1 7-th INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL CONFERENCE VVER technology development prospects V.A.Sidorenko RSC “Kurchatov Institute” Moscow, Moscow, May 2010

2 The nearest target objective: NPP М (the same as NPP-2010 and NPP VVER-TOI) The declared program for NPP construction up to 2020 has to be completed with these versions.

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4 Main technical and economic objectives of NPP Availability factor: not less than 93% 2. Power consumption for auxiliaries: not higher than 6,4% 3. Efficiency (gross): 37,4% 4. Containment shall be designed for 20 t plane crash (option: 400 t) 5. Surface to be occupied by two Unit plant including circulating cooling water systems: not more than 300 m2/МW 6. Total structural volumes of two Unit plant buildings and structures: not more than 500 m3/МW 7. Construction period from first concrete to energetic start-up: not longer than 45 months

5 Reactor Department areas of optimization 1.Reactor thermal power increase up to МW (th.) based on conservatism removal 2. Steam generator upgrading (improvement of separation characteristics) 3. Reduction of control rods based on the results of activities already performed 4. Full exclusion of circulating oil systems from the reactor department, implementation of new reactor coolant pumps (development is practically completed) 5. Implementation of new vessel steel

6 Unit-wide modifications 1.Increase in Unit average annual thermal efficiency up to 37,4% due to optimization of steam turbine plant thermodynamic cycle 2.Implementation of a new line of header-platen type heat-exchange components (LPH, HPH, MSR) 3.Transfer to secondary circuit deaerator-free diagram 4.Development (or application) of low-speed turbine with generator up to МW (e) 5.Increase in Unit maneuvering characteristics due to implementation of heat accumulators, Unit participation in primary, secondary and daily regulation

7 6. Renunciation of using Unit demineralizers and transfer to small-duty Unit demineralizers 7. Use of waste low-temperature heat for heating needs (implementation of heat pumps) 8. Optimization of secondary circuit feed water plant structure including implementation of hydraulic clutches at electric feed water pumps, feed water pump pipelines 9. Optimization of Unit control algorithms 10.Optimization of safety system nomenclature and characteristics (safety system options upon Customer’s request)

8 Medium-term and more distant prospects are focused on new objectives that determine tasks both of evolutionary and innovative development of VVER technology

9 Principal task: forming optimum structure throughout all nuclear fuel cycle - closed fuel cycle build-up; - innovative development of fission reactors;  creation of efficient fast neutron breeders;  increased efficiency of fuel utilization in thermal neutron reactors.

10 Priority place of vessel-type light water reactors, bearers of traditional technology and large experience : Major objectives: more efficient use of uranium reduction of investment risks increase in thermodynamic efficiency

11 Considered areas of innovative development Cooling with subcritical parameter water and possible neutron spectrum regulationCooling with subcritical parameter water and possible neutron spectrum regulation Use of vessel-type reactor technology with subcritical parameter boiling water coolingUse of vessel-type reactor technology with subcritical parameter boiling water cooling Use of supercritical water in direct-flow single-circuit designUse of supercritical water in direct-flow single-circuit design Use of supercritical water in double-circuit reactor plantUse of supercritical water in double-circuit reactor plant Steam-water cooling in reactor subcritical pressure region with fast neutron spectrumSteam-water cooling in reactor subcritical pressure region with fast neutron spectrum Steam cooling in reactor supercritical pressure region with fast neutron spectrumSteam cooling in reactor supercritical pressure region with fast neutron spectrum

12 S-VVER-IS-VVER-E S-VVER-I – Innovative Super-VVER; S-VVER-E - Evolutionary Super-VVER NPP installed electric capacity Expected nuclear energy mix over the period up to 2050 Years VTGR GW RBMK VVER-440 BR S-VVER-I S-VVER-E NPP-2010 NPP-2006 VVER-1000

13 Premise for review of proposals – possible practical implementation over the period from 2020 to 2025

14 Improved VVER for operation in closed fuel cycle Natural uranium consumption in open cycle: t/GW(e) with conversion ration 0f 0,8-0,85 Spectral regulation Minimization of parasitic neutron absorption Fuel burn-up optimization Increase in thermal efficiency by optimizing steam generator design and increasing steam parameters Provision of wide operating capabilities (maneuvering, campaign length up to 24 months, load factor higher than 90%) Reduction of reactor plant loop number, creation of a standard 600 MW (e) loop Industrial production of Unit modules, construction time reduction down to 3,5-4 years Free Units arrangement by safety conditions Implementation of improvements not included in NPP-2010

15 Double-loop VVER-1200

16 Reactor design arrangement with neutron spectrum regulation by movable displacers Thermal/electric capacity, МW3500/1300 Plant efficiency, %33-34 Arrangement, number of circuits Loop-type two circuits Reactor inlet/outlet pressure, МPa 16.2/15.9 Reactor inlet/outlet temperature, °С 287/328,7 Core height/diameter (+shields), m 4,57/3,4 Vessel dimensions height/diameter, m 22/ 4. 5 Reactor plant design development phase FS Time required to complete R&D and to issue reactor plant engineering design, years 10 Need for pilot plant construction – Displacers Fuel elements Displacer channels

17 Single-circuit water-moderated water-cooled boiling reactor with hard neutron spectrum and high nuclear fuel breeding Thermal/electric capacity, MW 3000/ 1035 Plant efficiency, %33-34 Arrangement, number of circuits 1-circuit Reactor inlet/outlet pressure, МPа 8,0/7,3 Reactor inlet/outlet temperature, °С 287/288,7 Core height/diameter (+shields), m 2,4(+1)/ 4.14(+0.43) Vessel dimensions height/diameter, m 21/5.8 Reactor plant design development phase Conceptual design Time required to complete R&D and to issue reactor plant engineering design, years 10 Need for pilot plant construction +

