energy requirement and the search for better technologies, there is a real case for widening the range of potential variations in the design of nuclear power plants. Smaller and simpler reactors are attractive, provided they can meet safety and security standards and non-proliferation issues. On fuel cycle aspect, thorium fuel cycles produce much less plutonium and other radioactive transuranic elements than uranium fuel cycles. Although not fissile itself, Th-232 will absorb slow neutrons to produce uranium-233 (233U), which is fissile. By introducing Thorium, the numbers of highly enriched uranium fuel element can be reduced while maintaining the core neutronic performance. This paper describes the core kinetic of a small research reactor core like TRIGA fueled with a Th filled fuel element matrix using a general purpose Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) code.

Life cycle models of conventional and alternative-fueled automobiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maclean, Heather Louise

This thesis reports life cycle inventories of internal combustion engine automobiles with feasible near term fuel/engine combinations. These combinations include unleaded gasoline, California Phase 2 Reformulated Gasoline, alcohol and gasoline blends (85 percent methanol or ethanol combined with 15 percent gasoline), and compressed natural gas in spark ignition direct and indirect injection engines. Additionally, I consider neat methanol and neat ethanol in spark ignition direct injection engines and diesel fuel in compression ignition direct and indirect injection engines. I investigate the potential of the above options to have a lower environmental impact than conventional gasoline-fueled automobiles, while still retaining comparable pricing and consumer benefits. More broadly, the objective is to assess whether the use of any of the alternative systems will help to lead to the goal of a more sustainable personal transportation system. The principal tool is the Economic Input-Output Life Cycle Analysis model which includes inventories of economic data, environmental discharges, and resource use. I develop a life cycle assessment framework to assemble the array of data generated by the model into three aggregate assessment parameters; economics, externalities, and vehicle attributes. The first step is to develop a set of 'comparable cars' with the alternative fuel/engine combinations, based on characteristics of a conventional 1998 gasoline-fueled Ford Taurus sedan, the baseline vehicle for the analyses. I calculate the assessment parameters assuming that these comparable cars can attain the potential thermal efficiencies estimated by experts for each fuel/engine combination. To a first approximation, there are no significant differences in the assessment parameters for the vehicle manufacture, service, fixed costs, and the end-of-life for any of the options. However, there are differences in the vehicle operation life cycle components and the state of technology

Cycle-to-cycle IMEP fluctuations in a stoichiometrically-fueled S. I. engine at low speed and load

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sztenderowicz, M.L.; Heywood, J.B.

1990-01-01

In a previous experimental investigation of the effects of residual gas nonuniformity on S.I. engine combustion variability, it was found that eliminating residual gas nonuniformity by skip firing has no detectable impact on the flame development process, but nonetheless caused IMEP fluctuations to drop by about half under very light load conditions. This paper reports that under further investigation, it has been determined that the observed IMEP fluctuations, particularly for optimally-phased cycles, are controlled by cyclic variations in the amount of fuel burning per cycle. Real-time sampling of the hydrocarbon concentration in the exhaust port has shown that the variationmore » in fuel burned per cycle is not primarily due to variations in combustion completeness, and must therefore be attributed to variations in the amount of fuel trapped within the cylinder prior to combustion. Several mechanisms for this variation were identified, all of which are plausible but none of which are likely to dominate: variations in fuel quantity left in the cylinder from the previous cycle; variations in the fluid dynamics of the intake process; fresh charge displacement due to variations in residual gas temperature; variations in leakage through valves; and fluctuations in crevice effects and blow-by.« less

Hydraulic Hybrid and Conventional Parcel Delivery Vehicles' Measured Laboratory Fuel Economy on Targeted Drive Cycles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lammert, M. P.; Burton, J.; Sindler, P.

2014-10-01

This research project compares laboratory-measured fuel economy of a medium-duty diesel powered hydraulic hybrid vehicle drivetrain to both a conventional diesel drivetrain and a conventional gasoline drivetrain in a typical commercial parcel delivery application. Vehicles in this study included a model year 2012 Freightliner P100H hybrid compared to a 2012 conventional gasoline P100 and a 2012 conventional diesel parcel delivery van of similar specifications. Drive cycle analysis of 484 days of hybrid parcel delivery van commercial operation from multiple vehicles was used to select three standard laboratory drive cycles as well as to create a custom representative cycle. These fourmore » cycles encompass and bracket the range of real world in-use data observed in Baltimore United Parcel Service operations. The NY Composite cycle, the City Suburban Heavy Vehicle Cycle cycle, and the California Air Resources Board Heavy Heavy-Duty Diesel Truck (HHDDT) cycle as well as a custom Baltimore parcel delivery cycle were tested at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Renewable Fuels and Lubricants Laboratory. Fuel consumption was measured and analyzed for all three vehicles. Vehicle laboratory results are compared on the basis of fuel economy. The hydraulic hybrid parcel delivery van demonstrated 19%-52% better fuel economy than the conventional diesel parcel delivery van and 30%-56% better fuel economy than the conventional gasoline parcel delivery van on cycles other than the highway-oriented HHDDT cycle.« less

Molten salt reactor neutronics and fuel cycle modeling and simulation with SCALE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Betzler, Benjamin R.; Powers, Jeffrey J.; Worrall, Andrew

Current interest in advanced nuclear energy and molten salt reactor (MSR) concepts has enhanced interest in building the tools necessary to analyze these systems. A Python script known as ChemTriton has been developed to simulate equilibrium MSR fuel cycle performance by modeling the changing isotopic composition of an irradiated fuel salt using SCALE for neutron transport and depletion calculations. Some capabilities in ChemTriton that have improved, include a generic geometry capable of modeling multi-zone and multi-fluid systems, enhanced time-dependent feed and separations, and a critical concentration search. Although more generally applicable, the capabilities developed to date are illustrated in thismore » paper in three applied problems: (1) simulating the startup of a thorium-based MSR fuel cycle (a likely scenario requires the first of these MSRs to be started without available 233U); (2) determining the effect of the removal of different fission products on MSR operations; and (3) obtaining the equilibrium concentration of a mixed-oxide light-water reactor fuel in a two-stage fuel cycle with a sodium fast reactor. Moreover, the third problem is chosen to demonstrate versatility in an application to analyze the fuel cycle of a non-MSR system. During the first application, the initial fuel salt compositions fueled with different sources of fissile material are made feasible after (1) removing the associated nonfissile actinides after much of the initial fissile isotopes have burned and (2) optimizing the thorium concentration to maintain a critical configuration without significantly reducing breeding capability. In the second application, noble metal, volatile gas, and rare earth element fission products are shown to have a strong negative effect on criticality in a uranium-fueled thermal-spectrum MSR; their removal significantly increases core lifetime (by 30%) and fuel utilization. In the third application, the fuel of a mixed-oxide light

Molten salt reactor neutronics and fuel cycle modeling and simulation with SCALE

DOE PAGES

Betzler, Benjamin R.; Powers, Jeffrey J.; Worrall, Andrew

2017-03-01

Current interest in advanced nuclear energy and molten salt reactor (MSR) concepts has enhanced interest in building the tools necessary to analyze these systems. A Python script known as ChemTriton has been developed to simulate equilibrium MSR fuel cycle performance by modeling the changing isotopic composition of an irradiated fuel salt using SCALE for neutron transport and depletion calculations. Some capabilities in ChemTriton that have improved, include a generic geometry capable of modeling multi-zone and multi-fluid systems, enhanced time-dependent feed and separations, and a critical concentration search. Although more generally applicable, the capabilities developed to date are illustrated in thismore » paper in three applied problems: (1) simulating the startup of a thorium-based MSR fuel cycle (a likely scenario requires the first of these MSRs to be started without available 233U); (2) determining the effect of the removal of different fission products on MSR operations; and (3) obtaining the equilibrium concentration of a mixed-oxide light-water reactor fuel in a two-stage fuel cycle with a sodium fast reactor. Moreover, the third problem is chosen to demonstrate versatility in an application to analyze the fuel cycle of a non-MSR system. During the first application, the initial fuel salt compositions fueled with different sources of fissile material are made feasible after (1) removing the associated nonfissile actinides after much of the initial fissile isotopes have burned and (2) optimizing the thorium concentration to maintain a critical configuration without significantly reducing breeding capability. In the second application, noble metal, volatile gas, and rare earth element fission products are shown to have a strong negative effect on criticality in a uranium-fueled thermal-spectrum MSR; their removal significantly increases core lifetime (by 30%) and fuel utilization. In the third application, the fuel of a mixed-oxide light

Promising Fuel Cycle Options for R&D – Results, Insights, and Future Directions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wigeland, Roald Arnold

2015-05-01

The Fuel Cycle Options (FCO) campaign in the U.S. DOE Fuel Cycle Research & Development Program conducted a detailed evaluation and screening of nuclear fuel cycles. The process for this study was described at the 2014 ICAPP meeting. This paper reports on detailed insights and questions from the results of the study. The comprehensive study identified continuous recycle in fast reactors as the most promising option, using either U/Pu or U/TRU recycle, and potentially in combination with thermal reactors, as reported at the ICAPP 2014 meeting. This paper describes the examination of the results in detail that indicated that theremore » was essentially no difference in benefit between U/Pu and U/TRU recycle, prompting questions about the desirability of pursuing the more complex U/TRU approach given that the estimated greater challenges for development and deployment. The results will be reported from the current effort that further explores what, if any, benefits of TRU recycle (minor actinides in addition to plutonium recycle) may be in order to inform decisions on future R&D directions. The study also identified continuous recycle using thorium-based fuel cycles as potentially promising, in either fast or thermal systems, but with lesser benefit. Detailed examination of these results indicated that the lesser benefit was confined to only a few of the evaluation metrics, identifying the conditions under which thorium-based fuel cycles would be promising to pursue. For the most promising fuel cycles, the FCO is also conducting analyses on the potential transition to such fuel cycles to identify the issues, challenges, and the timing for critical decisions that would need to be made to avoid unnecessary delay in deployment, including investigation of issues such as the effects of a temporary lack of plutonium fuel resources or supporting infrastructure. These studies are placed in the context of an overall analysis approach designed to provide comprehensive

Sustainable Thorium Nuclear Fuel Cycles: A Comparison of Intermediate and Fast Neutron Spectrum Systems

DOE PAGES

Brown, Nicholas R.; Powers, Jeffrey J.; Feng, B.; ...

2015-05-21

This paper presents analyses of possible reactor representations of a nuclear fuel cycle with continuous recycling of thorium and produced uranium (mostly U-233) with thorium-only feed. The analysis was performed in the context of a U.S. Department of Energy effort to develop a compendium of informative nuclear fuel cycle performance data. The objective of this paper is to determine whether intermediate spectrum systems, having a majority of fission events occurring with incident neutron energies between 1 eV and 10 5 eV, perform as well as fast spectrum systems in this fuel cycle. The intermediate spectrum options analyzed include tight latticemore » heavy or light water-cooled reactors, continuously refueled molten salt reactors, and a sodium-cooled reactor with hydride fuel. All options were modeled in reactor physics codes to calculate their lattice physics, spectrum characteristics, and fuel compositions over time. Based on these results, detailed metrics were calculated to compare the fuel cycle performance. These metrics include waste management and resource utilization, and are binned to accommodate uncertainties. The performance of the intermediate systems for this selfsustaining thorium fuel cycle was similar to a representative fast spectrum system. However, the number of fission neutrons emitted per neutron absorbed limits performance in intermediate spectrum systems.« less

Simulation on reactor TRIGA Puspati core kinetics fueled with thorium (Th) based fuel element

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mohammed, Abdul Aziz, E-mail: azizM@uniten.edu.my; Rahman, Shaik Mohmmed Haikhal Abdul; Pauzi, Anas Muhamad, E-mail: anas@uniten.edu.my

2016-01-22

In confronting global energy requirement and the search for better technologies, there is a real case for widening the range of potential variations in the design of nuclear power plants. Smaller and simpler reactors are attractive, provided they can meet safety and security standards and non-proliferation issues. On fuel cycle aspect, thorium fuel cycles produce much less plutonium and other radioactive transuranic elements than uranium fuel cycles. Although not fissile itself, Th-232 will absorb slow neutrons to produce uranium-233 ({sup 233}U), which is fissile. By introducing Thorium, the numbers of highly enriched uranium fuel element can be reduced while maintainingmore » the core neutronic performance. This paper describes the core kinetic of a small research reactor core like TRIGA fueled with a Th filled fuel element matrix using a general purpose Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) code.« less

Back-end of the fuel cycle - Indian scenario

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wattal, P.K.

Nuclear power has a key role in meeting the energy demands of India. This can be sustained by ensuring robust technology for the back end of the fuel cycle. Considering the modest indigenous resources of U and a huge Th reserve, India has adopted a three stage Nuclear Power Programme (NPP) based on 'closed fuel cycle' approach. This option on 'Recovery and Recycle' serves twin objectives of ensuring adequate supply of nuclear fuel and also reducing the long term radio-toxicity of the wastes. Reprocessing of the spent fuel by Purex process is currently employed. High Level Liquid Waste (HLW) generatedmore » during reprocessing is vitrified and undergoes interim storage. Back-end technologies are constantly modified to address waste volume minimization and radio-toxicity reduction. Long-term management of HLW in Indian context would involve partitioning of long lived minor actinides and recovery of valuable fission products specifically cesium. Recovery of minor actinides from HLW and its recycle is highly desirable for the sustained growth of India's NPPs. In this context, programme for developing and deploying partitioning technologies on industrial scale is pursued. The partitioned elements could be either transmuted in Fast Reactors (FRs)/Accelerated Driven Systems (ADS) as an integral part of sustainable Indian NPP. (authors)« less

75 FR 51025 - Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future, Reactor and Fuel Cycle Technology Subcommittee

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-18

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future, Reactor and Fuel Cycle... meeting. SUMMARY: This notice announces an open meeting of the Reactor and Fuel Cycle Technology (RFCT... back end of the nuclear fuel cycle. The Commission will provide advice and make recommendations on...

Accelerator Reactor Coupling for Energy Production in Advanced Nuclear Fuel Cycles

DOE PAGES

Brown, Nicholas R.; Heidet, Florent; Haj Tahar, Malek

2016-01-01

This article is a review of several accelerator–reactor interface issues and nuclear fuel cycle applications of acceleratordriven subcritical systems. The systems considered here have the primary goal of energy production, but that goal is accomplished via a specific application in various proposed nuclear fuel cycles, such as breed-and-burn of fertile material or burning of transuranic material. Several basic principles are reviewed, starting from the proton beam window including the target, blanket, reactor core, and up to the fuel cycle. We focus on issues of interest, such as the impact of the energy required to run the accelerator and associated systemsmore » on the potential electricity delivered to the grid. Accelerator-driven systems feature many of the constraints and issues associated with critical reactors, with the added challenges of subcritical operation and coupling to an accelerator. Reliable accelerator operation and avoidance of beam trips are critically important. One interesting challenge is measurement of blanket subcriticality level during operation. We also review the potential benefits of accelerator-driven systems in various nuclear fuel cycle applications. Ultimately, accelerator-driven subcritical systems with the goal of transmutation of transuranic material have lower 100,000-year radioactivity than a critical fast reactor with recycling of uranium and plutonium.« less

Accelerator–Reactor Coupling for Energy Production in Advanced Nuclear Fuel Cycles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Heidet, Florent; Brown, Nicholas R.; Haj Tahar, Malek

2015-01-01

This article is a review of several accelerator-reactor interface issues and nuclear fuel cycle applications of accelerator-driven subcritical systems. The systems considered here have the primary goal of energy production, but that goal is accomplished via a specific application in various proposed nuclear fuel cycles, such as breed-and-burn of fertile material or burning of transuranic material. Several basic principles are reviewed, starting from the proton beam window including the target, blanket, reactor core, and up to the fuel cycle. We focused on issues of interest, e.g. the impact of the energy required to run the accelerator and associated systems onmore » the potential electricity delivered to the grid. Accelerator-driven systems feature many of the constraints and issues associated with critical reactors, with the added challenges of subcritical operation and coupling to an accelerator. Reliable accelerator operation and avoidance of beam trips are a critically important. One interesting challenge is measurement of blanket subcriticality level during operation. We also reviewed the potential benefits of accelerator-driven systems in various nuclear fuel cycle applications. Ultimately, accelerator-driven subcritical systems with the goal of transmutation of transuranic material have lower 100,000-year radioactivity versus a critical fast reactor with recycle of uranium and plutonium.« less

Accelerator-Reactor Coupling for Energy Production in Advanced Nuclear Fuel Cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heidet, Florent; Brown, Nicholas R.; Haj Tahar, Malek

This article is a review of several accelerator-reactor interface issues and nuclear fuel cycle applications of accelerator-driven subcritical systems. The systems considered here have the primary goal of energy production, but that goal is accomplished via a specific application in various proposed nuclear fuel cycles, such as breed-and-burn of fertile material or burning of transuranic material. Several basic principles are reviewed, starting from the proton beam window including the target, blanket, reactor core, and up to the fuel cycle. We focus on issues of interest, such as the impact of the energy required to run the accelerator and associated systems on the potential electricity delivered to the grid. Accelerator-driven systems feature many of the constraints and issues associated with critical reactors, with the added challenges of subcritical operation and coupling to an accelerator. Reliable accelerator operation and avoidance of beam trips are critically important. One interesting challenge is measurement of blanket subcriticality level during operation. We also review the potential benefits of accelerator-driven systems in various nuclear fuel cycle applications. Ultimately, accelerator-driven subcritical systems with the goal of transmutation of transuranic material have lower 100,000-year radioactivity than a critical fast reactor with recycling of uranium and plutonium.

Study of LH2-fueled topping cycle engine for aircraft propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Turney, G. E.; Fishbach, L. H.

1983-01-01

An analytical investigation was made of a topping cycle aircraft engine system which uses a cryogenic fuel. This system consists of a main turboshaft engine which is mechanically coupled (by cross-shafting) to a topping loop which augments the shaft power output of the system. The thermodynamic performance of the topping cycle engine was analyzed and compared with that of a reference (conventional-type) turboshaft engine. For the cycle operating conditions selected, the performance of the topping cycle engine in terms of brake specific fuel consumption (bsfc) was determined to be about 12 percent better than that of the reference turboshaft engine. Engine weights were estimated for both the topping cycle engine and the reference turboshaft engine. These estimates were based on a common shaft power output for each engine. Results indicate that the weight of the topping cycle engine is comparable to that of the reference turboshaft engine.

Closed Fuel Cycle Waste Treatment Strategy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vienna, J. D.; Collins, E. D.; Crum, J. V.

This study is aimed at evaluating the existing waste management approaches for nuclear fuel cycle facilities in comparison to the objectives of implementing an advanced fuel cycle in the U.S. under current legal, regulatory, and logistical constructs. The study begins with the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) Integrated Waste Management Strategy (IWMS) (Gombert et al. 2008) as a general strategy and associated Waste Treatment Baseline Study (WTBS) (Gombert et al. 2007). The tenets of the IWMS are equally valid to the current waste management study. However, the flowsheet details have changed significantly from those considered under GNEP. In addition, significantmore » additional waste management technology development has occurred since the GNEP waste management studies were performed. This study updates the information found in the WTBS, summarizes the results of more recent technology development efforts, and describes waste management approaches as they apply to a representative full recycle reprocessing flowsheet. Many of the waste management technologies discussed also apply to other potential flowsheets that involve reprocessing. These applications are occasionally discussed where the data are more readily available. The report summarizes the waste arising from aqueous reprocessing of a typical light-water reactor (LWR) fuel to separate actinides for use in fabricating metal sodium fast reactor (SFR) fuel and from electrochemical reprocessing of the metal SFR fuel to separate actinides for recycle back into the SFR in the form of metal fuel. The primary streams considered and the recommended waste forms include; Tritium in low-water cement in high integrity containers (HICs); Iodine-129: As a reference case, a glass composite material (GCM) formed by the encapsulation of the silver Mordenite (AgZ) getter material in a low-temperature glass is assumed. A number of alternatives with distinct advantages are also considered including a fused silica

Characterizing model uncertainties in the life cycle of lignocellulose-based ethanol fuels.

PubMed

Spatari, Sabrina; MacLean, Heather L

2010-11-15

Renewable and low carbon fuel standards being developed at federal and state levels require an estimation of the life cycle carbon intensity (LCCI) of candidate fuels that can substitute for gasoline, such as second generation bioethanol. Estimating the LCCI of such fuels with a high degree of confidence requires the use of probabilistic methods to account for known sources of uncertainty. We construct life cycle models for the bioconversion of agricultural residue (corn stover) and energy crops (switchgrass) and explicitly examine uncertainty using Monte Carlo simulation. Using statistical methods to identify significant model variables from public data sets and Aspen Plus chemical process models,we estimate stochastic life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for the two feedstocks combined with two promising fuel conversion technologies. The approach can be generalized to other biofuel systems. Our results show potentially high and uncertain GHG emissions for switchgrass-ethanol due to uncertain CO₂ flux from land use change and N₂O flux from N fertilizer. However, corn stover-ethanol,with its low-in-magnitude, tight-in-spread LCCI distribution, shows considerable promise for reducing life cycle GHG emissions relative to gasoline and corn-ethanol. Coproducts are important for reducing the LCCI of all ethanol fuels we examine.

Alternative Fuels Data Center: Maintenance and Safety of Hybrid and Plug-In

Science.gov Websites

Electric Vehicles Maintenance and Safety of Hybrid and Plug-In Electric Vehicles to someone by E-mail Share Alternative Fuels Data Center: Maintenance and Safety of Hybrid and Plug-In Electric Vehicles on Facebook Tweet about Alternative Fuels Data Center: Maintenance and Safety of Hybrid and Plug

The life cycle assessment of alternative fuel chains for urban buses and trolleybuses.

PubMed

Kliucininkas, L; Matulevicius, J; Martuzevicius, D

2012-05-30

This paper describes a comparative analysis of public transport alternatives in the city of Kaunas, Lithuania. An LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) inventory analysis of fuel chains was undertaken using the midi urban bus and a similar type of trolleybus. The inventory analysis of fuel chains followed the guidelines provided by the ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 standards. The ReCiPe Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) methodology was used to quantify weighted damage originating from five alternative fuel chains. The compressed biogas fuel chain had the lowest weighted damage value, namely 45.7 mPt/km, whereas weighted damage values of the fuel chains based on electricity generation for trolleybuses were 60.6 mPt/km (for natural gas) and 78.9 mPt/km (for heavy fuel oil). The diesel and compressed natural gas fuel chains exhibited considerably higher damage values of 114.2 mPt/km and 132.6 mPt/km, respectively. The comparative life cycle assessment of fuel chains suggested that biogas-powered buses and electric trolleybuses can be considered as the best alternatives to use when modernizing the public transport fleet in Kaunas. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Intergenerational considerations affecting the future of nuclear power: equity as a framework for assessing fuel cycles.

PubMed

Taebi, Behnam; Kadak, Andrew C

2010-09-01

Alternative fuel cycles are being considered in an effort to prolong uranium fuel supplies for thousands of years to come and to manage nuclear waste. These strategies bring with them different benefits and burdens for the present generation and for future generations. In this article, we present a method that provides insight into future fuel cycle alternatives and into the conflicts arising between generations within the framework of intergenerational equity. A set of intersubjective values is drawn from the notion of sustainable development. By operationalizing these values and mapping out their impacts, value criteria are introduced for the assessment of fuel cycles, which are based on the distribution of burdens and benefits between generations. The once-through fuel cycle currently deployed in the United States and three future fuel cycles are subsequently assessed according to these criteria. The four alternatives are then compared in an integrated analysis in which we shed light on the implicit tradeoffs made by decisionmakers when they choose a certain fuel cycle. When choosing a fuel cycle, what are the societal costs and burdens accepted for each generation and how can these factors be justified? This article presents an integrated decision-making method, which considers intergenerational aspects of such decisions; this method could also be applied to other technologies. © 2010 Society for Risk Analysis.

Evaluation of isotopic composition of fast reactor core in closed nuclear fuel cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tikhomirov, Georgy; Ternovykh, Mikhail; Saldikov, Ivan; Fomichenko, Peter; Gerasimov, Alexander

2017-09-01

The strategy of the development of nuclear power in Russia provides for use of fast power reactors in closed nuclear fuel cycle. The PRORYV (i.e. «Breakthrough» in Russian) project is currently under development. Within the framework of this project, fast reactors BN-1200 and BREST-OD-300 should be built to, inter alia, demonstrate possibility of the closed nuclear fuel cycle technologies with plutonium as a main source of energy. Russia has a large inventory of plutonium which was accumulated in the result of reprocessing of spent fuel of thermal power reactors and conversion of nuclear weapons. This kind of plutonium will be used for development of initial fuel assemblies for fast reactors. The closed nuclear fuel cycle concept of the PRORYV assumes self-supplied mode of operation with fuel regeneration by neutron capture reaction in non-enriched uranium, which is used as a raw material. Operating modes of reactors and its characteristics should be chosen so as to provide the self-sufficient mode by using of fissile isotopes while refueling by depleted uranium and to support this state during the entire period of reactor operation. Thus, the actual issue is modeling fuel handling processes. To solve these problems, the code REPRORYV (Recycle for PRORYV) has been developed. It simulates nuclide streams in non-reactor stages of the closed fuel cycle. At the same time various verified codes can be used to evaluate in-core characteristics of a reactor. By using this approach various options for nuclide streams and assess the impact of different plutonium content in the fuel, fuel processing conditions, losses during fuel processing, as well as the impact of initial uncertainties on neutron-physical characteristics of reactor are considered in this study.

Life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of sugar cane renewable jet fuel.

PubMed

Moreira, Marcelo; Gurgel, Angelo C; Seabra, Joaquim E A

2014-12-16

This study evaluated the life cycle GHG emissions of a renewable jet fuel produced from sugar cane in Brazil under a consequential approach. The analysis included the direct and indirect emissions associated with sugar cane production and fuel processing, distribution, and use for a projected 2020 scenario. The CA-GREET model was used as the basic analytical tool, while Land Use Change (LUC) emissions were estimated employing the GTAP-BIO-ADV and AEZ-EF models. Feedstock production and LUC impacts were evaluated as the main sources of emissions, respectively estimated as 14.6 and 12 g CO2eq/MJ of biofuel in the base case. However, the renewable jet fuel would strongly benefit from bagasse and trash-based cogeneration, which would enable a net life cycle emission of 8.5 g CO2eq/MJ of biofuel in the base case, whereas Monte Carlo results indicate 21 ± 11 g CO2eq/MJ. Besides the major influence of the electricity surplus, the sensitivity analysis showed that the cropland-pasture yield elasticity and the choice of the land use factor employed to sugar cane are relevant parameters for the biofuel life cycle performance. Uncertainties about these estimations exist, especially because the study relies on projected performances, and further studies about LUC are also needed to improve the knowledge about their contribution to the renewable jet fuel life cycle.

Developing the User Experience for a Next Generation Nuclear Fuel Cycle Simulator (NGFCS)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wilson, Paul H.; Schneider, Erich; Pascucci, Valerio

This project made substantial progress on its original aim for providing a modern user experience for nuclear fuel cycle analysis while also creating a robust and functional next- generation fuel cycle simulator. The Cyclus kernel experienced a dramatic clari cation of its interfaces and data model, becoming a full- edged agent-based framework, with strong support for third party developers of novel archetypes. The most important contribution of this project to the the development of Cyclus was the introduction of tools to facilitate archetype development. These include automated code generation of routine archetype components, metadata annotations to provide re ection andmore » rich description of each data member's purpose, and mechanisms for input validation and output of complex data. A comprehensive social science investigation of decision makers' interests in nuclear fuel cycles, and speci cally their interests in nuclear fuel cycle simulators (NFCSs) as tools for understanding nuclear fuel cycle options, was conducted. This included document review and analysis, stakeholder interviews, and a survey of decision makers. This information was used to study the role of visualization formats and features in communicating information about nuclear fuel cycles. A exible and user-friendly tool was developed for building Cyclus analysis models, featuring a drag-and-drop interface and automatic input form generation for novel archetypes. Cycic allows users to design fuel cycles from arbitrary collections of facilities for the rst time, with mechanisms that contribute to consistency within that fuel cycle. Interacting with some of the metadata capabilities introduced in the above-mentioned tools to support archetype development, Cycic also automates the generation of user input forms for novel archetypes with little to no special knowledge required by the archetype developers. Translation of the fundamental metrics of Cyclus into more interesting quantities is

Hydrogen-fueled postal vehicle performance evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, R. A.

1979-01-01

Fuel consumption, range, and emissions data were obtained while operating a hydrogen-fueled postal delivery vehicle over a defined Postal Service Driving Cycle and the 1975 Urban Driving Cycle. The vehicle's fuel consumption was 0.366 pounds of hydrogen per mile over the postal driving cycle and 0.22 pounds of hydrogen per mile over the urban driving cycle. These data correspond to 6.2 and 10.6 mpg equivalent gasoline mileage for the two driving cycles, respectively. The vehicle's range was 24.2 miles while being operated on the postal driving cycle. Vehicle emissions were measured over the urban driving cycle. HC and CO emissions were quite low, as would be expected. The oxides of nitrogen were found to be 4.86 gm/mi, a value which is well above the current Federal and California standards. Vehicle limitations discussed include excessive engine flashbacks, inadequate acceleration capability the engine air/fuel ratio, the water injection systems, and the cab temperature. Other concerns are safety considerations, iron-titanium hydride observed in the fuel system, evidence of water in the engine rocker cover, and the vehicle maintenance required during the evaluation.

Can cycling safety be improved by opening all unidirectional cycle paths for cycle traffic in both directions? A theoretical examination of available literature and data.

