Fast reactor-pressurized water reactor binary system nuclear energy system

Abstract

The invention belongs to the technical field of nuclear power, and particularly relates to a fast reactor-pressurized water reactor binary system nuclear energy system. The fast reactor-pressurized water reactor binary system nuclear energy system comprises a pressurized water reactor, a water process post-treatment plant, a fast reactor fuel plant and a fast reactor. The pressurized water reactor is used for forming spent fuel of the pressurized water reactor after fuel elements required by the pressurized water reactor nuclear reactor are utilized. The water reprocessing plant is located between the pressurized water reactor and the fast reactor fuel plant and used for processing spent fuel of the pressurized water reactor to generate industrial plutonium, recycled uranium and long-life waste. And the fast reactor fuel plant is positioned between the water reprocessing plant and the fast reactor and is used for producing fuel elements required by the fast reactor nuclear reactor by utilizing industrial plutonium treated by the water reprocessing plant, recycled uranium and industrial plutonium in long-life waste. The fast reactor is used for utilizing fuel elements required by the fast reactor nuclear reactor. According to the invention, the water-process post-treatment plant is arranged between the pressurized water reactor and the fast reactor fuel plant, so that the problem of how to utilize limited uranium resources to realize long-term energy safety is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application belongs to the field of nuclear power technology, and specifically relates to a fast reactor-pressurized water reactor binary system nuclear energy system. Background Art

[0002] As the number of nuclear power stations increases around the world, the demand for natural uranium is also increasing. Currently, the total amount of recoverable uranium resources identified in the world is 7.9175 million tons of uranium, and the reasonably guaranteed resources and inferred resources are sufficient to support demand for more than 130 years.

[0003] However, natural uranium and spent fuel are limiting factors for the large-scale development of nuclear energy in the future. Each million-kilowatt pressurized water reactor requires about 10,000 tons of natural uranium in 60 years of operation, and produces about 20-25 tons of spent nuclear fuel each year. More than 450,000 tons of heavy metal spent nuclear fuel have been discharged worldwide, of which less than 150,000 tons have been processed and more than 300,000 tons are in temporary storage. It is estimated that about 10,000 tons of spent nuclear fuel will be added each year.

[0004] Currently, how to utilize limited uranium resources to achieve long-term energy security has become a research hotspot. Summary of the invention

[0005] In view of this, the present application is dedicated to providing a fast reactor-pressurized water reactor binary nuclear energy system, which solves the problem of how to utilize limited uranium resources to achieve long-term energy security by setting up a water reprocessing plant between the pressurized water reactor and the fast reactor fuel plant.

[0006] The present application provides a fast reactor-pressurized water reactor binary system nuclear energy system, which includes a pressurized water reactor, a water reprocessing plant, a fast reactor fuel plant and a fast reactor. The pressurized water reactor is used to form the spent fuel of the pressurized water reactor after utilizing the fuel elements required for the pressurized water reactor nuclear reactor. The water reprocessing plant is located between the pressurized water reactor and the fast reactor fuel plant, and is used to generate industrial plutonium, recycled uranium and long-life waste after processing the spent fuel of the pressurized water reactor. The fast reactor fuel plant is located between the water reprocessing plant and the fast reactor, and is used to produce the fuel elements required for the fast reactor nuclear reactor by utilizing the industrial plutonium, recycled uranium and industrial plutonium in the long-life waste processed by the water reprocessing plant. The fast reactor is used to utilize the fuel elements required for the fast reactor nuclear reactor.

[0007] In a specific embodiment of the present application, the fast reactor-pressurized water reactor binary nuclear energy system also includes a uranium enrichment plant and a pressurized water reactor fuel plant. The uranium enrichment plant is used to process natural uranium to produce uranium-235 and uranium-238. The pressurized water reactor fuel plant is located between the uranium enrichment plant and the pressurized water reactor, and is used to process the uranium-235 produced by the uranium enrichment plant to produce the fuel elements required for the pressurized water reactor nuclear reactor.

