China Civilian Nuclear Industry, Technology, Exports and Supply Chain: News & Discussions

[JSCh]

China uprates its oldest reactor
17 April 2019

In a first for the country, China has uprated its oldest power reactor, Qinshan 1, to 350 MWe (net) from its original 300 MWe. China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) said the engineering work "has important reference significance for the power enhancement of subsequent power stations, and plays an exemplary role in the life management of domestic nuclear power plants".

Qinshan 1 (Image: Hejiayuan)​

The uprate was announced after the plant had successfully completed a proving test involving 168 hours of "safe and stable" operation.

Qinshan 1, a pressurised water reactor brought online in 1991, was the first nuclear power unit China built using its own technologies. It went on to import several larger designs from countries that were more established in nuclear power at the time. China is now self-sufficient in nuclear power generation and has rolled out a series of large nuclear reactors of its own design and supported by its own supply chain.

CNNC said the engineering work "has important reference significance for the power enhancement of subsequent power stations, and plays an exemplary role in the life management of domestic nuclear power plants."

Qinshan's operational conditions have been stable and performance indicators have been "excellent" since the unit was first connected to the grid on 15 December 1991, CNNC said. According to the latest data shared with the International Atomic Energy Agency, Qinshan 1 achieved a load factor of 100.2% in 2017 and has averaged 83.5% over its whole lifespan. CNNC said it has "achieved good performance and economic benefit."

In addition, the reactor has been a test-bed for the Chinese industry, with over 130 technical updates and improvements per year, CNNC said. Its achievements include a continuous generation run of 469 days in 2007 and a national record refuelling outage of just over 18 days in 2014.

CNNC did not detail how the additional 50 MWe gross output was achieved. General information from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission suggests that at 16% it is likely to be what is called an 'extended uprate', which involves significant modifications to major pieces of non-nuclear equipment such as high-pressure turbines, condensate pumps and motors, main generators and transformers. Extra power on a smaller scale can also be obtained by reducing measurement uncertainty and refining a plant's operating margins.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News


http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/China-uprates-its-oldest-reactor

 

[JSCh]

21:03, 21-Apr-2019
How safe are China's nuclear power plants?
Cao Qingqing

Safety levels at China's nuclear power plants are now the highest in the world, Xue Xiaogang, president of the China Institute of Atomic Energy, told CGTN in an exclusive interview.

After a three-year hiatus, China will resume approving new nuclear power projects this year, according to Liu Hua, deputy minister of ecology and environment and head of the National Nuclear Safety Administration.

It has been taken as a positive signal for the country's nuclear power industry, which has slowed down since the catastrophic Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011. But safety is always the No.1 issue.

Xue Xiaogang, president of China Institute of Atomic Energy, speaks with CGTN in Beijing, April 18, 2019. /CGTN Photo​

What do we mean by nuclear power safety?

According to the expert, there are two major aspects with regard to the safety of a nuclear power plant. One is how to avoid nuclear meltdown, which requires robust and efficient cooling of the reactor, and the other is how to prevent the release of radioactive material into the environment.

In both aspects, the safety level (measured by various quantitative indexes) of all of China's nuclear power reactors in operation is above the world average, and 70 percent of them rank at the front, according to data from the World Nuclear Association (WNA).

The country's homegrown third-generation nuclear power technology Hualong One (also known as HPR1000), with the world's most advanced designs and extra safety measures, meets the highest international safety standards.

File photo: The dome being installed at No. 5 unit of Fuqing Nuclear Power Plant, which used Hualong One technology, in Fuqing, southeast China's Fujian Province, May 25, 2017. /Xinhua Photo

Reactors built with Hualong One designs also adopt a double-layer safety shell that can withstand the impact of a Boeing 737 airplane.

"It is almost impossible that a Fukushima-style accident will happen in China," Xue said.

At the Japanese plant, tsunami waves swamped the backup generators needed to keep coolant pumps running, and the loss of coolant caused three of the plant's six reactors to melt down. The Hualong One design stores water above the reactor that can be gravity-fed to keep it cool.

Like its major competitors, China is now developing the fourth generation of nuclear power technology, which could further minimize the likelihood of accidents, and has better economic performance and less nuclear waste, Xue said.

China has latecomer advantages

Worldwide, the development of nuclear power started from the 1950s, with the technology constantly being improved in terms of safety and cost-efficiency during the past seven decades.

Unlike traditional nuclear power heavyweights such as the U.S., France, Russia and Japan, China is a latecomer in the industry.