PubMed

Methorst, Rob; Schepers, Paul; Kamminga, Jaap; Zeegers, Theo; Fishman, Elliot

2017-08-01

Many studies have found bicycle-motor vehicle crashes to be more likely on bidirectional cycle paths than on unidirectional cycle paths because drivers do not expect cyclists riding at the right side of the road. In this paper we discuss the hypothesis that opening all unidirectional cycle paths for cycle traffic in both directions prevent this lack of expectancy and accordingly improves cycling safety. A new national standard requires careful consideration because a reversal is difficult once cyclists are used to their new freedom of route choice. We therefore explored the hypothesis using available data, research, and theories. The results show that of the length of cycle paths along distributor roads in the Netherlands, 72% is bidirectional. If drivers would become used to cyclists riding at the left side of the road, this result raises the question of why bidirectional cycle paths in the Netherlands still have a poor safety record compared to unidirectional cycle paths. Moreover, our exploration suggested that bidirectional cycle paths have additional safety problems. It increases the complexity of unsignalized intersections because drivers have to scan more directions in a short period of time. Moreover, there are some indications that the likelihood of frontal crashes between cyclists increases. We reject the hypothesis that opening all unidirectional cycle paths for cycle traffic in both directions will improve cycle safety. We recommend more attention for mitigating measures given the widespread application of bidirectional cycle paths in the Netherlands. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Managing the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Policy Implications of Expanding Global Access to Nuclear Power

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-11-01

critical aspect of the nuclear fuel cycle for the United States, where longstanding nonproliferation policy discouraged commercial nuclear fuel...perhaps the most critical question in this decade for strengthening the nuclear nonproliferation regime: how can access to sensitive fuel cycle...process can take advantage of the slight difference in atomic mass between 235U and 238U. The typical enrichment process requires about 10 lbs of uranium

A Review of RedOx Cycling of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Anode

PubMed Central

Faes, Antonin; Hessler-Wyser, Aïcha; Zryd, Amédée; Van Herle, Jan

2012-01-01

Solid oxide fuel cells are able to convert fuels, including hydrocarbons, to electricity with an unbeatable efficiency even for small systems. One of the main limitations for long-term utilization is the reduction-oxidation cycling (RedOx cycles) of the nickel-based anodes. This paper will review the effects and parameters influencing RedOx cycles of the Ni-ceramic anode. Second, solutions for RedOx instability are reviewed in the patent and open scientific literature. The solutions are described from the point of view of the system, stack design, cell design, new materials and microstructure optimization. Finally, a brief synthesis on RedOx cycling of Ni-based anode supports for standard and optimized microstructures is depicted. PMID:24958298

Identification and Analysis of Critical Gaps in Nuclear Fuel Cycle Codes Required by the SINEMA Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Adrian Miron; Joshua Valentine; John Christenson

2009-10-01

The current state of the art in nuclear fuel cycle (NFC) modeling is an eclectic mixture of codes with various levels of applicability, flexibility, and availability. In support of the advanced fuel cycle systems analyses, especially those by the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI), Unviery of Cincinnati in collaboration with Idaho State University carried out a detailed review of the existing codes describing various aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle and identified the research and development needs required for a comprehensive model of the global nuclear energy infrastructure and the associated nuclear fuel cycles. Relevant information obtained on the NFCmore » codes was compiled into a relational database that allows easy access to various codes' properties. Additionally, the research analyzed the gaps in the NFC computer codes with respect to their potential integration into programs that perform comprehensive NFC analysis.« less

Fuel-cycle emissions for conventional and alternative fuel vehicles : an assessment of air toxics

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-08-01

This report provides information on recent efforts to use the Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation (GREET) fuel-cycle model to estimate air toxics emissions. GREET, developed at Argonne National Laboratory, currentl...

Safety engineering in handling fuels and lubricants in civil aviation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Protoereiskii, Aleksandr Stepanovich

The book is concerned with methods of improving working conditions, work hygiene, safety engineering, and fire and explosion prevention during the storage and handling of petroleum products at fuel and lubricant storage facilities. The discussion covers methods of protection against static and atmospheric discharges, lightning protection, safety engineering in fuel and lubricant laboratories, and methods of fire prevention and fire extinction. Attention is also given to methods for administering first aid in case of accidents and poisoning.

Effect of delivery condition on desorption rate of ZrCo metal hydride bed for fusion fuel cycle

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kang, H.G.; Yun, S.H.; Chung, D.

2015-03-15

For the safety of fusion fuel cycle, hydrogen isotope gases including tritium are stored as metal hydride form. To satisfy fueling requirement of fusion machine, rapid delivery from metal hydride bed is one of major factors for the development of tritium storage and delivery system. Desorption from metal hydride depends on the operation scenario by pressure and temperature control of the bed. The effect of operation scenario and pump performance on desorption rate of metal hydride bed was experimentally investigated using ZrCo bed. The results showed that the condition of pre-heating scenario before actual delivery of gas affected the deliverymore » performance. Different pumps were connected to desorption line from bed and the effect of pump capacity on desorption rate were also found to be significant. (authors)« less

Life cycle inventory energy consumption and emissions for biodiesel versus petroleum diesel fueled construction vehicles.

PubMed

Pang, Shih-Hao; Frey, H Christopher; Rasdorf, William J

2009-08-15

Substitution of soy-based biodiesel fuels for petroleum diesel will alter life cycle emissions for construction vehicles. A life cycle inventory was used to estimate fuel cycle energy consumption and emissions of selected pollutants and greenhouse gases. Real-world measurements using a portable emission measurement system (PEMS) were made forfive backhoes, four front-end loaders, and six motor graders on both fuels from which fuel consumption and tailpipe emission factors of CO, HC, NO(x), and PM were estimated. Life cycle fossil energy reductions are estimated it 9% for B20 and 42% for B100 versus petroleum diesel based on the current national energy mix. Fuel cycle emissions will contribute a larger share of total life cycle emissions as new engines enter the in-use fleet. The average differences in life cycle emissions for B20 versus diesel are: 3.5% higher for NO(x); 11.8% lower for PM, 1.6% higher for HC, and 4.1% lower for CO. Local urban tailpipe emissions are estimated to be 24% lower for HC, 20% lower for CO, 17% lower for PM, and 0.9% lower for NO(x). Thus, there are environmental trade-offs such as for rural vs urban areas. The key sources of uncertainty in the B20 LCI are vehicle emission factors.

Preliminary analysis of compound systems based on high temperature fuel cell, gas turbine and Organic Rankine Cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sánchez, D.; Muñoz de Escalona, J. M.; Monje, B.; Chacartegui, R.; Sánchez, T.

This article presents a novel proposal for complex hybrid systems comprising high temperature fuel cells and thermal engines. In this case, the system is composed by a molten carbonate fuel cell with cascaded hot air turbine and Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC), a layout that is based on subsequent waste heat recovery for additional power production. The work will credit that it is possible to achieve 60% efficiency even if the fuel cell operates at atmospheric pressure. The first part of the analysis focuses on selecting the working fluid of the Organic Rankine Cycle. After a thermodynamic optimisation, toluene turns out to be the most efficient fluid in terms of cycle performance. However, it is also detected that the performance of the heat recovery vapour generator is equally important, what makes R245fa be the most interesting fluid due to its balanced thermal and HRVG efficiencies that yield the highest global bottoming cycle efficiency. When this fluid is employed in the compound system, conservative operating conditions permit achieving 60% global system efficiency, therefore accomplishing the initial objective set up in the work. A simultaneous optimisation of gas turbine (pressure ratio) and ORC (live vapour pressure) is then presented, to check if the previous results are improved or if the fluid of choice must be replaced. Eventually, even if system performance improves for some fluids, it is concluded that (i) R245fa is the most efficient fluid and (ii) the operating conditions considered in the previous analysis are still valid. The work concludes with an assessment about safety-related aspects of using hydrocarbons in the system. Flammability is studied, showing that R245fa is the most interesting fluid also in this regard due to its inert behaviour, as opposed to the other fluids under consideration all of which are highly flammable.

An Approach for Assessing Development and Deployment Risks in the DOE Fuel Cycle Options Evaluation and Screening Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gehin, Jess C; Oakley, Brian; Worrall, Andrew

2015-01-01

Abstract One of the key objectives of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Nuclear Energy R&D Roadmap is the development of sustainable nuclear fuel cycles that can improve natural resource utilization and provide solutions to the management of nuclear wastes. Recently, an evaluation and screening (E&S) of fuel cycle systems has been conducted to identify those options that provide the best opportunities for obtaining such improvements and also to identify the required research and development activities that can support the development of advanced fuel cycle options. In order to evaluate and screen the E&S study included nine criteria including Developmentmore » and Deployment Risk (D&DR). More specifically, this criterion was represented by the following metrics: Development time, development cost, deployment cost from prototypic validation to first-of-a-kind commercial, compatibility with the existing infrastructure, existence of regulations for the fuel cycle and familiarity with licensing, and existence of market incentives and/or barriers to commercial implementation of fuel cycle processes. Given the comprehensive nature of the study, a systematic approach was needed to determine metric data for the D&DR criterion, and is presented here. As would be expected, the Evaluation Group representing the once-through use of uranium in thermal reactors is always the highest ranked fuel cycle Evaluation Group for this D&DR criterion. Evaluation Groups that consist of once-through fuel cycles that use existing reactor types are consistently ranked very high. The highest ranked limited and continuous recycle fuel cycle Evaluation Groups are those that recycle Pu in thermal reactors. The lowest ranked fuel cycles are predominately continuous recycle single stage and multi-stage fuel cycles that involve TRU and/or U-233 recycle.« less

3S (Safeguards, Security, Safety) based pyroprocessing facility safety evaluation plan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ku, J.H.; Choung, W.M.; You, G.S.

The big advantage of pyroprocessing for the management of spent fuels against the conventional reprocessing technologies lies in its proliferation resistance since the pure plutonium cannot be separated from the spent fuel. The extracted materials can be directly used as metal fuel in a fast reactor, and pyroprocessing reduces drastically the volume and heat load of the spent fuel. KAERI has implemented the SBD (Safeguards-By-Design) concept in nuclear fuel cycle facilities. The goal of SBD is to integrate international safeguards into the entire facility design process since the very beginning of the design phase. This paper presents a safety evaluationmore » plan using a conceptual design of a reference pyroprocessing facility, in which 3S (Safeguards, Security, Safety)-By-Design (3SBD) concept is integrated from early conceptual design phase. The purpose of this paper is to establish an advanced pyroprocessing hot cell facility design concept based on 3SBD for the successful realization of pyroprocessing technology with enhanced safety and proliferation resistance.« less

Study of a LH2-fueled topping cycle engine for aircraft propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Turney, G. E.; Fishbach, L. H.

1983-01-01

An analytical investigation was made of a topping cycle aircraft engine system which uses a cryogenic fuel. This system consists of a main turboshaft engine which is mechanically coupled (by cross-shafting) to a topping loop which augments the shaft power output of the system. The thermodynamic performance of the topping cycle engine was analyzed and compared with that of a reference (conventional-type) turboshaft engine. For the cycle operating conditions selected, the performance of the topping cycle engine in terms of brake specific fuel consumption (bsfc) was determined to be about 12 percent better than that of the reference turboshaft engine. Engine weights were estimated for both the topping cycle engine and the reference turboshaft engine. These estimates were based on a common shaft power output for each engine. Results indicate that the weight of the topping cycle engine is comparable to that of the reference turboshaft engine. Previously announced in STAR as N83-34942

Safety Issues with Hydrogen as a Vehicle Fuel

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cadwallader, Lee Charles; Herring, James Stephen

1999-10-01

This report is an initial effort to identify and evaluate safety issues associated with the use of hydrogen as a vehicle fuel in automobiles. Several forms of hydrogen have been considered: gas, liquid, slush, and hydrides. The safety issues have been discussed, beginning with properties of hydrogen and the phenomenology of hydrogen combustion. Safety-related operating experiences with hydrogen vehicles have been summarized to identify concerns that must be addressed in future design activities and to support probabilistic risk assessment. Also, applicable codes, standards, and regulations pertaining to hydrogen usage and refueling have been identified and are briefly discussed. This reportmore » serves as a safety foundation for any future hydrogen safety work, such as a safety analysis or a probabilistic risk assessment.« less

Safety Issues with Hydrogen as a Vehicle Fuel

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

L. C. Cadwallader; J. S. Herring

1999-09-01

This report is an initial effort to identify and evaluate safety issues associated with the use of hydrogen as a vehicle fuel in automobiles. Several forms of hydrogen have been considered: gas, liquid, slush, and hydrides. The safety issues have been discussed, beginning with properties of hydrogen and the phenomenology of hydrogen combustion. Safety-related operating experiences with hydrogen vehicles have been summarized to identify concerns that must be addressed in future design activities and to support probabilistic risk assessment. Also, applicable codes, standards, and regulations pertaining to hydrogen usage and refueling have been identified and are briefly discussed. This reportmore » serves as a safety foundation for any future hydrogen safety work, such as a safety analysis or a probabilistic risk assessment.« less

40 CFR 86.1309-90 - Exhaust gas sampling system; Otto-cycle and non-petroleum-fueled engines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...-cycle and non-petroleum-fueled engines. 86.1309-90 Section 86.1309-90 Protection of Environment... HIGHWAY VEHICLES AND ENGINES (CONTINUED) Emission Regulations for New Otto-Cycle and Diesel Heavy-Duty...-cycle and non-petroleum-fueled engines. (a)(1) General. The exhaust gas sampling system described in...

40 CFR 600.114-08 - Vehicle-specific 5-cycle fuel economy calculations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Vehicle-specific 5-cycle fuel economy calculations. 600.114-08 Section 600.114-08 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) ENERGY POLICY FUEL ECONOMY AND CARBON-RELATED EXHAUST EMISSIONS OF MOTOR VEHICLES Fuel Economy Regulations for 1978 and Later Model Yea...

Reactivity-controlled compression ignition drive cycle emissions and fuel economy estimations using vehicle system simulations

DOE PAGES

Curran, Scott J.; Gao, Zhiming; Wagner, Robert M.

2014-12-22

In-cylinder blending of gasoline and diesel to achieve reactivity-controlled compression ignition has been shown to reduce NO X and soot emissions while maintaining or improving brake thermal efficiency as compared with conventional diesel combustion. The reactivity-controlled compression ignition concept has an advantage over many advanced combustion strategies in that the fuel reactivity can be tailored to the engine speed and load, allowing stable low-temperature combustion to be extended over more of the light-duty drive cycle load range. In this paper, a multi-mode reactivity-controlled compression ignition strategy is employed where the engine switches from reactivity-controlled compression ignition to conventional diesel combustionmore » when speed and load demand are outside of the experimentally determined reactivity-controlled compression ignition range. The potential for reactivity-controlled compression ignition to reduce drive cycle fuel economy and emissions is not clearly understood and is explored here by simulating the fuel economy and emissions for a multi-mode reactivity-controlled compression ignition–enabled vehicle operating over a variety of US drive cycles using experimental engine maps for multi-mode reactivity-controlled compression ignition, conventional diesel combustion, and a 2009 port-fuel injected gasoline engine. Drive cycle simulations are completed assuming a conventional mid-size passenger vehicle with an automatic transmission. Multi-mode reactivity-controlled compression ignition fuel economy simulation results are compared with the same vehicle powered by a representative 2009 port-fuel injected gasoline engine over multiple drive cycles. Finally, engine-out drive cycle emissions are compared with conventional diesel combustion, and observations regarding relative gasoline and diesel tank sizes needed for the various drive cycles are also summarized.« less

40 CFR 600.207-08 - Calculation and use of vehicle-specific 5-cycle-based fuel economy values for vehicle...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

.... (i) Calculate the 5-cycle city and highway fuel economy values from the tests performed using gasoline or diesel test fuel. (ii)(A) Calculate the 5-cycle city and highway fuel economy values from the tests performed using alcohol or natural gas test fuel, if 5-cycle testing has been performed. Otherwise...

VISION User Guide - VISION (Verifiable Fuel Cycle Simulation) Model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jacob J. Jacobson; Robert F. Jeffers; Gretchen E. Matthern

2009-08-01

The purpose of this document is to provide a guide for using the current version of the Verifiable Fuel Cycle Simulation (VISION) model. This is a complex model with many parameters; the user is strongly encouraged to read this user guide before attempting to run the model. This model is an R&D work in progress and may contain errors and omissions. It is based upon numerous assumptions. This model is intended to assist in evaluating “what if” scenarios and in comparing fuel, reactor, and fuel processing alternatives at a systems level for U.S. nuclear power. The model is not intendedmore » as a tool for process flow and design modeling of specific facilities nor for tracking individual units of fuel or other material through the system. The model is intended to examine the interactions among the components of a fuel system as a function of time varying system parameters; this model represents a dynamic rather than steady-state approximation of the nuclear fuel system. VISION models the nuclear cycle at the system level, not individual facilities, e.g., “reactor types” not individual reactors and “separation types” not individual separation plants. Natural uranium can be enriched, which produces enriched uranium, which goes into fuel fabrication, and depleted uranium (DU), which goes into storage. Fuel is transformed (transmuted) in reactors and then goes into a storage buffer. Used fuel can be pulled from storage into either separation of disposal. If sent to separations, fuel is transformed (partitioned) into fuel products, recovered uranium, and various categories of waste. Recycled material is stored until used by its assigned reactor type. Note that recovered uranium is itself often partitioned: some RU flows with recycled transuranic elements, some flows with wastes, and the rest is designated RU. RU comes out of storage if needed to correct the U/TRU ratio in new recycled fuel. Neither RU nor DU are designated as wastes. VISION is comprised of

The long-term carbon cycle, fossil fuels and atmospheric composition.

PubMed

Berner, Robert A

2003-11-20

The long-term carbon cycle operates over millions of years and involves the exchange of carbon between rocks and the Earth's surface. There are many complex feedback pathways between carbon burial, nutrient cycling, atmospheric carbon dioxide and oxygen, and climate. New calculations of carbon fluxes during the Phanerozoic eon (the past 550 million years) illustrate how the long-term carbon cycle has affected the burial of organic matter and fossil-fuel formation, as well as the evolution of atmospheric composition.

10 CFR 51.51 - Uranium fuel cycle environmental data-Table S-3.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Uranium fuel cycle environmental data-Table S-3. 51.51... cycle environmental data—Table S-3. (a) Under § 51.50, every environmental report prepared for the... Cycle Environmental Data, as the basis for evaluating the contribution of the environmental effects of...

Nuclear Safety. Technical progress journal, April--June 1996: Volume 37, No. 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Muhlheim, M D

1996-01-01

This journal covers significant issues in the field of nuclear safety. Its primary scope is safety in the design, construction, operation, and decommissioning of nuclear power reactors worldwide and the research and analysis activities that promote this goal, but it also encompasses the safety aspects of the entire nuclear fuel cycle, including fuel fabrication, spent-fuel processing and handling, nuclear waste disposal, the handling of fissionable materials and radioisotopes, and the environmental effects of all these activities.

Estimating externalities of biomass fuel cycles, Report 7

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barnthouse, L.W.; Cada, G.F.; Cheng, M.-D.

1998-01-01

This report documents the analysis of the biomass fuel cycle, in which biomass is combusted to produce electricity. The major objectives of this study were: (1) to implement the methodological concepts which were developed in the Background Document (ORNL/RFF 1992) as a means of estimating the external costs and benefits of fuel cycles, and by so doing, to demonstrate their application to the biomass fuel cycle; (2) to develop, given the time and resources, a range of estimates of marginal (i.e., the additional or incremental) damages and benefits associated with selected impact-pathways from a new wood-fired power plant, using amore » representative benchmark technology, at two reference sites in the US; and (3) to assess the state of the information available to support energy decision making and the estimation of externalities, and by so doing, to assist in identifying gaps in knowledge and in setting future research agendas. The demonstration of methods, modeling procedures, and use of scientific information was the most important objective of this study. It provides an illustrative example for those who will, in the future, undertake studies of actual energy options and sites. As in most studies, a more comprehensive analysis could have been completed had budget constraints not been as severe. Particularly affected were the air and water transport modeling, estimation of ecological impacts, and economic valuation. However, the most important objective of the study was to demonstrate methods, as a detailed example for future studies. Thus, having severe budget constraints was appropriate from the standpoint that these studies could also face similar constraints. Consequently, an important result of this study is an indication of what can be done in such studies, rather than the specific numerical estimates themselves.« less

A conceptual framework for road safety and mobility applied to cycling safety.

PubMed

Schepers, Paul; Hagenzieker, Marjan; Methorst, Rob; van Wee, Bert; Wegman, Fred

2014-01-01

Scientific literature lacks a model which combines exposure to risk, risk, and the relationship between them. This paper presents a conceptual road safety framework comprising mutually interacting factors for exposure to risk resulting from travel behaviour (volumes, modal split, and distribution of traffic over time and space) and for risk (crash and injury risk). The framework's three determinants for travel behaviour are locations of activities; resistances (generalized transport costs); needs, opportunities, and abilities. Crash and injury risks are modelled by the three 'safety pillars': infrastructure, road users and the vehicles they use. Creating a link in the framework between risk and exposure is important because of the 'non-linear relationship' between them, i.e. risk tends to decrease as exposure increases. Furthermore, 'perceived' risk (a type of travel resistance) plays a role in mode choice, i.e. the perception that a certain type of vehicle is unsafe can be a deterrent to its use. This paper uses theories to explain how the elements in the model interact. Cycling is an area where governments typically have goals for both mobility and safety. To exemplify application of the model, the paper uses the framework to link research on cycling (safety) to land use and infrastructure. The model's value lies in its ability to identify potential consequences of measures and policies for both exposure and risk. This is important from a scientific perspective and for policy makers who often have objectives for both mobility and safety. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Standards

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-01-01

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) must set Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for light trucks. This was authorized by the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, which added Title V: Imporving Automotive Fuel Effici...

Standalone BISON Fuel Performance Results for Watts Bar Unit 1, Cycles 1-3

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Clarno, Kevin T.; Pawlowski, Roger; Stimpson, Shane

2016-03-07

The Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors (CASL) is moving forward with more complex multiphysics simulations and increased focus on incorporating fuel performance analysis methods. The coupled neutronics/thermal-hydraulics capabilities within the Virtual Environment for Reactor Applications Core Simulator (VERA-CS) have become relatively stable, and major advances have been made in analysis efforts, including the simulation of twelve cycles of Watts Bar Nuclear Unit 1 (WBN1) operation. While this is a major achievement, the VERA-CS approaches for treating fuel pin heat transfer have well-known limitations that could be eliminated through better integration with the BISON fuel performance code. Severalmore » approaches are being implemented to consider fuel performance, including a more direct multiway coupling with Tiamat, as well as a more loosely coupled one-way approach with standalone BISON cases. Fuel performance typically undergoes an independent analysis using a standalone fuel performance code with manually specified input defined from an independent core simulator solution or set of assumptions. This report summarizes the improvements made since the initial milestone to execute BISON from VERA-CS output. Many of these improvements were prompted through tighter collaboration with the BISON development team at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). A brief description of WBN1 and some of the VERA-CS data used to simulate it are presented. Data from a small mesh sensitivity study are shown, which helps justify the mesh parameters used in this work. The multi-cycle results are presented, followed by the results for the first three cycles of WBN1 operation, particularly the parameters of interest to pellet-clad interaction (PCI) screening (fuel-clad gap closure, maximum centerline fuel temperature, maximum/minimum clad hoop stress, and cumulative damage index). Once the mechanics of this capability are functioning, future work will target

The scheme for evaluation of isotopic composition of fast reactor core in closed nuclear fuel cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saldikov, I. S.; Ternovykh, M. Yu; Fomichenko, P. A.; Gerasimov, A. S.

2017-01-01

The PRORYV (i.e. «Breakthrough» in Russian) project is currently under development. Within the framework of this project, fast reactors BN-1200 and BREST-OD-300 should be built to, inter alia, demonstrate possibility of the closed nuclear fuel cycle technologies with plutonium as a main source of power. Russia has a large inventory of plutonium which was accumulated in the result of reprocessing of spent fuel of thermal power reactors and conversion of nuclear weapons. This kind of plutonium will be used for development of initial fuel assemblies for fast reactors. To solve the closed nuclear fuel modeling tasks REPRORYV code was developed. It simulates the mass flow for nuclides in the closed fuel cycle. This paper presents the results of modeling of a closed nuclear fuel cycle, nuclide flows considering the influence of the uncertainty on the outcome of neutron-physical characteristics of the reactor.

Life cycle assessment integrated with thermodynamic analysis of bio-fuel options for solid oxide fuel cells.

PubMed

Lin, Jiefeng; Babbitt, Callie W; Trabold, Thomas A

2013-01-01

A methodology that integrates life cycle assessment (LCA) with thermodynamic analysis is developed and applied to evaluate the environmental impacts of producing biofuels from waste biomass, including biodiesel from waste cooking oil, ethanol from corn stover, and compressed natural gas from municipal solid wastes. Solid oxide fuel cell-based auxiliary power units using bio-fuel as the hydrogen precursor enable generation of auxiliary electricity for idling heavy-duty trucks. Thermodynamic analysis is applied to evaluate the fuel conversion efficiency and determine the amount of fuel feedstock needed to generate a unit of electrical power. These inputs feed into an LCA that compares energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions of different fuel pathways. Results show that compressed natural gas from municipal solid wastes is an optimal bio-fuel option for SOFC-APU applications in New York State. However, this methodology can be regionalized within the U.S. or internationally to account for different fuel feedstock options. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Yeast Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Routes Carbon Fluxes to Fuel Cell Cycle Progression.

PubMed

Ewald, Jennifer C; Kuehne, Andreas; Zamboni, Nicola; Skotheim, Jan M

2016-05-19

Cell division entails a sequence of processes whose specific demands for biosynthetic precursors and energy place dynamic requirements on metabolism. However, little is known about how metabolic fluxes are coordinated with the cell division cycle. Here, we examine budding yeast to show that more than half of all measured metabolites change significantly through the cell division cycle. Cell cycle-dependent changes in central carbon metabolism are controlled by the cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk1), a major cell cycle regulator, and the metabolic regulator protein kinase A. At the G1/S transition, Cdk1 phosphorylates and activates the enzyme Nth1, which funnels the storage carbohydrate trehalose into central carbon metabolism. Trehalose utilization fuels anabolic processes required to reliably complete cell division. Thus, the cell cycle entrains carbon metabolism to fuel biosynthesis. Because the oscillation of Cdk activity is a conserved feature of the eukaryotic cell cycle, we anticipate its frequent use in dynamically regulating metabolism for efficient proliferation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nuclear Safety. Technical progress journal, January--March 1994: Volume 35, No. 1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Silver, E G

1994-01-01

This is a journal that covers significant issues in the field of nuclear safety. Its primary scope is safety in the design, construction, operation, and decommissioning of nuclear power reactors worldwide and the research and analysis activities that promote this goal, but it also encompasses the safety aspects of the entire nuclear fuel cycle, including fuel fabrication, spent-fuel processing and handling, and nuclear waste disposal, the handling of fissionable materials and radioisotopes, and the environmental effects of all these activities.

Financing Strategies For A Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

David Shropshire; Sharon Chandler

2006-07-01

To help meet the nation’s energy needs, recycling of partially used nuclear fuel is required to close the nuclear fuel cycle, but implementing this step will require considerable investment. This report evaluates financing scenarios for integrating recycling facilities into the nuclear fuel cycle. A range of options from fully government owned to fully private owned were evaluated using DPL (Decision Programming Language 6.0), which can systematically optimize outcomes based on user-defined criteria (e.g., lowest lifecycle cost, lowest unit cost). This evaluation concludes that the lowest unit costs and lifetime costs are found for a fully government-owned financing strategy, due tomore » government forgiveness of debt as sunk costs. However, this does not mean that the facilities should necessarily be constructed and operated by the government. The costs for hybrid combinations of public and private (commercial) financed options can compete under some circumstances with the costs of the government option. This analysis shows that commercial operations have potential to be economical, but there is presently no incentive for private industry involvement. The Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA) currently establishes government ownership of partially used commercial nuclear fuel. In addition, the recently announced Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) suggests fuels from several countries will be recycled in the United States as part of an international governmental agreement; this also assumes government ownership. Overwhelmingly, uncertainty in annual facility capacity led to the greatest variations in unit costs necessary for recovery of operating and capital expenditures; the ability to determine annual capacity will be a driving factor in setting unit costs. For private ventures, the costs of capital, especially equity interest rates, dominate the balance sheet; and the annual operating costs, forgiveness of debt, and overnight costs dominate the costs

Achievements and Perspectives of the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Louvat, D.; Lacoste, A.C.

The Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management is the first legal instrument to directly address the safety of spent fuel and radioactive waste management on a global scale. The Joint Convention entered into force in 2001. This paper describes its process and its main achievements to date. The perspectives to establish of a Global Waste Safety Regime based on the Joint Convention are also discussed. (authors)

Solid Oxide Fuel Cell/Gas Turbine Hybrid Cycle Technology for Auxiliary Aerospace Power

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steffen, Christopher J., Jr.; Freeh, Joshua E.; Larosiliere, Louis M.

2005-01-01

A notional 440 kW auxiliary power unit has been developed for 300 passenger commercial transport aircraft in 2015AD. A hybrid engine using solid-oxide fuel cell stacks and a gas turbine bottoming cycle has been considered. Steady-state performance analysis during cruise operation has been presented. Trades between performance efficiency and system mass were conducted with system specific energy as the discriminator. Fuel cell performance was examined with an area specific resistance. The ratio of fuel cell versus turbine power was explored through variable fuel utilization. Area specific resistance, fuel utilization, and mission length had interacting effects upon system specific energy. During cruise operation, the simple cycle fuel cell/gas turbine hybrid was not able to outperform current turbine-driven generators for system specific energy, despite a significant improvement in system efficiency. This was due in part to the increased mass of the hybrid engine, and the increased water flow required for on-board fuel reformation. Two planar, anode-supported cell design concepts were considered. Designs that seek to minimize the metallic interconnect layer mass were seen to have a large effect upon the system mass estimates.

Comparison of flexible fuel vehicle and life-cycle fuel consumption and emissions of selected pollutants and greenhouse gases for ethanol 85 versus gasoline.

PubMed

Zhai, Haibo; Frey, H Christopher; Rouphail, Nagui M; Gonçalves, Gonçalo A; Farias, Tiago L

2009-08-01

The objective of this research is to evaluate differences in fuel consumption and tailpipe emissions of flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) operated on ethanol 85 (E85) versus gasoline. Theoretical ratios of fuel consumption and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions for both fuels are estimated based on the same amount of energy released. Second-by-second fuel consumption and emissions from one FFV Ford Focus fueled with E85 and gasoline were measured under real-world traffic conditions in Lisbon, Portugal, using a portable emissions measurement system (PEMS). Cycle average dynamometer fuel consumption and emission test results for FFVs are available from the U.S. Department of Energy, and emissions certification test results for ethanol-fueled vehicles are available from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. On the basis of the PEMS data, vehicle-specific power (VSP)-based modal average fuel and emission rates for both fuels are estimated. For E85 versus gasoline, empirical ratios of fuel consumption and CO2 emissions agree within a margin of error to the theoretical expectations. Carbon monoxide (CO) emissions were found to be typically lower. From the PEMS data, nitric oxide (NO) emissions associated with some higher VSP modes are higher for E85. From the dynamometer and certification data, average hydrocarbon (HC) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emission differences vary depending on the vehicle. The differences of average E85 versus gasoline emission rates for all vehicle models are -22% for CO, 12% for HC, and -8% for NOx emissions, which imply that replacing gasoline with E85 reduces CO emissions, may moderately decrease NOx tailpipe emissions, and may increase HC tailpipe emissions. On a fuel life cycle basis for corn-based ethanol versus gasoline, CO emissions are estimated to decrease by 18%. Life-cycle total and fossil CO2 emissions are estimated to decrease by 25 and 50%, respectively; however, life-cycle HC and NOx emissions are estimated to increase by 18 and 82

Human capital needs - teaching, training and coordination for nuclear fuel cycle

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Retegan, T.; Ekberg, C.; John, J.

Human capital is the accumulation of competencies, knowledge, social and creativity skills and personality attributes, which are necessary to perform work so as to produce economic value. In the frame of the nuclear fuel cycle, this is of paramount importance that the right human capital exists and in Europe this is fostered by a series of integrated or directed projects. The teaching, training and coordination will be discussed in the frame of University curricula with examples from several programs, like e.g. the Master of Nuclear Engineering at Chalmers University, Sweden and two FP7 EURATOM Projects: CINCH - a project formore » cooperation in nuclear chemistry - and ASGARD - a research project on advanced or novel nuclear fuels and their reprocessing issues for generation IV reactors. The integration of the university curricula in the market needs but also the anchoring in the research and future fuel cycles will be also discussed, with examples from the ASGARD project. (authors)« less

Hydrocarbon bio-jet fuel from bioconversion of poplar biomass: life cycle assessment.