[0008] In a specific embodiment of the present application, the fast reactor-pressurized water reactor binary nuclear energy system further includes a dry reprocessing plant. The dry reprocessing plant is used to electrolyze the irradiated fuel assemblies of the fast reactor and then transport them to the pressurized water reactor fuel plant and the fast reactor fuel plant.

[0009] In a specific embodiment of the present application, a reduction branch line for oxide fuel is also provided in the dry post-processing plant. The reduction branch line is used to receive PWR spent fuel or fast reactor oxide spent fuel, and directly enter the fast reactor cycle after reducing the PWR spent fuel or fast reactor oxide spent fuel.

[0010] In a specific embodiment of the present application, a fast reactor, a dry reprocessing plant and a fast reactor fuel plant are constructed at the same site.

[0011] In a specific embodiment of the present application, the fast reactor-pressurized water reactor binary nuclear energy system further includes a geological disposal repository. The geological disposal repository is connected to the water reprocessing plant and the dry reprocessing plant, and is configured to have the ability to receive and process high-level waste after being processed by the water reprocessing plant and the dry reprocessing plant.

[0012] In a specific embodiment of the present application, a fast reactor fuel plant adopts a fast reactor metal fuel production line.

[0013] In a specific embodiment of the present application, the nuclear fuel produced by the fast reactor fuel plant includes U-Zr, U-Pu-Zr and U-TRU-Zr.

[0014] In a specific embodiment of the present application, the core of the fast reactor adopts a deep burnup design.

[0015] In a specific embodiment of the present application, the fast reactor adopts a centralized closed fuel cycle, including three links: power generation, spent fuel reprocessing and fuel regeneration manufacturing.

[0016] The beneficial effects of the technical solution of the present application are: by setting up a water-based reprocessing plant between a pressurized water reactor and a fast reactor fuel plant, the water-based reprocessing plant is used to process the spent fuel of the pressurized water reactor, and the industrial plutonium required for the initial loading of the fast reactor is provided, and the fast reactor started with plutonium fuel has a higher proliferation characteristic; and the water-based reprocessing plant can be used to extract the long-lived radioactive nuclides in the high-level waste liquid of the spent fuel of the pressurized water reactor so as to be transmuted in the fast reactor; the water-based reprocessing plant can also be used to reduce the volume and solidify the short-lived radioactive waste for final geological disposal (such as storage in a geological disposal repository). The embodiment of the present application uses a systematic configuration of the binary system of fast reactor-pressurized water reactor, so that the pressurized water reactor and the fast reactor coexist in the binary nuclear energy system, forming a green and efficient nuclear energy framework, effectively coping with the problems of nuclear fuel resources and waste, realizing the use of limited uranium resources to meet the needs of long-term, large-scale and stable development of energy, and at the same time efficiently controlling long-lived radioactive waste. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 Shown is a schematic diagram of a fast reactor-pressurized water reactor binary nuclear energy system provided in one embodiment of the present application.

[0018] Figure 1 In: 1- uranium enrichment plant; 2- pressurized water reactor fuel plant; 3- pressurized water reactor; 4- aqueous reprocessing plant; 5- fast reactor; 6- dry reprocessing plant; 7- fast reactor fuel plant; 8- geological disposal repository; 9- natural uranium; 10- low enriched uranium; 11- depleted uranium; 12- industrial plutonium, recycled uranium and long-lived waste; 13- fast reactor breeder plutonium; 14- medium- and short-lived radioactive waste. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0020] At least one embodiment of the present application provides a fast reactor-pressurized water reactor binary system nuclear energy system, referring to Figure 1 The fast reactor-pressurized water reactor binary nuclear energy system includes a pressurized water reactor 3, a water reprocessing plant 4, a fast reactor fuel plant 7 and a fast reactor 5. The pressurized water reactor 3 is used to form the spent fuel of the pressurized water reactor 3 after utilizing the fuel elements required for the pressurized water reactor nuclear reactor. The water reprocessing plant 4 is located between the pressurized water reactor 3 and the fast reactor fuel plant 7, and is used to process the spent fuel of the pressurized water reactor 3 to generate industrial plutonium, recycled uranium and long-life waste 12. The fast reactor fuel plant 7 is located between the water reprocessing plant 4 and the fast reactor 5, and is used to produce the fuel elements required for the fast reactor nuclear reactor by utilizing the industrial plutonium in the industrial plutonium, recycled uranium and long-life waste 12 processed by the water reprocessing plant 4. The fast reactor 5 is used to utilize the fuel elements required for the fast reactor nuclear reactor.

