Research Areas
NERI's New Research Focus
Since its inception, the Nuclear Energy Research Initiative (NERI) has been realizing its goal of both developing advanced nuclear energy systems and providing state-of-the-art research concerning nuclear science and technology. In 2004, the Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) decided to refocus the NERI Program. First, NERI will exclusively fund applied nuclear energy research related to existing NE R&D programs: the Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems Initiative (Gen IV), the Fuel Cycle Research and Development Program. In addition, all new NERI projects will be led entirely by participating U.S. universities.
The goal of this fresh focus is to concentrate more on highly needed applied engineering research and to better integrate the educational institutions with the research efforts and initiatives of DOE. DOE and the universities will act as partners in the success of the new, more focused program. This new outlook will further NERI's goals and objectives: to assist in addressing technical nuclear energy R&D challenges, to maintain the nation's leading position in nuclear energy research and development, to advance the state of U.S. nuclear technology, and to improve the nation's nuclear science and engineering infrastructure so the industry will be ready for future expansion.
Past NERI research projects have significantly contributed to the development of the Gen IV, AFCI, and Nuclear Hydrogen Initiative R&D programs. The refocused NERI workscope in each of these R&D areas are as follows:
Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems Initiative
Gen IV is developing new reactor systems to be deployed during the next 20 years. Planned NERI research efforts related to this initiative will focus on the following technologies and research areas:
Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP)
Research projects focus on the validation of reactor physics and core design analyses tools, development and validation of reactor thermal-hydraulic and mechanical design analysis tools, materials research, power-conversion unit assessments, and safety and risk analysis of the very high temperature reactor (VHTR). The scope of these projects also includes project design, system design and analysis methodology, and fuel development and qualification.
Artist's rendition of a Nuclear Hydrogen Plant.
Supercritical Water-Cooled Reactor:
Projects concentrate on showing the technical feasibility of a Light Water Reactor operating above the critical pressure of water, thus producing low-cost electricity. The focus will be on three main areas: the evaluation of dynamic power/flow instabilities; corrosion and stress-corrosion cracking testing of materials for the core and vessel internals; and the investigation of basic thermal and heat transfer phenomena for the reactor.
Lead-Alloy Cooled Fast Reactor (LFR):
The objective of these projects is to produce a small nuclear energy system for deploying in remote locations and in developing countries. Research and development efforts are aimed at defining and selecting the reference system, preparing a defendable safety case for the system, and licensing, perhaps through testing a demonstration reactor system.
Gas-Cooled Fast Reactor (GFR):
The objective of these projects is to develop a safe and sustainable GFR reactor that has a closed fuel cycle, is highly efficient (the Brayton power conversion cycle), and is capable of producing electrical power and/or hydrogen.
Design and Evaluation Methods:
Analytical methods, modeling techniques, computer codes, and databases must be developed for Gen IV plants. In addition, methodologies must be developed to evaluate system performance against Gen IV goals.
Materials:
Projects in this area include the selection, development, and qualification of structural materials necessary to design and construct advanced nuclear reactors and the coordination with similar research being conducted for the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative and the Nuclear Hydrogen Initiative. Research plans include both crosscutting and reactor-specific materials activities.
Energy Conversion:
Projects in this area focus on both the supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle and the high-temperature helium Brayton cycle. A demonstration experiment and simulation model are also planned to determine plant characteristics, performance, and dynamic response. For the high-temperature helium Brayton cycle, project goals include the engineering analysis of inter-stage heating (IH) and cooling (IC) configurations, design analysis of heat exchangers and turbo-machinery, and planning of a small-scale demonstration experiment.
Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative
The AFCI is a wide-ranging research and development program whose mission is to develop and exhibit technologies that facilitate the conversion to an environmentally, socially, politically, and economically acceptable advanced fuel cycle. The chief goals are to develop fuel systems for Generation IV reactors and create enabling fuel technologies, such as fuel, cladding, waste forms, separations, and disposal technology to decrease spent fuel volume; separate long-lived, highly radiotoxic elements; and recover valuable energy from spent fuel. The technologies will support both existing and forthcoming nuclear energy systems, including Generation IV systems. Projects related to the AFCI include separations, fuels, transmutation, and systems analysis.
Separations:
Separations research is comprised of areas such as the development of aqueous and hybrid aqueous-pyrochemical separations technologies; advancement of spent fuel treatment processes; improvement of temporary or permanent storage forms; treatment of spent fuel from the Experimental Breeder Reactor (EBR-II) in preparation for disposal; and conceptual planning of future spent fuel treatment plants and advanced processing technologies.
Fuels:
This research area includes projects associated with advanced fuel development for LWRs, Generation IV reactors, and dedicated transmuters; remote fuel fabrication evaluation; development and selection of advanced clad materials; safety analyses of different advanced fuel types; and fabrication, characterization, performance testing, PIE and modeling of fuels for various reactors (LWR, VHTR, fast spectrum systems). NERI research projects are expected to continue on TRISO fuel development for the VHTR.
TRISO Fuel for the GenIV Very-High-Temperature Reactor
Transmutation Science and Engineering:
Transmutation is a process by which long-lived radioactive species are converted to short-lived nuclides via nuclear capture or fission. The primary purpose of this research area is to develop an engineering basis for the transmutation of plutonium, minor actinides, and long-lived fission products. This research area explores physics and materials challenges for transmutation systems, whether they be reactors or accelerator driven systems.
Systems Analysis:
Broad systems studies, transmutation system studies and integrated model development, and fuel cycle safety assessment are all tasks within the domain of this research area. The research objectives of projects under this area are to provide analysis on fuel cycle infrastructure needs, supply recommendations on fuel types and reactor systems from the perspective of the overall fuel cycle, and perform an analysis to assist DOE in determining the need for a second repository.
Small and Medium-Sized Export Reactors:
It is unlikely that every country entering the nuclear marketplace for the first time can accommodate the large plants currently being offered. Smaller-sized systems must be developed that are geared towards more remote locations with limited infrastructure and resources. Designs should be especially robust and secure to minimize safety and nuclear proliferation concerns. These requirements lead to advanced technology in fuels, materials, sensors, instrumentation, controls, safeguards/physical protection, and construction techniques.