PubMed

Budsberg, Erik; Crawford, Jordan T; Morgan, Hannah; Chin, Wei Shan; Bura, Renata; Gustafson, Rick

2016-01-01

Bio-jet fuels compatible with current aviation infrastructure are needed as an alternative to petroleum-based jet fuel to lower greenhouse gas emissions and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Cradle to grave life cycle analysis is used to investigate the global warming potential and fossil fuel use of converting poplar biomass to drop-in bio-jet fuel via a novel bioconversion platform. Unique to the biorefinery designs in this research is an acetogen fermentation step. Following dilute acid pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis, poplar biomass is fermented to acetic acid and then distilled, hydroprocessed, and oligomerized to jet fuel. Natural gas steam reforming and lignin gasification are proposed to meet hydrogen demands at the biorefineries. Separate well to wake simulations are performed using the hydrogen production processes to obtain life cycle data. Both biorefinery designs are assessed using natural gas and hog fuel to meet excess heat demands. Global warming potential of the natural gas steam reforming and lignin gasification bio-jet fuel scenarios range from CO2 equivalences of 60 to 66 and 32 to 73 g MJ(-1), respectively. Fossil fuel usage of the natural gas steam reforming and lignin gasification bio-jet fuel scenarios range from 0.78 to 0.84 and 0.71 to 1.0 MJ MJ(-1), respectively. Lower values for each impact category result from using hog fuel to meet excess heat/steam demands. Higher values result from using natural gas to meet the excess heat demands. Bio-jet fuels produced from the bioconversion of poplar biomass reduce the global warming potential and fossil fuel use compared with petroleum-based jet fuel. Production of hydrogen is identified as a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel use in both the natural gas steam reforming and lignin gasification bio-jet simulations. Using hog fuel instead of natural gas to meet heat demands can help lower the global warming potential and fossil fuel use at the biorefineries.

75 FR 62895 - Notice of Availability of Safety Evaluation Report; AREVA Enrichment Services LLC, Eagle Rock...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-13

... Evaluation Report; AREVA Enrichment Services LLC, Eagle Rock Enrichment Facility, Bonneville County, ID... report. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Breeda Reilly, Senior Project Manager, Advanced Fuel Cycle, Enrichment, and Uranium Conversion, Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards, Office of Nuclear Material...

78 FR 67223 - Proposed Guidance for Fuel Cycle Facility; Material Control and Accounting Plans and Completing...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-08

..., 72, et al. Proposed Guidance for Fuel Cycle Facility; Material Control and Accounting Plans and Completing NRC Form 327 and Amendments to Material Control and Accounting Regulations; Proposed Rules #0;#0... Guidance for Fuel Cycle Facility; Material Control and Accounting Plans and Completing NRC Form 327 AGENCY...

Cycling in the African American Community : safety training guidelines and findings.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-08-01

This report is a program users manual for the Cycling in the African American Community (CAAC) safety training intervention. The CAAC safety training intervention was designed to nudge more African Americans, who are often beginning cyclists...

Analysis of a topping-cycle, aircraft, gas-turbine-engine system which uses cryogenic fuel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Turney, G. E.; Fishbach, L. H.

1984-01-01

A topping-cycle aircraft engine system which uses a cryogenic fuel was investigated. This system consists of a main turboshaft engine that is mechanically coupled (by cross-shafting) to a topping loop, which augments the shaft power output of the system. The thermodynamic performance of the topping-cycle engine was analyzed and compared with that of a reference (conventional) turboshaft engine. For the cycle operating conditions selected, the performance of the topping-cycle engine in terms of brake specific fuel consumption (bsfc) was determined to be about 12 percent better than that of the reference turboshaft engine. Engine weights were estimated for both the topping-cycle engine and the reference turboshaft engine. These estimates were based on a common shaft power output for each engine. Results indicate that the weight of the topping-cycle engine is comparable with that of the reference turboshaft engine.

NUCLEAR MATERIAL ATTRACTIVENESS: AN ASSESSMENT OF MATERIAL FROM PHWR'S IN A CLOSED THORIUM FUEL CYCLE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sleaford, B W; Collins, B A; Ebbinghaus, B B

2010-04-26

This paper examines the attractiveness of material mixtures containing special nuclear materials (SNM) associated with reprocessing and the thorium-based LWR fuel cycle. This paper expands upon the results from earlier studies that examined the attractiveness of SNM associated with the reprocessing of spent light water reactor (LWR) fuel by various reprocessing schemes and the recycle of plutonium as a mixed oxide (MOX) fuel in LWR. This study shows that {sup 233}U that is produced in thorium-based fuel cycles is very attractive for weapons use. Consistent with other studies, these results also show that all fuel cycles examined to date needmore » to be rigorously safeguarded and provided moderate to high levels of physical protection. These studies were performed at the request of the United States Department of Energy (DOE), and are based on the calculation of 'attractiveness levels' that has been couched in terms chosen for consistency with those normally used for nuclear materials in DOE nuclear facilities. The methodology and key findings will be presented.« less

Nuclear Material Attractiveness: An Assessment of Material from PHWR's in a Closed Thorium Fuel Cycle

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sleaford, Brad W.; Ebbinghaus, B. B.; Bradley, Keith S.

2010-06-11

This paper examines the attractiveness of material mixtures containing special nuclear materials (SNM) associated with reprocessing and the thorium-based LWR fuel cycle. This paper expands upon the results from earlier studies [ , ] that examined the attractiveness of SNM associated with the reprocessing of spent light water reactor (LWR) fuel by various reprocessing schemes and the recycle of plutonium as a mixed oxide (MOX) fuel in LWR. This study shows that 233U that is produced in thorium-based fuel cycles is very attractive for weapons use. Consistent with other studies, these results also show that all fuel cycles examined tomore » date need to be rigorously safeguarded and provided moderate to high levels of physical protection. These studies were performed at the request of the United States Department of Energy (DOE), and are based on the calculation of "attractiveness levels" that has been couched in terms chosen for consistency with those normally used for nuclear materials in DOE nuclear facilities [ ]. The methodology and key findings will be presented.« less

Life-cycle analysis of camelina biodiesel and jet-fuel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dangol, Namrata

Camelina sativa (Camelina) could be a potential feedstock to help meet the goal of 36 billion gallons of biofuel production in the United States by 2022, as set forth by EISA of 2007. This research is focused on assessing the energy balance and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from camelina biodiesel grown and produced in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) region of the USA. Data were collected from a camelina farm in the region and compared to literature values. Energy used in camelina crushing and transesterification were measured at the University of Idaho. Life cycle analysis showed that use of camelina biodiesel reduces GHG emissions by 72% compared to 2005 baseline diesel fuel. Camelina biodiesel at B100 level, however, did not meet the ASTM D6751 specification for oxidative stability without any additives but could be corrected with proper additive. Camelina had a smaller seed size compared to canola and consequently required 23% more energy for crushing. Despite higher energy use for crushing, the net energy ratio for camelina biodiesel was found to be 3.68. From the agronomic standpoint, camelina can be incorporated as a rotational crop into low rainfall areas of the PNW. Wheat areas of PNW with annual rainfall from 19 to 38 cm (7.5--15") and currently incorporating fallow into their rotations were considered as potential areas for camelina. There were 846,500 hectares (2.1 million acres) of land available in the region that could potentially produce 443.0 million L of biodiesel (117.1 million gal) and 1.2 billion kg of meal per year. This meal quantity is about 12.1% of the potential camelina meal that could be used as livestock feed in the PNW. Therefore, it was concluded that the meal has adequate market to be consumed locally as livestock feed. This research also conducted the life cycle analysis of camelina jet fuel produced in the laboratory scale facility. The jet fuel was produced via deoxygenation of the camelina oil in an inert environment, in the

40 CFR 600.207-08 - Calculation and use of vehicle-specific 5-cycle-based fuel economy values for vehicle...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... economy values from the tests performed using gasoline or diesel test fuel. (ii)(A) Calculate the 5-cycle city and highway fuel economy values from the tests performed using alcohol or natural gas test fuel...-specific 5-cycle-based fuel economy values for vehicle configurations. 600.207-08 Section 600.207-08...

40 CFR 600.207-08 - Calculation and use of vehicle-specific 5-cycle-based fuel economy values for vehicle...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... economy values from the tests performed using gasoline or diesel test fuel. (ii)(A) Calculate the 5-cycle city and highway fuel economy values from the tests performed using alcohol or natural gas test fuel...-specific 5-cycle-based fuel economy values for vehicle configurations. 600.207-08 Section 600.207-08...

FINAL SAFETY ANALYSIS REPORT--SNAP 1A RADIOISOTOPE FUELED THERMOELECTRIC GENERATOR

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dix, G.P.

1960-06-30

The safety aspects involved in utilizing the Task 2 radioisotope-powered thermoelectric generator in a terrestrial satellite are described. It is based upon a generalized satellite mission having a 600-day orbital lifetime. A description of the basic design of the generator is presented in order to establish the analytical model. This includes the generator design, radiocerium fuel properties, and the fuel core. The transport of the generator to the launch site is examined, including the shipping cask, shipping procedures, and shipping hazards. A description of ground handling and vehicle integration is presented including preparation for fuel transfer, transfer, mating of generatorsmore » to final stage, mating final stage to booster, and auxiliary support equipment. The flight vehicle is presented to complete the analytical model. Contained in this chapter are descriptions of the booster-sustainer, final stage, propellants, and built-in safety systems. The typical missile range is examined with respect to the launch complex and range safety characteristics. The shielding of the fuel is discussed and includes both dose rates and shield thicknesses required. The bare core, shielded generator, fuel transfer operation and dose rates for accidental conditions are treated. mechanism of re-entry from the successful mission is covered. Radiocerium inventories with respect to time and the chronology of re-entry are specifically treated. The multiplicity of conditions for aborted missions is set forth. The definition of aborted missions is treated first in order to present the initial conditions. Following this, a definition of the forces imposed upon the generator is presented. The aborted missions is presented. A large number of initial vehicle failure cases is narrowed down into categories of consequences. Since stratospheric injection of fuel results in cases where the fuel is not contained after re-entry, an extensive discussion of the fall-out mechanism is

A review of inherent safety characteristics of metal alloy sodium-cooled fast reactor fuel against postulated accidents

DOE PAGES

Sofu, Tanju

2015-04-01

The thermal, mechanical, and neutronic performance of the metal alloy fast reactor fuel design complements the safety advantages of the liquid metal cooling and the pool-type primary system. Together, these features provide large safety margins in both normal operating modes and for a wide range of postulated accidents. In particular, they maximize the measures of safety associated with inherent reactor response to unprotected, double-fault accidents, and to minimize risk to the public and plant investment. High thermal conductivity and high gap conductance play the most significant role in safety advantages of the metallic fuel, resulting in a flatter radial temperaturemore » profile within the pin and much lower normal operation and transient temperatures in comparison to oxide fuel. Despite the big difference in melting point, both oxide and metal fuels have a relatively similar margin to melting during postulated accidents. When the metal fuel cladding fails, it typically occurs below the coolant boiling point and the damaged fuel pins remain coolable. Metal fuel is compatible with sodium coolant, eliminating the potential of energetic fuel--coolant reactions and flow blockages. All these, and the low retained heat leading to a longer grace period for operator action, are significant contributing factors to the inherently benign response of metallic fuel to postulated accidents. This paper summarizes the past analytical and experimental results obtained in past sodium-cooled fast reactor safety programs in the United States, and presents an overview of fuel safety performance as observed in laboratory and in-pile tests.« less

A review of inherent safety characteristics of metal alloy sodium-cooled fast reactor fuel against postulated accidents

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sofu, Tanju

2015-04-01

The thermal, mechanical, and neutronic performance of the metal alloy fast reactor fuel design complements the safety advantages of the liquid metal cooling and the pool-type primary system. Together, these features provide large safety margins in both normal operating modes and for a wide range of postulated accidents. In particular, they maximize the measures of safety associated with inherent reactor response to unprotected, double-fault accidents, and to minimize risk to the public and plant investment. High thermal conductivity and high gap conductance play the most significant role in safety advantages of the metallic fuel, resulting in a flatter radial temperaturemore » profile within the pin and much lower normal operation and transient temperatures in comparison to oxide fuel. Despite the big difference in melting point, both oxide and metal fuels have a relatively similar margin to melting during postulated accidents. When the metal fuel cladding fails, it typically occurs below the coolant boiling point and the damaged fuel pins remain cool-able. Metal fuel is compatible with sodium coolant, eliminating the potential of energetic fuel coolant reactions and flow blockages. All these, and the low retained heat leading to a longer grace period for operator action, are significant contributing factors to the inherently benign response of metallic fuel to postulated accidents. This paper summarizes the past analytical and experimental results obtained in past sodium-cooled fast reactor safety programs in the United States, and presents an overview of fuel safety performance as observed in laboratory and in-pile tests.« less

TryCYCLE: A Prospective Study of the Safety and Feasibility of Early In-Bed Cycling in Mechanically Ventilated Patients.

PubMed

Kho, Michelle E; Molloy, Alexander J; Clarke, France J; Ajami, Daana; McCaughan, Magda; Obrovac, Kristy; Murphy, Christina; Camposilvan, Laura; Herridge, Margaret S; Koo, Karen K Y; Rudkowski, Jill; Seely, Andrew J E; Zanni, Jennifer M; Mourtzakis, Marina; Piraino, Thomas; Cook, Deborah J

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to assess the safety and feasibility of in-bed cycling started within the first 4 days of mechanical ventilation (MV) to inform a future randomized clinical trial. We conducted a 33-patient prospective cohort study in a 21-bed adult academic medical-surgical intensive care unit (ICU) in Hamilton, ON, Canada. We included adult patients (≥ 18 years) receiving MV who walked independently pre-ICU. Our intervention was 30 minutes of in-bed supine cycling 6 days/week in the ICU. Our primary outcome was Safety (termination), measured as events prompting cycling termination; secondary Safety (disconnection or dislodgement) outcomes included catheter/tube dislodgements. Feasibility was measured as consent rate and fidelity to intervention. For our primary outcome, we calculated the binary proportion and 95% confidence interval (CI). From 10/2013-8/2014, we obtained consent from 34 of 37 patients approached (91.9%), 33 of whom received in-bed cycling. Of those who cycled, 16(48.4%) were female, the mean (SD) age was 65.8(12.2) years, and APACHE II score was 24.3(6.7); 29(87.9%) had medical admitting diagnoses. Cycling termination was infrequent (2.0%, 95% CI: 0.8%-4.9%) and no device dislodgements occurred. Cycling began a median [IQR] of 3 [2, 4] days after ICU admission; patients received 5 [3, 8] cycling sessions with a median duration of 30.7 [21.6, 30.8] minutes per session. During 205 total cycling sessions, patients were receiving invasive MV (150 [73.1%]), vasopressors (6 [2.9%]), sedative or analgesic infusions (77 [37.6%]) and dialysis (4 [2.0%]). Early cycling within the first 4 days of MV among hemodynamically stable patients is safe and feasible. Research to evaluate the effect of early cycling on patient function is warranted. Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT01885442.

Impact of thermal spectrum small modular reactors on performance of once-through nuclear fuel cycles with low-enriched uranium

DOE PAGES

Brown, Nicholas R.; Worrall, Andrew; Todosow, Michael

2016-11-18

Small modular reactors (SMRs) offer potential benefits, such as enhanced operational flexibility. However, it is vital to understand the holistic impact of SMRs on nuclear fuel cycle performance. The focus of this paper is the fuel cycle impacts of light water SMRs in a once-through fuel cycle with low-enriched uranium fuel. A key objective of this paper is to describe preliminary example reactor core physics and fuel cycle analyses conducted in support of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy, Fuel Cycle Options Campaign. The hypothetical light water SMR example case considered in these preliminary scoping studies ismore » a cartridge type one-batch core with slightly less than 5.0% enrichment. Challenges associated with SMRs include increased neutron leakage, fewer assemblies in the core (and therefore fewer degrees of freedom in the core design), complex enrichment and burnable absorber loadings, full power operation with inserted control rods, the potential for frequent load-following operation, and shortened core height. Each of these will impact the achievable discharge burnup in the reactor and the fuel cycle performance. This paper summarizes a list of the factors relevant to SMR fuel, core, and operation that will impact fuel cycle performance. The high-level issues identified and preliminary scoping calculations in this paper are intended to inform on potential fuel cycle impacts of one-batch thermal spectrum SMRs. In particular, this paper highlights the impact of increased neutron leakage and reduced number of batches on the achievable burnup of the reactor. Fuel cycle performance metrics for a hypothetical example SMR are compared with those for a conventional three-batch light water reactor in the following areas: nuclear waste management, environmental impact, and resource utilization. The metrics performance for such an SMR is degraded for the mass of spent nuclear fuel and high-level waste disposed of, mass of depleted uranium

AP1000{sup R} nuclear power plant safety overview for spent fuel cooling

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gorgemans, J.; Mulhollem, L.; Glavin, J.

2012-07-01

The AP1000{sup R} plant is an 1100-MWe class pressurized water reactor with passive safety features and extensive plant simplifications that enhance construction, operation, maintenance, safety and costs. The AP1000 design uses passive features to mitigate design basis accidents. The passive safety systems are designed to function without safety-grade support systems such as AC power, component cooling water, service water or HVAC. Furthermore, these passive features 'fail safe' during a non-LOCA event such that DC power and instrumentation are not required. The AP1000 also has simple, active, defense-in-depth systems to support normal plant operations. These active systems provide the first levelmore » of defense against more probable events and they provide investment protection, reduce the demands on the passive features and support the probabilistic risk assessment. The AP1000 passive safety approach allows the plant to achieve and maintain safe shutdown in case of an accident for 72 hours without operator action, meeting the expectations provided in the U.S. Utility Requirement Document and the European Utility Requirements for passive plants. Limited operator actions are required to maintain safe conditions in the spent fuel pool via passive means. In line with the AP1000 approach to safety described above, the AP1000 plant design features multiple, diverse lines of defense to ensure spent fuel cooling can be maintained for design-basis events and beyond design-basis accidents. During normal and abnormal conditions, defense-in-depth and other systems provide highly reliable spent fuel pool cooling. They rely on off-site AC power or the on-site standby diesel generators. For unlikely design basis events with an extended loss of AC power (i.e., station blackout) or loss of heat sink or both, spent fuel cooling can still be provided indefinitely: - Passive systems, requiring minimal or no operator actions, are sufficient for at least 72 hours under all

An assessment of the attractiveness of material associated with thorium/uranium and uranium closed fuel cycles from a safeguards perspective

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bathke, Charles Gary; Wallace, Richard K; Hase, Kevin R

2010-01-01

This paper reports the continued evaluation of the attractiveness of materials mixtures containing special nuclear materials (SNM) associated with various proposed nuclear fuel cycles. Specifically, this paper examines two closed fuel cycles. The first fuel cycle examined is a thorium fuel cycle in which a pressurized heavy water reactor (PHWR) is fueled with mixtures of plutonium/thorium and {sup 233}U/thorium. The used fuel is then reprocessed using the THOREX process and the actinides are recycled. The second fuel cycle examined consists of conventional light water reactors (LWR) whose fuel is reprocessed for actinides that are then fed to and recycled untilmore » consumed in fast-spectrum reactors: fast reactors and accelerator driven systems (ADS). As reprocessing of LWR fuel has already been examined, this paper will focus on the reprocessing of the scheme's fast-spectrum reactors' fuel. This study will indicate what is required to render these materials as having low utility for use in nuclear weapons. Nevertheless, the results of this paper suggest that all reprocessing products evaluated so far need to be rigorously safeguarded and provided high levels of physical protection. These studies were performed at the request of the United States Department of Energy (DOE). The methodology and key findings will be presented.« less

Conceptual design study of small long-life PWR based on thorium cycle fuel

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Subkhi, M. Nurul; Su'ud, Zaki; Waris, Abdul

2014-09-30

A neutronic performance of small long-life Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) using thorium cycle based fuel has been investigated. Thorium cycle which has higher conversion ratio in thermal region compared to uranium cycle produce some significant of {sup 233}U during burn up time. The cell-burn up calculations were performed by PIJ SRAC code using nuclear data library based on JENDL 3.3, while the multi-energy-group diffusion calculations were optimized in whole core cylindrical two-dimension R-Z geometry by SRAC-CITATION. this study would be introduced thorium nitride fuel system which ZIRLO is the cladding material. The optimization of 350 MWt small long life PWRmore » result small excess reactivity and reduced power peaking during its operation.« less

Integrated indicator to evaluate vehicle performance across: Safety, fuel efficiency and green domains.

PubMed

Torrao, G; Fontes, T; Coelho, M; Rouphail, N

2016-07-01

In general, car manufacturers face trade-offs between safety, efficiency and environmental performance when choosing between mass, length, engine power, and fuel efficiency. Moreover, the information available to the consumers makes difficult to assess all these components at once, especially when aiming to compare vehicles across different categories and/or to compare vehicles in the same category but across different model years. The main objective of this research was to develop an integrated tool able to assess vehicle's performance simultaneously for safety and environmental domains, leading to the research output of a Safety, Fuel Efficiency and Green Emissions (SEG) indicator able to evaluate and rank vehicle's performance across those three domains. For this purpose, crash data was gathered in Porto (Portugal) for the period 2006-2010 (N=1374). The crash database was analyzed and crash severity prediction models were developed using advanced logistic regression models. Following, the methodology for the SEG indicator was established combining the vehicle's safety and the environmental evaluation into an integrated analysis. The obtained results for the SEG indicator do not show any trade-off between vehicle's safety, fuel consumption and emissions. The best performance was achieved for newer gasoline passenger vehicles (<5year) with a smaller engine size (<1400cm(3)). According to the SEG indicator, a vehicle with these characteristics can be recommended for a safety-conscious profile user, as well as for a user more interested in fuel economy and/or in green performance. On the other hand, for larger engine size vehicles (>2000cm(3)) the combined score for safety user profile was in average more satisfactory than for vehicles in the smaller engine size group (<1400cm(3)), which suggests that in general, larger vehicles may offer extra protection. The achieved results demonstrate that the developed SEG integrated methodology can be a helpful tool for

Preliminary Design Study of Medium Sized Gas Cooled Fast Reactor with Natural Uranium as Fuel Cycle Input

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meriyanti, Su'ud, Zaki; Rijal, K.; Zuhair, Ferhat, A.; Sekimoto, H.

2010-06-01

In this study a fesibility design study of medium sized (1000 MWt) gas cooled fast reactors which can utilize natural uranium as fuel cycle input has been conducted. Gas Cooled Fast Reactor (GFR) is among six types of Generation IV Nuclear Power Plants. GFR with its hard neuron spectrum is superior for closed fuel cycle, and its ability to be operated in high temperature (850° C) makes various options of utilizations become possible. To obtain the capability of consuming natural uranium as fuel cycle input, modified CANDLE burn-up scheme[1-6] is adopted this GFR system by dividing the core into 10 parts of equal volume axially. Due to the limitation of thermal hydraulic aspects, the average power density of the proposed design is selected about 70 W/cc. As an optimization results, a design of 1000 MWt reactors which can be operated 10 years without refueling and fuel shuffling and just need natural uranium as fuel cycle input is discussed. The average discharge burn-up is about 280 GWd/ton HM. Enough margin for criticallity was obtained for this reactor.

Hybrid fusion reactor for production of nuclear fuel with minimum radioactive contamination of the fuel cycle

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Velikhov, E. P.; Kovalchuk, M. V.; Azizov, E. A., E-mail: Azizov-EA@nrcki.ru

2015-12-15

The paper presents the results of the system research on the coordinated development of nuclear and fusion power engineering in the current century. Considering the increasing problems of resource procurement, including limited natural uranium resources, it seems reasonable to use fusion reactors as high-power neutron sources for production of nuclear fuel in a blanket. It is shown that the share of fusion sources in this structural configuration of the energy system can be relatively small. A fundamentally important aspect of this solution to the problem of closure of the fuel cycle is that recycling of highly active spent fuel canmore » be abandoned. Radioactivity released during the recycling of the spent fuel from the hybrid reactor blanket is at least two orders of magnitude lower than during the production of the same number of fissile isotopes after the recycling of the spent fuel from a fast reactor.« less

An Agent-Based Modeling Framework and Application for the Generic Nuclear Fuel Cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gidden, Matthew J.

Key components of a novel methodology and implementation of an agent-based, dynamic nuclear fuel cycle simulator, Cyclus , are presented. The nuclear fuel cycle is a complex, physics-dependent supply chain. To date, existing dynamic simulators have not treated constrained fuel supply, time-dependent, isotopic-quality based demand, or fuel fungibility particularly well. Utilizing an agent-based methodology that incorporates sophisticated graph theory and operations research techniques can overcome these deficiencies. This work describes a simulation kernel and agents that interact with it, highlighting the Dynamic Resource Exchange (DRE), the supply-demand framework at the heart of the kernel. The key agent-DRE interaction mechanisms are described, which enable complex entity interaction through the use of physics and socio-economic models. The translation of an exchange instance to a variant of the Multicommodity Transportation Problem, which can be solved feasibly or optimally, follows. An extensive investigation of solution performance and fidelity is then presented. Finally, recommendations for future users of Cyclus and the DRE are provided.

10 CFR 51.51 - Uranium fuel cycle environmental data-Table S-3.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... a discussion of the environmental significance of the data set forth in the table as weighed in the... 10 Energy 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Uranium fuel cycle environmental data-Table S-3. 51.51... cycle environmental data—Table S-3. (a) Under § 51.50, every environmental report prepared for the...

10 CFR 51.51 - Uranium fuel cycle environmental data-Table S-3.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... a discussion of the environmental significance of the data set forth in the table as weighed in the... 10 Energy 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Uranium fuel cycle environmental data-Table S-3. 51.51... cycle environmental data—Table S-3. (a) Under § 51.50, every environmental report prepared for the...

10 CFR 51.51 - Uranium fuel cycle environmental data-Table S-3.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... a discussion of the environmental significance of the data set forth in the table as weighed in the... 10 Energy 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Uranium fuel cycle environmental data-Table S-3. 51.51... cycle environmental data—Table S-3. (a) Under § 51.50, every environmental report prepared for the...

10 CFR 51.51 - Uranium fuel cycle environmental data-Table S-3.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... a discussion of the environmental significance of the data set forth in the table as weighed in the... 10 Energy 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Uranium fuel cycle environmental data-Table S-3. 51.51... cycle environmental data—Table S-3. (a) Under § 51.50, every environmental report prepared for the...

Fuel Cycle Research and Development Accident Tolerant Fuels Series 1 (ATF-1) Irradiation Testing FY 2016 Status Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Core, Gregory Matthew

This report contains a summary of irradiation testing of Fuel Cycle Research and Development (FCRD) Accident Tolerant Fuels Series 1 (ATF 1) experiments performed at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) in FY 2016. ATF 1 irradiation testing work performed in FY 2016 included design, analysis, and fabrication of ATF-1B drop in capsule ATF 1 series experiments and irradiation testing of ATF-1 capsules in the ATR.

LIFE CYCLE BASED STUDIES ON BIOETHANOL FUEL FOR SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION: A LITERATURE REVIEW

EPA Science Inventory

A literature search was conducted and revealed 45 publications (1996-2005) that compare bio-ethanol systems to conventional fuel on a life-cycle basis, or using life cycle assessment. Feedstocks, such as sugar beets, wheat, potato, sugar cane, and corn, have been investigated in...

[Life cycle assessment of the infrastructure for hydrogen sources of fuel cell vehicles].

PubMed

Feng, Wen; Wang, Shujuan; Ni, Weidou; Chen, Changhe

2003-05-01

In order to promote the application of life cycle assessment and provide references for China to make the project of infrastructure for hydrogen sources of fuel cell vehicles in the near future, 10 feasible plans of infrastructure for hydrogen sources of fuel cell vehicles were designed according to the current technologies of producing, storing and transporting hydrogen. Then life cycle assessment was used as a tool to evaluate the environmental performances of the 10 plans. The standard indexes of classified environmental impacts of every plan were gotten and sensitivity analysis for several parameters were carried out. The results showed that the best plan was that hydrogen will be produced by natural gas steam reforming in central factory, then transported to refuelling stations through pipelines, and filled to fuel cell vehicles using hydrogen gas at last.

The benefits of a fast reactor closed fuel cycle in the UK

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gregg, R.; Hesketh, K.

2013-07-01

The work has shown that starting a fast reactor closed fuel cycle in the UK, requires virtually all of Britain's existing and future PWR spent fuel to be reprocessed, in order to obtain the plutonium needed. The existing UK Pu stockpile is sufficient to initially support only a modest SFR 'closed' fleet assuming spent fuel can be reprocessed shortly after discharge (i.e. after two years cooling). For a substantial fast reactor fleet, most Pu will have to originate from reprocessing future spent PWR fuel. Therefore, the maximum fast reactor fleet size will be limited by the preceding PWR fleet size,more » so scenarios involving fast reactors still require significant quantities of uranium ore indirectly. However, once a fast reactor fuel cycle has been established, the very substantial quantities of uranium tails in the UK would ensure there is sufficient material for several centuries. Both the short and long term impacts on a repository have been considered in this work. Over the short term, the decay heat emanating from the HLW and spent fuel will limit the density of waste within a repository. For scenarios involving fast reactors, the only significant heat bearing actinide content will be present in the final cores, resulting in a 50% overall reduction in decay energy deposited within the repository when compared with an equivalent open fuel cycle. Over the longer term, radiological dose becomes more important. Total radiotoxicity (normalised by electricity generated) is lower for scenarios with Pu recycle after 2000 years. Scenarios involving fast reactors have the lowest radiotoxicity since the quantities of certain actinides (Np, Pu and Am) eventually stabilise. However, total radiotoxicity as a measure of radiological risk does not account for differences in radionuclide mobility once in repository. Radiological dose is dominated by a small number of fission products so is therefore not affected significantly by reactor type or recycling strategy (since

Advanced fuels campaign 2013 accomplishments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Braase, Lori; Hamelin, Doug

The mission of the Advanced Fuels Campaign (AFC) is to perform Research, Development, and Demonstration (RD&D) activities for advanced fuel forms (including cladding) to enhance the performance and safety of the nation’s current and future reactors; enhance proliferation resistance of nuclear fuel; effectively utilize nuclear energy resources; and address the longer-term waste management challenges. This includes development of a state-of-the art Research and Development (R&D) infrastructure to support the use of “goal-oriented science-based approach.” In support of the Fuel Cycle Research and Development (FCRD) program, AFC is responsible for developing advanced fuels technologies to support the various fuel cycle optionsmore » defined in the Department of Energy (DOE) Nuclear Energy Research and Development Roadmap, Report to Congress, April 2010. Accomplishments made during fiscal year (FY) 2013 are highlighted in this report, which focuses on completed work and results. The process details leading up to the results are not included; however, the technical contact is provided for each section.« less

Fuel Breeding and Core Behavior Analyses on In Core Fuel Management of Water Cooled Thorium Reactors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Permana, Sidik; Department of Physics, Bandung Institute of Technology, Gedung Fisika, Jl. Ganesha 10, Bandung 40132; Sekimoto, Hiroshi

2010-12-23

Thorium fuel cycle with recycled U-233 has been widely recognized having some contributions to improve the water-cooled breeder reactor program which has been shown by a feasible area of breeding and negative void reactivity which confirms that fissile of 233U contributes to better fuel breeding and effective for obtaining negative void reactivity coefficient as the main fissile material. The present study has the objective to estimate the effect of whole core configuration as well as burnup effects to the reactor core profile by adopting two dimensional model of fuel core management. About more than 40 months of cycle period hasmore » been employed for one cycle fuel irradiation of three batches fuel system for large water cooled thorium reactors. All position of fuel arrangement contributes to the total core conversion ratio which gives conversion ratio less than unity of at the BOC and it contributes to higher than unity (1.01) at the EOC after some irradiation process. Inner part and central part give the important part of breeding contribution with increasing burnup process, while criticality is reduced with increasing the irradiation time. Feasibility of breeding capability of water-cooled thorium reactors for whole core fuel arrangement has confirmed from the obtained conversion ratio which shows higher than unity. Whole core analysis on evaluating reactivity change which is caused by the change of voided condition has been employed for conservative assumption that 100% coolant and moderator are voided. It obtained always a negative void reactivity coefficient during reactor operation which shows relatively more negative void coefficient at BOC (fresh fuel composition), and it becomes less negative void coefficient with increasing the operation time. Negative value of void reactivity coefficient shows the reactor has good safety properties in relation to the reactivity profile which is the main parameter in term of criticality safety analysis. Therefore

The safety of urban cycle tracks: a review of the literature.