[0021] It should be noted that the main function of the water reprocessing plant 4 is to process the spent fuel of the pressurized water reactor 3 to remove fission products and recover fissile materials and convertible materials. The fast reactor fuel plant 7 refers to a plant that specializes in producing fuel elements required for fast reactor nuclear reactors. The fast reactor 5 can also be called a fast neutron breeder reactor, which can provide efficient, safe and sustainable energy, support the large-scale long-term development of nuclear energy, and greatly reduce the burden of nuclear waste.

[0022] According to the technical solution provided in the embodiment of the present application, by setting up a water-based reprocessing plant 4 between the pressurized water reactor 3 and the fast reactor fuel plant 7, the water-based reprocessing plant 4 is used to process the spent fuel of the pressurized water reactor 3, and the industrial plutonium required for the initial loading of the fast reactor 5 is provided. The fast reactor 5 started with plutonium fuel has a higher proliferation characteristic; and the water-based reprocessing plant 4 can be used to extract the long-lived radioactive nuclides in the high-level waste liquid of the spent fuel of the pressurized water reactor 3 so as to be transmuted in the fast reactor 5; the water-based reprocessing plant 4 can also be used to reduce the volume and solidify the short-lived radioactive waste for final geological disposal (such as storage in a geological disposal repository 8). The embodiment of the present application uses a fast reactor-pressurized water reactor binary system to systematically configure the pressurized water reactor 3 and the fast reactor 5 to coexist in the binary nuclear energy system, forming a green and efficient nuclear energy framework, effectively coping with nuclear fuel resources and waste problems, realizing the use of limited uranium resources to meet the needs of long-term, large-scale and stable development of energy, and at the same time efficiently controlling long-lived radioactive waste.

[0023] In at least one embodiment of the present application, the fast reactor-pressurized water reactor binary nuclear energy system further includes a uranium enrichment plant 1 and a pressurized water reactor fuel plant 2. The uranium enrichment plant 1 is used to process natural uranium 9 to produce uranium-235 and uranium-238. The pressurized water reactor fuel plant 2 is located between the uranium enrichment plant 1 and the pressurized water reactor 3, and is used to process the uranium-235 produced by the uranium enrichment plant 1 to produce fuel elements required for the pressurized water reactor nuclear reactor.

[0024] It should be noted that uranium-235 in natural uranium 9 can also be called low-enriched uranium 10. Uranium-238 in natural uranium 9 can also be called depleted uranium 11. PWR fuel plant 2 refers to a plant that specializes in producing fuel elements required for PWR nuclear reactors. For example, PWR fuel plant 2 can produce both UO2 and MOX fuels.

[0025] In the above embodiment, the pressurized water reactor 3 is used to first utilize the uranium-235 in the natural uranium 9, and then the fast reactor 5 is used to fully utilize the uranium-238 in the natural uranium 9.

[0026] In at least one embodiment of the present application, the fast reactor-PWR binary nuclear energy system further includes a dry reprocessing plant 6. The dry reprocessing plant 6 is used to electrolyze the irradiated fuel assemblies of the fast reactor 5 and then transport them to the PWR fuel plant 2 and the fast reactor fuel plant 7.

[0027] It should be noted that the fast reactor breeder plutonium 13 produced by the dry process reprocessing plant 6 is transported to the pressurized water reactor fuel plant 2 for processing. The water process reprocessing plant 4 can purify the fast reactor breeder plutonium 13.