The country built its first nuclear power plant in the 1990s on the basis of the world's then most advanced second-generation nuclear power technology with high safety standards, which means a high starting point.

A model of China's first nuclear power plant – Qinshan nuclear power plant – is displayed at the China Museum of Nuclear Science and Technology in Fangshan district, Beijing, April 18, 2019. /CGTN Photo

All the three major nuclear power disasters in history, namely the Three Mile Island accident in the U.S. in 1979, the Chernobyl accident in the former Soviet Union in 1986, and the Fukushima disaster in Japan in 2011, happened to the old, first-generation nuclear reactors built before 1980s.

Besides, China has seen the most rapid development of nuclear power technology since the early 1990s, with no suspension of nuclear power construction or operation over the years. Plus, a world-class talent pool has been cultivated.

Why is nuclear power still needed in China?

All countries are turning to clean energy and cutting the use of fossil fuels such as crude oil and coal.

Compared with other carbon-free energy such as wind and solar power, which are inherently seasonal and weather-dependent, nuclear power still has some advantages. It's more stable and allows large-scale power supply, Xue said.

"Especially in China, there is greater room for nuclear power," he pointed out.

China's overall appetite for energy will remain relatively high, as the country maintains middle-to-high-speed economic growth. Meanwhile, China is transforming to green development, with higher environmental protection requirements.

Currently, coal-fired electricity still accounts for about 70 percent of China's total power. In order to meet the still robust energy demand while lowering harm to the environment, the country needs to further adjust its energy structure.

"Nuclear power might be the best choice so far," Xue said.

(Top image: A model of China's self-developed Hualong One nuclear power reactor is displayed at the China Museum of Nuclear Science and Technology in Fangshan district, Beijing, April 18, 2019. /CGTN Photo)

 

[JSCh]

'Artificial sun' paves way for unlimited clean energy
Updated 16:42, 26-Apr-2019
Cao Qingqing

Humanity could have unlimited clean energy by the mid of this century when an "artificial sun", a device designed to mimic the nuclear fusion process the real sun uses to generate energy, is expected to be used commercially.

Researchers at China's Southwestern Institute of Physics, the country's oldest and largest research center for nuclear fusion technology, are optimistic that this could probably first happen in China.

The Institute is on the way to complete building a crucial upgraded “artificial sun” by the end of this year, which will be one of the most advanced such devices in the world, and will bring humanity a step closer to ultimately solving its energy problems.

The current "artificial sun" device at the Southwestern Institute of Physics in southwest China's Chengdu city, Sichuan Province. The Institute is on the way to complete an upgraded one by the end of 2019./CGTN Photo

What's an "artificial sun"?

Simply speaking, it's a controlled nuclear fusion reactor, through which people are able to control the process of the fusion reaction, so as to use the heat released to generate electricity.

In a fusion reaction, two lighter atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus, while releasing energy.

However, it requires very difficult conditions, among which an extremely high temperature is a prerequisite.

At that temperature, the fuels for nuclear fusion, usually hydrogen isotopes such as deuterium and tritium, will exist in the state of plasma, which is composed of electrons and ions.

Fusion reactions will only start when the temperature of the ions reaches 100 million degrees Celcius, while current devices in China can only reach an ion temperature of 50 million degrees Celcius.

But the new "artificial sun", named HL-2M, will achieve that for the first time in China, Dr. Wulyu Zhong, a research fellow at Southwestern Institute of Physics, told CGTN.

“Judging from several key performance parameters, HL-2M will be the most advanced in China, and also one of the leading devices worldwide, comparable to those in the U.S. and Europe,” he said.

Dr. Wulyu Zhong, a research fellow at Southwestern Institute of Physics, speaks with CGTN./CGTN Photo

Why is fusion power highly anticipated?

Firstly, the fuels for nuclear fusion are abundant in nature. Deuterium can be extracted from seawater, and tritium can be produced in the fusion reaction itself.

In a complete fusion reaction, the deuterium extracted from one liter of seawater will release energy equivalent to that of 300 liters of gasoline.

What's more, a fusion reactor would produce no greenhouse gas or other pollutants, and little nuclear waste.

It's also much safer compared with the current fission nuclear power reactors, as the reaction will stop immediately once the required conditions are cut out.

Therefore, scientists worldwide are working to make the controlled fusion reaction take place in a more practical and economical way.

International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), a major project initiated in 1987, involves scientists from 35 countries and aims at the commercial use of the new energy.

China has undertaken nine percent of the research tasks in the project, and is now at the forefront in terms of research level, with a series of internationally advanced research outcomes, according to Zhong.