PubMed

Thomas, Beth; DeRobertis, Michelle

2013-03-01

Cycling has to be a safe activity, and perceived as such, if bicycle trips by all populations are to increase and the public health benefits are to be realized. A key characteristic of developed countries with a high cycling mode share is their provision of cycle tracks--separated bikeways along city streets--on major routes. This literature review therefore sought to examine studies of cycle tracks from different countries in order elucidate the safety of these facilities relative to cycling in the street and to point to areas where further research is needed. The review indicates that one-way cycle tracks are generally safer at intersections than two-way and that, when effective intersection treatments are employed, constructing cycle tracks on busy streets reduces collisions and injuries. The evidence also suggests that, when controlling for exposure and including all collision types, building one-way cycle tracks reduces injury severity even when such intersection treatments are not employed. However, the extent of this effect has not been well examined, as very few studies both look at severity and control for exposure. Future studies of the safety of cycle tracks and associated intersection treatments should focus foremost on examining injury severity, while controlling for exposure. In the U.S., where the obesity epidemic and its health consequences and costs are well documented, the benefits of increased cycling should be a focus of research and policy development in order to provide the infrastructure needed to attract people to cycling while minimizing injuries. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Life-cycle analysis of alternative aviation fuels in GREET

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Elgowainy, A.; Han, J.; Wang, M.

2012-07-23

The Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation (GREET) model, developed at Argonne National Laboratory, has been expanded to include well-to-wake (WTWa) analysis of aviation fuels and aircraft. This report documents the key WTWa stages and assumptions for fuels that represent alternatives to petroleum jet fuel. The aviation module in GREET consists of three spreadsheets that present detailed characterizations of well-to-pump and pump-to-wake parameters and WTWa results. By using the expanded GREET version (GREET1{_}2011), we estimate WTWa results for energy use (total, fossil, and petroleum energy) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide) formore » (1) each unit of energy (lower heating value) consumed by the aircraft or (2) each unit of distance traveled/ payload carried by the aircraft. The fuel pathways considered in this analysis include petroleum-based jet fuel from conventional and unconventional sources (i.e., oil sands); Fisher-Tropsch (FT) jet fuel from natural gas, coal, and biomass; bio-jet fuel from fast pyrolysis of cellulosic biomass; and bio-jet fuel from vegetable and algal oils, which falls under the American Society for Testing and Materials category of hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids. For aircraft operation, we considered six passenger aircraft classes and four freight aircraft classes in this analysis. Our analysis revealed that, depending on the feedstock source, the fuel conversion technology, and the allocation or displacement credit methodology applied to co-products, alternative bio-jet fuel pathways have the potential to reduce life-cycle GHG emissions by 55-85 percent compared with conventional (petroleum-based) jet fuel. Although producing FT jet fuel from fossil feedstock sources - such as natural gas and coal - could greatly reduce dependence on crude oil, production from such sources (especially coal) produces greater WTWa GHG emissions compared with petroleum

Life-Cycle Analysis of Alternative Aviation Fuels in GREET

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Elgowainy, A.; Han, J.; Wang, M.

2012-06-01

The Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation (GREET) model, developed at Argonne National Laboratory, has been expanded to include well-to-wake (WTWa) analysis of aviation fuels and aircraft. This report documents the key WTWa stages and assumptions for fuels that represent alternatives to petroleum jet fuel. The aviation module in GREET consists of three spreadsheets that present detailed characterizations of well-to-pump and pump-to-wake parameters and WTWa results. By using the expanded GREET version (GREET1_2011), we estimate WTWa results for energy use (total, fossil, and petroleum energy) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide) formore » (1) each unit of energy (lower heating value) consumed by the aircraft or(2) each unit of distance traveled/ payload carried by the aircraft. The fuel pathways considered in this analysis include petroleum-based jet fuel from conventional and unconventional sources (i.e., oil sands); Fisher-Tropsch (FT) jet fuel from natural gas, coal, and biomass; bio-jet fuel from fast pyrolysis of cellulosic biomass; and bio-jet fuel from vegetable and algal oils, which falls under the American Society for Testing and Materials category of hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids. For aircraft operation, we considered six passenger aircraft classes and four freight aircraft classes in this analysis. Our analysis revealed that, depending on the feedstock source, the fuel conversion technology, and the allocation or displacement credit methodology applied to co-products, alternative bio-jet fuel pathways have the potential to reduce life-cycle GHG emissions by 55–85 percent compared with conventional (petroleum-based) jet fuel. Although producing FT jet fuel from fossil feedstock sources — such as natural gas and coal — could greatly reduce dependence on crude oil, production from such sources (especially coal) produces greater WTWa GHG emissions compared with

Thermodynamic Cycle and CFD Analyses for Hydrogen Fueled Air-breathing Pulse Detonation Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Povinelli, Louis A.; Yungster, Shaye

2002-01-01

This paper presents the results of a thermodynamic cycle analysis of a pulse detonation engine (PDE) using a hydrogen-air mixture at static conditions. The cycle performance results, namely the specific thrust, fuel consumption and impulse are compared to a single cycle CFD analysis for a detonation tube which considers finite rate chemistry. The differences in the impulse values were indicative of the additional performance potential attainable in a PDE.

Suggestion on the safety classification of spent fuel dry storage in China’s pressurized water reactor nuclear power plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Ting; Qu, Yunhuan; Meng, De; Zhang, Qiaoer; Lu, Xinhua

2018-01-01

China’s spent fuel storage in the pressurized water reactors(PWR) is stored with wet storage way. With the rapid development of nuclear power industry, China’s NPPs(NPPs) will not be able to meet the problem of the production of spent fuel. Currently the world’s major nuclear power countries use dry storage as a way of spent fuel storage, so in recent years, China study on additional spent fuel dry storage system mainly. Part of the PWR NPP is ready to apply for additional spent fuel dry storage system. It also need to safety classificate to spent fuel dry storage facilities in PWR, but there is no standard for safety classification of spent fuel dry storage facilities in China. Because the storage facilities of the spent fuel dry storage are not part of the NPP, the classification standard of China’s NPPs is not applicable. This paper proposes the safety classification suggestion of the spent fuel dry storage for China’s PWR NPP, through to the study on China’s safety classification principles of PWR NPP in “Classification for the items of pressurized water reactor nuclear power plants (GB/T 17569-2013)”, and safety classification about spent fuel dry storage system in NUREG/CR - 6407 in the United States.

A Novel Fuel/Reactor Cycle to Implement the 300 Years Nuclear Waste Policy Approach - 12377

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carelli, M.D.; Franceschini, F.; Lahoda, E.J.

2012-07-01

A thorium-based fuel cycle system can effectively burn the currently accumulated commercial used nuclear fuel and move to a sustainable equilibrium where the actinide levels in the high level waste are low enough to yield a radiotoxicity after 300 years lower than that of the equivalent uranium ore. The second step of the Westinghouse approach to solving the waste 'problem' has been completed. The thorium fuel cycle has indeed the potential of burning the legacy TRU and achieve the waste objective proposed. Initial evaluations have been started for the third step, development and selection of appropriate reactors. Indications are thatmore » the probability of show-stoppers is rather remote. It is, therefore, believed that development of the thorium cycle and associated technologies will provide a permanent solution to the waste management. Westinghouse is open to the widest collaboration to make this a reality. (authors)« less

Initial results from safety testing of US AGR-2 irradiation test fuel

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Morris, Robert Noel; Hunn, John D.; Baldwin, Charles A.

Two cylindrical compacts containing tristructural isotropic (TRISO)-coated particles with kernels that contained a mixture of uranium carbide and uranium oxide (UCO) and two compacts with UO 2-kernel TRISO particles have undergone 1600°C safety testing. These compacts were irradiated in the US Advanced Gas Reactor Fuel Development and Qualification Program's second irradiation test (AGR-2). The time-dependent releases of several radioisotopes ( 110mAg, 134Cs, 137Cs, 154Eu, 155Eu, 90Sr, and 85Kr) were monitored while heating the fuel specimens to 1600°C in flowing helium for 300 h. The UCO compacts behaved similarly to previously reported 1600°C-safety-tested UCO compacts from the AGR-1 irradiation. No failedmore » TRISO or failed SiC were detected (based on krypton and cesium release), and cesium release through intact SiC was very low. Release behavior of silver, europium, and strontium appeared to be dominated by inventory originally released through intact coating layers during irradiation but retained in the compact matrix until it was released during safety testing. Both UO 2 compacts exhibited cesium release from multiple particles whose SiC failed during the safety test. Europium and strontium release from these two UO 2 compacts appeared to be dominated by release from the particles with failed SiC. Silver release was characteristically like the release from the UCO compacts in that an initial release of the majority of silver trapped in the matrix occurred during ramping to 1600°C. However, additional silver release was observed later in the safety testing due to the UO 2 TRISO with failed SiC. Failure of the SiC layer in the UO 2 fuel appears to have been dominated by CO corrosion, as opposed to the palladium degradation observed in AGR-1 UCO fuel.« less

Initial results from safety testing of US AGR-2 irradiation test fuel

DOE PAGES

Morris, Robert Noel; Hunn, John D.; Baldwin, Charles A.; ...

2017-08-18

Two cylindrical compacts containing tristructural isotropic (TRISO)-coated particles with kernels that contained a mixture of uranium carbide and uranium oxide (UCO) and two compacts with UO 2-kernel TRISO particles have undergone 1600°C safety testing. These compacts were irradiated in the US Advanced Gas Reactor Fuel Development and Qualification Program's second irradiation test (AGR-2). The time-dependent releases of several radioisotopes ( 110mAg, 134Cs, 137Cs, 154Eu, 155Eu, 90Sr, and 85Kr) were monitored while heating the fuel specimens to 1600°C in flowing helium for 300 h. The UCO compacts behaved similarly to previously reported 1600°C-safety-tested UCO compacts from the AGR-1 irradiation. No failedmore » TRISO or failed SiC were detected (based on krypton and cesium release), and cesium release through intact SiC was very low. Release behavior of silver, europium, and strontium appeared to be dominated by inventory originally released through intact coating layers during irradiation but retained in the compact matrix until it was released during safety testing. Both UO 2 compacts exhibited cesium release from multiple particles whose SiC failed during the safety test. Europium and strontium release from these two UO 2 compacts appeared to be dominated by release from the particles with failed SiC. Silver release was characteristically like the release from the UCO compacts in that an initial release of the majority of silver trapped in the matrix occurred during ramping to 1600°C. However, additional silver release was observed later in the safety testing due to the UO 2 TRISO with failed SiC. Failure of the SiC layer in the UO 2 fuel appears to have been dominated by CO corrosion, as opposed to the palladium degradation observed in AGR-1 UCO fuel.« less

The J-2X Fuel Turbopump - Turbine Nozzle Low Cycle Fatigue Acceptance Rationale

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hawkins, Lakiesha V.; Duke, Gregory C.; Newman, Wesley R.; Reynolds, David C.

2011-01-01

The J-2X Fuel Turbopump (FTP) turbine, which drives the pump that feeds hydrogen to the J-2X engine for main combustion, is based on the J-2S design developed in the early 1970 s. Updated materials and manufacturing processes have been incorporated to meet current requirements. This paper addresses an analytical concern that the J-2X Fuel Turbine Nozzle Low Cycle Fatigue (LCF) analysis did not meet safety factor requirements per program structural assessment criteria. High strains in the nozzle airfoil during engine transients were predicted to be caused by thermally induced stresses between the vane hub, vane shroud, and airfoil. The heritage J-2 nozzle was of a similar design and experienced cracks in the same area where analysis predicted cracks in the J-2X design. Redesign options that did not significantly impact the overall turbine configuration were unsuccessful. An approach using component tests and displacement controlled fracture mechanics analysis to evaluate LCF crack initiation and growth rate was developed. The results of this testing and analysis were used to define the level of inspection on development engine test units. The programmatic impact of developing crack initiation/growth rate/arrest data was significant for the J-2X program. Final Design Certification Review acceptance logic will ultimately be developed utilizing this test and analytical data.

75 FR 30864 - NUREG-1520, “Standard Review Plan for the Review of a License Application for a Fuel Cycle...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-02

... a License Application for a Fuel Cycle Facility''; Notice of Availability AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory... Cycle Facility,'' dated May 2010. ADDRESSES: NRC's Public Document Room (PDR): The public may examine... INFORMATION: The SRP for the review of a license application for a fuel cycle facility (NUREG-1520), Revision...

Ethanol Research : Alternative Fuels & Life-Cycle Engineering Program : November 29, 2006 to November 28, 2011

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-12-20

This report presents the results of the successful ethanol fuel demonstration program conducted from September 2007 to September 2010. This project was a part of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Alternative Fuels and Life Cycle Engineering...

77 FR 32146 - Safety Evaluation Report, International Isotopes Fluorine Products, Inc., Fluorine Extraction...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-31

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. 40-9086; NRC-2010-0143] Safety Evaluation Report... Deconversion Plant (FEP/DUP) and will be located in Lea County, New Mexico. The NRC has prepared a Safety..., Deconversion and Enrichment Branch, Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards, Office of Nuclear Material...

International nuclear fuel cycle fact book. [Contains glossary of organizations, facilities, technical and other terms

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1992-09-01

The International Nuclear Fuel Cycle Fact Book has been compiled in an effort to provide current data concerning fuel cycle and waste management facilities, R D programs and key personnel on 23 countries, including the US, four multi-national agencies, and 21 nuclear societies. The Fact Book is organized as follows: National summaries-a section for each country which summarizes nuclear policy, describes organizational relationships, and provides addresses and names of key personnel and information on facilities. International agencies-a section for each of the international agencies which has significant fuel cycle involvement and a listing of nuclear societies. Glossary-a list of abbreviations/acronymsmore » of organizations, facilities, technical and other terms. The national summaries, in addition to the data described above, feature a small map for each country as well as some general information. The latter presented from the perspective of the Fact Book user in the United States.« less

Packaging Strategies for Criticality Safety for "Other" DOE Fuels in a Repository

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Larry L Taylor

2004-06-01

Since 1998, there has been an ongoing effort to gain acceptance of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)-owned spent nuclear fuel (SNF) in the national repository. To accomplish this goal, the fuel matrix was used as a discriminating feature to segregate fuels into nine distinct groups. From each of those groups, a characteristic fuel was selected and analyzed for criticality safety based on a proposed packaging strategy. This report identifies and quantifies the important criticality parameters for the canisterized fuels within each criticality group to: (1) demonstrate how the “other” fuels in the group are bounded by the baseline calculations ormore » (2) allow identification of individual type fuels that might require special analysis and packaging.« less

O-GlcNAc in cancer: An Oncometabolism-fueled vicious cycle.

PubMed

Hanover, John A; Chen, Weiping; Bond, Michelle R

2018-06-01

Cancer cells exhibit unregulated growth, altered metabolism, enhanced metastatic potential and altered cell surface glycans. Fueled by oncometabolism and elevated uptake of glucose and glutamine, the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP) sustains glycosylation in the endomembrane system. In addition, the elevated pools of UDP-GlcNAc drives the O-GlcNAc modification of key targets in the cytoplasm, nucleus and mitochondrion. These targets include transcription factors, kinases, key cytoplasmic enzymes of intermediary metabolism, and electron transport chain complexes. O-GlcNAcylation can thereby alter epigenetics, transcription, signaling, proteostasis, and bioenergetics, key 'hallmarks of cancer'. In this review, we summarize accumulating evidence that many cancer hallmarks are linked to dysregulation of O-GlcNAc cycling on cancer-relevant targets. We argue that onconutrient and oncometabolite-fueled elevation increases HBP flux and triggers O-GlcNAcylation of key regulatory enzymes in glycolysis, Kreb's cycle, pentose-phosphate pathway, and the HBP itself. The resulting rerouting of glucose metabolites leads to elevated O-GlcNAcylation of oncogenes and tumor suppressors further escalating elevation in HBP flux creating a 'vicious cycle'. Downstream, elevated O-GlcNAcylation alters DNA repair and cellular stress pathways which influence oncogenesis. The elevated steady-state levels of O-GlcNAcylated targets found in many cancers may also provide these cells with a selective advantage for sustained growth, enhanced metastatic potential, and immune evasion in the tumor microenvironment.

Power Gas and Combined Cycles: Clean Power From Fossil Fuels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Metz, William D.

1973-01-01

The combined-cycle system is currently regarded as a useful procedure for producing electricity. This system can burn natural gas and oil distillates in addition to coal. In the future when natural gas stocks will be low, coal may become an important fuel for such systems. Considerable effort must be made for research on coal gasification and…

Evaluating the Impact of Road Grade on Simulated Commercial Vehicle Fuel Economy Using Real-World Drive Cycles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lopp, Sean; Wood, Eric; Duran, Adam

Commercial vehicle fuel economy is known to vary significantly with both positive and negative road grade. Medium- and heavy-duty vehicles operating at highway speeds require incrementally larger amounts of energy to pull heavy payloads up inclines as road grade increases. Non-hybrid vehicles are then unable to recapture energy on descent and lose energy through friction braking. While the on-road effects of road grade are well understood, the majority of standard commercial vehicle drive cycles feature no climb or descent requirements. Additionally, existing literature offers a limited number of sources that attempt to estimate the on-road energy implications of road grademore » in the medium- and heavy-duty space. This study uses real-world commercial vehicle drive cycles from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Fleet DNA database to simulate the effects of road grade on fuel economy across a range of vocations, operating conditions, and locations. Drive-cycles are matched with vocation-specific vehicle models and simulated with and without grade. Fuel use due to grade is presented, and variation in fuel consumption due to drive cycle and vehicle characteristics is explored through graphical and statistical comparison. The results of this study suggest that road grade accounts for 1%-9% of fuel use in commercial vehicles on average and up to 40% on select routes.« less

Investigation of dynamic driving cycle effect on the degradation of proton exchange membrane fuel cell by segmented cell technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, R.; Xiong, F.; Tang, W. C.; Técher, L.; Zhang, J. M.; Ma, J. X.

2014-08-01

Durability is one of the most important limiting factors for the commercialization of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). Fuel cells are more vulnerable to degradation under operating conditions as dynamic load cycle or start up/shut down. The purpose of this study is to evaluate influences of driving cycles on the durability of fuel cells through analyzing the degradation mechanism of a segmented cell in real time. This study demonstrates that the performance of the fuel cell significantly decreases after 200 cycles. The segmented cell technology is used to measure the local current density distribution, which shows that the current density at the exit region and the inlet region declines much faster than the other parts. Meanwhile, electro-chemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) reveals that after 200 cycles the ohmic resistance of fuel cell increases, especially at the cathode, and electro-chemical surface area (ESA) decreases from 392 to 307 cm2 mg-1. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) in cross-section demonstrate crackle flaw on the surface of the catalyst layer and the delamination of the electrodes from the membrane. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) results also show that the Pt particle size increases distinctly after driving cycles.

Life Cycle Assessment of Vehicle Lightweighting: Novel Mathematical Methods to Estimate Use-Phase Fuel Consumption.

PubMed

Kim, Hyung Chul; Wallington, Timothy J; Sullivan, John L; Keoleian, Gregory A

2015-08-18

Lightweighting is a key strategy to improve vehicle fuel economy. Assessing the life-cycle benefits of lightweighting requires a quantitative description of the use-phase fuel consumption reduction associated with mass reduction. We present novel methods of estimating mass-induced fuel consumption (MIF) and fuel reduction values (FRVs) from fuel economy and dynamometer test data in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) database. In the past, FRVs have been measured using experimental testing. We demonstrate that FRVs can be mathematically derived from coast down coefficients in the EPA vehicle test database avoiding additional testing. MIF and FRVs calculated for 83 different 2013 MY vehicles are in the ranges 0.22-0.43 and 0.15-0.26 L/(100 km 100 kg), respectively, and increase to 0.27-0.53 L/(100 km 100 kg) with powertrain resizing to retain equivalent vehicle performance. We show how use-phase fuel consumption can be estimated using MIF and FRVs in life cycle assessments (LCAs) of vehicle lightweighting from total vehicle and vehicle component perspectives with, and without, powertrain resizing. The mass-induced fuel consumption model is illustrated by estimating lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emission benefits from lightweighting a grille opening reinforcement component using magnesium or carbon fiber composite for 83 different vehicle models.

Hybrid fusion-fission reactor with a thorium blanket: Its potential in the fuel cycle of nuclear reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shmelev, A. N.; Kulikov, G. G.; Kurnaev, V. A.; Salahutdinov, G. H.; Kulikov, E. G.; Apse, V. A.

2015-12-01

Discussions are currently going on as to whether it is suitable to employ thorium in the nuclear fuel cycle. This work demonstrates that the 231Pa-232U-233U-Th composition to be produced in the thorium blanket of a hybrid thermonuclear reactor (HTR) as a fuel for light-water reactors opens up the possibility of achieving high, up to 30% of heavy metals (HM), or even ultrahigh fuel burnup. This is because the above fuel composition is able to stabilize its neutron-multiplying properties in the process of high fuel burnup. In addition, it allows the nuclear fuel cycle (NFC) to be better protected against unauthorized proliferation of fissile materials owing to an unprecedentedly large fraction of 232U (several percent!) in the uranium bred from the Th blanket, which will substantially hamper the use of fissile materials in a closed NFC for purposes other than power production.

Life cycle assessment of vehicle lightweighting: a physics-based model of mass-induced fuel consumption.

PubMed

Kim, Hyung Chul; Wallington, Timothy J

2013-12-17

Lightweighting is a key strategy used to improve vehicle fuel economy. Replacing conventional materials (e.g., steel) with lighter alternatives (e.g., aluminum, magnesium, and composites) decreases energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during vehicle use, but often increases energy consumption and GHG emissions during materials and vehicle production. Assessing the life-cycle benefits of mass reduction requires a quantitative description of the mass-induced fuel consumption during vehicle use. A new physics-based method for estimating mass-induced fuel consumption (MIF) is proposed. We illustrate the utility of this method by using publicly available data to calculate MIF values in the range of 0.2-0.5 L/(100 km 100 kg) based on 106 records of fuel economy tests by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for 2013 model year vehicles. Lightweighting is shown to have the most benefit when applied to vehicles with high fuel consumption and high power. Use of the physics-based model presented here would place future life cycle assessment studies of vehicle lightweighting on a firmer scientific foundation.

Influence of driving cycles on exhaust emissions and fuel consumption of gasoline passenger car in Bangkok.

PubMed

Nutramon, Tamsanya; Supachart, Chungpaibulpatana

2009-01-01

The influence of different driving cycles on their exhaust emissions and fuel consumption rate of gasoline passenger car was investigated in Bangkok based on the actual measurements obtained from a test vehicle driving on a standard chassis dynamometer. A newly established Bangkok driving cycle (BDC) and the European driving cycle (EDC) which is presently adopted as the legislative cycle for testing automobiles registered in Thailand were used. The newly developed BDC is constructed using the driving characteristic data obtained from the real on-road driving tests along selected traffic routes. A method for selecting appropriate road routes for real driving tests is also introduced. Variations of keyed driving parameters of BDC with different driving cycles were discussed. The results showed that the HC and CO emission factors of BDC are almost two and four times greater than those of EDC, respectively. Although the difference in the NOx emission factor is small, the value from BDC is still greater than that of EDC by 10%. Under BDC, the test vehicle consumes fuel about 25% more than it does under EDC. All these differences are mainly attributed to the greater proportion of idle periods and higher fluctuations of vehicle speed in the BDC cycle. This result indicated that the exhausted emissions and fuel consumption of vehicles obtained from tests under the legislative modal-type driving cycle (EDC) are significantly different from those actually produced under real traffic conditions especially during peak periods.

Determining Off-Cycle Fuel Economy Benefits of 2-Layer HVAC Technology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wood, Eric W; Moniot, Matthew; Jehlik, Forrest

This work presents a methodology to determine the off-cycle fuel economy benefit of a 2-Layer HVAC system which reduces ventilation and heat rejection losses of the heater core versus a vehicle using a standard system. Experimental dynamometer tests using EPA drive cycles over a broad range of ambient temperatures were conducted on a highly instrumented 2016 Lexus RX350 (3.5L, 8 speed automatic). These tests were conducted to measure differences in engine efficiency caused by changes in engine warmup due to the 2-Layer HVAC technology in use versus the technology being disabled (disabled equals fresh air-considered as the standard technology baseline).more » These experimental datasets were used to develop simplified response surface and lumped capacitance vehicle thermal models predictive of vehicle efficiency as a function of thermal state. These vehicle models were integrated into a database of measured on road testing and coupled with U.S. typical meteorological data to simulate vehicle efficiency across seasonal thermal and operational conditions for hundreds of thousands of drive cycles. Fuel economy benefits utilizing the 2-Layer HVAC technology are presented in addition to goodness of fit statistics of the modeling approach relative to the experimental test data.« less

Sinusoidal potential cycling operation of a direct ethanol fuel cell to improving carbon dioxide yields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majidi, Pasha; Pickup, Peter G.

2014-12-01

A direct ethanol fuel cell has been operated under sinusoidal (AC) potential cycling conditions in order to increase the yield of carbon dioxide and thereby increase cell efficiency relative to operation at a fixed potential. At 80 °C, faradaic yields of CO2 as high as 25% have been achieved with a PtRu anode catalyst, while the maximum CO2 production at constant potential was 13%. The increased yields under cycling conditions have been attributed to periodic oxidative stripping of adsorbed CO. These results will be important in the optimization of operating conditions for direct ethanol fuel cells, where the benefits of potential cycling are projected to increase as catalysts that produce CO2 more efficiently are implemented.

The influence of multiple goals on driving behavior: the case of safety, time saving, and fuel saving.

PubMed

Dogan, Ebru; Steg, Linda; Delhomme, Patricia

2011-09-01

Due to the innate complexity of the task drivers have to manage multiple goals while driving and the importance of certain goals may vary over time leading to priority being given to different goals depending on the circumstances. This study aimed to investigate drivers' behavioral regulation while managing multiple goals during driving. To do so participants drove on urban and rural roads in a driving simulator while trying to manage fuel saving and time saving goals, besides the safety goals that are always present during driving. A between-subjects design was used with one group of drivers managing two goals (safety and fuel saving) and another group managing three goals (safety, fuel saving, and time saving) while driving. Participants were provided continuous feedback on the fuel saving goal via a meter on the dashboard. The results indicate that even when a fuel saving or time saving goal is salient, safety goals are still given highest priority when interactions with other road users take place and when interacting with a traffic light. Additionally, performance on the fuel saving goal diminished for the group that had to manage fuel saving and time saving together. The theoretical implications for a goal hierarchy in driving tasks and practical implications for eco-driving are discussed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Drive Cycle Analysis, Measurement of Emissions and Fuel Consumption of a PHEV School Bus: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barnitt, R.; Gonder, J.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) collected and analyzed real-world school bus drive cycle data and selected similar standard drive cycles for testing on a chassis dynamometer. NREL tested a first-generation plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) school bus equipped with a 6.4L engine and an Enova PHEV drive system comprising a 25-kW/80 kW (continuous/peak) motor and a 370-volt lithium ion battery pack. A Bluebird 7.2L conventional school bus was also tested. Both vehicles were tested over three different drive cycles to capture a range of driving activity. PHEV fuel savings in charge-depleting (CD) mode ranged from slightly more than 30%more » to a little over 50%. However, the larger fuel savings lasted over a shorter driving distance, as the fully charged PHEV school bus would initially operate in CD mode for some distance, then in a transitional mode, and finally in a charge-sustaining (CS) mode for continued driving. The test results indicate that a PHEV school bus can achieve significant fuel savings during CD operation relative to a conventional bus. In CS mode, the tested bus showed small fuel savings and somewhat higher nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions than the baseline comparison bus.« less

QUAD+ BWR Fuel Assembly demonstration program at Browns Ferry plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Doshi, P.K.; Mayhue, L.T.; Robert, J.T.

1984-04-01

The QUAD+ fuel assembly is an improved BWR fuel assembly designed and manufactured by Westinghouse Electric Corporation. The design features a water cross separating four fuel minibundles in an integral channel. A demonstration program for this fuel design is planned for late 1984 in cycle 6 of Browns Ferry 2, a TVA plant. Objectives for the design of the QUAD+ demonstration assemblies are compatibility in performance and transparency in safety analysis with the feed fuel. These objectives are met. Inspections of the QUAD+ demonstration assemblies are planned at each refueling outage.

Various supercritical carbon dioxide cycle layouts study for molten carbonate fuel cell application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bae, Seong Jun; Ahn, Yoonhan; Lee, Jekyoung; Lee, Jeong Ik

2014-12-01

Various supercritical carbon dioxide (S-CO2) cycles for a power conversion system of a Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell (MCFC) hybrid system are studied in this paper. Re-Compressing Brayton (RCB) cycle, Simple Recuperated Brayton (SRB) cycle and Simple Recuperated Transcritical (SRT) cycle layouts were selected as candidates for this study. In addition, a novel concept of S-CO2 cycle which combines Brayton cycle and Rankine cycle is proposed and intensively studied with other S-CO2 layouts. A parametric study is performed to optimize the total system to be compact and to achieve wider operating range. Performances of each S-CO2 cycle are compared in terms of the thermal efficiency, net electricity of the MCFC hybrid system and approximate total volumes of each S-CO2 cycle. As a result, performance and total physical size of S-CO2 cycle can be better understood for MCFC S-CO2 hybrid system and especially, newly suggested S-CO2 cycle shows some success.

The Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent fuel Management and on the safety of Radioactive Waste Management: A UK Regulator's Perspective

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lacey, D.; Bacon, M.L.