[0028] In the embodiment of the present application, a dry-processing plant 6 is added, and the dry-processing plant 6 is connected with the water-processing plant 4, the fast reactor 5 and the fast reactor fuel plant 7. The dry-processing plant 6 electrolyzes the irradiated fuel assemblies of the fast reactor 5 and then transports them to the pressurized water reactor fuel plant 2. Therefore, the water-processing plant 4 can effectively deal with the critical safety problem caused by the high content of fissile materials in the irradiated fuel assemblies of the fast reactor 5; it can effectively avoid the irradiation decomposition problem of the traditional water-processing extract due to the strong radioactivity of deep burnup, and the irradiated fuel assemblies can be processed in the same year; it can realize the simultaneous extraction of minor actinides (MA) and plutonium, and then realize the uniform transmutation of long-lived radioactive waste under the full actinide cycle; and it can prepare the waste salt containing medium- and short-lived radioactive waste 14 to make it a solidified body that can be finally disposed of geologically.

[0029] In at least one embodiment of the present application, a reduction branch line for oxide fuel is also provided in the dry post-processing plant 6. The reduction branch line is used to receive pressurized water reactor spent fuel or fast reactor oxide spent fuel, and directly enter the fast reactor 5 circulation after reducing the pressurized water reactor spent fuel or fast reactor oxide spent fuel.

[0030] In at least one embodiment of the present application, the fast reactor 5, the dry reprocessing plant 6 and the fast reactor fuel plant 7 are constructed at the same site. In this way, the frequent transportation of a large amount of nuclear materials is avoided, which is beneficial to nuclear security and nuclear non-proliferation.

[0031] In at least one embodiment of the present application, the fast reactor-pressurized water reactor binary system nuclear energy system further includes a geological disposal repository 8. The geological disposal repository 8 is connected to the water reprocessing plant 4 and the dry reprocessing plant 6, and is configured to have the ability to receive and process high-level radioactive waste after being processed by the water reprocessing plant 4 and the dry reprocessing plant 6. In this way, by adding a geological disposal repository 8, the geological disposal repository 8 is provided with the ability to receive and process high-level radioactive waste. Different from the requirements corresponding to the direct disposal of spent fuel of a pressurized water reactor, the method of adding a geological disposal repository 8 can greatly reduce the disposal depth and supervision time.

[0032] In at least one embodiment of the present application, the fast reactor fuel plant 7 adopts a fast reactor metal fuel production line. In this way, the core of the fast reactor 5 adopts a metal fuel design, and the fast reactor 5 using metal fuel has the hardest neutron spectrum and a higher proliferation ratio.

[0033] In at least one embodiment of the present application, the nuclear fuel produced by the fast reactor fuel plant 7 includes U-Zr, U-Pu-Zr and U-TRU-Zr.

[0034] It should be noted that the fast reactor fuel plant 7 has the ability to receive minor actinides (MA) from the water-based reprocessing plant 4 and add nuclear fuel (for example, adding MA into fast reactor fuel pellets to produce fast reactor fuel).

[0035] In at least one embodiment of the present application, the core of the fast reactor 5 adopts a deep burnup design. Thus, the deep burnup can convert more uranium-238 into plutonium-239 in one cycle.

[0036] In at least one embodiment of the present application, the fast reactor 5 adopts a centralized closed fuel cycle, including power generation, spent fuel reprocessing and fuel regeneration manufacturing. In this way, the fast reactor 5 can breed more fuel, and its nuclear fuel cycle is reprocessed through electrolytic refining at the reactor site.

[0037] Through the above-mentioned fast reactor-PWR binary system setting, the following can be achieved: (1) effective growth in the scale of nuclear energy can be achieved in a relatively short period of time, so that nuclear energy can become a major energy source; (2) while making full use of uranium resources, the amount of radioactive waste generated and the duration of toxicity can be effectively controlled; (3) a complete advanced nuclear fuel cycle is achieved with the least types of facilities and the shortest processes, with overall optimal economic performance; (4) while greatly extending the development time of PWRs, the fuel price can be kept stable for a long time, achieving the overall optimization of fission nuclear energy.