 

[JSCh]

Fuqing 5 enters system commissioning phase
09 August 2018

Installation of the control room has been completed at the demonstration Hualong One being constructed as unit 5 of the Fuqing nuclear power plant in China's Fujian province.

The completed control room of Fuqing 5 (Image: CNI23)​

The final display panel of the control room was installed on the morning of 4 August, China Nuclear Industry 23 Construction Company announced on 7 August. The company said this was six days ahead of schedule and marks the reactor's transition from the installation phase to the system commissioning phase.

In November 2014, China National Nuclear Corporation announced that the fifth and sixth units at Fuqing will use the domestically-developed Hualong One pressurised water reactor design, marking its first deployment. The company had previously expected to use the ACP1000 design for those units, but plans were revised in line with a re-organisation of the Chinese nuclear industry. China's State Council gave final approval for construction of Fuqing units 5 and 6 in April 2015.

The pouring of first concrete for Fuqing 5 began in May that year, marking the official start of construction of the unit. Construction of unit 6 began in December the same year. The dome of unit 5 was installed on the containment building in May last year and the reactor pressure vessel was installed in January this year.

Fuqing 5 and 6 are scheduled to be completed in 2019 and 2020, respectively.

Construction of two Hualong One (HPR1000) units is also under way at China General Nuclear's Fangchenggang plant in the Guangxi Autonomous Region. Those units are also expected to start up in 2019 and 2020. Two HPR1000 units are under construction at Pakistan's Karachi nuclear power plant. Construction began on Karachi unit 2 in 2015 and unit 3 in 2016; the units are planned to enter commercial operation in 2021 and 2022. The HPR1000 has also been proposed for construction at Bradwell in the UK, where it is undergoing Generic Design Assessment.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News


http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Fuqing-5-enters-system-commissioning-phase

华龙一号全球首堆提前50天启动冷试 全面转入调试阶段 | 中核集团

4月27日，随着现场总指挥一声令下，华龙一号全球首堆中核集团福清核电5号机组一回路水压试验正式启动。这标志着该机组提前计划50天启动冷态功能试验，由安装阶段全面转入调试阶段。

From China National Nuclear Corporation(CNNC),

On April 27, with the order of the on-site commander, world first Hualong One reactor at CNNC Fuqing Nuclear Power Plant Unit 5 primary loop hydraulic test was officially launched. This indicates that the unit has start the cold function test 50 days in advance of schedule, and the installation phase is fully transferred to the commissioning phase.

 

[JSCh]

↑↑↑
Cold functional test starts at China's first Hualong One nuclear project
Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-27 19:57:24|Editor: zh

Photo taken on April 27, 2019 shows the inside view of the No. 5 nuclear power unit in Fuqing, southeast China's Fujian Province. Cold functional tests began Saturday on a reactor of China's first nuclear power project using Hualong One technology, a domestically developed third-generation reactor design. The test was conducted on a circuit of the No. 5 nuclear power unit in the city of Fuqing, to evaluate the performance of the circuit system and its supporting facilities under high-pressure conditions, according to the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC). (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

FUZHOU, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Cold functional tests began Saturday on a reactor of China's first nuclear power project using Hualong One technology, a domestically developed third-generation reactor design.

The test was conducted on a circuit of the No. 5 nuclear power unit in the city of Fuqing, eastern China's Fujian Province, to evaluate the performance of the circuit system and its supporting facilities under high-pressure conditions, according to the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC).

The CNNC said the test started 50 days ahead of schedule.

Hualong One reactors were jointly designed by two nuclear power giants, China General Nuclear Power Group and the CNNC, and passed inspection by a national panel in August 2014.

China has since approved the use of Hualong One technology to build two reactors in Fujian, the No. 5 and No. 6 units.

​

 

[JSCh]

CIAE banks on green credentials for success
By Liu Zhihua | China Daily | Updated: 2019-05-07 10:45

Employees explaining the working of a nuclear reactor to visitors at the China Institute of Atomic Energy in Beijing. [Photo/Xinhua]

Firm ramps up efforts to promote nuclear tech for industrial and commercial use

The China Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE), one of the 23 science and research arms of China National Nuclear Corporation, has been ramping up efforts to utilize nuclear technologies for industrial and commercial use.

Set up in 1950, CIAE is widely considered the cradle of nuclear science and technology in the nation, as it pioneered the development and successful construction of China's first nuclear reactor and cyclotron in the 1950s.

