FlibeEnergy_20131028_ThEC2013.pdf (Kirk Sorensen)

7/27/2019 FlibeEnergy_20131028_ThEC2013.pdf (Kirk Sorensen)

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Liquid-Fluoride Thorium Reactor Development Strategy

Kirk Sorensen

Flibe Energy

Thorium Energy Conference 2013

October 28, 2013


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Impending Coal-Fired Plant Retirements

Large numbers of coal-fired power plants are also

facing retirement, particularly in the Ohio River Valley

and in the Carolinas.


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EPA regulations are helping drive coal retirement

The implementation of these regulations makes smaller, older coal plants inefficient and uneconomical, resulting inthe loss of over 27GW. The loss of power places an urgency on utilities to plan for new, clean power solutions ahead

of 2017. The window to plan for new clean generation sources fi ts perfectly with SMR development and offers amarket opportunity of over $30bn for coal replacement alone.


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Renewable options are limited in these regions


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New reactors are under construction in the US and across the world.


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The US Nuclear Retirement Cliff

Beginning in 2028, nuclear power plant retirements will increase dramatically.


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DOE sees Industry Leading Future Nuclear

In the United States, it is the

responsibility of industry todesign, construct, and operatecommercial nuclear powerplants. (pg 22)

It is ultimately industrysdecision which commercialtechnologies will be deployed.The federal role falls moresquarely in the realm of R&D.(pg 16)

The decision to deploynuclear energy systems ismade by industry and theprivate sector in market-basedeconomies. (pg 45)


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Modular construction of nuclear reactors in a factory environment has become

increasingly desirable to reduce uncertainties about costs and quality.

Liquid-fluoride reactors, with their low-

pressure reactor vessels, are

particularly suitable to modular

construction in a factory and deliveryto a power generation site.


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One-Fluid 1000-MWe MSBR

Image source: ORNL-4832: MSRP-SaPR-08/72, pg 6


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Uranium

Separation

Rare Earth

Thorium Sep From

Protactinium/Uranium

Pa Decay/U

Separation

Rare Earth

Separation

Gaseous Fission

Products/Nobel Metals

The Single Fluid Salt Processing Has SeveralSeparation Steps


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Two-Fluid 250-MWe MSBR: August 1967

ORNL-4191, sec 5ORNL-4528, sec 5


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Two-Fluid 250-MWe MSBR: August 1967

ORNL-4191, sec 5ORNL-4528, sec 5


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How does a fluoride reactor use thorium?

Core

FluorideVolatility

FluorideVolatility

VacuumDistillation

Blanket

Uranium Absorption

and Reduction

Recycle

Fertile Salt

Recycle

Fuel Salt

Fuel

Salt

Fertile

Salt

UF6

UF4

UF6

Two-Fluid Reactor

Fission

Product

Waste


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ORNL 1967 Two-Fluid 250-MWe Modular Reactors

ORNL-4528, pg 20


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1967 ORNL Modular MSBR, Modern Renderings


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Two-Fluid MSBR Dual Module Isometric View


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Two-Fluid MSBR Dual Module Front View


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Two-Fluid MSBR Reactor Module and Core Cutaway


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Flibe Energy was formed in order to further develop liquid-

fluoride reactor technology and to supply the world with

affordable and sustainable energy, water and fuel.


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We believe in the vision of asustainable, prosperous future

enabled by liquid-fluoride

reactors producing electricity and

desalinated water.


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Located in Huntsville, Alabama


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Water, Rail, and Air Freight Access to the World

Waterways to Gulf of Mexico and US Interior

International Air Freight

Extensive Rail Network


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Oak Ridgebirthplace of thorium/fluoride tech

Graphite Reactorfirst thorium/U233 property measurements

Aircraft Reactor Experimentfirst molten-salt reactor

Molten-Salt Reactor Experiment20,000+ hours operation


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Proximity to Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Accessible by the Tennessee River

340km by road

Some MSRP retirees still live in area


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Combustion Gas Turbine Technology

established technology

modular

low-risk


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Liquid-fluoride reactor produce high-temperature thermal power, enabling the

use of new power conversion system technologies that reduce size and cost.


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Nuclear-Heated Gas Turbine Propulsion

Liquid-Fluoride

Reactor


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The turbine drives agenerator creating

electricityHot fuel salt

The gas iscooled and thewaste heat isused todesalinateseawater

Hot coolant salt

Warm coolantsalt

Warm fuel salt

Hot gas

Warm gas

Warmgas

S

alt/SaltHeat

Exchanger

S

alt/GasHeat

Exchanger

Turbine

Compressor

How does a fluoride reactor make electricity?