The UK fully supports the objective of the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management to achieve and maintain a high level of safety worldwide in spent fuel and radioactive waste management, through the enhancement of national measures and international co-operation, including where appropriate, safety-related co-operation. The UK's Health and Safety Executive, through its Nuclear Safety Directorate (NSD), has been committed to the Convention since the initial negotiations to set up the Convention and provided the president of the first review meeting in 2003. It would be wrong of anymore » nation to believe that they have all the best solutions to managing spent fuel and radioactive waste. The process of compiling reports for the Convention review meetings provides a structured process through which every contracting party can review its provisions against a common set of standards and identify for itself possible areas of improvements. The sharing of reports and the asking and answering of questions then provides a further opportunity for both sharing of experience and learning. The UK was encouraged by the spirit of constructive discussion rather than negative criticism that pervaded the first review meeting that provided an incentive for all to learn and improve. While, as could be expected of the first meeting of such a group, not everything worked as well as could be hoped for, all parties seemed committed to learn from mistakes and to make the process more effective. Lessons were learned from the Nuclear Safety Convention on the process of submitting reports electronically and the UK actively supported aims to use IAEA requirements documents as an additional focus for reports. This should, we hope, provide for even better benchmarking of achievements and provide feedback for improvements of the IAEA requirements where appropriate. In summary, the UK finds the Joint Convention process to be a

Discrete regenerative fuel cell reduces hysteresis for sustainable cycling of water

PubMed Central

Park, Kiwon; Lee, Jungkoo; Kim, Hyung-Man; Choi, Kap-Seung; Hwang, Gunyong

2014-01-01

The discrete regenerative fuel cell is being developed as a residential power control that synchronizes with a renewables load which fluctuates significantly with the time and weather. The power of proton exchange membrane fuel cells can be scaled-up adjustably to meet the residential power demand. As a result, scale-ups from a basic unit cell with a 25 cm2 active area create a serpentine flow-field on an active area of 100 cm2 and take into account the excessive current and the remaining power obtained by stacking single cells. Operating a fuel cell utilising oxygen produced by the electrolyser instead of air improves the electrochemical reaction and the water balance. Furthermore, the performance test results with oxygen instead of air show almost no hysteresis, which results in the very stable operation of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell as well as the sustainable cycle of water by hydrogen and oxygen mediums. PMID:24699531

40 CFR 600.114-08 - Vehicle-specific 5-cycle fuel economy and carbon-related exhaust emission calculations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Vehicle-specific 5-cycle fuel economy... Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) ENERGY POLICY FUEL ECONOMY AND CARBON-RELATED EXHAUST EMISSIONS OF MOTOR VEHICLES Fuel Economy and Carbon-Related Exhaust Emission Regulations for 1978 and Later...

Hybrid fusion–fission reactor with a thorium blanket: Its potential in the fuel cycle of nuclear reactors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shmelev, A. N., E-mail: shmelan@mail.ru; Kulikov, G. G., E-mail: ggkulikov@mephi.ru; Kurnaev, V. A., E-mail: kurnaev@yandex.ru

2015-12-15

Discussions are currently going on as to whether it is suitable to employ thorium in the nuclear fuel cycle. This work demonstrates that the {sup 231}Pa–{sup 232}U–{sup 233}U–Th composition to be produced in the thorium blanket of a hybrid thermonuclear reactor (HTR) as a fuel for light-water reactors opens up the possibility of achieving high, up to 30% of heavy metals (HM), or even ultrahigh fuel burnup. This is because the above fuel composition is able to stabilize its neutron-multiplying properties in the process of high fuel burnup. In addition, it allows the nuclear fuel cycle (NFC) to be bettermore » protected against unauthorized proliferation of fissile materials owing to an unprecedentedly large fraction of {sup 232}U (several percent!) in the uranium bred from the Th blanket, which will substantially hamper the use of fissile materials in a closed NFC for purposes other than power production.« less

Nuclear energy in Europe: uranium flow modeling and fuel cycle scenario trade-offs from a sustainability perspective.

PubMed

Tendall, Danielle M; Binder, Claudia R

2011-03-15

The European nuclear fuel cycle (covering the EU-27, Switzerland and Ukraine) was modeled using material flow analysis (MFA).The analysis was based on publicly available data from nuclear energy agencies and industries, national trade offices, and nongovernmental organizations. Military uranium was not considered due to lack of accessible data. Nuclear fuel cycle scenarios varying spent fuel reprocessing, depleted uranium re-enrichment, enrichment assays, and use of fast neutron reactors, were established. They were then assessed according to environmental, economic and social criteria such as resource depletion, waste production, chemical and radiation emissions, costs, and proliferation risks. The most preferable scenario in the short term is a combination of reduced tails assay and enrichment grade, allowing a 17.9% reduction of uranium demand without significantly increasing environmental, economic, or social risks. In the long term, fast reactors could theoretically achieve a 99.4% decrease in uranium demand and nuclear waste production. However, this involves important costs and proliferation risks. Increasing material efficiency is not systematically correlated with the reduction of other risks. This suggests that an overall optimization of the nuclear fuel cycle is difficult to obtain. Therefore, criteria must be weighted according to stakeholder interests in order to determine the most sustainable solution. This paper models the flows of uranium and associated materials in Europe, and provides a decision support tool for identifying the trade-offs of the alternative nuclear fuel cycles considered.

A life cycle assessment of options for producing synthetic fuel via pyrolysis.

PubMed

Vienescu, D N; Wang, J; Le Gresley, A; Nixon, J D

2018-02-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the sustainability of producing synthetic fuels from biomass using thermochemical processing and different upgrading pathways. Life cycle assessment (LCA) models consisting of biomass collection, transportation, pre-treatment, pyrolysis and upgrading stages were developed. To reveal the environmental impacts associated with greater post-processing to achieve higher quality fuels, six different bio-oil upgrading scenarios were analysed and included esterification, ketonisation, hydrotreating and hydrocracking. Furthermore, to take into account the possible ranges in LCA inventory data, expected, optimistic and pessimistic values for producing and upgrading pyrolysis oils were evaluated. We found that the expected carbon dioxide equivalent emissions could be as high as 6000 gCO 2e /kg of upgraded fuel, which is greater than the emissions arising from the use of diesel fuel. Other environmental impacts occurring from the fuel production process are outlined, such as resource depletion, acidification and eutrophication. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 600.114-08 - Vehicle-specific 5-cycle fuel economy and carbon-related exhaust emission calculations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Vehicle-specific 5-cycle fuel economy... Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) ENERGY POLICY FUEL ECONOMY AND GREENHOUSE GAS EXHAUST EMISSIONS OF MOTOR VEHICLES Fuel Economy and Carbon-Related Exhaust Emission Test Procedures § 600.114-08...

40 CFR 600.114-12 - Vehicle-specific 5-cycle fuel economy and carbon-related exhaust emission calculations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Vehicle-specific 5-cycle fuel economy... Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) ENERGY POLICY FUEL ECONOMY AND GREENHOUSE GAS EXHAUST EMISSIONS OF MOTOR VEHICLES Fuel Economy and Carbon-Related Exhaust Emission Test Procedures § 600.114-12...

40 CFR 600.114-12 - Vehicle-specific 5-cycle fuel economy and carbon-related exhaust emission calculations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Vehicle-specific 5-cycle fuel economy... Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) ENERGY POLICY FUEL ECONOMY AND GREENHOUSE GAS EXHAUST EMISSIONS OF MOTOR VEHICLES Fuel Economy and Carbon-Related Exhaust Emission Test Procedures § 600.114-12...

40 CFR 600.114-08 - Vehicle-specific 5-cycle fuel economy and carbon-related exhaust emission calculations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Vehicle-specific 5-cycle fuel economy... Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) ENERGY POLICY FUEL ECONOMY AND GREENHOUSE GAS EXHAUST EMISSIONS OF MOTOR VEHICLES Fuel Economy and Carbon-Related Exhaust Emission Test Procedures § 600.114-08...

40 CFR 600.209-08 - Calculation of vehicle-specific 5-cycle fuel economy values for a model type.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... intended for sale at high altitude, the Administrator may use fuel economy data from tests conducted on... from the tests performed using gasoline or diesel test fuel. (ii) If 5-cycle testing was performed on the alcohol or natural gas test fuel, calculate the city and highway fuel economy values from the...

40 CFR 600.209-08 - Calculation of vehicle-specific 5-cycle fuel economy values for a model type.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... intended for sale at high altitude, the Administrator may use fuel economy data from tests conducted on... from the tests performed using gasoline or diesel test fuel. (ii) If 5-cycle testing was performed on the alcohol or natural gas test fuel, calculate the city and highway fuel economy values from the...

40 CFR 600.209-08 - Calculation of vehicle-specific 5-cycle fuel economy values for a model type.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... vehicle configuration 5-cycle fuel economy values as determined in § 600.207-08 for low-altitude tests. (1... economy data from tests conducted on these vehicle configuration(s) at high altitude to calculate the fuel... city and highway fuel economy values from the tests performed using gasoline or diesel test fuel. (ii...

The benefits of an advanced fast reactor fuel cycle for plutonium management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hannum, W.H.; McFarlane, H.F.; Wade, D.C.

1996-12-31

The United States has no program to investigate advanced nuclear fuel cycles for the large-scale consumption of plutonium from military and civilian sources. The official U.S. position has been to focus on means to bury spent nuclear fuel from civilian reactors and to achieve the spent fuel standard for excess separated plutonium, which is considered by policy makers to be an urgent international priority. Recently, the National Research Council published a long awaited report on its study of potential separation and transmutation technologies (STATS), which concluded that in the nuclear energy phase-out scenario that they evaluated, transmutation of plutonium andmore » long-lived radioisotopes would not be worth the cost. However, at the American Nuclear Society Annual Meeting in June, 1996, the STATS panelists endorsed further study of partitioning to achieve superior waste forms for burial, and suggested that any further consideration of transmutation should be in the context of energy production, not of waste management. 2048 The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has an active program for the short-term disposition of excess fissile material and a `focus area` for safe, secure stabilization, storage and disposition of plutonium, but has no current programs for fast reactor development. Nevertheless, sufficient data exist to identify the potential advantages of an advanced fast reactor metallic fuel cycle for the long-term management of plutonium. Advantages are discussed.« less

Preliminary assessment of a potassium-steam-gas vapor cycle for better fuel economy and reduced thermal pollution

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fraas, A.P.

1971-08-01

The facts of fuel supply limitations, environmental quality demands, and spiraling electric generating costs strongly favor development of electric power plants that simultaneously run at higher efficiency, i.e., higher temperature, use to advantage clean fuels, and have as low a capital cost as possible. Both fuel supply and thermal pollution considerations that are becoming progressively more important strongly favor the development of a higher temperature, and more efficient, thermodynamic cycle for electric power plants. About 200,000 hr of operation of boiling potassium systems, including over 15,000 hr of potassium vapor turbine operation under the space power plant program, suggest thatmore » a potassium vapor topping cycle with a turbine inlet temperature of approximately 1500/sup 0/F merits consideration. A design study has been carried out to indicate the size, cost, and development problems of the new types of equipment required. The results indicate that a potassium vapor cycle superimposed on a conventional 1050/sup 0/F steam cycle would give an overall thermal efficiency of about 54% as compared to only 40% from a conventional steam cycle. Thus the proposed system would have a fuel consumption only 75% and a heat rejection rate only 50% that of a conventional plant. The system requires clean fuel, and takes advantage of the present trend toward eliminating SO/sub 2/, NO/sub x/ and ash emissions. Surprisingly, at first sight, the assessment at this stage shows that the capital cost may be less than that of a conventional plant. The main reason for this is use of pressurized combustion, which leads to a much smaller combustor, and thin tube walls to contain potassium at about the same pressure.« less

Safety Criticality Standards Using the French CRISTAL Code Package: Application to the AREVA NP UO{sub 2} Fuel Fabrication Plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Doucet, M.; Durant Terrasson, L.; Mouton, J.

2006-07-01

Criticality safety evaluations implement requirements to proof of sufficient sub critical margins outside of the reactor environment for example in fuel fabrication plants. Basic criticality data (i.e., criticality standards) are used in the determination of sub critical margins for all processes involving plutonium or enriched uranium. There are several criticality international standards, e.g., ARH-600, which is one the US nuclear industry relies on. The French Nuclear Safety Authority (DGSNR and its advising body IRSN) has requested AREVA NP to review the criticality standards used for the evaluation of its Low Enriched Uranium fuel fabrication plants with CRISTAL V0, the recentlymore » updated French criticality evaluation package. Criticality safety is a concern for every phase of the fabrication process including UF{sub 6} cylinder storage, UF{sub 6}-UO{sub 2} conversion, powder storage, pelletizing, rod loading, assembly fabrication, and assembly transportation. Until 2003, the accepted criticality standards were based on the French CEA work performed in the late seventies with the APOLLO1 cell/assembly computer code. APOLLO1 is a spectral code, used for evaluating the basic characteristics of fuel assemblies for reactor physics applications, which has been enhanced to perform criticality safety calculations. Throughout the years, CRISTAL, starting with APOLLO1 and MORET 3 (a 3D Monte Carlo code), has been improved to account for the growth of its qualification database and for increasing user requirements. Today, CRISTAL V0 is an up-to-date computational tool incorporating a modern basic microscopic cross section set based on JEF2.2 and the comprehensive APOLLO2 and MORET 4 codes. APOLLO2 is well suited for criticality standards calculations as it includes a sophisticated self shielding approach, a P{sub ij} flux determination, and a 1D transport (S{sub n}) process. CRISTAL V0 is the result of more than five years of development work focusing on

Fuel and Core Design Options to Overcome the Heavy Metal Loading Limit and Improve Performance and Safety of Liquid Salt Cooled Reactors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Petrovic, Bojan; Maldonado, Ivan

2016-04-14

The research performed in this project addressed the issue of low heavy metal loading and the resulting reduced cycle length with increased refueling frequency, inherent to all FHR designs with solid, non-movable fuel based on TRISO particles. Studies performed here focused on AHTR type of reactor design with plate (“plank”) fuel. Proposal to FY12 NEUP entitled “Fuel and Core Design Options to Overcome the Heavy Metal Loading Limit and Improve Performance and Safety of Liquid Salt Cooled Reactors” was selected for award, and the 3-year project started in August 2012. A 4-month NCE was granted and the project completed onmore » December 31, 2015. The project was performed by Georgia Tech (Prof. Bojan Petrovic, PI) and University of Tennessee (Prof. Ivan Maldonado, Co-PI), with a total funding of $758,000 over 3 years. In addition to two Co-PIs, the project directly engaged 6 graduate students (at doctoral or MS level) and 2 postdoctoral researchers. Additionally, through senior design projects and graduate advanced design projects, another 23 undergraduate and 12 graduate students were exposed to and trained in the salt reactor technology. We see this as one of the important indicators of the project’s success and effectiveness. In the process, 1 journal article was published (with 3 journal articles in preparation), together with 8 peer-reviewed full conference papers, 8 peer-reviewed extended abstracts, as well as 1 doctoral dissertation and 2 master theses. The work included both development of models and methodologies needed to adequately analyze this type of reactor, fuel, and its fuel cycle, as well as extensive analyses and optimization of the fuel and core design.« less

International Workshop on Characterization and PIE Needs for Fundamental Understanding of Fuels Performance and Safety

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Listed

2011-12-01

The International Workshop on Characterization and PIE Needs to Support Science-Based Development of Innovative Fuels was held June 16-17, 2011, in Paris, France. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) Working Party on the Fuel Cycle (WPFC) sponsored the workshop to identify gaps in global capabilities that need to be filled to meet projected needs in the 21st century. First and foremost, the workshop brought nine countries and associated international organizations, together in support of common needs for nuclear fuels and materials testing, characterization, PIE, and modeling capabilities. Finland, France, Germany, Republic of Korea, Russianmore » Federation, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States of America, IAEA, and ITU (on behalf of European Union Joint Research Centers) discussed issues and opportunities for future technical advancements and collaborations. Second, the presentations provided a base level of understanding of current international capabilities. Three main categories were covered: (1) status of facilities and near term plans, (2) PIE needs from fuels engineering and material science perspectives, and (3) novel PIE techniques being developed to meet the needs. The International presentations provided valuable data consistent with the outcome of the National Workshop held in March 2011. Finally, the panel discussion on 21st century PIE capabilities, created a unified approach for future collaborations. In conclusion, (1) existing capabilities are not sufficient to meet the needs of a science-based approach, (2) safety issues and fuels behavior during abnormal conditions will receive more focus post-Fukushima; therefore we need to adopt our techniques to those issues, and (3) International collaboration is needed in the areas of codes and standards development for the new techniques.« less

ATR LEU fuel and burnable absorber neutronics performance optimization by fuel meat thickness variation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chang, G.S.

2008-07-15

reactivity, and the inner/outer heat flux more effectively. The optimized LEU relative radial fission heat flux profile is bounded by the reference ATR HEU case. However, to demonstrate that the LEU core fuel cycle performance can meet the Updated Final Safety Analysis Report (UFSAR) safety requirements, additional studies will be necessary to evaluate and compare safety parameters such as void reactivity and Doppler coefficients, control components worth (outer shim control cylinders, safety rods and regulating rod), and shutdown margins between the HEU and LEU cores. (author)« less

ATR LEU Fuel and Burnable Absorber Neutronics Performance Optimization by Fuel Meat Thickness Variation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

G. S. Chang

2007-09-01

/outer heat flux more effectively. The optimized LEU relative radial fission heat flux profile is bounded by the reference ATR HEU case. However, to demonstrate that the LEU core fuel cycle performance can meet the Updated Final Safety Analysis Report (UFSAR) safety requirements, additional studies will be necessary to evaluate and compare safety parameters such as void reactivity and Doppler coefficients, control components worth (outer shim control cylinders, safety rods and regulating rod), and shutdown margins between the HEU and LEU cores.« less

Life cycle analysis of vehicles powered by a fuel cell and by internal combustion engine for Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zamel, Nada; Li, Xianguo

The transportation sector is responsible for a great percentage of the greenhouse gas emissions as well as the energy consumption in the world. Canada is the second major emitter of carbon dioxide in the world. The need for alternative fuels, other than petroleum, and the need to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gases emissions are the main reasons behind this study. In this study, a full life cycle analysis of an internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV) and a fuel cell vehicle (FCV) has been carried out. The impact of the material and fuel used in the vehicle on energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions is analyzed for Canada. The data collected from the literature shows that the energy consumption for the production of 1 kg of aluminum is five times higher than that of 1 kg of steel, although higher aluminum content makes vehicles lightweight and more energy efficient during the vehicle use stage. Greenhouse gas regulated emissions and energy use in transportation (GREET) software has been used to analyze the fuel life cycle. The life cycle of the fuel consists of obtaining the raw material, extracting the fuel from the raw material, transporting, and storing the fuel as well as using the fuel in the vehicle. Four different methods of obtaining hydrogen were analyzed; using coal and nuclear power to produce electricity and extraction of hydrogen through electrolysis and via steam reforming of natural gas in a natural gas plant and in a hydrogen refueling station. It is found that the use of coal to obtain hydrogen generates the highest emissions and consumes the highest energy. Comparing the overall life cycle of an ICEV and a FCV, the total emissions of an FCV are 49% lower than an ICEV and the energy consumption of FCV is 87% lower than that of ICEV. Further, CO 2 emissions during the hydrogen fuel production in a central plant can be easily captured and sequestrated. The comparison carried out in this study between FCV and ICEV is extended to

Formulating Energy Policies Related to Fossil Fuel Use: Critical Uncertainties in the Global Carbon Cycle

DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

Post, W. M.; Dale, V. H.; DeAngelis, D. L.; Mann, L. K.; Mulholland, P. J.; O`Neill, R. V.; Peng, T. -H.; Farrell, M. P.

1990-02-01

The global carbon cycle is the dynamic interaction among the earth's carbon sources and sinks. Four reservoirs can be identified, including the atmosphere, terrestrial biosphere, oceans, and sediments. Atmospheric CO{sub 2} concentration is determined by characteristics of carbon fluxes among major reservoirs of the global carbon cycle. The objective of this paper is to document the knowns, and unknowns and uncertainties associated with key questions that if answered will increase the understanding of the portion of past, present, and future atmospheric CO{sub 2} attributable to fossil fuel burning. Documented atmospheric increases in CO{sub 2} levels are thought to result primarily from fossil fuel use and, perhaps, deforestation. However, the observed atmospheric CO{sub 2} increase is less than expected from current understanding of the global carbon cycle because of poorly understood interactions among the major carbon reservoirs.

User Guide for VISION 3.4.7 (Verifiable Fuel Cycle Simulation) Model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jacob J. Jacobson; Robert F. Jeffers; Gretchen E. Matthern

2011-07-01

The purpose of this document is to provide a guide for using the current version of the Verifiable Fuel Cycle Simulation (VISION) model. This is a complex model with many parameters and options; the user is strongly encouraged to read this user guide before attempting to run the model. This model is an R&D work in progress and may contain errors and omissions. It is based upon numerous assumptions. This model is intended to assist in evaluating 'what if' scenarios and in comparing fuel, reactor, and fuel processing alternatives at a systems level. The model is not intended as amore » tool for process flow and design modeling of specific facilities nor for tracking individual units of fuel or other material through the system. The model is intended to examine the interactions among the components of a fuel system as a function of time varying system parameters; this model represents a dynamic rather than steady-state approximation of the nuclear fuel system. VISION models the nuclear cycle at the system level, not individual facilities, e.g., 'reactor types' not individual reactors and 'separation types' not individual separation plants. Natural uranium can be enriched, which produces enriched uranium, which goes into fuel fabrication, and depleted uranium (DU), which goes into storage. Fuel is transformed (transmuted) in reactors and then goes into a storage buffer. Used fuel can be pulled from storage into either separation or disposal. If sent to separations, fuel is transformed (partitioned) into fuel products, recovered uranium, and various categories of waste. Recycled material is stored until used by its assigned reactor type. VISION is comprised of several Microsoft Excel input files, a Powersim Studio core, and several Microsoft Excel output files. All must be co-located in the same folder on a PC to function. You must use Powersim Studio 8 or better. We have tested VISION with the Studio 8 Expert, Executive, and Education versions. The Expert and

Life-cycle analysis of fuels from post-use non-recycled plastics

DOE PAGES

Benavides, Pahola Thathiana; Sun, Pingping; Han, Jeongwoo; ...

2017-04-27

Plastic-to-fuel (PTF) technology uses pyrolysis to convert plastic waste—especially non-recycled plastics (NRP)—into ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) fuel. To assess the potential energy and environmental benefits associated with PTF technology, we calculated the energy, water consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions of NRP-derived ULSD and compared the results to those metrics for conventional ULSD fuel. For these analyses, we used the Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions and Energy use in Transportation (GREET®) model. Five companies provided pyrolysis process product yields and material and energy consumption data. Co-products of the process included char and fuel gas. Char can be landfilled, which, per the companymore » responses, is the most common practice for this co-product, or it may be sold as an energy product. Fuel gas can be combusted to internally generate process heat and electricity. Sensitivity analyses investigated the influence of co-product handling methodology, product yield, electric grid composition, and assumed efficiency of char combustion technology on life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions. The sensitivity analysis indicates that the GHG emissions would likely be reduced up to 14% when it is compared to conventional ULSD, depending on the co-product treatment method used. NRP-derived ULSD fuel could therefore be considered at a minimum carbon neutral with the potential to offer a modest GHG reduction. Moreover, this waste-derived fuel had 58% lower water consumption and up to 96% lower fossil fuel consumption than conventional ULSD fuel in the base case. In addition to the comparison of PTF fuels with conventional transportation fuels, we also compare the results with alternative scenarios for managing NRP including power generation and landfilling in the United States.« less

Life-cycle analysis of fuels from post-use non-recycled plastics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Benavides, Pahola Thathiana; Sun, Pingping; Han, Jeongwoo

Plastic-to-fuel (PTF) technology uses pyrolysis to convert plastic waste—especially non-recycled plastics (NRP)—into ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) fuel. To assess the potential energy and environmental benefits associated with PTF technology, we calculated the energy, water consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions of NRP-derived ULSD and compared the results to those metrics for conventional ULSD fuel. For these analyses, we used the Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions and Energy use in Transportation (GREET®) model. Five companies provided pyrolysis process product yields and material and energy consumption data. Co-products of the process included char and fuel gas. Char can be landfilled, which, per the companymore » responses, is the most common practice for this co-product, or it may be sold as an energy product. Fuel gas can be combusted to internally generate process heat and electricity. Sensitivity analyses investigated the influence of co-product handling methodology, product yield, electric grid composition, and assumed efficiency of char combustion technology on life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions. The sensitivity analysis indicates that the GHG emissions would likely be reduced up to 14% when it is compared to conventional ULSD, depending on the co-product treatment method used. NRP-derived ULSD fuel could therefore be considered at a minimum carbon neutral with the potential to offer a modest GHG reduction. Moreover, this waste-derived fuel had 58% lower water consumption and up to 96% lower fossil fuel consumption than conventional ULSD fuel in the base case. In addition to the comparison of PTF fuels with conventional transportation fuels, we also compare the results with alternative scenarios for managing NRP including power generation and landfilling in the United States.« less

40 CFR 600.207-12 - Calculation and use of vehicle-specific 5-cycle-based fuel economy and CO2 emission values for...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... economy and CO2 emission values from the tests performed using gasoline or diesel test fuel. (ii) Calculate the 5-cycle city and highway fuel economy and CO2 emission values from the tests performed using alcohol or natural gas test fuel, if 5-cycle testing has been performed. Otherwise, the procedure in § 600...

40 CFR 600.207-12 - Calculation and use of vehicle-specific 5-cycle-based fuel economy and CO2 emission values for...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... economy and CO2 emission values from the tests performed using gasoline or diesel test fuel. (ii) Calculate the 5-cycle city and highway fuel economy and CO2 emission values from the tests performed using alcohol or natural gas test fuel, if 5-cycle testing has been performed. Otherwise, the procedure in § 600...

40 CFR 600.207-12 - Calculation and use of vehicle-specific 5-cycle-based fuel economy and CO2 emission values for...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... economy and CO2 emission values from the tests performed using gasoline or diesel test fuel. (ii) Calculate the 5-cycle city and highway fuel economy and CO2 emission values from the tests performed using alcohol or natural gas test fuel, if 5-cycle testing has been performed. Otherwise, the procedure in § 600...

Fuel Cycle Analysis Framework Base Cases for the IAEA/INPRO GAINS Collaborative Project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brent Dixon

Thirteen countries participated in the Collaborative Project GAINS “Global Architecture of Innovative Nuclear Energy Systems Based on Thermal and Fast Reactors Including a Closed Fuel Cycle”, which was the primary activity within the IAEA/INPRO Program Area B: “Global Vision on Sustainable Nuclear Energy” for the last three years. The overall objective of GAINS was to develop a standard framework for assessing future nuclear energy systems taking into account sustainable development, and to validate results through sample analyses. This paper details the eight scenarios that constitute the GAINS framework base cases for analysis of the transition to future innovative nuclear energymore » systems. The framework base cases provide a reference for users of the framework to start from in developing and assessing their own alternate systems. Each base case is described along with performance results against the GAINS sustainability evaluation metrics. The eight cases include four using a moderate growth projection and four using a high growth projection for global nuclear electricity generation through 2100. The cases are divided into two sets, addressing homogeneous and heterogeneous scenarios developed by GAINS to model global fuel cycle strategies. The heterogeneous world scenario considers three separate nuclear groups based on their fuel cycle strategies, with non-synergistic and synergistic cases. The framework base case analyses results show the impact of these different fuel cycle strategies while providing references for future users of the GAINS framework. A large number of scenario alterations are possible and can be used to assess different strategies, different technologies, and different assumptions about possible futures of nuclear power. Results can be compared to the framework base cases to assess where these alternate cases perform differently versus the sustainability indicators.« less

IMPACTS ON HUMAN HEALTH FROM THE COAL AND NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLES AND OTHER TECHNOLOGIES ASSOCIATED WITH ELECTRIC POWER GENERATION AND TRANSMISSION

EPA Science Inventory

The report evaluates major public health impacts of electric power generation and transmission associated with the nuclear fuel cycle and with coal use. Only existing technology is evaluated. For the nuclear cycle, effects of future use of fuel reprocessing and long-term radioact...

Fuel economy of hybrid fuel-cell vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahluwalia, Rajesh K.; Wang, X.; Rousseau, A.

The potential improvement in fuel economy of a mid-size fuel-cell vehicle by combining it with an energy storage system has been assessed. An energy management strategy is developed and used to operate the direct hydrogen, pressurized fuel-cell system in a load-following mode and the energy storage system in a charge-sustaining mode. The strategy places highest priority on maintaining the energy storage system in a state where it can supply unanticipated boost power when the fuel-cell system alone cannot meet the power demand. It is found that downsizing a fuel-cell system decreases its efficiency on a drive cycle which is compensated by partial regenerative capture of braking energy. On a highway cycle with limited braking energy the increase in fuel economy with hybridization is small but on the stop-and-go urban cycle the fuel economy can improve by 27%. On the combined highway and urban drive cycles the fuel economy of the fuel-cell vehicle is estimated to increase by up to 15% by hybridizing it with an energy storage system.

Development of Accelerated Fuel-Engines Qualification Procedures Methodology. Volume II. Appendices.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-12-01

temperature test and the spot calibration, remove the clay filter. Reset the maximum fuel temperature safety device for 1900F. Continue cycling per Figure...34 -t " ;" " pum p . 1...0.,. Fuel ’ ’ ’ :’: ? Secondary ; Filter (S) -, A TVented Cap Removable Screen\\ - Tank Fu e.l ExpansSon DtVrent Pipe A n...practice, improper installation or adjustment of components *Do not remove or inspect secondary fuel filter. One of the initial production engines is

Managing the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Policy Implications of Expanding Global Access to Nuclear Power

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-03

Spent nuclear fuel disposal has remained the most critical aspect of the nuclear fuel cycle for the United States, where longstanding nonproliferation...inalienable right and by and large, neither have U.S. government officials. However, the case of Iran raises perhaps the most critical question in...the enrichment process can take advantage of the slight difference in atomic mass between 235U and 238U. The typical enrichment process requires

Molten salt considerations for accelerator-driven subcritical fission to close the nuclear fuel cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sooby, Elizabeth; Adams, Marvin; Baty, Austin; Gerity, James; McIntyre, Peter; Melconian, Karie; Phongikaroon, Supathorn; Pogue, Nathaniel; Sattarov, Akhdiyor; Simpson, Michael; Tripathy, Prabhat; Tsevkov, Pavel

2013-04-01

The host salt selection, molecular modeling, physical chemistry, and processing chemistry are presented here for an accelerator-driven subcritical fission in a molten salt core (ADSMS). The core is fueled solely with the transuranics (TRU) and long-lived fission products (LFP) from used nuclear fuel. The neutronics and salt composition are optimized to destroy the transuranics by fission and the long-lived fission products by transmutation. The cores are driven by proton beams from a strong-focusing cyclotron stack. One such ADSMS system can destroy the transuranics in the used nuclear fuel produced by a 1GWe conventional reactor. It uniquely provides a method to close the nuclear fuel cycle for green nuclear energy.

Residential Wood Combustion Emissions and Safety Guidebook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Becker, Mimi, Ed.; Barnett, Lucy, Ed.