Now CIAE has become a fundamental nuclear research base in China with comprehensive capabilities in nuclear energy, nuclear science and technology, and nuclear-related services, with more than 3,000 employees.

"Our large-scale science platforms provide researchers with unique and excellent conditions for fundamental and innovative research and development in nuclear science and related areas," said Wan Gang, Party chief of CIAE.

"Our high-tech products based on nuclear technologies are increasingly being used in civilian markets," he said, adding that the institute is currently developing a 230 million electron volt superconducting cyclotron.

The superconducting cyclotron, a key component for mainstream proton therapy systems, is likely to become fully commissioned next year for clinical trials, making it the first of its kind in China, according to Zhang Tianjue, director of the Cyclotron Research and Design Center of CIAE.

Proton therapy, or proton radiotherapy, is a type of therapy that uses a particle accelerator to irradiate diseased tissue with a beam of protons, most often as treatment for cancer.

Compared with conventional radiotherapy, proton beams will only release a large percentage of radiation dose when they reach a tumor, which means it will kill the cancer cells while leaving healthy cells intact, according to Zhang.

"Cancer is among the top diseases in China, and it is important for us to help cancer patients with domestically developed devices. We have not only the willingness, but also the technology and capabilities, as the cyclotrons that CIAE makes are among the best in the world."

About 73 percent of installed proton therapy systems in the world use cyclotrons to produce proton beams, according to Lyu Yinlong, deputy director of the center.

With proton therapy systems being used for domestically made accelerators, treatment costs for Chinese cancer patients will be largely reduced, said Zhang and Lyu. If patients opt for proton therapy with imported systems or abroad, the costs could more than double, they said.

Apart from the medical sector, the institute has also designed a new type of safe, economical and environmentally friendly nuclear heating reactor for district heating, with its independently developed pool-type low-temperature reactor Yanlong.

During a demonstration last winter, the reactor was used to supply heat to three buildings of about 10,000 square meters in CIAE continuously for 30 days.

"The demonstration has proved the feasibility of the pool-type low-temperature heating reactor and marked important progress for follow-up commercial use of such nuclear heating technology," said Liu Xingmin, director of the reactor core design section at the institute.

China has built a number of pool-type reactors, which have cumulatively operated for 500 reactor years, proving such reactors are stable and reliable, according to Liu. A reactor year is one year of operations for a reactor.

Pool-type low-temperature reactors run under normal pressure and at low temperatures, with water acting as a neutron moderator, coolant and radiation shield, Liu said.

"The layer of water shields the radiation so completely that as long as there is water above the reactor core, the reactor will be safe and stable even if affected by earthquakes of magnitude between 7 and 8," he added.

Moreover, the nuclear heating system is cost efficient, and a 400-megawatt Yanlong low-temperature heating reactor could heat up to 20 million square meters, equivalent to 200,000 homes, according to Liu.

Its average price is far superior to gas, although it is not as cheap as coal-fired power or heat cogeneration units, Liu said.

Besides, it can be constructed near the sea or on land, making it a good fit for China's northern areas, as the nation attaches great importance to environmental protection, and is seeking clean energy to replace coal-fired heating that aggravates air pollution in North China, Liu said.

He said that a couple of cities in North China have contacted the CIAE for Yanlong reactor-based nuclear heating programs, and researchers at the institute are seeking to further reduce the cost of the nuclear heating system.

Wan, the Party chief of the CIAE, said the institute's other products based on nuclear technologies, including medical isotopes used in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, and devices for industrial irradiation, a very effective way to sterilize goods, are also very popular among both domestic and foreign users.

 

[JSCh]

CGN agrees to invest in completion of Romanian reactors
08 May 2019

A preliminary investors' agreement has today been signed between Romanian national nuclear company Nuclearelectrica and China General Nuclear (CGN) regarding the completion of units 3 and 4 at the Cernavoda nuclear power plant.

The unfinished units 3 and 4 at Cernavoda (Image: Nuclearelectrica)​

The investors' agreement in the preliminary form (PIA) was signed at the Ministry of Energy in Bucharest by Nuclearelectrica, CGN and CGN Central and Eastern Europe Investment (Romania) Co (CEERI). The signing took place in the presence of Romanian Vice Prime-Minister Viorel Stefan; Minister of Energy Anton Anton; China's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Romania Jiang Yu; and Economic Counsellor of China to Romania Guan Gang.

The PIA was approved by Nuclearelectrica's shareholders during its General Meeting of Shareholders on 10 April. CGN has also completed its internal approval process of the agreement.