[0038] It should be noted that the combination of the various technical features in the embodiments of the present application is not limited to the combination described in the embodiments of the present application or the combination described in the specific embodiments, and all technical features described in the present application can be freely combined or combined in any way unless there is a contradiction between them.

[0039] As shown in this application and claims, unless the context clearly indicates an exception, the words "a", "an" and / or "the" do not refer to the singular and may also include the plural. Generally speaking, the term "comprising" only indicates that the steps and elements that have been clearly identified are included, and these steps and elements do not constitute an exclusive list. The method or device may also include other steps or elements.

[0040] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present application and is not intended to limit the present application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present application shall be included in the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A fast reactor-pressurized water reactor binary nuclear energy system, characterized in that: Including pressurized water reactors, water reprocessing plants, fast reactor fuel plants and fast reactors, The pressurized water reactor is used to utilize the fuel elements required by the pressurized water reactor nuclear reactor to form the spent fuel of the pressurized water reactor; The water reprocessing plant is located between the PWR and the fast reactor fuel plant and is used to process the spent fuel of the PWR to generate industrial plutonium, recycled uranium and long-life waste; The fast reactor fuel plant is located between the water reprocessing plant and the fast reactor, and is used to produce fuel elements required for fast reactor nuclear reactors using industrial plutonium processed by the water reprocessing plant, recycled uranium and industrial plutonium in long-life waste; The fast reactor is used to utilize the fuel elements required for the fast reactor nuclear reactor.

2. A fast reactor-pressurized water reactor binary nuclear energy system according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes uranium enrichment plants and pressurized water reactor fuel plants. The uranium enrichment plant is used to process natural uranium to produce uranium-235 and uranium-238. The pressurized water reactor fuel plant is located between the uranium enrichment plant and the pressurized water reactor, and is used to process the uranium-235 generated by the uranium enrichment plant to generate fuel elements required for the pressurized water reactor nuclear reactor.

3. A fast reactor-pressurized water reactor binary nuclear energy system according to claim 2, characterized in that: Also includes dry post-processing plants, The dry post-processing plant is used to electrolyze the irradiated fuel assemblies of the fast reactor and then transport them to the pressurized water reactor fuel plant and the fast reactor fuel plant.

4. A fast reactor-pressurized water reactor binary nuclear energy system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The dry post-processing plant is also provided with a reduction branch line for oxide fuel; the reduction branch line is used to receive pressurized water reactor spent fuel or fast reactor oxide spent fuel, and directly enter the fast reactor cycle after reducing the pressurized water reactor spent fuel or fast reactor oxide spent fuel.

5. The fast reactor-pressurized water reactor binary nuclear energy system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The fast reactor, the dry process reprocessing plant and the fast reactor fuel plant are constructed on the same site.

6. A fast reactor-pressurized water reactor binary nuclear energy system according to claim 3, characterized in that: Also includes geological repositories, The geological disposal repository is connected to the water-processing plant and the dry-processing plant, and is configured to have the ability to receive and process high-level radioactive waste after treatment by the water-processing plant and the dry-processing plant.

7. The fast reactor-pressurized water reactor binary nuclear energy system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fast reactor fuel plant adopts a fast reactor metal fuel production line.

8. The fast reactor-pressurized water reactor binary nuclear energy system according to claim 7, characterized in that: The nuclear fuel produced by the fast reactor fuel plant includes U-Zr, U-Pu-Zr and U-TRU-Zr.

9. A fast reactor-pressurized water reactor binary nuclear energy system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The core of the fast reactor adopts a deep burnup design.

10. A fast reactor-pressurized water reactor binary nuclear energy system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The fast reactor adopts a centralized closed fuel cycle, which includes three links: power generation, spent fuel reprocessing and fuel regeneration manufacturing.

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