Next Generation Nuclear Plant Research and Development Program Plan

Abstract

The U.S Department of Energy (DOE) is conducting research and development (R&D) on the Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) design concept for the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) Project. The reactor design will be a graphite moderated, thermal neutron spectrum reactor that will produce electricity and hydrogen in a highly efficient manner. The NGNP reactor core could be either a prismatic graphite block type core or a pebble bed core. Use of a liquid salt coolant is also being evaluated. The NGNP will use very high-burnup, low-enriched uranium, TRISO-coated fuel, and have a projected plant design service life of 60 years.The VHTR concept is considered to be the nearest-term reactor design that has the capability to efficiently produce hydrogen. The plant size, reactor thermal power, and core configuration will ensure passive decay heat removal without fuel damage or radioactive material releases during accidents.The objectives of the NGNP Project are to:Demonstrate a full-scale prototype VHTR that is commercially licensed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Demonstrate safe and economical nuclearassisted production of hydrogen and electricity.The DOE laboratories, led by the INL, will perform R&D that will be critical to the success of the NGNP, primarily in the areas of: High temperature gas reactor fuels behavior High temperature materials qualification Design methods development and validation Hydrogen production technologiesEnergy conversion.The current R&D work is addressing fundamental issues that are relevant to a variety of possible NGNP designs. This document describes the NGNP R&D planned and currently underway in the first three topic areas listed above. The NGNP Advanced Gas Reactor (AGR) Fuel Development and Qualification Program is presented in Section 2, the NGNP Materials R&D Program Plan is presented in Section 3, and the NGNP Design Methods Development and Validation R&D Program is presented in Section 4. The DOE-funded hydrogen production [DOE 2004] and energy conversion technologies programs are described elsewhere.Sketch of how the NGNP might be configured to produce both electricity and hydrogen. iv Fuel Development and QualificationDevelopment and qualification of TRISO-coated low-enriched uranium fuel is a key R&D activity associated with the NGNP Program. The work is being conducted in accordance with the Technical Program Plan for the Advanced Gas Reactor Fuel Development and Qualification Program [Bell et al. 2003]. The AGR Program includes work on improving the kernel fabrication, coating, and compacting technologies, irradiation and accident testing of fuel specimens, and fuel performance and fission product transport modeling. The primary goal of these activities is to successfully demonstrate that TRISOcoated fuel can be fabricated to withstand the high temperatures, burnup, and power density requirements of a prismatic block type NGNP with an acceptable failure fraction. It is assumed that TRISO fuel that is successful in a block reactor will also be successful in pe...

Introduction: reactive oxygen species in health and disease

“…The main processes, depolarization due to closure of K C channels and inhibition of Na C /K Cactivated ATPase in the plasma membrane and the consequent opening of voltage-gated Ca 2C channels, are also found in other endocrine cells (Spät & Hunyady 2005). MacDonald et al (2005) review recent findings concerning glucose sensing in the pancreatic beta-cells, focusing on the generation of metabolic signalling molecules, control of membrane potential and insulin granule dynamics. The article by Burdakov et al (2005) deals with a fascinating new topic, namely the role of specific glucose-sensing neurons in the central nervous system in sleep-wake cycles, energy expenditure and feeding behaviour.…”

“…This is followed by two papers on glucose-sensing mechanisms. The article from Rorsman's group (MacDonald et al 2005) deals with the pancreatic insulin-secreting cells. These cells have been particularly well investigated and a substantial body of knowledge concerning the mechanism by which an increase in the plasma glucose concentration triggers insulin secretion has been available for quite some time (Petersen & Findlay 1987).…”