The agreement calls for the setting up of a joint venture project company as a "technical and operational platform" for the completion of Cernavoda 3 and 4, which will be 700 MWe Candu 6 pressurised heavy water reactors. Under the agreement, the joint venture will be established within the next 60 working days for an initial period of two years. CGN will hold a 51% stake in the project company, with Nuclearelectrica holding the remaining 49%.

"Reaching a consensus in the negotiation process, mutually advantageous for both parties, realised by the approval of Nuclearelectrica's shareholders of the investors' agreement in the preliminary form, is in actuality the effective initiation of the concrete measures to continue and develop of Cernavoda units 3 and 4," said Anton. "During the initial two-year duration of the new project company we will define and structure the model to continue the project, being in fact the first essential stage prior to the construction of the two units."

Bian Shuming, general manager of CGN Romania Nuclear Power Co, said CGN is fully committed to working closely together with its Romanian partner on the successful development of the next phases of the project in line with the agreed principles.

Cernavoda is already home to two operating Candu 6 reactors supplied by Candu Energy's predecessor, Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd (AECL), and built by a Canadian-Italian consortium of AECL and Ansaldo. Unit 1 started up in 1996, but work was suspended on a further four units in 1991. Unit 2 was subsequently completed and has been in operation since 2007.

In July 2014, China Nuclear Power Engineering Co (CNPEC) signed a "binding and exclusive" cooperation agreement with Candu Energy for the construction of two more reactors at the Cernavoda nuclear power plant in Romania. CGN is CNPEC's parent company.

In September 2014, CGN submitted the sole non-binding bid for the contract to build two new reactors at Cernavoda and was declared a "qualified investor" in the project.

Nuclearelectrica and CGN signed a memorandum of understanding in November 2015 for the development, construction, operation and decommissioning of Cernavoda 3 and 4.

Nuclearelectrica said today's signing of the PIA "represents an essential stage of the selection process launched in 2014 from the technical and operational point of view."

Researched and written by World Nuclear News


http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/CGN-agrees-to-invest-in-completion-of-Romanian-rea

 

[JSCh]

Chinese scientists develop virtual nuclear power plant for safety assessment
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-09 15:34:26|Editor: ZX

BEIJING, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese scientists have developed a virtual nuclear power plant within a digital society, a software system to help evaluate the safety and efficiency of nuclear energy systems.

The research of the system, named Virtual4DS, was published as a cover paper in the International Journal of Energy Research in April.

As nuclear safety is the key issue in the development of nuclear energy, research and development of advanced nuclear energy safety technology is imperative. Advanced numerical simulations can restore the complex physical processes as much as possible and predict nuclear energy system behavior and safety performance.

Developed by scientists from the Institute of Nuclear Energy Safety Technology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the system uses information technology to establish an integrated simulation platform for the whole environment of the nuclear power plant.

It can analyze nuclear reactor safety, radiation safety and environmental impact, providing a research tool for nuclear safety design and assessment, accident warning, emergency decision-making and social risk assessment.

Virtual4DS can be connected to a nuclear power plant's information system and its core modules have been applied in nuclear engineering projects such as ITER, the world's largest nuclear fusion experimental reactor, and China's Lead-based Reactor, according to the team.

 

[JSCh]

Testing complete for Hualong One fuel
21 March 2019

Long-term irradiation testing of China National Nuclear Corporation's (CNNC) CF3 pressurised water reactor (PWR) fuel has been completed.

CNF3 fuel assembly (Image: CNNC)​

Four sets of CF3 fuel assemblies, which are designed for use in the Hualong One reactor, were loaded into Qinshan II unit 2 - a Chinese-designed CNP-600 PWR - in July 2014. The assemblies have undergone poolside inspections during each fuelling cycle, CNNC said. Inspection results show that the performance of the design has met internationally accepted standards.

According to World Nuclear Association information, CF3 fuel assemblies are being manufactured at CNNC's main PWR fuel fabrication plant at Yibin in Sichuan province, using fuel pellets from Kazakhstan's Ulba Metallurgical Plant.

Hualong One reactors are currently under construction at Fuqing and Fangchenggang. Fuqing 5 and 6 are expected to start up in 2019 and 2020, as are Fangchenggang 3 and 4. The Hualong One promoted on the international market is called the HPR1000, two of which are under construction at Karachi in Pakistan.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News
http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Testing-complete-for-Hualong-One-fuel

From China National Nuclear Corporation(CNNC), on 10 May, mass produced CF3 nuclear fuel element successfully passed factory acceptance.