This seven-part guidebook provides information to assist decision makers and other individuals involved in the residential wood energy fuel cycle. It can be used as a tool for designing or implementing programs, strategies, and policies that encourage, prevent, or mitigate safety or air emission related impacts of residential woodburning equipment…

Modeling and Simulations for the High Flux Isotope Reactor Cycle 400

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ilas, Germina; Chandler, David; Ade, Brian J

2015-03-01

A concerted effort over the past few years has been focused on enhancing the core model for the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR), as part of a comprehensive study for HFIR conversion from high-enriched uranium (HEU) to low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel. At this time, the core model used to perform analyses in support of HFIR operation is an MCNP model for the beginning of Cycle 400, which was documented in detail in a 2005 technical report. A HFIR core depletion model that is based on current state-of-the-art methods and nuclear data was needed to serve as reference for the designmore » of an LEU fuel for HFIR. The recent enhancements in modeling and simulations for HFIR that are discussed in the present report include: (1) revision of the 2005 MCNP model for the beginning of Cycle 400 to improve the modeling data and assumptions as necessary based on appropriate primary reference sources HFIR drawings and reports; (2) improvement of the fuel region model, including an explicit representation for the involute fuel plate geometry that is characteristic to HFIR fuel; and (3) revision of the Monte Carlo-based depletion model for HFIR in use since 2009 but never documented in detail, with the development of a new depletion model for the HFIR explicit fuel plate representation. The new HFIR models for Cycle 400 are used to determine various metrics of relevance to reactor performance and safety assessments. The calculated metrics are compared, where possible, with measurement data from preconstruction critical experiments at HFIR, data included in the current HFIR safety analysis report, and/or data from previous calculations performed with different methods or codes. The results of the analyses show that the models presented in this report provide a robust and reliable basis for HFIR analyses.« less

Review and analysis of potential safety impacts of and regulatory barriers to fuel efficiency technologies and alternative fuels in medium- and heavy-duty vehicles

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-06-01

This report summarizes a safety analysis of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (MD/HDVs) equipped with fuel efficiency (FE) technologies and/or using alternative fuels (natural gas-CNG and LNG, propane, biodiesel and power train electrification). The st...

Assessment of Possible Cycle Lengths for Fully-Ceramic Micro-Encapsulated Fuel-Based Light Water Reactor Concepts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

R. Sonat Sen; Michael A. Pope; Abderrafi M. Ougouag

2012-04-01

The tri-isotropic (TRISO) fuel developed for High Temperature reactors is known for its extraordinary fission product retention capabilities [1]. Recently, the possibility of extending the use of TRISO particle fuel to Light Water Reactor (LWR) technology, and perhaps other reactor concepts, has received significant attention [2]. The Deep Burn project [3] currently focuses on once-through burning of transuranic fissile and fissionable isotopes (TRU) in LWRs. The fuel form for this purpose is called Fully-Ceramic Micro-encapsulated (FCM) fuel, a concept that borrows the TRISO fuel particle design from high temperature reactor technology, but uses SiC as a matrix material rather thanmore » graphite. In addition, FCM fuel may also use a cladding made of a variety of possible material, again including SiC as an admissible choice. The FCM fuel used in the Deep Burn (DB) project showed promising results in terms of fission product retention at high burnup values and during high-temperature transients. In the case of DB applications, the fuel loading within a TRISO particle is constituted entirely of fissile or fissionable isotopes. Consequently, the fuel was shown to be capable of achieving reasonable burnup levels and cycle lengths, especially in the case of mixed cores (with coexisting DB and regular LWR UO2 fuels). In contrast, as shown below, the use of UO2-only FCM fuel in a LWR results in considerably shorter cycle length when compared to current-generation ordinary LWR designs. Indeed, the constraint of limited space availability for heavy metal loading within the TRISO particles of FCM fuel and the constraint of low (i.e., below 20 w/0) 235U enrichment combine to result in shorter cycle lengths compared to ordinary LWRs if typical LWR power densities are also assumed and if typical TRISO particle dimensions and UO2 kernels are specified. The primary focus of this summary is on using TRISO particles with up to 20 w/0 enriched uranium kernels loaded in

Modeling Heavy/Medium-Duty Fuel Consumption Based on Drive Cycle Properties

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Lijuan; Duran, Adam; Gonder, Jeffrey

This paper presents multiple methods for predicting heavy/medium-duty vehicle fuel consumption based on driving cycle information. A polynomial model, a black box artificial neural net model, a polynomial neural network model, and a multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS) model were developed and verified using data collected from chassis testing performed on a parcel delivery diesel truck operating over the Heavy Heavy-Duty Diesel Truck (HHDDT), City Suburban Heavy Vehicle Cycle (CSHVC), New York Composite Cycle (NYCC), and hydraulic hybrid vehicle (HHV) drive cycles. Each model was trained using one of four drive cycles as a training cycle and the other threemore » as testing cycles. By comparing the training and testing results, a representative training cycle was chosen and used to further tune each method. HHDDT as the training cycle gave the best predictive results, because HHDDT contains a variety of drive characteristics, such as high speed, acceleration, idling, and deceleration. Among the four model approaches, MARS gave the best predictive performance, with an average absolute percent error of -1.84% over the four chassis dynamometer drive cycles. To further evaluate the accuracy of the predictive models, the approaches were first applied to real-world data. MARS outperformed the other three approaches, providing an average absolute percent error of -2.2% of four real-world road segments. The MARS model performance was then compared to HHDDT, CSHVC, NYCC, and HHV drive cycles with the performance from Future Automotive System Technology Simulator (FASTSim). The results indicated that the MARS method achieved a comparative predictive performance with FASTSim.« less

Direct-hydrogen-fueled proton-exchange-membrane fuel cell system for transportation applications. Hydrogen vehicle safety report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thomas, C.E.

1997-05-01

This report reviews the safety characteristics of hydrogen as an energy carrier for a fuel cell vehicle (FCV), with emphasis on high pressure gaseous hydrogen onboard storage. The authors consider normal operation of the vehicle in addition to refueling, collisions, operation in tunnels, and storage in garages. They identify the most likely risks and failure modes leading to hazardous conditions, and provide potential countermeasures in the vehicle design to prevent or substantially reduce the consequences of each plausible failure mode. They then compare the risks of hydrogen with those of more common motor vehicle fuels including gasoline, propane, and naturalmore » gas.« less

Are signalized intersections with cycle tracks safer? A case-control study based on automated surrogate safety analysis using video data.

PubMed

Zangenehpour, Sohail; Strauss, Jillian; Miranda-Moreno, Luis F; Saunier, Nicolas

2016-01-01

Cities in North America have been building bicycle infrastructure, in particular cycle tracks, with the intention of promoting urban cycling and improving cyclist safety. These facilities have been built and expanded but very little research has been done to investigate the safety impacts of cycle tracks, in particular at intersections, where cyclists interact with turning motor-vehicles. Some safety research has looked at injury data and most have reached the conclusion that cycle tracks have positive effects of cyclist safety. The objective of this work is to investigate the safety effects of cycle tracks at signalized intersections using a case-control study. For this purpose, a video-based method is proposed for analyzing the post-encroachment time as a surrogate measure of the severity of the interactions between cyclists and turning vehicles travelling in the same direction. Using the city of Montreal as the case study, a sample of intersections with and without cycle tracks on the right and left sides of the road were carefully selected accounting for intersection geometry and traffic volumes. More than 90h of video were collected from 23 intersections and processed to obtain cyclist and motor-vehicle trajectories and interactions. After cyclist and motor-vehicle interactions were defined, ordered logit models with random effects were developed to evaluate the safety effects of cycle tracks at intersections. Based on the extracted data from the recorded videos, it was found that intersection approaches with cycle tracks on the right are safer than intersection approaches with no cycle track. However, intersections with cycle tracks on the left compared to no cycle tracks seem to be significantly safer. Results also identify that the likelihood of a cyclist being involved in a dangerous interaction increases with increasing turning vehicle flow and decreases as the size of the cyclist group arriving at the intersection increases. The results highlight the

Review of the Fuel Saving, Life Cycle GHG Emission, and Ownership Cost Impacts of Lightweighting Vehicles with Different Powertrains.

PubMed

Luk, Jason M; Kim, Hyung Chul; De Kleine, Robert; Wallington, Timothy J; MacLean, Heather L

2017-08-01

The literature analyzing the fuel saving, life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emission, and ownership cost impacts of lightweighting vehicles with different powertrains is reviewed. Vehicles with lower powertrain efficiencies have higher fuel consumption. Thus, fuel savings from lightweighting internal combustion engine vehicles can be higher than those of hybrid electric and battery electric vehicles. However, the impact of fuel savings on life cycle costs and GHG emissions depends on fuel prices, fuel carbon intensities and fuel storage requirements. Battery electric vehicle fuel savings enable reduction of battery size without sacrificing driving range. This reduces the battery production cost and mass, the latter results in further fuel savings. The carbon intensity of electricity varies widely and is a major source of uncertainty when evaluating the benefits of fuel savings. Hybrid electric vehicles use gasoline more efficiently than internal combustion engine vehicles and do not require large plug-in batteries. Therefore, the benefits of lightweighting depend on the vehicle powertrain. We discuss the value proposition of the use of lightweight materials and alternative powertrains. Future assessments of the benefits of vehicle lightweighting should capture the unique characteristics of emerging vehicle powertrains.

Managing the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Policy Implications of Expanding Global Access to Nuclear Power

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-20

critical aspect of the nuclear fuel cycle for the United States, where longstanding nonproliferation policy discouraged commercial nuclear fuel...have U.S. government officials. However, the case of Iran raises perhaps the most critical question in this decade for strengthening the nuclear...slight difference in atomic mass between 235U and 238U. The typical enrichment process requires about 10 lbs of uranium U3O8 to produce 1 lb of low

Biomedical and environmental aspects of the thorium fuel cycle: a selected, annotated bibliography

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Faust, R.A.; Fore, C.S.; Cone, M.V.

1979-07-01

This bibliography was compiled to assist in the evaluation of the health and environmental consequences of high specific activity thorium and related nuclides which could be released to the environment by activities related to the Thorium Fuel Cycle. The general scope covers studies regarding potential releases, environmental transport, metabolism, dosimetry, dose assessment, and overall risk assessment for radionuclides specific to the NASAP project. This publication of 740 abstracted references highlights the biological and medical aspects of thorium 228 and thorium 232 in man and animals. Similar studies on related nuclides such as radium 224, radium 226, radium 228, and thoriummore » 230 are also emphasized. Additional categories relevant to these radionuclides are included as follows: chemical analysis; ecological aspects; energy; geological aspects; instrumentation; legal and political aspects; monitoring, measurement and analysis; physical aspects; production; radiation safety and control; and waste disposal and management. Environmental assessment and sources categories were used for entries which contain a multiple use of categories. Leading authors appear alphabetically within each category. Indexes are provided for : author(s), geographic location, keywords, title, and publication description. The bibliography contains literature dating from December 1925 to February 1978.« less

Experimental evaluation of hybrid vehicle fuel economy and pollutant emissions over real-world simulation driving cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fontaras, Georgios; Pistikopoulos, Panayotis; Samaras, Zissis

2008-06-01

The reduction of transport-generated CO2 emissions is currently a problem of global interest. Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) are considered as one promising technological solution for limiting transport-generated greenhouse gas emissions. Currently, the number of HEVs in the market remains limited, but this picture will change in the years to come as HEVs are expected to pave the way for cleaner technologies in transport. In this paper, results are presented regarding fuel economy and pollutant emissions measurements of two hybrid electric production vehicles. The measurements were conducted on a Prius II and a Honda Civic IMA using both the European legislated driving cycle (New European Driving Cycle, NEDC) and real-world simulation driving cycles (Artemis). In addition to the emissions measurements, other vehicle-operating parameters were studied in an effort to better quantify the maximum CO2 reduction potential. Data from real-world operation of a Prius II vehicle were also used in the evaluation. Results indicate that in most cases both vehicles present improved energy efficiency and pollutant emissions compared to conventional cars. The fuel economy benefit of the two HEVs peaked under urban driving conditions where reductions of 60% and 40% were observed, respectively. Over higher speeds the difference in fuel economy was lower, reaching that of conventional diesel at 95 km h-1. The effect of ambient temperature on fuel consumption was also quantified. It is concluded that urban operation benefits the most of hybrid technology, leading to important fuel savings and urban air quality improvement.

Optimal design of solid oxide fuel cell, ammonia-water single effect absorption cycle and Rankine steam cycle hybrid system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mehrpooya, Mehdi; Dehghani, Hossein; Ali Moosavian, S. M.

2016-02-01

A combined system containing solid oxide fuel cell-gas turbine power plant, Rankine steam cycle and ammonia-water absorption refrigeration system is introduced and analyzed. In this process, power, heat and cooling are produced. Energy and exergy analyses along with the economic factors are used to distinguish optimum operating point of the system. The developed electrochemical model of the fuel cell is validated with experimental results. Thermodynamic package and main parameters of the absorption refrigeration system are validated. The power output of the system is 500 kW. An optimization problem is defined in order to finding the optimal operating point. Decision variables are current density, temperature of the exhaust gases from the boiler, steam turbine pressure (high and medium), generator temperature and consumed cooling water. Results indicate that electrical efficiency of the combined system is 62.4% (LHV). Produced refrigeration (at -10 °C) and heat recovery are 101 kW and 22.1 kW respectively. Investment cost for the combined system (without absorption cycle) is about 2917 kW-1.

ADVANCED NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE EFFECTS ON THE TREATMENT OF UNCERTAINTY IN THE LONG-TERM ASSESSMENT OF GEOLOGIC DISPOSAL SYSTEMS - EBS INPUT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sutton, M; Blink, J A; Greenberg, H R

2012-04-25

The Used Fuel Disposition (UFD) Campaign within the Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) Fuel Cycle Technology (FCT) program has been tasked with investigating the disposal of the nation's spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high-level nuclear waste (HLW) for a range of potential waste forms and geologic environments. The planning, construction, and operation of a nuclear disposal facility is a long-term process that involves engineered barriers that are tailored to both the geologic environment and the waste forms being emplaced. The UFD Campaign is considering a range of fuel cycles that in turn produce a range of wastemore » forms. The UFD Campaign is also considering a range of geologic media. These ranges could be thought of as adding uncertainty to what the disposal facility design will ultimately be; however, it may be preferable to thinking about the ranges as adding flexibility to design of a disposal facility. For example, as the overall DOE-NE program and industrial actions result in the fuel cycles that will produce waste to be disposed, and the characteristics of those wastes become clear, the disposal program retains flexibility in both the choice of geologic environment and the specific repository design. Of course, other factors also play a major role, including local and State-level acceptance of the specific site that provides the geologic environment. In contrast, the Yucca Mountain Project (YMP) repository license application (LA) is based on waste forms from an open fuel cycle (PWR and BWR assemblies from an open fuel cycle). These waste forms were about 90% of the total waste, and they were the determining waste form in developing the engineered barrier system (EBS) design for the Yucca Mountain Repository design. About 10% of the repository capacity was reserved for waste from a full recycle fuel cycle in which some actinides were extracted for weapons use, and the remaining fission products and some minor actinides were

40 CFR 600.209-08 - Calculation of vehicle-specific 5-cycle fuel economy values for a model type.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Calculation of vehicle-specific 5-cycle fuel economy values for a model type. 600.209-08 Section 600.209-08 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) ENERGY POLICY FUEL ECONOMY AND CARBON-RELATED EXHAUST EMISSIONS OF MOTOR VEHICLES Fuel Economy Regulations fo...

Life cycle assessment of the production of hydrogen and transportation fuels from corn stover via fast pyrolysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yanan; Hu, Guiping; Brown, Robert C.

2013-06-01

This life cycle assessment evaluates and quantifies the environmental impacts of the production of hydrogen and transportation fuels from the fast pyrolysis and upgrading of corn stover. Input data for this analysis come from Aspen Plus modeling, a GREET (Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation) model database and a US Life Cycle Inventory Database. SimaPro 7.3 software is employed to estimate the environmental impacts. The results indicate that the net fossil energy input is 0.25 MJ and 0.23 MJ per km traveled for a light-duty vehicle fueled by gasoline and diesel fuel, respectively. Bio-oil production requires the largest fossil energy input. The net global warming potential (GWP) is 0.037 kg CO2eq and 0.015 kg CO2eq per km traveled for a vehicle fueled by gasoline and diesel fuel, respectively. Vehicle operations contribute up to 33% of the total positive GWP, which is the largest greenhouse gas footprint of all the unit processes. The net GWPs in this study are 88% and 94% lower than for petroleum-based gasoline and diesel fuel (2005 baseline), respectively. Biomass transportation has the largest impact on ozone depletion among all of the unit processes. Sensitivity analysis shows that fuel economy, transportation fuel yield, bio-oil yield, and electricity consumption are the key factors that influence greenhouse gas emissions.

Life-cycle assessment of corn-based butanol as a potential transportation fuel.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wu, M.; Wang, M.; Liu, J.

2007-12-31

Butanol produced from bio-sources (such as corn) could have attractive properties as a transportation fuel. Production of butanol through a fermentation process called acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) has been the focus of increasing research and development efforts. Advances in ABE process development in recent years have led to drastic increases in ABE productivity and yields, making butanol production worthy of evaluation for use in motor vehicles. Consequently, chemical/fuel industries have announced their intention to produce butanol from bio-based materials. The purpose of this study is to estimate the potential life-cycle energy and emission effects associated with using bio-butanol as a transportation fuel.more » The study employs a well-to-wheels analysis tool--the Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions and Energy Use in Transportation (GREET) model developed at Argonne National Laboratory--and the Aspen Plus{reg_sign} model developed by AspenTech. The study describes the butanol production from corn, including grain processing, fermentation, gas stripping, distillation, and adsorption for products separation. The Aspen{reg_sign} results that we obtained for the corn-to-butanol production process provide the basis for GREET modeling to estimate life-cycle energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. The GREET model was expanded to simulate the bio-butanol life cycle, from agricultural chemical production to butanol use in motor vehicles. We then compared the results for bio-butanol with those of conventional gasoline. We also analyzed the bio-acetone that is coproduced with bio-butanol as an alternative to petroleum-based acetone. Our study shows that, while the use of corn-based butanol achieves energy benefits and reduces greenhouse gas emissions, the results are affected by the methods used to treat the acetone that is co-produced in butanol plants.« less

Towards Robust Energy Systems Modeling: Examinging Uncertainty in Fossil Fuel-Based Life Cycle Assessment Approaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venkatesh, Aranya

Increasing concerns about the environmental impacts of fossil fuels used in the U.S. transportation and electricity sectors have spurred interest in alternate energy sources, such as natural gas and biofuels. Life cycle assessment (LCA) methods can be used to estimate the environmental impacts of incumbent energy sources and potential impact reductions achievable through the use of alternate energy sources. Some recent U.S. climate policies have used the results of LCAs to encourage the use of low carbon fuels to meet future energy demands in the U.S. However, the LCA methods used to estimate potential reductions in environmental impact have some drawbacks. First, the LCAs are predominantly based on deterministic approaches that do not account for any uncertainty inherent in life cycle data and methods. Such methods overstate the accuracy of the point estimate results, which could in turn lead to incorrect and (consequent) expensive decision-making. Second, system boundaries considered by most LCA studies tend to be limited (considered a manifestation of uncertainty in LCA). Although LCAs can estimate the benefits of transitioning to energy systems of lower environmental impact, they may not be able to characterize real world systems perfectly. Improved modeling of energy systems mechanisms can provide more accurate representations of reality and define more likely limits on potential environmental impact reductions. This dissertation quantitatively and qualitatively examines the limitations in LCA studies outlined previously. The first three research chapters address the uncertainty in life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with petroleum-based fuels, natural gas and coal consumed in the U.S. The uncertainty in life cycle GHG emissions from fossil fuels was found to range between 13 and 18% of their respective mean values. For instance, the 90% confidence interval of the life cycle GHG emissions of average natural gas consumed in the U.S was found to

40 CFR 600.114-12 - Vehicle-specific 5-cycle fuel economy and carbon-related exhaust emission calculations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Vehicle-specific 5-cycle fuel economy and carbon-related exhaust emission calculations. 600.114-12 Section 600.114-12 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) ENERGY POLICY FUEL ECONOMY AND GREENHOUSE GAS EXHAUST...

INTEGRATED GASIFICATION COMBINED CYCLE PROJECT 2 MW FUEL CELL DEMONSTRATION

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

FuelCell Energy

2005-05-16

With about 50% of power generation in the United States derived from coal and projections indicating that coal will continue to be the primary fuel for power generation in the next two decades, the Department of Energy (DOE) Clean Coal Technology Demonstration Program (CCTDP) has been conducted since 1985 to develop innovative, environmentally friendly processes for the world energy market place. The 2 MW Fuel Cell Demonstration was part of the Kentucky Pioneer Energy (KPE) Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) project selected by DOE under Round Five of the Clean Coal Technology Demonstration Program. The participant in the CCTDP Vmore » Project was Kentucky Pioneer Energy for the IGCC plant. FuelCell Energy, Inc. (FCE), under subcontract to KPE, was responsible for the design, construction and operation of the 2 MW fuel cell power plant. Duke Fluor Daniel provided engineering design and procurement support for the balance-of-plant skids. Colt Engineering Corporation provided engineering design, fabrication and procurement of the syngas processing skids. Jacobs Applied Technology provided the fabrication of the fuel cell module vessels. Wabash River Energy Ltd (WREL) provided the test site. The 2 MW fuel cell power plant utilizes FuelCell Energy's Direct Fuel Cell (DFC) technology, which is based on the internally reforming carbonate fuel cell. This plant is capable of operating on coal-derived syngas as well as natural gas. Prior testing (1992) of a subscale 20 kW carbonate fuel cell stack at the Louisiana Gasification Technology Inc. (LGTI) site using the Dow/Destec gasification plant indicated that operation on coal derived gas provided normal performance and stable operation. Duke Fluor Daniel and FuelCell Energy developed a commercial plant design for the 2 MW fuel cell. The plant was designed to be modular, factory assembled and truck shippable to the site. Five balance-of-plant skids incorporating fuel processing, anode gas oxidation, heat

A mathematical model for predicting the life of polymer electrolyte fuel cell membranes subjected to hydration cycling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burlatsky, S. F.; Gummalla, M.; O'Neill, J.; Atrazhev, V. V.; Varyukhin, A. N.; Dmitriev, D. V.; Erikhman, N. S.

2012-10-01

Under typical Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) fuel cell operating conditions, part of the membrane electrode assembly is subjected to humidity cycling due to variation of inlet gas RH and/or flow rate. Cyclic membrane hydration/dehydration would cause cyclic swelling/shrinking of the unconstrained membrane. In a constrained membrane, it causes cyclic stress resulting in mechanical failure in the area adjacent to the gas inlet. A mathematical modeling framework for prediction of the lifetime of a PEMFC membrane subjected to hydration cycling is developed in this paper. The model predicts membrane lifetime as a function of RH cycling amplitude and membrane mechanical properties. The modeling framework consists of three model components: a fuel cell RH distribution model, a hydration/dehydration induced stress model that predicts stress distribution in the membrane, and a damage accrual model that predicts membrane lifetime. Short descriptions of the model components along with overall framework are presented in the paper. The model was used for lifetime prediction of a GORE-SELECT membrane.

Clean Air Program : summary assessment of the safety, health, environmental and system risks of alternative fuel

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1995-08-01

This is a handbook of safety, health, and the environmental issues of the production, bulk transport, and bult storage of alternative fuels with emphasis on transport and storage. Fuels included are: 1) compressed natural gas, 2) liquefied natural ga...

Environmental, health, and safety issues of fuel cells in transportation. Volume 1: Phosphoric acid fuel-cell buses

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ring, S

1994-12-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) chartered the Phosphoric Acid Fuel-Cell (PAFC) Bus Program to demonstrate the feasibility of fuel cells in heavy-duty transportation systems. As part of this program, PAFC- powered buses are being built to meet transit industry design and performance standards. Test-bed bus-1 (TBB-1) was designed in 1993 and integrated in March 1994. TBB-2 and TBB-3 are under construction and should be integrated in early 1995. In 1987 Phase I of the program began with the development and testing of two conceptual system designs- liquid- and air-cooled systems. The liquid-cooled PAFC system was chosen to continue, throughmore » a competitive award, into Phase H, beginning in 1991. Three hybrid buses, which combine fuel-cell and battery technologies, were designed during Phase III. After completing Phase II, DOE plans a comprehensive performance testing program (Phase HI) to verify that the buses meet stringent transit industry requirements. The Phase III study will evaluate the PAFC bus and compare it to a conventional diesel bus. This NREL study assesses the environmental, health, and safety (EH&S) issues that may affect the commercialization of the PAFC bus. Because safety is a critical factor for consumer acceptance of new transportation-based technologies the study focuses on these issues. The study examines health and safety together because they are integrally related. In addition, this report briefly discusses two environmental issues that are of concern to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The first issue involves a surge battery used by the PAFC bus that contains hazardous constituents. The second issue concerns the regulated air emissions produced during operation of the PAFC bus.« less

HIGH-TEMPERATURE SAFETY TESTING OF IRRADIATED AGR-1 TRISO FUEL

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stempien, John D.; Demkowicz, Paul A.; Reber, Edward L.

High-Temperature Safety Testing of Irradiated AGR-1 TRISO Fuel John D. Stempien, Paul A. Demkowicz, Edward L. Reber, and Cad L. Christensen Idaho National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1625 Idaho Falls, ID 83415, USA Corresponding Author: john.stempien@inl.gov, +1-208-526-8410 Two new safety tests of irradiated tristructural isotropic (TRISO) coated particle fuel have been completed in the Fuel Accident Condition Simulator (FACS) furnace at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). In the first test, three fuel compacts from the first Advanced Gas Reactor irradiation experiment (AGR-1) were simultaneously heated in the FACS furnace. Prior to safety testing, each compact was irradiated in the Advanced Testmore » Reactor to a burnup of approximately 15 % fissions per initial metal atom (FIMA), a fast fluence of 3×1025 n/m2 (E > 0.18 MeV), and a time-average volume-average (TAVA) irradiation temperature of about 1020 °C. In order to simulate a core-conduction cool-down event, a temperature-versus-time profile having a peak temperature of 1700 °C was programmed into the FACS furnace controllers. Gaseous fission products (i.e., Kr-85) were carried to the Fission Gas Monitoring System (FGMS) by a helium sweep gas and captured in cold traps featuring online gamma counting. By the end of the test, a total of 3.9% of an average particle’s inventory of Kr-85 was detected in the FGMS traps. Such a low Kr-85 activity indicates that no TRISO failures (failure of all three TRISO layers) occurred during the test. If released from the compacts, condensable fission products (e.g., Ag-110m, Cs-134, Cs-137, Eu-154, Eu-155, and Sr-90) were collected on condensation plates fitted to the end of the cold finger in the FACS furnace. These condensation plates were then analyzed for fission products. In the second test, five loose UCO fuel kernels, obtained from deconsolidated particles from an irradiated AGR-1 compact, were heated in the FACS furnace to a peak temperature of 1600 °C. This test

Wabash Valley Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle, Coal to Fischer Tropsch Jet Fuel Conversion Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shah, Jayesh; Hess, Fernando; Horzen, Wessel van

This reports examines the feasibility of converting the existing Wabash Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) plant into a liquid fuel facility, with the goal of maximizing jet fuel production. The fuels produced are required to be in compliance with Section 526 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA 2007 §526) lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions requirements, so lifecycle GHG emissions from the fuel must be equal to or better than conventional fuels. Retrofitting an existing gasification facility reduces the technical risk and capital costs associated with a coal to liquids project, leading to a higher probability ofmore » implementation and more competitive liquid fuel prices. The existing combustion turbine will continue to operate on low cost natural gas and low carbon fuel gas from the gasification facility. The gasification technology utilized at Wabash is the E-Gas™ Technology and has been in commercial operation since 1995. In order to minimize capital costs, the study maximizes reuse of existing equipment with minimal modifications. Plant data and process models were used to develop process data for downstream units. Process modeling was utilized for the syngas conditioning, acid gas removal, CO 2 compression and utility units. Syngas conversion to Fischer Tropsch (FT) liquids and upgrading of the liquids was modeled and designed by Johnson Matthey Davy Technologies (JM Davy). In order to maintain the GHG emission profile below that of conventional fuels, the CO 2 from the process must be captured and exported for sequestration or enhanced oil recovery. In addition the power utilized for the plant’s auxiliary loads had to be supplied by a low carbon fuel source. Since the process produces a fuel gas with sufficient energy content to power the plant’s loads, this fuel gas was converted to hydrogen and exported to the existing gas turbine for low carbon power production. Utilizing low carbon fuel gas and process steam

New developments and prospects on COSI, the simulation software for fuel cycle analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eschbach, R.; Meyer, M.; Coquelet-Pascal, C.

2013-07-01

COSI, software developed by the Nuclear Energy Direction of the CEA, is a code simulating a pool of nuclear power plants with its associated fuel cycle facilities. This code has been designed to study various short, medium and long term options for the introduction of various types of nuclear reactors and for the use of associated nuclear materials. In the frame of the French Act for waste management, scenario studies are carried out with COSI, to compare different options of evolution of the French reactor fleet and options of partitioning and transmutation of plutonium and minor actinides. Those studies aimmore » in particular at evaluating the sustainability of Sodium cooled Fast Reactors (SFR) deployment and the possibility to transmute minor actinides. The COSI6 version is a completely renewed software released in 2006. COSI6 is now coupled with the last version of CESAR (CESAR5.3 based on JEFF3.1.1 nuclear data) allowing the calculations on irradiated fuel with 200 fission products and 100 heavy nuclides. A new release is planned in 2013, including in particular the coupling with a recommended database of reactors. An exercise of validation of COSI6, carried out on the French PWR historic nuclear fleet, has been performed. During this exercise quantities like cumulative natural uranium consumption, or cumulative depleted uranium, or UOX/MOX spent fuel storage, or stocks of reprocessed uranium, or plutonium content in fresh MOX fuel, or the annual production of high level waste, have been computed by COSI6 and compared to industrial data. The results have allowed us to validate the essential phases of the fuel cycle computation, and reinforces the credibility of the results provided by the code.« less

Experimental validation of the DARWIN2.3 package for fuel cycle applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

San-Felice, L.; Eschbach, R.; Bourdot, P.

2012-07-01

The DARWIN package, developed by the CEA and its French partners (AREVA and EDF) provides the required parameters for fuel cycle applications: fuel inventory, decay heat, activity, neutron, {gamma}, {alpha}, {beta} sources and spectrum, radiotoxicity. This paper presents the DARWIN2.3 experimental validation for fuel inventory and decay heat calculations on Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR). In order to validate this code system for spent fuel inventory a large program has been undertaken, based on spent fuel chemical assays. This paper deals with the experimental validation of DARWIN2.3 for the Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) Uranium Oxide (UOX) and Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuelmore » inventory calculation, focused on the isotopes involved in Burn-Up Credit (BUC) applications and decay heat computations. The calculation - experiment (C/E-1) discrepancies are calculated with the latest European evaluation file JEFF-3.1.1 associated with the SHEM energy mesh. An overview of the tendencies is obtained on a complete range of burn-up from 10 to 85 GWd/t (10 to 60 GWcVt for MOX fuel). The experimental validation of the DARWIN2.3 package for decay heat calculation is performed using calorimetric measurements carried out at the Swedish Interim Spent Fuel Storage Facility for Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) assemblies, covering a large burn-up (20 to 50 GWd/t) and cooling time range (10 to 30 years). (authors)« less

Criticality safety evaluation for the Advanced Test Reactor enhanced low enriched uranium fuel elements

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Montierth, Leland M.

