Feature PRISM PRISM


GE Hitachi (GEH), one of the world’s leading providers of advanced reactors and nuclear services, has voiced its support for the UK Government’s plan to develop a re-use policy for the long-term management of the country’s plutonium (Pu) stocks.


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eading providers of nuclear services GEH has exciting proposals to provide an efficient, economical solution to the challenge of re-using Pu safely and securely. The company and its partners are bringing forward an approach for the re-use of Pu stocks using the GEH Power Reactor Innovative Small Module (PRISM) reactor. This solution has not only the potential to address the Pu problem but also to generate low-carbon electricity. GEH propose siting PRISM at Sellafield, where more than 87 metric tonnes is stored, thereby virtually eliminating the need for Pu transport.


The PRISM is based on decades of US technology development and safe operation of the Experimental Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II). The liquid sodium PRISM coolant allows the neutrons in the reactor to remain at a higher energy. This in turn allows for the destruction and contamination of Pu, reducing the amount of Pu and making it less accessible and more secure. The reaction produces heat energy, which is then converted into electrical energy in a conventional steam turbine.


16 NuclearCONNECT Benefits and features of PRISM


The PRISM reactor builds on sodium-cooled reactor experience and employs passive safety design features. It is a simplified reactor design, allowing factory fabrication with modular construction and ultimately lower costs. n


The right technology to destruct and contaminate Pu.


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An evolutionary design based on the EBR-II reactor with 30+ years of safe operating experience.


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Flexible enough to maximise proliferation risk reduction by providing varying amounts of proliferation resistance (radioactivity) and mixed Pu vector.


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Enables future options – complete recycling of Pu and most nuclear waste for a more compact repository with greatly reduced long-term risk.


n Simplified design:


• Pumps without moving parts; valves/motors eliminated from previous nuclear island designs; air-cooled passive safety.


• Removes decay heat passively with no operator or mechanical actions.


• Design eliminates loss-of-coolant accidents.


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Could generate significant jobs, with an estimated 1400 construction jobs, 900 of these permanent.


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622MW (net) electricity generation for UK grid.


NuclearCONNECT spoke to David Powell, Vice President Europe with GEH, who is excited about the prospect of using GEH technology to support the UK nuclear industry. He explained that GEH has made a considerable commitment to the project and that the whole team looks forward to developing the specific technical and commercial options that could enable the UK to realise a cost-effective outcome to managing the UK Pu stock. He is actively engaged in raising awareness of PRISM across the UK and highlighted a thirst for knowledge for details of the project.


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A SOLUTION FOR PLUTONIUM MANAGEMENT?


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