 

[JSCh]

中国核电_CNNP
今天 21:18 来自 iPhone客户端
#华龙一号# 【“穿针引线”！“华龙一号”全球首堆发电机穿转子工作完成】
5月28日16点07分,“华龙一号”全球首堆福清核电5号机组发电机穿转子一次成功，为汽轮发电机组盘车节点的实现创造了条件。
发电机穿转子工作作为发电机安装中最为关键的一环，其需实现转子穿装到直径为2.152米的定子铁芯膛腔里，最小穿装间隙仅为58毫米，安装精度高，难度大，持续时间长。
发电机主要用于将动能转换为电能。福清核电5号机组发电机由东方电机有限公司研制生产，具有自主知识产权。发电机主要由定子、转子、端盖及轴承等部件构成，其转子重约240吨，最大直径超过2米。
发电机穿转子的完成，是5号机组常规岛又一项重大节点目标得到实现，为机组热试的开展打下坚实基础。

From China National Nuclear, on 28 May, rotor for the generator was successfully installed for first ever nuclear plant using HuaLong One nuclear technology at Fuqing no. 5 nuclear station.

 

[JSCh]

World's second EPR nuclear reactor starts work in China
Date created : 29/05/2019 - 11:00

The two EPR reactors at the Taishan nuclear power plant will be the most powerful in the world when fully completed and can supply five million Chinese users, its owners say AFP/File

Paris (AFP)

A next-generation EPR nuclear reactor in China has carried out its first chain reaction, French energy giant EDF announced Wednesday, becoming the second using the much-delayed European technology to reach the milestone.

The fission reaction at the Taishan 2 reactor on Tuesday follows the Taishan 1 becoming last year the first of its kind to advance to the operational stage.

"The nuclear reaction was authorised and yesterday the Chinese reactor carried out a fission reaction for the first time," EDF chairman and CEO Jean-Bernard Levy told Europe 1 radio on Wednesday.

EDF, which helped design the European Pressurised Reactor (EPR), is a minority shareholder in the Taishan project, which is a joint venture with China's state-run CGN and regional Chinese utility Yuedian.

The first nuclear fuel was loaded into the Taishan 2 reactor in early May in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong.

Levy said that Taishan 1, which in December became the first EPR to enter into commercial service, was "working very well".

The two EPR reactors at the Taishan nuclear power plant will be the most powerful in the world when fully completed and will be able to supply five million Chinese users, the companies have said.

EPR reactors -- which use a pressurised water design -- promise advances in safety and efficiency over conventional reactors while producing less waste.

But EDF has faced serious problems rolling out the technology and has managed to sell just a handful of the reactors as construction problems piled up.

EDF has been building an EPR reactor at Flamanville along the Atlantic coast of northwest France. It was originally set to go online in 2012 but the project has been plagued by technical problems and budget overruns.

Levy acknowledged that the "difficulty" of the Flamanville project had been "underestimated."

French President Emmanuel Macron has asked EDF to study the feasibility of building more next-generation EPR nuclear reactors in the country, but will wait until 2021 before deciding whether to proceed with construction.

? 2019 AFP


https://www.france24.com/en/20190529-worlds-second-epr-nuclear-reactor-starts-work-china

 

[JSCh]

'Artificial sun' paves way for unlimited clean energy
Updated 16:42, 26-Apr-2019
Cao Qingqing

Humanity could have unlimited clean energy by the mid of this century when an "artificial sun", a device designed to mimic the nuclear fusion process the real sun uses to generate energy, is expected to be used commercially.

Researchers at China's Southwestern Institute of Physics, the country's oldest and largest research center for nuclear fusion technology, are optimistic that this could probably first happen in China.

The Institute is on the way to complete building a crucial upgraded “artificial sun” by the end of this year, which will be one of the most advanced such devices in the world, and will bring humanity a step closer to ultimately solving its energy problems.

The current "artificial sun" device at the Southwestern Institute of Physics in southwest China's Chengdu city, Sichuan Province. The Institute is on the way to complete an upgraded one by the end of 2019./CGTN Photo

What's an "artificial sun"?

Simply speaking, it's a controlled nuclear fusion reactor, through which people are able to control the process of the fusion reaction, so as to use the heat released to generate electricity.

In a fusion reaction, two lighter atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus, while releasing energy.

However, it requires very difficult conditions, among which an extremely high temperature is a prerequisite.

At that temperature, the fuels for nuclear fusion, usually hydrogen isotopes such as deuterium and tritium, will exist in the state of plasma, which is composed of electrons and ions.