2016-07-19

The Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) convert program is developing a high uranium density fuel based on a low enriched uranium (LEU) uranium-molybdenum alloy. Testing of prototypic GTRI fuel elements is necessary to demonstrate integrated fuel performance behavior and scale-up of fabrication techniques. GTRI Enhanced LEU Fuel (ELF) elements based on the ATR-Standard Size elements (all plates fueled) are to be fabricated for testing in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR). While a specific ELF element design will eventually be provided for detailed analyses and in-core testing, this criticality safety evaluation (CSE) is intended to evaluate a hypothetical ELF element designmore » for criticality safety purposes. Existing criticality analyses have analyzed Standard (HEU) ATR elements from which controls have been derived. This CSE documents analysis that determines the reactivity of the hypothetical ELF fuel elements relative to HEU ATR elements and whether the existing HEU ATR element controls bound the ELF element. The initial calculations presented in this CSE analyzed the original ELF design, now referred to as Mod 0.1. In addition, as part of a fuel meat thickness optimization effort for reactor performance, other designs have been evaluated. As of early 2014 the most current conceptual designs are Mk1A and Mk1B, that were previously referred to as conceptual designs Mod 0.10 and Mod 0.11, respectively. Revision 1 evaluates the reactivity of the ATR HEU Mark IV elements for a comparison with the Mark VII elements.« less

Effect of buoyancy on fuel containment in an open-cycle gas-core nuclear rocket engine.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Putre, H. A.

1971-01-01

Analysis aimed at determining the scaling laws for the buoyancy effect on fuel containment in an open-cycle gas-core nuclear rocket engine, so conducted that experimental conditions can be related to engine conditions. The fuel volume fraction in a short coaxial flow cavity is calculated with a programmed numerical solution of the steady Navier-Stokes equations for isothermal, variable density fluid mixing. A dimensionless parameter B, called the Buoyancy number, was found to correlate the fuel volume fraction for large accelerations and various density ratios. This parameter has the value B = 0 for zero acceleration, and B = 350 for typical engine conditions.

40 CFR 86.1513 - Fuel specifications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Otto-Cycle Heavy-Duty Engines, New Methanol-Fueled Natural Gas-Fueled, and Liquefied Petroleum Gas-Fueled Diesel-Cycle Heavy-Duty Engines, New Otto-Cycle Light-Duty Trucks, and New Methanol-Fueled Natural Gas-Fueled, and Liquefied Petroleum Gas-Fueled Diesel-Cycle Light-Duty Trucks; Idle Test Procedures...

Diesel fuel blending components from mixture of waste animal fat and light cycle oil from fluid catalytic cracking.

PubMed

Hancsók, Jenő; Sági, Dániel; Valyon, József

2018-06-11

Sustainable production of renewable fuels has become an imperative goal but also remains a huge challenge faced by the chemical industry. A variety of low-value, renewable sources of carbon such as wastes and by-products must be evaluated for their potential as feedstock to achieve this goal. Hydrogenation of blends comprising waste animal fat (≤70 wt%) and low-value fluid catalytic cracking light cycle oil (≥30 wt%), with a total aromatic content of 87.2 wt%, was studied on a commercial sulfided NiMo/Al 2 O 3 catalyst. The fuel fraction in the diesel boiling range was separated by fractional distillation from the organic liquid product obtained from the catalytic conversion of the blend of 70 wt% waste animal fat and 30 wt% light cycle oil. Diesel fuel of the best quality was obtained under the following reaction conditions: T = 615-635 K, P = 6 MPa, LHSV = 1.0 h -1 , H 2 /feedstock ratio = 600 Nm 3 /m 3 . The presence of fat in the feedstock was found to promote the conversion of light cycle oil to a paraffinic blending component for diesel fuel. Thus, a value-added alternative fuel with high biocontent can be obtained from low-value refinery stream and waste animal fat. The resultant disposal of waste animal fat, and the use of fuel containing less fossil carbon for combustion helps reduce the emission of pollutants. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of nuclear data uncertainty on safety calculations for spent nuclear fuel geological disposal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herrero, J. J.; Rochman, D.; Leray, O.; Vasiliev, A.; Pecchia, M.; Ferroukhi, H.; Caruso, S.

2017-09-01

In the design of a spent nuclear fuel disposal system, one necessary condition is to show that the configuration remains subcritical at time of emplacement but also during long periods covering up to 1,000,000 years. In the context of criticality safety applying burn-up credit, k-eff eigenvalue calculations are affected by nuclear data uncertainty mainly in the burnup calculations simulating reactor operation and in the criticality calculation for the disposal canister loaded with the spent fuel assemblies. The impact of nuclear data uncertainty should be included in the k-eff value estimation to enforce safety. Estimations of the uncertainty in the discharge compositions from the CASMO5 burn-up calculation phase are employed in the final MCNP6 criticality computations for the intact canister configuration; in between, SERPENT2 is employed to get the spent fuel composition along the decay periods. In this paper, nuclear data uncertainty was propagated by Monte Carlo sampling in the burn-up, decay and criticality calculation phases and representative values for fuel operated in a Swiss PWR plant will be presented as an estimation of its impact.

The Importance of Establishing and Maintaining Continuity of Knowledge during 21st Century Nuclear Fuel Cycle Activities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pickett, Chris A; Rowe, Nathan C; Younkin, James R

2012-01-01

During this century, the entire nuclear fuel cycle will expand and become increasingly more global, taxing both the resources and capabilities of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to maintain an effective Continuity of Knowledge (CoK) and its ability to provide timely detection of diversion. Uranium that currently is mined and milled in one country will be converted, enriched, and fabricated into fuel for reactors in an expanding set of new countries. This expansion will make it harder to guarantee that regional activities stay regional and that diversion detection is timely unless new and sustainable tools are developed to improvemore » inspector effectiveness. To deal with this emerging reality, the IAEA must increase its use of unattended monitoring and employ new tools and methods that enhance CoK during all phases of the fuel cycle. This approach will help provide useful information to aid in detecting undeclared activities and create opportunities for timely and appropriate responses to events well before they enter phases of greater concern (e.g., enrichment). The systems that maintain CoK of safeguarded assets rely on containment and surveillance (C/S) technologies. The 21st century fuel cycle will require increased use of these technologies and systems, plus greater implementation of unattended systems that can securely collect data when inspectors are not present.« less

Research requirements to reduce civil helicopter life cycle cost

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blewitt, S. J.

1978-01-01

The problem of the high cost of helicopter development, production, operation, and maintenance is defined and the cost drivers are identified. Helicopter life cycle costs would decrease by about 17 percent if currently available technology were applied. With advanced technology, a reduction of about 30 percent in helicopter life cycle costs is projected. Technological and managerial deficiencies which contribute to high costs are examined, basic research and development projects which can reduce costs include methods for reduced fuel consumption; improved turbine engines; airframe and engine production methods; safety; rotor systems; and advanced transmission systems.

Life cycle assessment of the use of alternative fuels in cement kilns: A case study.

PubMed

Georgiopoulou, Martha; Lyberatos, Gerasimos

2018-06-15

The benefits of using alternative fuels (AFs) in the cement industry include reduction of the use of non-renewable fossil fuels and lower emissions of greenhouse gases, since fossil fuels are replaced with materials that would otherwise be degraded or incinerated with corresponding emissions and final residues. Furthermore, the use of alternative fuels maximizes the recovery of energy. Seven different scenaria were developed for the production of 1 ton of clinker in a rotary cement kiln. Each of these scenaria includes the use of alternative fuels such as RDF (Refuse derived fuel), TDF (Tire derived fuel) and BS (Biological sludge) or a mixture of them, in partial replacement of conventional fuels such as coal and pet coke. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the environmental impacts of the use of alternative fuels in relation to conventional fuels in the kiln operation. The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology is used to quantify the potential environmental impacts in each scenario. The interpretation of the results provides the conclusion that the most environmentally friendly prospect is the scenario based on RDF while the less preferable scenario is the scenario based on BS. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Consideration of black carbon and primary organic carbon emissions in life-cycle analysis of Greenhouse gas emissions of vehicle systems and fuels.

PubMed

Cai, Hao; Wang, Michael Q

2014-10-21

The climate impact assessment of vehicle/fuel systems may be incomplete without considering short-lived climate forcers of black carbon (BC) and primary organic carbon (POC). We quantified life-cycle BC and POC emissions of a large variety of vehicle/fuel systems with an expanded Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation model developed at Argonne National Laboratory. Life-cycle BC and POC emissions have small impacts on life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of gasoline, diesel, and other fuel vehicles, but would add 34, 16, and 16 g CO2 equivalent (CO2e)/mile, or 125, 56, and 56 g CO2e/mile with the 100 or 20 year Global Warming Potentials of BC and POC emissions, respectively, for vehicles fueled with corn stover-, willow tree-, and Brazilian sugarcane-derived ethanol, mostly due to BC- and POC-intensive biomass-fired boilers in cellulosic and sugarcane ethanol plants for steam and electricity production, biomass open burning in sugarcane fields, and diesel-powered agricultural equipment for biomass feedstock production/harvest. As a result, life-cycle GHG emission reduction potentials of these ethanol types, though still significant, are reduced from those without considering BC and POC emissions. These findings, together with a newly expanded GREET version, help quantify the previously unknown impacts of BC and POC emissions on life-cycle GHG emissions of U.S. vehicle/fuel systems.

FY16 Status Report for the Uranium-Molybdenum Fuel Concept

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bennett, Wendy D.; Doherty, Ann L.; Henager, Charles H.

2016-09-22

The Fuel Cycle Research and Development program of the Office of Nuclear Energy has implemented a program to develop a Uranium-Molybdenum metal fuel for light water reactors. Uranium-Molybdenum fuel has the potential to provide superior performance based on its thermo-physical properties. With sufficient development, it may be able to provide the Light Water Reactor industry with a melt-resistant, accident-tolerant fuel with improved safety response. The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has been tasked with extrusion development and performing ex-reactor corrosion testing to characterize the performance of Uranium-Molybdenum fuel in both these areas. This report documents the results of the fiscal yearmore » 2016 effort to develop the Uranium-Molybdenum metal fuel concept for light water reactors.« less

Technology readiness levels for advanced nuclear fuels and materials development

DOE PAGES

Carmack, W. J.; Braase, L. A.; Wigeland, R. A.; ...

2016-12-23

The Technology Readiness Level (TRL) process is used to quantitatively assess the maturity of a given technology. It was pioneered by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the 1980s to develop and deploy new systems for space applications. The process was subsequently adopted by the Department of Defense (DoD) to develop and deploy new technology and systems for defense applications as well as the Department of Energy (DOE) to evaluate the maturity of new technologies in major construction projects. Advanced nuclear fuels and materials development is a critical technology needed for improving the performance and safety of currentmore » and advanced reactors, and ultimately closing the nuclear fuel cycle. Because deployment of new nuclear fuel forms requires a lengthy and expensive research, development, and demonstration program, applying the TRL concept to the advanced fuel development program is very useful as a management, communication and tracking tool. Furthermore, this article provides examples regarding the methods by which TRLs are currently used to assess the maturity of nuclear fuels and materials under development in the DOE Fuel Cycle Research and Development (FCRD) Program within the Advanced Fuels Campaign (AFC).« less

Technology readiness levels for advanced nuclear fuels and materials development

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carmack, W. J.; Braase, L. A.; Wigeland, R. A.

The Technology Readiness Level (TRL) process is used to quantitatively assess the maturity of a given technology. It was pioneered by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the 1980s to develop and deploy new systems for space applications. The process was subsequently adopted by the Department of Defense (DoD) to develop and deploy new technology and systems for defense applications as well as the Department of Energy (DOE) to evaluate the maturity of new technologies in major construction projects. Advanced nuclear fuels and materials development is a critical technology needed for improving the performance and safety of currentmore » and advanced reactors, and ultimately closing the nuclear fuel cycle. Because deployment of new nuclear fuel forms requires a lengthy and expensive research, development, and demonstration program, applying the TRL concept to the advanced fuel development program is very useful as a management, communication and tracking tool. Furthermore, this article provides examples regarding the methods by which TRLs are currently used to assess the maturity of nuclear fuels and materials under development in the DOE Fuel Cycle Research and Development (FCRD) Program within the Advanced Fuels Campaign (AFC).« less

Adsorptive on-board desulfurization over multiple cycles for fuel-cell-based auxiliary power units operated by different types of fuels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neubauer, Raphael; Weinlaender, Christof; Kienzl, Norbert; Bitschnau, Brigitte; Schroettner, Hartmuth; Hochenauer, Christoph

2018-05-01

On-board desulfurization is essential to operate fuel-cell-based auxiliary power units (APU) with commercial fuels. In this work, both (i) on-board desulfurization and (ii) on-board regeneration performance of Ag-Al2O3 adsorbent is investigated in a comprehensive manner. The herein investigated regeneration strategy uses hot APU off-gas as the regeneration medium and requires no additional reagents, tanks, nor heat exchangers and thus has remarkable advantages in comparison to state-of-the-art regeneration strategies. The results for (i) show high desulfurization performance of Ag-Al2O3 under all relevant operating conditions and specify the influence of individual operation parameters and the combination of them, which have not yet been quantified. The system integrated regeneration strategy (ii) shows excellent regeneration performance recovering 100% of the initial adsorption capacity for all investigated types of fuels and sulfur heterocycles. Even the adsorption capacity of the most challenging dibenzothiophene in terms of regeneration is restored to 100% over 14 cycles of operation. Subsequent material analyses proved the thermal and chemical stability of all relevant adsorption sites under APU off-gas conditions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time 100% regeneration after adsorption of dibenzothiophene is reported over 14 cycles of operation for thermal regeneration in oxidizing atmospheres.

77 FR 50724 - Developing Software Life Cycle Processes for Digital Computer Software Used in Safety Systems of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-22

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2012-0195] Developing Software Life Cycle Processes for Digital... Software Life Cycle Processes for Digital Computer Software used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants... clarifications, the enhanced consensus practices for developing software life-cycle processes for digital...

Strengthening the nuclear nonproliferation regime : focus on the civilian nuclear fuel cycle.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Saltiel, David H.; Pregenzer, Arian Leigh

2005-04-01

Leaders around the world and across the ideological spectrum agree that the global nonproliferation regime is facing a serious test. The emergence of sophisticated terrorist networks, black markets in nuclear technology, and technological leaps associated with globalization have conspired to threaten one of the most successful examples of international cooperation in history. The rampant proliferation of nuclear weapons that was predicted at the start of the nuclear age has been largely held in check and the use of those weapons avoided. Nonetheless, with the thirty-fifth anniversary of the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the threat of nuclearmore » proliferation seems more serious than ever. Although experts readily concede that there exist many pathways to proliferation, the threat posed by the misuse of the civilian nuclear fuel cycle has received considerable recent attention. While the connection between nuclear energy and nonproliferation has been a topic of discussion since the dawn of the nuclear age, world events have brought the issue to the forefront once again. United States President George W. Bush and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Mohammad ElBaradei are among those who have highlighted proliferation risks associated with civilian nuclear power programs and called for revitalizing the nuclear nonproliferation regime to address new threats. From the possibility of diversion or theft of nuclear material or technology, to the use of national civilian programs as a cover for weapons programs - what some have called latent proliferation - the fuel cycle appears to many to represent a glaring proliferation vulnerability. Just as recognition of these risks is not new, neither is recognition of the many positive benefits of nuclear energy. In fact, a renewed interest in exploiting these benefits has increased the urgency of addressing the risks. Global energy demand is expected to at least double by the

Effect of Repeated Freeze-Thaw Cycles on Beef Quality and Safety

PubMed Central

Rahman, Mohammad Hafizur; Hossain, Mohammad Mujaffar; Rahman, Syed Mohammad Ehsanur; Hashem, Mohammad Abul

2014-01-01

The objectives of this study were to know the effect of repeated freeze-thaw cycles of beef on the sensory, physicochemical quality and microbiological assessment. The effects of three successive freeze-thaw cycles on beef forelimb were investigated comparing with unfrozen fresh beef for 75 d by keeping at −20±1℃. The freeze-thaw cycles were subjected to three thawing methods and carried out to know the best one. As the number of freeze-thaw cycles increased color and odor declined significantly before cook within the cycles and tenderness, overall acceptability also declined among the cycles after cook by thawing methods. The thawing loss increased and dripping loss decreased significantly (p<0.05). Water holding capacity (WHC) increased (p<0.05) until two cycles and then decreased. Cooking loss increased in cycle 1 and 3, but decreased in cycle 2. pH decreased significantly (p<0.05) among the cycles. Moreover, drip loss, cooking loss and WHC were affected (p<0.05) by thawing methods within the cycles. 2-Thiobarbituric acid (TBARS) value increased (p<0.05) gradually within the cycles and among the cycles by thawing methods. Total viable bacteria, total coliform and total yeast-mould count decreased significantly (p<0.05) within and among the cycles in comparison to the initial count in repeated freeze-thaw cycles. As a result, repeated freeze-thaw cycles affected the sensory, physicochemical and microbiological qua- lity of beef, causing the deterioration of beef quality, but improved the microbiological quality. Although repeated freeze-thaw cycles did not affect much on beef quality and safety but it may be concluded that repeated freeze and thaw should be minimized in terms of beef color for commercial value and WHC and tenderness/juiciness for eating quality. PMID:26761286

Background qualitative analysis of the European Reference Life Cycle Database (ELCD) energy datasets - part I: fuel datasets.

PubMed

Garraín, Daniel; Fazio, Simone; de la Rúa, Cristina; Recchioni, Marco; Lechón, Yolanda; Mathieux, Fabrice

2015-01-01

The aim of this study is to identify areas of potential improvement of the European Reference Life Cycle Database (ELCD) fuel datasets. The revision is based on the data quality indicators described by the ILCD Handbook, applied on sectorial basis. These indicators evaluate the technological, geographical and time-related representativeness of the dataset and the appropriateness in terms of completeness, precision and methodology. Results show that ELCD fuel datasets have a very good quality in general terms, nevertheless some findings and recommendations in order to improve the quality of Life-Cycle Inventories have been derived. Moreover, these results ensure the quality of the fuel-related datasets to any LCA practitioner, and provide insights related to the limitations and assumptions underlying in the datasets modelling. Giving this information, the LCA practitioner will be able to decide whether the use of the ELCD fuel datasets is appropriate based on the goal and scope of the analysis to be conducted. The methodological approach would be also useful for dataset developers and reviewers, in order to improve the overall DQR of databases.

78 FR 71532 - Amendments to Material Control and Accounting Regulations and Proposed Guidance for Fuel Cycle...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-29

... Accounting Regulations and Proposed Guidance for Fuel Cycle Facility Material Control and Accounting Plans... material control and accounting (MC&A) of special nuclear material (SNM) and the proposed guidance...

Concept of DT fuel cycle for a fusion neutron source

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anan'ev, S.; Spitsyn, A.V.; Kuteev, B.V.

2015-03-15

A concept of DT-fusion neutron source (FNS) with the neutron yield higher than 10{sup 18} neutrons per second is under design in Russia. Such a FNS is of interest for many applications: 1) basic and applied research (neutron scattering, etc); 2) testing the structural materials for fusion reactors; 3) control of sub-critical nuclear systems and 4) nuclear waste processing (including transmutation of minor actinides). This paper describes the fuel cycle concept of a compact fusion neutron source based on a small spherical tokamak (FNS-ST) with a MW range of DT fusion power and considers the key physics issues of thismore » device. The major and minor radii are ∼0.5 and ∼0.3 m, magnetic field ∼1.5 T, heating power less than 15 MW and plasma current 1-2 MA. The system provides the fuel mixture with equal fractions of D and T (D:T = 1:1) for all FNS technology systems. (authors)« less

The feasibility study of small long-life gas cooled fast reactor with mixed natural Uranium/Thorium as fuel cycle input

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ariani, Menik; Su'ud, Zaki; Waris, Abdul

2012-06-06

A conceptual design study of Gas Cooled Fast Reactors with Modified CANDLE burn-up scheme has been performed. In this study, design GCFR with Helium coolant which can be continuously operated by supplying mixed Natural Uranium/Thorium without fuel enrichment plant or fuel reprocessing plant. The active reactor cores are divided into two region, Thorium fuel region and Uranium fuel region. Each fuel core regions are subdivided into ten parts (region-1 until region-10) with the same volume in the axial direction. The fresh Natural Uranium and Thorium is initially put in region-1, after one cycle of 10 years of burn-up it ismore » shifted to region-2 and the each region-1 is filled by fresh natural Uranium/Thorium fuel. This concept is basically applied to all regions in both cores area, i.e. shifted the core of i{sup th} region into i+1 region after the end of 10 years burn-up cycle. For the next cycles, we will add only Natural Uranium and Thorium on each region-1. The calculation results show the reactivity reached by mixed Natural Uranium/Thorium with volume ratio is 4.7:1. This reactor can results power thermal 550 MWth. After reactor start-up the operation, furthermore reactor only needs Natural Uranium/Thorium supply for continue operation along 100 years.« less

Life cycle assessment of fuel ethanol derived from corn grain via dry milling.

PubMed

Kim, Seungdo; Dale, Bruce E

2008-08-01

Life cycle analysis enables to investigate environmental performance of fuel ethanol used in an E10 fueled compact passenger vehicle. Ethanol is derived from corn grain via dry milling. This type of analysis is an important component for identifying practices that will help to ensure that a renewable fuel, such as ethanol, may be produced in a sustainable manner. Based on data from eight counties in seven Corn Belt states as corn farming sites, we show ethanol derived from corn grain as E10 fuel would reduce nonrenewable energy and greenhouse gas emissions, but would increase acidification, eutrophication and photochemical smog, compared to using gasoline as liquid fuel. The ethanol fuel systems considered in this study offer economic benefits, namely more money returned to society than the investment for producing ethanol. The environmental performance of ethanol fuel system varies significantly with corn farming sites because of different crop management practices, soil properties, and climatic conditions. The dominant factor determining most environmental impacts considered here (i.e., greenhouse gas emissions, acidification, eutrophication, and photochemical smog formation) is soil related nitrogen losses (e.g., N2O, NOx, and NO3-). The sources of soil nitrogen include nitrogen fertilizer, crop residues, and air deposition. Nitrogen fertilizer is probably the primary source. Simulations using an agro-ecosystem model predict that planting winter cover crops would reduce soil nitrogen losses and increase soil organic carbon levels, thereby greatly improving the environmental performance of the ethanol fuel system.

The Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Risoluti, P.

The Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management (the Joint Convention) is the only legally binding international treaty in the area of radioactive waste management. It was adopted by a Diplomatic Conference in September 1997 and opened for signature on 29 September 1997. The Convention entered into force on 18 June 1998, and to date (September 04) has been signed by 42 States, of which 34 have formally ratified, thus becoming Contracting Parties. The Joint Convention applies to spent fuel and radioactive waste resulting from civilian application. Its principal aim ismore » to achieve and maintain a high degree of safety in their management worldwide. The Convention is an incentive instrument, not designed to ensure fulfillment of obligations through control and sanction, but by a peer pressure. The obligations of the Contracting Parties are mainly based on the international safety standards developed by the IAEA in past decades. The Convention is intended for all countries generating radioactive waste. Therefore it is relevant not only for those using nuclear power, but for any country where application of nuclear energy in medicine, conventional industry and research is currently used. Obligations of Contracting Parties include attending periodic Review Meetings and prepare National Reports for review by the other Contracting Parties. The National Reports should describe how the country is complying with the requirements of the Articles of the Convention. The first such meeting was held at the IAEA headquarters in November 2003. This paper will describe the origin of the Convention, present its content, the expected outcome for the worldwide safety, and the benefits for a country to be part of it.« less

78 FR 79328 - Amendments to Material Control and Accounting Regulations and Proposed Guidance for Fuel Cycle...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-30

... Accounting Regulations and Proposed Guidance for Fuel Cycle Facility Material Control and Accounting Plans... accounting (MC&A) of special nuclear material (SNM). The public meeting has been rescheduled for January 9...

Estimation of Inherent Safety Margins in Loaded Commercial Spent Nuclear Fuel Casks

DOE PAGES

Banerjee, Kaushik; Robb, Kevin R.; Radulescu, Georgeta; ...

2016-06-15

We completed a novel assessment to determine the unquantified and uncredited safety margins (i.e., the difference between the licensing basis and as-loaded calculations) available in as-loaded spent nuclear fuel (SNF) casks. This assessment was performed as part of a broader effort to assess issues and uncertainties related to the continued safety of casks during extended storage and transportability following extended storage periods. Detailed analyses crediting the actual as-loaded cask inventory were performed for each of the casks at three decommissioned pressurized water reactor (PWR) sites to determine their characteristics relative to regulatory safety criteria for criticality, thermal, and shielding performance.more » These detailed analyses were performed in an automated fashion by employing a comprehensive and integrated data and analysis tool—Used Nuclear Fuel-Storage, Transportation & Disposal Analysis Resource and Data System (UNF-ST&DARDS). Calculated uncredited criticality margins from 0.07 to almost 0.30 Δk eff were observed; calculated decay heat margins ranged from 4 to almost 22 kW (as of 2014); and significant uncredited transportation dose rate margins were also observed. The results demonstrate that, at least for the casks analyzed here, significant uncredited safety margins are available that could potentially be used to compensate for SNF assembly and canister structural performance related uncertainties associated with long-term storage and subsequent transportation. The results also suggest that these inherent margins associated with how casks are loaded could support future changes in cask licensing to directly or indirectly credit the margins. Work continues to quantify the uncredited safety margins in the SNF casks loaded at other nuclear reactor sites.« less

77 FR 60479 - Burnup Credit in the Criticality Safety Analyses of Pressurized Water Reactor Spent Fuel in...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-03

... Pressurized Water Reactor Spent Fuel in Transportation and Storage Casks AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission... 3, entitled, ``Burnup Credit in the Criticality Safety Analyses of PWR [Pressurized Water Reactor... water reactor spent nuclear fuel (SNF) in transportation packages and storage casks. SFST-ISG-8...

System analyses on advanced nuclear fuel cycle and waste management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheon, Myeongguk

To evaluate the impacts of accelerator-driven transmutation of waste (ATW) fuel cycle on a geological repository, two mathematical models are developed: a reactor system analysis model and a high-level waste (HLW) conditioning model. With the former, fission products and residual trans-uranium (TRU) contained in HLW generated from a reference ATW plant operations are quantified and the reduction of TRU inventory included in commercial spent-nuclear fuel (CSNF) is evaluated. With the latter, an optimized waste loading and composition in solidification of HLW are determined and the volume reduction of waste packages associated with CSNF is evaluated. WACOM, a reactor system analysis code developed in this study for burnup calculation, is validated by ORIGEN2.1 and MCNP. WACOM is used to perform multicycle analysis for the reference lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) cooled transmuter. By applying the results of this analysis to the reference ATW deployment scenario considered in the ATW roadmap, the HLW generated from the ATW fuel cycle is quantified and the reduction of TRU inventory contained in CSNF is evaluated. A linear programming (LP) model has been developed for determination of an optimized waste loading and composition in solidification of HLW. The model has been applied to a US-defense HLW. The optimum waste loading evaluated by the LP model was compared with that estimated by the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) in the US and a good agreement was observed. The LP model was then applied to the volume reduction of waste packages associated with CSNF. Based on the obtained reduction factors, the expansion of Yucca Mountain Repository (YMR) capacity is evaluated. It is found that with the reference ATW system, the TRU contained in CSNF could be reduced by a factor of ˜170 in terms of inventory and by a factor of ˜40 in terms of toxicity under the assumed scenario. The number of waste packages related to CSNF could be reduced by a factor of ˜8 in terms of

ADS Model in the TIRELIRE-STRATEGIE Fuel Cycle Simulation Code Application to Minor Actinides Transmutation Studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Garzenne, Claude; Massara, Simone; Tetart, Philippe

2006-07-01

Accelerator Driven Systems offer the advantage, thanks to the core sub-criticality, to burn highly radioactive elements such as americium and curium in a dedicated stratum, and then to avoid polluting with these elements the main part of the nuclear fleet, which is optimized for electricity production. This paper presents firstly the ADS model implemented in the fuel cycle simulation code TIRELIRE-STRATEGIE that we developed at EDF R and D Division for nuclear power scenario studies. Then we show and comment the results of TIRELIRE-STRATEGIE calculation of a transition scenario between the current French nuclear fleet, and a fast reactor fleetmore » entirely deployed towards the end of the 21. century, consistently with the EDF prospective view, with 3 options for the minor actinides management:1) vitrified with fission products to be sent to the final disposal; 2) extracted together with plutonium from the spent fuel to be transmuted in Generation IV fast reactors; 3) eventually extracted separately from plutonium to be incinerated in a ADSs double stratum. The comparison of nuclear fuel cycle material fluxes and inventories between these options shows that ADSs are not more efficient than critical fast reactors for reducing the high level waste radio-toxicity; that minor actinides inventory and fluxes in the fuel cycle are more than twice as high in case of a double ADSs stratum than in case of minor actinides transmutation in Generation IV FBRs; and that about fourteen 400 MWth ADS are necessary to incinerate minor actinides issued from a 60 GWe Generation IV fast reactor fleet, corresponding to the current French nuclear fleet installed power. (authors)« less

Advanced Fuels Campaign FY 2014 Accomplishments Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Braase, Lori; May, W. Edgar

The mission of the Advanced Fuels Campaign (AFC) is to perform Research, Development, and Demonstration (RD&D) activities for advanced fuel forms (including cladding) to enhance the performance and safety of the nation’s current and future reactors; enhance proliferation resistance of nuclear fuel; effectively utilize nuclear energy resources; and address the longer-term waste management challenges. This includes development of a state-of-the art Research and Development (R&D) infrastructure to support the use of a “goal-oriented science-based approach.” In support of the Fuel Cycle Research and Development (FCRD) program, AFC is responsible for developing advanced fuels technologies to support the various fuel cyclemore » options defined in the Department of Energy (DOE) Nuclear Energy Research and Development Roadmap, Report to Congress, April 2010. AFC uses a “goal-oriented, science-based approach” aimed at a fundamental understanding of fuel and cladding fabrication methods and performance under irradiation, enabling the pursuit of multiple fuel forms for future fuel cycle options. This approach includes fundamental experiments, theory, and advanced modeling and simulation. The modeling and simulation activities for fuel performance are carried out under the Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) program, which is closely coordinated with AFC. In this report, the word “fuel” is used generically to include fuels, targets, and their associated cladding materials. R&D of light water reactor (LWR) fuels with enhanced accident tolerance is also conducted by AFC. These fuel systems are designed to achieve significantly higher fuel and plant performance to allow operation to significantly higher burnup, and to provide enhanced safety during design basis and beyond design basis accident conditions. The overarching goal is to develop advanced nuclear fuels and materials that are robust, have high performance capability, and are more

Closed-Cycle Hydrogen-Oxygen Regenerative Fuel Cell at the NASA Glenn Research Center-An Update

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bents, David J.; Chang, Bei-Jiann; Johnson, Donald W.; Garcia, Christopher P.