Reactor containment boundary


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How does a fluoride reactor use thorium?

Vacuum

Distillation

Fission

Product

Waste

Thorium

tetrafluoride

238U

Core

Blanket

Recycled

7LiF-BeF2

External batch

processing of core salt,done on a schedule

Fluoride

Volatility

Hexafluoride

Distillation

MoF6, TcF6, SeF6,RuF5, TeF6, IF7,

Other F6

F2

Uraniu

mReduction

FluorideVolatility

UF6

H2

HF

HF Electrolyzer

Fertile Salt

Recycle Fertile Salt

Fuel Salt

Recycle Fuel Salt

UF6

Bare SaltxF6

Uranium

Absorption-

Reduction


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Liquid fuels enable enhanced safety

In the event of TOTAL loss ofpower, the freeze plug meltsand the core salt drains into apassively cooledconfiguration where nuclear

fission and meltdown are notossible.

The reactor is equipped

with a freeze pluganopen line where a frozenplug of salt is blockingthe flow.

The plug is kept frozenby an external cooling

fan.

Freeze Plug

Drain Tank


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Todays Nuclear Approach

Uranium

0.3% (depleted) 0.7% (natural) 3-5% (LEU) 93% (HEU)

ThoriumPlutonium/TRU

Uranium Mill

LEUO2 Fuel

Fabrication

Facility

NUO2 to NUF6

Conversion

Facility

Uranium

Enrichment

Facility

Uranium

Mine

LEUO2-Fueled

Light-Water

Reactor

Highly-Enriched

Uranium

Stockpiles

Weapons-Grade

Plutonium

Depleted

Uranium

Stockpiles

HEU

Downblending

Facility

Yucca

Mountain

Facility

Reactor-Grade

Plutonium

NUO2 = Natural Uranium Dioxide

NUF6 = Natural Uranium Hexafluoride

LEUO2 = Low-Enrichment Uranium Dioxide

Existing U233

Inventory

Thorium

Stockpiles


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Conventionally-Proposed Nuclear Approach

Uranium



Uranium Mill

LEUO2 Fuel

Fabrication

Facility

NUO2 to NUF6

Conversion

Facility

Uranium

Enrichment

Facility

Uranium

Mine

LEUO2-Fueled

Light-Water

Reactor

Highly-Enriched

Uranium

Stockpiles

Weapons-Grade

Plutonium

Existing U233

Inventory

Depleted

Uranium

Stockpiles

HEU

Downblending

Facility

Yucca

Mountain

Facility

NUO2 = Natural Uranium Dioxide

NUF6 = Natural Uranium Hexafluoride


MOX = Mixed Oxide Fuel (contain plutonium)

MOX Fuel

Fabrication

Facility

MOX-Fueled

Light-Water

Reactor

Aqueous

Reprocessing

Plant

Thorium

Stockpiles

Dispose in

WIPP

Transition to Thorium Proposed Nuclear


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Transition to Thorium Proposed NuclearApproach

Uranium



Uranium

Reserves and

Imports

LEUO2-Fueled

Light-Water

Reactors

Highly-Enriched

Uranium

Stockpiles

Weapons-Grade

Plutonium

Stockpiles

U233

Inventory

Depleted

Uranium

Stockpiles

TRU-Fueled

Liquid-Chloride

Reactors

XUO2

Fluorination

Facility

Liquid-FluorideThorium

Reactors

(U233 start)

Liquid-Fluoride

Thorium

Reactors

(HEU start)

DUF6 to DUO2

Conversion

Facility

Underground

Burial

ThoriumStockpiles &

Rare Earth

Mining

Reactor-Grade

Plutonium

DUO2

TRU

U233

DUF6

F2F2

F2

U233


XUO2 = Exposed Uranium Dioxide Fuel

TRU = Transuranics (Pu, Am, Cm, Np)

DUF6 = Depleted Uranium Hexafluoride

DUO2 = Depleted Uranium Dioxide

F2 = Gaseous Fluorine


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During my life I have witnessed extraordinary feats of human

ingenuity. I believe that this struggling ingenuity will be equalto the task of creating the Second Nuclear Era.

My only regret is that I will not

be here to witness its success.

Alvin Weinberg (1915-2006)

Documents

FlibeEnergy_20131028_ThEC2013.pdf (Kirk Sorensen)