Fusion reactions will only start when the temperature of the ions reaches 100 million degrees Celcius, while current devices in China can only reach an ion temperature of 50 million degrees Celcius.

But the new "artificial sun", named HL-2M, will achieve that for the first time in China, Dr. Wulyu Zhong, a research fellow at Southwestern Institute of Physics, told CGTN.

“Judging from several key performance parameters, HL-2M will be the most advanced in China, and also one of the leading devices worldwide, comparable to those in the U.S. and Europe,” he said.

Dr. Wulyu Zhong, a research fellow at Southwestern Institute of Physics, speaks with CGTN./CGTN Photo

Why is fusion power highly anticipated?

Firstly, the fuels for nuclear fusion are abundant in nature. Deuterium can be extracted from seawater, and tritium can be produced in the fusion reaction itself.

In a complete fusion reaction, the deuterium extracted from one liter of seawater will release energy equivalent to that of 300 liters of gasoline.

What's more, a fusion reactor would produce no greenhouse gas or other pollutants, and little nuclear waste.

It's also much safer compared with the current fission nuclear power reactors, as the reaction will stop immediately once the required conditions are cut out.

Therefore, scientists worldwide are working to make the controlled fusion reaction take place in a more practical and economical way.

International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), a major project initiated in 1987, involves scientists from 35 countries and aims at the commercial use of the new energy.

China has undertaken nine percent of the research tasks in the project, and is now at the forefront in terms of research level, with a series of internationally advanced research outcomes, according to Zhong.

科技日报
今天 10:18 来自 专业版微博
【我国新一代“人造太阳”装置总体安装启动】5日，随着主机线圈系统交付，中国环流器二号M（HL-2M）总体安装在中核集团核工业西南物理研究院启动。作为我国新一代“人造太阳”装置，HL-2M离子体电流可达3兆安培、等离子体温度将超过2亿摄氏度，未来将用于开展聚变堆相关关键物理与工程技术研究，并为国际热核聚变实验堆（ITER）提供支撑。

中国环流器二号M装置是我国大型常规磁体托卡马克聚变研究装置，该装置意在通过开展可控热核聚变研究，给人类带来几乎无限的清洁能源，因此也称“人造太阳”装置。此次新交付的主机线圈系统，是中国环流器二号M装置主机的核心部件之一，其总体重量约90吨，高冲击载荷条件下运行寿命要求不低于10万次。

随着主机线圈系统的交付，中国环流器二号M装置正式进入总体安装阶段。该装置建成后，将为实现我国聚变前沿技术从跟跑、并跑到领跑的跨越，提供重要支撑。按照计划，该装置将于今年年底建成。（陶玉祥 科技日报记者盛利）

Science and technology daily
Today 10:18 from the professional version of Weibo

[China's new generation of "artificial sun" device installation start]
On the 5th, with the delivery of the main coil system, China HL-2M start installation at the Southwest Institute of Physics of CNNC. As a new generation of "artificial sun" device in China, the HL-2M plasma ion current can reach 3 mega amperes and the plasma temperature can exceed 200 million degrees Celsius. In the future, it will be used to carry out research on key physics and engineering technologies related to fusion reactors, and provide research support for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER).

China HL-2M device is China's large conventional magnet tokamak fusion research device, which is intended to bring almost unlimited clean energy to humans through the development of controlled thermonuclear fusion, so it is also called "artificial sun". The newly delivered main coil system is one of the core components of the HL-2M device. Its overall weight is about 90 tons, and the operating life requirement under high impact load conditions is no less than 100,000 times.

With the delivery of the main coil system, the China HL-2M device officially entered the overall installation phase. After the installation of the device, it will provide important support for realizing the leapfrogging of China's fusion frontier technology from following to running and leading. According to the plan, the device will be completed by the end of this year. (Tao Yuxiang Science and Technology Daily reporter Sheng Li)

 

[JSCh]

Pakistan Nuclear Power Plant Project With China's Hualong One Technology Puts Dome on Main Structure
DOU SHICONG
DATE : JUN 18 2019/SOURCE : YICAI

Pakistan Nuclear Power Plant Project With China's Hualong One Technology Puts Dome on Main Structure​

(Yicai Global) June 18 -- Pakistan's Karachi Nuclear Power Plant, the first overseas project adopting China's home-grown third-generation Hualong One pressurized water reactor nuclear power technology, completed the engineering of its main structure yesterday.

The 366-ton dome of the K-2 unit's outer safety shell was successfully hoisted into place on the Karachi K-2 Nuclear Power Plant yesterday, online news outlet Huanqiu reported.