2008-01-01

The closed cycle hydrogen-oxygen proton exchange membrane (PEM) regenerative fuel cell (RFC) at the NASA Glenn Research Center has demonstrated multiple back-to-back contiguous cycles at rated power and round-trip efficiencies up to 52 percent. It is the first fully closed cycle RFC ever demonstrated. (The entire system is sealed; nothing enters or escapes the system other than electrical power and heat.) During fiscal year fiscal year (FY) FY06 to FY07, the system s numerous modifications and internal improvements focused on reducing parasitic power, heat loss, and noise signature; increasing its functionality as an unattended automated energy storage device; and in-service reliability.

40 CFR 600.209-12 - Calculation of vehicle-specific 5-cycle fuel economy and CO2 emission values for a model type.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... city and highway fuel economy and CO2 emission values from the tests performed using gasoline or diesel test fuel. (ii) If 5-cycle testing was performed on the alcohol or natural gas test fuel, calculate the city and highway fuel economy and CO2 emission values from the tests performed using alcohol or natural...

40 CFR 600.209-12 - Calculation of vehicle-specific 5-cycle fuel economy and CO2 emission values for a model type.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... city and highway fuel economy and CO2 emission values from the tests performed using gasoline or diesel test fuel. (ii) If 5-cycle testing was performed on the alcohol or natural gas test fuel, calculate the city and highway fuel economy and CO2 emission values from the tests performed using alcohol or natural...

40 CFR 600.209-12 - Calculation of vehicle-specific 5-cycle fuel economy and CO2 emission values for a model type.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... city and highway fuel economy and CO2 emission values from the tests performed using gasoline or diesel test fuel. (ii) If 5-cycle testing was performed on the alcohol or natural gas test fuel, calculate the city and highway fuel economy and CO2 emission values from the tests performed using alcohol or natural...

Analysis and performance assessment of a new solar-based multigeneration system integrated with ammonia fuel cell and solid oxide fuel cell-gas turbine combined cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siddiqui, Osamah; Dincer, Ibrahim

2017-12-01

In the present study, a new solar-based multigeneration system integrated with an ammonia fuel cell and solid oxide fuel cell-gas turbine combined cycle to produce electricity, hydrogen, cooling and hot water is developed for analysis and performance assessment. In this regard, thermodynamic analyses and modeling through both energy and exergy approaches are employed to assess and evaluate the overall system performance. Various parametric studies are conducted to study the effects of varying system parameters and operating conditions on the energy and exergy efficiencies. The results of this study show that the overall multigeneration system energy efficiency is obtained as 39.1% while the overall system exergy efficiency is calculated as 38.7%, respectively. The performance of this multigeneration system results in an increase of 19.3% in energy efficiency as compared to single generation system. Furthermore, the exergy efficiency of the multigeneration system is 17.8% higher than the single generation system. Moreover, both energy and exergy efficiencies of the solid oxide fuel cell-gas turbine combined cycle are determined as 68.5% and 55.9% respectively.

Measured Laboratory and In-Use Fuel Economy Observed over Targeted Drive Cycles for Comparable Hybrid and Conventional Package Delivery Vehicles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lammert, M. P.; Walkowicz, K.; Duran, A.

2012-10-01

In-use and laboratory-derived fuel economies were analyzed for a medium-duty hybrid electric drivetrain with 'engine off at idle' capability and a conventional drivetrain in a typical commercial package delivery application. Vehicles studied included eleven 2010 Freightliner P100H hybrids in service at a United Parcel Service facility in Minneapolis during the first half of 2010. The hybrids were evaluated for 18 months against eleven 2010 Freightliner P100D diesels at the same facility. Both vehicle groups use the same 2009 Cummins ISB 200-HP engine. In-use fuel economy was evaluated using UPS's fueling and mileage records, periodic ECM image downloads, and J1939 CANmore » bus recordings during the periods of duty cycle study. Analysis of the in-use fuel economy showed 13%-29% hybrid advantage depending on measurement method, and a delivery route assignment analysis showed 13%-26% hybrid advantage on the less kinetically intense original diesel route assignments and 20%-33% hybrid advantage on the more kinetically intense original hybrid route assignments. Three standardized laboratory drive cycles were selected that encompassed the range of real-world in-use data. The hybrid vehicle demonstrated improvements in ton-mi./gal fuel economy of 39%, 45%, and 21% on the NYC Comp, HTUF Class 4, and CARB HHDDT test cycles, respectively.« less

Natural Transmutation of Actinides via the Fission Reaction in the Closed Thorium-Uranium-Plutonium Fuel Cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marshalkin, V. Ye.; Povyshev, V. M.

2017-12-01

It is shown for a closed thorium-uranium-plutonium fuel cycle that, upon processing of one metric ton of irradiated fuel after each four-year campaign, the radioactive wastes contain 54 kg of fission products, 0.8 kg of thorium, 0.10 kg of uranium isotopes, 0.005 kg of plutonium isotopes, 0.002 kg of neptunium, and "trace" amounts of americium and curium isotopes. This qualitatively simplifies the handling of high-level wastes in nuclear power engineering.

Alternative Fuels Data Center

Science.gov Websites

specified volumes of renewable fuels according to the categories below. EISA established life cycle GHG demonstrate a 20% reduction in life cycle GHG emissions. Advanced Biofuel: Any fuel derived from cellulosic or categories may be used to meet this category. Fuels in this category must demonstrate a life cycle GHG

Life cycle assessment of switchgrass- and corn stover-derived ethanol-fueled automobiles.

PubMed

Spatari, Sabrina; Zhang, Yimin; MacLean, Heather L

2005-12-15

Utilizing domestically produced cellulose-derived ethanol for the light-duty vehicle fleet can potentially improve the environmental performance and sustainability of the transport and energy sectors of the economy. A life cycle assessment model was developed to examine environmental implications of the production and use of ethanol in automobiles in Ontario, Canada. The results were compared to those of low-sulfur reformulated gasoline (RFG) in a functionally equivalent automobile. Two time frames were evaluated, one near-term (2010), which examines converting a dedicated energy crop (switchgrass) and an agricultural residue (corn stover) to ethanol; and one midterm (2020), which assumes technological improvements in the switchgrass-derived ethanol life cycle. Near-term results show that, compared to a RFG automobile, life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are 57% lower for an E85-fueled automobile derived from switchgrass and 65% lower for ethanol from corn stover, on a grams of CO2 equivalent per kilometer basis. Corn stover ethanol exhibits slightly lower life cycle GHG emissions, primarily due to sharing emissions with grain production. Through projected improvements in crop and ethanol yields, results for the mid-term scenario show that GHG emissions could be 25-35% lower than those in 2010 and that, even with anticipated improvements in RFG automobiles, E85 automobiles could still achieve up to 70% lower GHG emissions across the life cycle.

40 CFR 600.207-08 - Calculation and use of vehicle-specific 5-cycle-based fuel economy values for vehicle...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Calculation and use of vehicle-specific 5-cycle-based fuel economy values for vehicle configurations. 600.207-08 Section 600.207-08 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) ENERGY POLICY FUEL ECONOMY AND CARBON-RELATED EXHAUST EMISSIONS OF MOTOR VEHICLES Fue...

77 FR 70193 - Shaw Areva MOX Services (Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility); Notice of Atomic Safety and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-23

... MOX Services (Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility); Notice of Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Reconstitution Pursuant to 10 CFR 2.313(c) and 2.321(b), the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (Board) in the... Rockville, Maryland this 16th day of November 2012. E. Roy Hawkens, Chief Administrative Judge, Atomic...

Safety and operations of hydrogen fuel infrastructure in northern climates : a collaborative complex systems approach.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-10-07

"This project examined the safety and operation of hydrogen (H2) fueling system infrastructure in : northern climates. A multidisciplinary team lead by the University of Vermont (UVM), : combined with investigators from Zhejiang and Tsinghua Universi...

Roadmap to an Engineering-Scale Nuclear Fuel Performance & Safety Code

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Turner, John A; Clarno, Kevin T; Hansen, Glen A

2009-09-01

-development activities. Realizing the full benefits of this approach will likely take some time. However, it is important that the developmental activities for modeling and simulation be tightly coupled with the experimental activities to maximize feedback effects and accelerate both the experimental and analytical elements of the program toward a common objective. The close integration of modeling and simulation and experimental activities is key to developing a useful fuel performance simulation capability, providing a validated design and analysis tool, and understanding the uncertainties within the models and design process. The efforts of this project are integrally connected to the Transmutation Fuels Campaign (TFC), which maintains as a primary objective to formulate, fabricate, and qualify a transuranic-based fuel with added minor actinides for use in future fast reactors. Additional details of the TFC scope can be found in the Transmutation Fuels Campaign Execution Plan. This project is an integral component of the TFC modeling and simulation effort, and this multiyear plan borrowed liberally from the Transmutation Fuels Campaign Modeling and Simulation Roadmap. This document provides the multiyear staged development plan to develop a continuum-level Integrated Performance and Safety Code (IPSC) to predict the behavior of the fuel and cladding during normal reactor operations and anticipated transients up to the point of clad breach.« less

Mobile phone use while cycling: incidence and effects on behaviour and safety.

PubMed

de Waard, Dick; Schepers, Paul; Ormel, Wieke; Brookhuis, Karel

2010-01-01

The effects of mobile phone use on cycling behaviour were studied. In study 1, the prevalence of mobile phone use while cycling was assessed. In Groningen 2.2% of cyclists were observed talking on their phone and 0.6% were text messaging or entering a phone number. In study 2, accident-involved cyclists responded to a questionnaire. Only 0.5% stated that they were using their phone at the time of the accident. In study 3, participants used a phone while cycling. The content of the conversation was manipulated and participants also had to enter a text message. Data were compared with just cycling and cycling while listening to music. Telephoning coincided with reduced speed, reduced peripheral vision performance and increased risk and mental effort ratings. Text messaging had the largest negative impact on cycling performance. Higher mental workload and lower speed may account for the relatively low number of people calling involved in accidents. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: Although perhaps mainly restricted to flat countries with a large proportion of cyclists, mobile phone use while cycling has increased and may be a threat to traffic safety, similar to phone use while driving a car. In this study, the extent of the problem was assessed by observing the proportion of cyclists using mobile phones, sending questionnaires to accident-involved cyclists and an experimental study was conducted on the effects of mobile phone use while cycling.

Energy analysis of electric vehicles using batteries or fuel cells through well-to-wheel driving cycle simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campanari, Stefano; Manzolini, Giampaolo; Garcia de la Iglesia, Fernando

This work presents a study of the energy and environmental balances for electric vehicles using batteries or fuel cells, through the methodology of the well to wheel (WTW) analysis, applied to ECE-EUDC driving cycle simulations. Well to wheel balances are carried out considering different scenarios for the primary energy supply. The fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) are based on the polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) technology, and it is discussed the possibility to feed the fuel cell with (i) hydrogen directly stored onboard and generated separately by water hydrolysis (using renewable energy sources) or by conversion processes using coal or natural gas as primary energy source (through gasification or reforming), (ii) hydrogen generated onboard with a fuel processor fed by natural gas, ethanol, methanol or gasoline. The battery electric vehicles (BEV) are based on Li-ion batteries charged with electricity generated by central power stations, either based on renewable energy, coal, natural gas or reflecting the average EU power generation feedstock. A further alternative is considered: the integration of a small battery to FCEV, exploiting a hybrid solution that allows recovering energy during decelerations and substantially improves the system energy efficiency. After a preliminary WTW analysis carried out under nominal operating conditions, the work discusses the simulation of the vehicles energy consumption when following standardized ECE-EUDC driving cycle. The analysis is carried out considering different hypothesis about the vehicle driving range, the maximum speed requirements and the possibility to sustain more aggressive driving cycles. The analysis shows interesting conclusions, with best results achieved by BEVs only for very limited driving range requirements, while the fuel cell solutions yield best performances for more extended driving ranges where the battery weight becomes too high. Results are finally compared to those of conventional internal

Health and safety: Preliminary comparative assessment of the Satellite Power System (SPS) and other energy alternatives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Habegger, L. J.; Gasper, J. R.; Brown, C.

1980-01-01

Data readily available from the literature were used to make an initial comparison of the health and safety risks of a fission power system with fuel reprocessing; a combined-cycle coal power system with a low-Btu gasifier and open-cycle gas turbine; a central-station, terrestrial, solar photovoltaic power system; the satellite power system; and a first-generation fusion system. The assessment approach consists of the identification of health and safety issues in each phase of the energy cycle from raw material extraction through electrical generation, waste disposal, and system deactivation; quantitative or qualitative evaluation of impact severity; and the rating of each issue with regard to known or potential impact level and level of uncertainty.

75 FR 35001 - Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future, Reactor and Fuel Cycle Technologies Subcommittee

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-21

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future, Reactor and Fuel Cycle Technologies Subcommittee AGENCY: Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy. ACTION: Notice of Open... facsimile (202) 586- 0544; e-mail [email protected]nuclear.energy.gov . Additional information may also be...

75 FR 61139 - Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future, Reactor and Fuel Cycle Technology Subcommittee

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-04

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future, Reactor and Fuel Cycle Technology Subcommittee AGENCY: Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy. ACTION: Notice of Open...) 586- 0544; e-mail [email protected]nuclear.energy.gov . Additional information will be available at http...

Life-cycle assessment of diesel, natural gas and hydrogen fuel cell bus transportation systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ally, Jamie; Pryor, Trevor

The Sustainable Transport Energy Programme (STEP) is an initiative of the Government of Western Australia, to explore hydrogen fuel cell technology as an alternative to the existing diesel and natural gas public transit infrastructure in Perth. This project includes three buses manufactured by DaimlerChrysler with Ballard fuel cell power sources operating in regular service alongside the existing natural gas and diesel bus fleets. The life-cycle assessment (LCA) of the fuel cell bus trial in Perth determines the overall environmental footprint and energy demand by studying all phases of the complete transportation system, including the hydrogen infrastructure, bus manufacturing, operation, and end-of-life disposal. The LCAs of the existing diesel and natural gas transportation systems are developed in parallel. The findings show that the trial is competitive with the diesel and natural gas bus systems in terms of global warming potential and eutrophication. Emissions that contribute to acidification and photochemical ozone are greater for the fuel cell buses. Scenario analysis quantifies the improvements that can be expected in future generations of fuel cell vehicles and shows that a reduction of greater than 50% is achievable in the greenhouse gas, photochemical ozone creation and primary energy demand impact categories.

Direct energy conversion bottoming cycles for solid oxide fuel cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Paramonov, D.V.; Carelli, M.D.

1998-07-01

Besides high conversion efficiency, advantages of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) include ability of low pressure operation, absence of moving parts and resulting inherently low maintenance requirements, modularity, long lifetime and unattended operation. A further increase in the conversion efficiency, without compromising the advantages inherent with static devices, can be achieved by employing a direct energy conversion bottoming cycle. The biggest challenges in the integration of direct energy conversion devices with SOFC are: (a) the need to preheat the SOFC feed air while maximizing the bottoming cycle power, and (b) limited temperature of the SOFC exhaust. These restrictions limit themore » choice to the Alkali Metal Thermal to Electric Conversion (AMTEC) and Thermoelectric (TE) technologies while eliminating thermionics and thermophotovoltaics. In addition to the aforementioned advantages, the SOFC-AMTEC and SOFC-TE cycles are attractive for certain applications such as cogeneration and power supplies for remote locations where the use of higher efficiency dynamic bottoming cycles might be undesirable due to maintenance and noise restrictions. A preliminary feasibility assessment of AMTEC and TE bottoming of SOFC power systems has been performed. Five SOFC bottoming cycle concepts were considered. They include: TE bottoming with cogeneration capability, TE bottoming with additional heat recovery, TE bottoming with uncoupled TE converter and air preheater, AMTEC bottoming, and Cascaded AMTEC-TE bottoming. The cascaded AMTEC-TE bottoming cycle increases the overall cycle efficiency by 4.7 percentage points. TE bottoming cycle with additional heat recovery adds 3.8 percentage points, and the other concepts are between 3 and 3.5 percentage points. The results are also compared with results of similar studies reported in literature. The AMTEC-TE cascade has the largest potential, however, development of both AMTEC and TE components would be required. The second

High Energy Density Additives for Hybrid Fuel Rockets to Improve Performance and Enhance Safety

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jaffe, Richard L.

2014-01-01

We propose a conceptual study of prototype strained hydrocarbon molecules as high energy density additives for hybrid rocket fuels to boost the performance of these rockets without compromising safety and reliability. Use of these additives could extend the range of applications for which hybrid rockets become an attractive alternative to conventional solid or liquid fuel rockets. The objectives of the study were to confirm and quantify the high enthalpy of these strained molecules and to assess improvement in rocket performance that would be expected if these additives were blended with conventional fuels. We confirmed the chemical properties (including enthalpy) of these additives. However, the predicted improvement in rocket performance was too small to make this a useful strategy for boosting hybrid rocket performance.

The Need for Integrating the Back End of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle in the United States of America

DOE PAGES

Bonano, Evaristo J.; Kalinina, Elena A.; Swift, Peter N.

2018-02-26

Current practice for commercial spent nuclear fuel management in the United States of America (US) includes storage of spent fuel in both pools and dry storage cask systems at nuclear power plants. Most storage pools are filled to their operational capacity, and management of the approximately 2,200 metric tons of spent fuel newly discharged each year requires transferring older and cooler fuel from pools into dry storage. In the absence of a repository that can accept spent fuel for permanent disposal, projections indicate that the US will have approximately 134,000 metric tons of spent fuel in dry storage by mid-centurymore » when the last plants in the current reactor fleet are decommissioned. Current designs for storage systems rely on large dual-purpose (storage and transportation) canisters that are not optimized for disposal. Various options exist in the US for improving integration of management practices across the entire back end of the nuclear fuel cycle.« less

The Need for Integrating the Back End of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle in the United States of America

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bonano, Evaristo J.; Kalinina, Elena A.; Swift, Peter N.

Current practice for commercial spent nuclear fuel management in the United States of America (US) includes storage of spent fuel in both pools and dry storage cask systems at nuclear power plants. Most storage pools are filled to their operational capacity, and management of the approximately 2,200 metric tons of spent fuel newly discharged each year requires transferring older and cooler fuel from pools into dry storage. In the absence of a repository that can accept spent fuel for permanent disposal, projections indicate that the US will have approximately 134,000 metric tons of spent fuel in dry storage by mid-centurymore » when the last plants in the current reactor fleet are decommissioned. Current designs for storage systems rely on large dual-purpose (storage and transportation) canisters that are not optimized for disposal. Various options exist in the US for improving integration of management practices across the entire back end of the nuclear fuel cycle.« less

75 FR 36648 - Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future, Reactor and Fuel Cycle Technologies Subcommittee

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-28

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future, Reactor and Fuel Cycle Technologies Subcommittee AGENCY: Office of Nuclear Energy, DOE. ACTION: Notice of open meeting correction. On June 21, 2010, the Department of Energy published a notice announcing an open meeting of the Reactor...

Analysis of fuel options for the breakeven core configuration of the Advanced Recycling Reactor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stauff, N.E.; Klim, T.K.; Taiwo, T.A.

2013-07-01

A trade-off study is performed to determine the impacts of various fuel forms on the core design and core physics characteristics of the sodium-cooled Toshiba- Westinghouse Advanced Recycling Reactor (ARR). The fuel forms include oxide, nitride, and metallic forms of U and Th. The ARR core configuration is redesigned with driver and blanket regions in order to achieve breakeven fissile breeding performance with the various fuel types. State-of-the-art core physics tools are used for the analyses. In addition, a quasi-static reactivity balance approach is used for a preliminary comparison of the inherent safety performances of the various fuel options. Thorium-fueledmore » cores exhibit lower breeding ratios and require larger blankets compared to the U-fueled cores, which is detrimental to core compactness and increases reprocessing and manufacturing requirements. The Th cores also exhibit higher reactivity swings through each cycle, which penalizes reactivity control and increases the number of control rods required. On the other hand, using Th leads to drastic reductions in void and coolant expansion coefficients of reactivity, with the potential for enhancing inherent core safety. Among the U-fueled ARR cores, metallic and nitride fuels result in higher breeding ratios due to their higher heavy metal densities. On the other hand, oxide fuels provide a softer spectrum, which increases the Doppler effect and reduces the positive sodium void worth. A lower fuel temperature is obtained with the metallic and nitride fuels due to their higher thermal conductivities and compatibility with sodium bonds. This is especially beneficial from an inherent safety point of view since it facilitates the reactor cool-down during loss of power removal transients. The advantages in terms of inherent safety of nitride and metallic fuels are maintained when using Th fuel. However, there is a lower relative increase in heavy metal density and in breeding ratio going from oxide to

The thermodynamics of pyrochemical processes for liquid metal reactor fuel cycles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, I.

1987-01-01

The thermodynamic basis for pyrochemical processes for the recovery and purification of fuel for the liquid metal reactor fuel cycle is described. These processes involve the transport of the uranium and plutonium from one liquid alloy to another through a molten salt. The processes discussed use liquid alloys of cadmium, zinc, and magnesium and molten chloride salts. The oxidation-reduction steps are done either chemically by the use of an auxiliary redox couple or electrochemically by the use of an external electrical supply. The same basic thermodynamics apply to both the salt transport and the electrotransport processes. Large deviations from idealmore » solution behavior of the actinides and lanthanides in the liquid alloys have a major influence on the solubilities and the performance of both the salt transport and electrotransport processes. Separation of plutonium and uranium from each other and decontamination from the more noble fission product elements can be achieved using both transport processes. The thermodynamic analysis is used to make process design computations for different process conditions.« less

Power Peaking Effect of OTTO Fuel Scheme Pebble Bed Reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Setiadipura, T.; Suwoto; Zuhair; Bakhri, S.; Sunaryo, G. R.

2018-02-01

Pebble Bed Reactor (PBR) type of Hight Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) is a very interesting nuclear reactor design to fulfill the growing electricity and heat demand with a superior passive safety features. Effort to introduce the PBR design to the market can be strengthen by simplifying its system with the Once-through-then-out (OTTO) cycle PBR in which the pebble fuel only pass the core once. Important challenge in the OTTO fuel scheme is the power peaking effect which limit the maximum nominal power or burnup of the design. Parametric survey is perform in this study to investigate the contribution of different design parameters to power peaking effect of OTTO cycle PBR. PEBBED code is utilized in this study to perform the equilibrium PBR core analysis for different design parameter and fuel scheme. The parameters include its core diameter, height-per-diameter (H/D), power density, and core nominal power. Results of this study show that diameter and H/D effectsare stronger compare to the power density and nominal core power. Results of this study might become an importance guidance for design optimization of OTTO fuel scheme PBR.

Work plan for improving the DARWIN2.3 depleted material balance calculation of nuclides of interest for the fuel cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rizzo, Axel; Vaglio-Gaudard, Claire; Martin, Julie-Fiona; Noguère, Gilles; Eschbach, Romain

2017-09-01

DARWIN2.3 is the reference package used for fuel cycle applications in France. It solves the Boltzmann and Bateman equations in a coupling way, with the European JEFF-3.1.1 nuclear data library, to compute the fuel cycle values of interest. It includes both deterministic transport codes APOLLO2 (for light water reactors) and ERANOS2 (for fast reactors), and the DARWIN/PEPIN2 depletion code, each of them being developed by CEA/DEN with the support of its industrial partners. The DARWIN2.3 package has been experimentally validated for pressurized and boiling water reactors, as well as for sodium fast reactors; this experimental validation relies on the analysis of post-irradiation experiments (PIE). The DARWIN2.3 experimental validation work points out some isotopes for which the depleted concentration calculation can be improved. Some other nuclides have no available experimental validation, and their concentration calculation uncertainty is provided by the propagation of a priori nuclear data uncertainties. This paper describes the work plan of studies initiated this year to improve the accuracy of the DARWIN2.3 depleted material balance calculation concerning some nuclides of interest for the fuel cycle.

Alternative Fuels Data Center: Natural Gas Fuel Safety

Science.gov Websites

intentionally added when put into the local distribution network of pipelines. This is to give it a distinctive when the fueling nozzle is being connected or disconnected during the refueling process. This is normal and should quickly dissipate when fueling has been completed. Natural gas is lighter than air, so

Life cycle assessment of camelina oil derived biodiesel and jet fuel in the Canadian Prairies.

PubMed

Li, Xue; Mupondwa, Edmund

2014-05-15

This study evaluated the environmental impact of biodiesel and hydroprocessed renewable jet fuel derived from camelina oil in terms of global warming potential, human health, ecosystem quality, and energy resource consumption. The life cycle inventory is based on production activities in the Canadian Prairies and encompasses activities ranging from agricultural production to oil extraction and fuel conversion. The system expansion method is used in this study to avoid allocation and to credit input energy to co-products associated with the products displaced in the market during camelina oil extraction and fuel processing. This is the preferred allocation method for LCA analysis in the context of most renewable and sustainable energy programs. The results show that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from 1 MJ of camelina derived biodiesel ranged from 7.61 to 24.72 g CO2 equivalent and 3.06 to 31.01 kg CO2/MJ equivalent for camelina HRJ fuel. Non-renewable energy consumption for camelina biodiesel ranged from 0.40 to 0.67 MJ/MJ; HRJ fuel ranged from -0.13 to 0.52 MJ/MJ. Camelina oil as a feedstock for fuel production accounted for the highest contribution to overall environmental performance, demonstrating the importance of reducing environmental burdens during the agricultural production process. Attaining higher seed yield would dramatically lower environmental impacts associated with camelina seed, oil, and fuel production. The lower GHG emissions and energy consumption associated with camelina in comparison with other oilseed derived fuel and petroleum fuel make camelina derived fuel from Canadian Prairies environmentally attractive. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

On the use of naturalistic methods to examine safety-relevant behaviours amongst children and evaluate a cycling education program.

PubMed

Hatfield, J; Dozza, M; Patton, D A; Maharaj, P; Boufous, S; Eveston, T

2017-11-01

School-based cycling education programs aim to improve cycling safety and participation amongst children. Available research suggests that typical programs, which focus on bicycle manoeuvring skills, have limited effects on behaviour observed on a track or planned route. The current study uses theoretically more valid, naturalistic cycling data, to evaluate Safe Cycle, a program that incorporates hazard and self-awareness training. Soon after Safe Cycle was delivered at treatment schools, research bicycles instrumented with a rearward- and a forward-facing camera were loaned to six children from treatment schools and six children from (waitlist) control schools. In each group half the children were in Year 6, and half were in Year 7/8. Each child was instructed to ride the research bicycle instead of their own bicycle for the 1-2 weeks that they had a research bicycle. Video data were reduced using a purpose-designed coding scheme that identified whether participants performed specific safety-relevant behaviours in appropriate circumstances. While the participants controlled their bicycles well, gave way appropriately to traffic at intersections, and stopped at red lights, participants frequently removed one or both hands from the handlebars, and seldom signalled turns, conducted over-shoulder-checks when changing lanes, or looked in multiple directions at intersections (except when crossing a road). While aspects of design and small sample sizes limited evaluation findings, this research demonstrated the feasibility and potential of naturalistic data to support cycling education program evaluation. Further, the study substantially extended available naturalistic study of children's cycling behaviour to highlight behaviours which might be targeted by cycling safety initiatives. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

National briefing summaries: Nuclear fuel cycle and waste management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schneider, K.J.; Bradley, D.J.; Fletcher, J.F.

Since 1976, the International Program Support Office (IPSO) at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) has collected and compiled publicly available information concerning foreign and international radioactive waste management programs. This National Briefing Summaries is a printout of an electronic database that has been compiled and is maintained by the IPSO staff. The database contains current information concerning the radioactive waste management programs (with supporting information on nuclear power and the nuclear fuel cycle) of most of the nations (except eastern European countries) that now have or are contemplating nuclear power, and of the multinational agencies that are active in radioactivemore » waste management. Information in this document is included for three additional countries (China, Mexico, and USSR) compared to the prior issue. The database and this document were developed in response to needs of the US Department of Energy.« less

CERCA LEU fuel assemblies testing in Maria Reactor - safety analysis summary and testing program scope.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pytel, K.; Mieleszczenko, W.; Lechniak, J.

2010-03-01

The presented paper contains neutronic and thermal-hydraulic (for steady and unsteady states) calculation results prepared to support annex to Safety Analysis Report for MARIA reactor in order to obtain approval for program of testing low-enriched uranium (LEU) lead test fuel assemblies (LTFA) manufactured by CERCA. This includes presentation of the limits and operational constraints to be in effect during the fuel testing investigations. Also, the scope of testing program (which began in August 2009), including additional measurements and monitoring procedures, is described.

Technology, safety and costs of decommissioning reference independent spent fuel storage installations. [Contains glossary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ludwick, J D; Moore, E B

1984-01-01

Safety and cost information is developed for the conceptual decommissioning of five different types of reference independent spent fuel storage installations (ISFSIs), each of which is being given consideration for interim storage of spent nuclear fuel in the United States. These include one water basin-type ISFSI (wet) and four dry ISFSIs (drywell, silo, vault, and cask). The reference ISFSIs include all component parts necessary for the receipt, handling and storage of spent fuel in a safe and efficient manner. Three decommissioning alternatives are studied to obtain comparisons between costs (in 1981 dollars), occupational radiation doses, and potential radiation doses tomore » the public. The alternatives considered are: DECON (immediate decontamination), SAFSTOR (safe storage followed by deferred decontamination), and ENTOMB (entombment followed by long-term surveillance).« less

Diesels in combined cycle

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kuehn, S.E.

1995-03-01

This article examines why the diesel engine is a very attractive choice for producing power in the combined-cycle configuration. The medium-speed diesel is already one of the most efficient simple cycle sources of electricity, especially with lower grade fuels. Large units have heat-rate efficiencies as high as 45%, equating to a heat rate of 7,580 Btu/k Whr, and no other power production prime mover can match this efficiency. Diesels also offer designers fuel flexibility and can burn an extreme variety of fuels without sacrificing many of its positive operating attributes. Diesels are the first building block in a highly efficientmore » combined cycle system that relies on the hot gas and oxygen in the diesel`s exhaust to combust either natural gas, light distillate oil, heavy oil or coal, in a boiler. By using a fired boiler, steam can be generated at sufficient temperature and pressure to operate a Rankine steam cycle efficiently. Diesel combined-cycle plants can be configured in much the same way a gas turbine plant would be. However, the diesel combined-cycle scheme requires supplemental firing to generate appropriate steam conditions. The most efficient cycle, therefore, would not be achieved until combustion air and supplemental fuel are minimized to levels that satisfy steam conditions, steam generation and power generation constraints.« less

An analysis of the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle with emphasis on high-level waste management, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

The programs and plans of the U.S. government for the "back end of the nuclear fuel cycle" were examined to determine if there were any significant technological or regulatory gaps and inconsistencies. Particular emphasis was placed on analysis of high-level nuclear waste management plans, since the permanent disposal of radioactive waste has emerged as a major factor in the public acceptance of nuclear power. The implications of various light water reactor fuel cycle options were examined including throwaway, stowaway, uranium recycle, and plutonium plus uranium recycle. The results of this study indicate that the U.S. program for high-level waste management has significant gaps and inconsistencies. Areas of greatest concern include: the adequacy of the scientific data base for geological disposal; programs for the the disposal of spent fuel rods; interagency coordination; and uncertainties in NRC regulatory requirements for disposal of both commercial and military high-level waste.

Evaluating the road safety effects of a fuel cost increase measure by means of zonal crash prediction modeling.

PubMed