Advanced reactors

What is Generation IV

Today there are 441 nuclear power reactors in operation in 31 countriesaround the world. Generating electricity for nearly 1 billion people,they account for approximately 17 percent of worldwide electricity generationand provide half or more of the electricity in a number of industrializedcountries. Another 32 are presently under construction overseas.Nuclear power has an excellent operating record and generateselectricity in a reliable, environmentally safe, and affordable mannerwithout emitting noxious gases into the atmosphere.

The Evolution of Nuclear Power

Concerns over energy resource availability, climate change, air quality,and energy security suggest an important role for nuclear power infuture energy supplies. While the current Generation II and III nuclearpower plant designs provide a secure and low-cost electricity supply inmany markets, further advances in nuclear energy system design canbroaden the opportunities for the use of nuclear energy. To explore theseopportunities, the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy,Science and Technology has engaged governments, industry, andthe research community worldwide in a wide ranging discussion on thedevelopment of next generation nuclear energy systems known as "GenerationIV".

Generation IV Nuclear Reactors

• An international task force is developing six nuclear reactortechnologies for deployment between 2020 and 2030. Four are fastneutron reactors.

• All of these operate at higher temperatures than today's reactors.In particular, four are designated for hydrogen production.

• All six systems represent advances in sustainability, economics,safety, reliability and proliferation-resistance.

The Generation IV International Forum (GIF) was initiated in 2000,it is committed to joint development of the next generation of nucleartechnology. USA Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Japan, South Korea,South Africa, Switzerland, and the UK are members of the GIF,along with the EU. Russia and China were admitted in 2006.

Late in 2002 GIF announced the selection of six reactor technologieswhich they believe represent the future shape of nuclear energy. Theseare selected on the basis of being clean, safe and cost-effective means ofmeeting increased energy demands on a sustainable basis, while beingresistant to diversion of materials for weapons proliferation and securefrom terrorist attacks. They will be the subject of further developmentinternationally.

In addition to selecting these six concepts for deployment between2010 and 2030, the GIF recognized a number of International Near-Term Deployment advanced reactors available before 2015.

Most of the six systems employ a closed fuel cycle to maximize the resourcebase and minimize high-level wastes to be sedescribed as epithermal, and only two operate with slow neutrons like today'splants.

Only one is cooled by light water, two are helium-cooled and theothers have lead-bismuth, sodium or fluoride salt coolant. The latterthree operate at low pressure, with significant safety advantage. The lasthas the uranium fuel dissolved in the circulating coolant. Temperaturesrange from 510 to 1000 °C, compared with less than 330 °C for today'slight water reactors, and this means that four of them can be used forthermo chemical hydrogen production

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