18 Thermal/electric capacity, MW 3830/ 1700 Plant efficiency, %44 Arrangement, number of circuits Loop-type 1 circuit Reactor inlet/outlet pressure, MPa 25/24 Reactor inlet/outlet temperature, °С 290/540 Core height/diameter (+shields), m 3.76(+0.5)/ 3,37(+0,5) Vessel dimensions height/diameter/thickness, m 15,0/4,8/0,335 Reactor plant design development phase Conceptual design Time required to complete R&D and to issue reactor plant engineering design, years * 15 Need for pilot plant construction + Single-circuit VVER-SKD with double-inlet core

Double-circuit integral VVER-SKDI with single-pass core and natural coolant circulation Thermal/electric capacity, MW 1635/670 Plant efficiency, % 41 Arrangement, number of circuits Integral 2 circuits, natural circulation in first circuit Reactor inlet/outlet pressure, МPа 23.6 Reactor inlet/outlet temperature, °С 375/395 Core height/diameter (+shields), m 4,2/2,6 Vessel dimensions height/diameter, m 23,5/4,96 Reactor plant design development phase Conceptual design Time required to complete R&D and to issue reactor plant engineering design, years 15 Need for pilot plant construction + 1Reactor 2SG 3PRZ 4Water chemistry 5Pump 6Water accumulator 7Tank 8 9Safety vessel 10Bubbler 11Containment

20 Double-circuit fast neutron reactor cooled with steam-water mixture (PVER) Thermal/electric capacity, MW 1750/650 Plant efficiency, %37,1 Arrangement, number of circuits Loop-type 2 circuits Reactor inlet/outlet pressure, МPа 16.3/16.0 Reactor inlet/outlet temperature, °С 347/368 Core height/diameter (+shields), m 1.5(+0.5)/ 3(+0.2) Vessel dimensions height/diameter, m 10.9/4.25 Reactor plant design development phase Concept. design Time required to complete R&D and to issue reactor plant engineering design, years 10 Need for pilot plant construction + Core Reactor Jet pump Steam generator RCP Feedwater pump Turbine Electric generator Condenser

21 Double-circuit fast reactor with steam supercritical pressure coolant (PSKD) Thermal/electric capacity, MW 1470/ 590 Plant efficiency, %40.2 Arrangement, number of circuits Loop-type 2 circuits Reactor inlet/outlet pressure, МPа 24.5/24.2 Reactor inlet/outlet temperature, °С 388/500 Core height/diameter (+shields), m 1.5(+0.5)/ 3(+0.2) Vessel dimensions height/diameter, m 10.5/4.55 Reactor plant design development phase Conceptual design Time required to complete R&D and to issue reactor plant engineering design, years 15 Need for pilot plant construction + Core Reactor SCP Steam generator RCP Feedwater pump Turbine Electric generator Condenser

22 Development status, planned deadlines and implementation phases Reactor option name VVER-EPVER-650VVER– SKDI PSKD-600VVER– SKD VK-M Reactor plant design development phase FSConcep- tual design Time required to complete R&D and to issue reactor plant engineering design, years Need for pilot plant construction Possible date of pilot Unit start-up, year Possible date of mass implementation start, year

23 Assessment of proposals –Prospect of BWR experience use (?) –Transfer to «fast» neutron spectrum: area of optimum breeder option selection –Transfer to supercritical water pressure: independent promising area

24 Proposed areas for SUPER-VVER development It is proposed to focus on two research and development areas: area of evolutionary development involving upgrading and improvement of traditional VVER technology area of innovative development involving transfer to heat removal with supercritical parameter water

25 Phases of evolutionary SUPER-VVER creation : draft proposals for innovative core design and establishment of R&D program for NPP with evolutionary SUPER-VVER option; : performance of pre-design and basic R&D for NPP with evolutionary SUPER-VVER option (materials, codes, databases, benchmarks, bench base); : design of NPP with evolutionary SUPER- VVER option (conceptual design, draft proposal, FS, working documentation); : construction of pilot NPP with evolutionary SUPER-VVER option

26 Phases of innovative SUPER-VVER creation  : study of generalized fundamental problems of new generation VVER-SKD, draft proposals for ASSS with innovative SUPER-VVER reactor plant, establishment of requirements and R&D program for NPP with innovative SUPER-VVER option; : performance of pre-design and basic R&D for NPP with innovative SUPER-VVER option (materials, codes, databases, benchmarks, bench base, experimental investigations);  : design of NPP with innovative SUPER-VVER option (conceptual design, draft proposal, engineering design, FS, working documentation);  : construction of pilot NPP with innovative SUPER- VVER option.

27 Major R&D areas  Neutron-physics calculations and experiments  Thermo-hydraulic calculations and experiments  Material study-related problems in their integrality  Dynamics of processes in nuclear power facility and stability analysis  Water preparation  New technical solutions, scaled experiments

28 Main work scope for 2-3 years Performance of basic R&D which will allow: for evolutionary area: establishing draft proposals for core, reactor plant and NPP design for innovative area: studying generalized fundamental problems of VVER-SKD creation, selecting NSSS construction- design aspects and laying scientific and technical groundwork for transfer to purposeful R&D and specific design

29 NPP-2006NPP-2010 NPP-2006 NPP-2010 EVOLUTION INNOVATION UPGRADING (STC, April 2010)