The plant will conduct general and thermal testing of this security housing in the project's next phase, per the report.

China National Nuclear contracted Pakistan's K-2 and K-3 nuclear power plant projects, and the Beijing-based company is now building four demonstration projects under construction both at home and abroad that apply the Hualong One technology.

PWRs comprise most of the world's nuclear power plants. Water in a PWR is pumped under high pressure to a reactor core where the energy released by atomic fission heats it. It then flows to a steam generator where it delivers its thermal energy to a secondary system which produces steam that flows to turbines which turn a dynamo.

 

[JSCh]

JUNE 25, 2019 / 11:35 PM / UPDATED 17 HOURS AGO
Argentine official, in China, talks nuclear deal and soymeal - Reuters

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Argentina indicated its interest on Tuesday in moving forward with China on initiatives including construction of the country’s fourth nuclear power plant and exporting locally processed soymeal to China, the government said following bilateral meetings in Beijing.

If finalized, the nuclear plant, reportedly worth up to $8 billion, would be one of the biggest projects financed in Argentina by China, which has become a key trading partner for Argentina and its biggest non-institutional lender.

Argentina’s cabinet chief Marcos Pena said “there is an intention to move forward” with the plant’s construction in a government statement following his meeting in Beijing with China’s Vice Premier Minister Hu Chunhua.

Pena will head from Beijing to the G20 summit in Japan.

An Argentine government official said in April that China’s own Hualong One reactor design would be a good choice for the plant. This month, China completed the outer safety dome at its first overseas “Hualong One” nuclear reactor in Pakistan.

The Argentine nuclear project, agreed under former President Cristina Fernandez, has stalled under the administration of Mauricio Macri, though government officials have signaled their intentions to reach a final agreement with China in the past year.

Pena also highlighted bilateral discussions aimed at allowing Argentine exports of soy derivatives like soymeal livestock feed to China. On Monday Argentina also sent its first shipment of refrigerated beef to Shanghai.

“You see very strong dynamism and a broad opening in terms of access to markets,” Pena said.

Argentina, which already sells raw soybeans to China to be processed into meal there, has been lobbying hard for permission to sell soymeal to directly feed the world’s biggest hog herd.

The trade war between Washington and Beijing has hit Argentina’s soy crushing industry hard. A glut of U.S. soybeans has pushed down the price of manufacturing U.S. meal, undercutting Argentine exports to customers in Europe and Southeast Asia. Wanting to protect its own crushing industry, China has been reluctant to open itself to Argentine meal.

(The story corrects fifth paragraph to read “Argentine government official” from “Chinese government official”.)

Reporting by Cassandra Garrison and Hugh Bronstein; Editing by David Gregorio

 

[JSCh]

Plasma diagnostic system improved to ensure safe nuclear fusion
Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-27 08:05:17|Editor: Yamei


BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese researchers have improved a diagnostics system for nuclear fusion devices, paving the way for producing controlled thermonuclear fusion power in the future.

At the temperatures required for fusion reactions, the matter can only exist in the plasma state, free negative electrons and positive nuclei. Some fusion reactors use a magnetic field to confine hot plasma for fusion actions to take place.

Plasma is hard to control and contain and is subject to sudden termination, usually with very little warning. When a disruption occurs, the considerable thermal and magnetic energy contained within the plasma is suddenly released very quickly, which can lead to damages.

Scattering of laser light from the electrons in plasma is known as Thomson scattering. It has been used as an established method to measure the electron temperature and density in fusion devices, assisting in the identification of critical points of the fusion plasmas.

Researchers from Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences and University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) tested their new Thomson scattering diagnostic system in the Keda Torus eXperiment, a fusion device at the USTC.

The new system used laser beams of 200 Hz repetition rate and 1.5 J pulse energy each as the source of intense radiation for scattering and achieved the accurate detection of the electron temperature under 5 electron volts, the energy unit that electron temperature is often expressed in terms of.

The time response of the diagnostic system using a single laser unit is two times faster than that of a conventional one.

According to the researchers, the frequency of laser beam decides how often the diagnostic system measure the electron temperature. In a hot magnetically confined plasma, the laser system thus can record fast changes and measure turbulence and electron fluctuations so as to ensure safe operation of the fusion reactor.

In future studies, the researchers plan to develop Thomson scattering diagnostic system based on laser beams with much higher frequency.

Nuclear fusion has the potential to revolutionize energy production, with virtually endless power available from common elements like hydrogen and helium and no dangerous waste products produced.