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The Future of Nuclear Power for Clean Energy Systems

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A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "B4: Nuclear Energy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 November 2023) | Viewed by 5887

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Mikołaj Oettingen

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Guest Editor

Department of Sustainable Energy Development, Faculty of Energy and Fuels, AGH University of Science and Technology, 30 Mickiewicza Av., 30-059 Krakow, Poland
Interests: nuclear technologies; nuclear energy; nuclear reactors; burnup systems; nuclear fuels

Dr. Paweł Gajda

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Guest Editor

Department of Sustainable Energy Development, Faculty of Energy and Fuels, AGH University of Science and Technology, 30 Mickiewicza Av., 30-059 Krakow, Poland
Interests: advanced nuclear fuel cycles; advanced reactor technologies; low carbon energy systems

Dr. Bartosz Ceran

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Guest Editor

Institute of Electrical Power Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, Piotrowo 3A, 60-965 Poznan, Poland
Interests: power engineering; power systems; power plants; hybrid power generation systems

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Currently, many countries are developing nuclear energy as a result of rapidly changing global political and economic conditions. Research and development in this field focus on a number of aspects related to the operation of nuclear power plants in the power system, nuclear security and safety, new reactor technologies, the nuclear fuel cycle, and many others. These issues undoubtedly constitute a research topic for many scientific groups all over the world.

In connection with the above, we decided to establish a Special Issue for Energies entitled “The Future of Nuclear Power for Clean Energy Systems”. We invite all authors to publish scientific papers on nuclear energy and its future role in energy systems. This Special Issue will guarantee dissemination of innovative knowledge to a wide audience, thus facilitating the conduct and harmonization of nuclear energy research.

Dr. Mikołaj Oettingen
Dr. Paweł Gajda
Dr. Bartosz Ceran
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

nuclear energy
nuclear reactor technology
nuclear fuel cycle
nuclear heat
nuclear–renewable synergy
nuclear safety
power system
smart grid
renewable energy source
sustainability
hybrid energy systems
hydrogen production
decarbonisation
climate change

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Editorial

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3 pages, 185 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Special Issue: “The Future of Nuclear Power for Clean Energy Systems”

by Mikołaj Oettingen, Paweł Gajda and Bartosz Ceran

Energies 2023, 16(23), 7905; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16237905 - 4 Dec 2023

Viewed by 677

Abstract

Currently, many countries are considering the construction of nuclear power plants as a result of rapidly changing global political and economic conditions [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Future of Nuclear Power for Clean Energy Systems)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

12 pages, 533 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Full-System Decontamination of Kori Unit 1 on the Radioactive Waste Classification of Steam Generator Tubes

by Su-Hyun Kang and Chang-Lak Kim

Energies 2023, 16(15), 5787; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16155787 - 3 Aug 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 832

Abstract

Kori Unit 1, which was permanently shut down on 18 June 2017, is planned to undergo full-system decontamination prior to major decommissioning activities. One of the advantages of performing FSD is the downgrading of the classification level of radioactive waste. From this perspective, the impact on the steam generator (SG) tubes, which account for a considerable portion of the total surface area during FSD operation, was examined. Initially, the CRUDTRAN code was used to predict the radioactivity inventory of the Kori Unit 1 SG tubes, which turned out to be approximately 21% more conservative than the measured value. To estimate the radioactivity in the tubes after FSD, decontamination factor values from overseas cases in the SG tubes section were selected and applied. Then, the regulations for radioactive waste in Korea were reviewed, and the specific activity was calculated by predicting the mass of the SG tubes. As a conclusion, it was confirmed that the SG tubes will be classified as low-level radioactive waste, whether FSD is performed or not. Furthermore, it was observed that even if a high efficiency of FSD is achieved, if stored, it would take more than 50 years for clearance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Future of Nuclear Power for Clean Energy Systems)

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23 pages, 1754 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Event-Triggered Communication in Cooperative, Adaptive Model Predictive Control of a Nuclear Power Plant’s Turbo–Generator Set

by Paweł Sokólski, Tomasz A. Rutkowski, Bartosz Ceran, Daria Złotecka and Dariusz Horla

Energies 2023, 16(13), 4962; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16134962 - 26 Jun 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 795

Abstract

This paper discusses the issue of optimizing the communication between the components of a cooperating control system formed by a pair of MPC controllers of a nuclear power plant turbine set using online recursive least squares identification. It is proposed to use event-triggered communication, i.e., sending information only at selected time instants, as opposed to the standard approach where communication is triggered by time (time-triggered approach). The aim of this paper is to propose a change in the method of information exchange in the case of asynchronous communication between control system components and to prove its suitability for the selected application. Resignation from continuous communication in favor of sending information only at selected moments allows the load on the communication network to be reduced by approximately 90% while maintaining the quality of control. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Future of Nuclear Power for Clean Energy Systems)

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18 pages, 2495 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

A Micro-Nuclear Power Generator for Space Missions

by Olukayode L. Ayodele, Doudou N. Luta and Mohammed T. Kahn

Energies 2023, 16(11), 4422; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16114422 - 30 May 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1367

Abstract

The significance of reliable energy storage systems in spacecraft applications cannot be overstated, since they play a vital role in ensuring continuous power supply and prolonged mission durations. This research deals with the modeling of a hybrid multi-mission radioisotope thermoelectric generator (MMRTG)-lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery integrated energy storage system for spacecraft applications to combine the RTGs’ long lifespan and reliability benefits alongside the Li-ion battery’s rechargeability and high energy density to achieve a single energy unit. The investigation’s main problem was exploring a power unit that improves the limitations of MMRTG and Li-ion batteries to achieve a highly efficient and reliable power supply for autonomous systems, such as a spacecraft. The proposed hybrid system comprises a 110 W/32 V RTG and a 3.6 V/43 Ah Li-ion battery connected to a DC motor through power converters. Results demonstrate the potential of the adopted hybrid energy system in improving the efficiency, reliability, and mission duration of spacecraft missions. The assessment of the hybrid energy system under various load conditions shows that the highest power peak of 3500 W was achieved at a load resistance of 1 Ω. Furthermore, the results show that the hybrid energy system output voltage at temperatures of 253 °K and 293 °K are relatively equal. However, the power cycle was wider and required a long time before dropping. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Future of Nuclear Power for Clean Energy Systems)

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19 pages, 2178 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Application of an Independent Temporary Spent Fuel Storage Pool Cooling System for Decommissioning of Pressurized Water Reactor Kori Units 3 and 4

by Wonjune Mah and Chang-Lak Kim

Energies 2023, 16(2), 1009; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16021009 - 16 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1292

Abstract

The operating license of Kori units 3 and 4 are to be expired in 2024 and 2025. If the plants are decided to be decommissioned, the spent nuclear fuels in the spent fuel storage pool (SFP) have to be removed from the site. However, no proper storage facility is currently available in Korea. To overcome the difficulty, this study proposes application of an independent temporary SFP cooling system. It is expected to safely isolate the SFP from the plant. The case study conducted showed this concept is achievable and technically mature. Moreover, the installation cost per unit is USD 9.51 million obtained from an analogous estimating. This is much lower cost than the dry cask options. Then, system requirements and applicable design are developed. Maximum heat generation of unit 4 is estimated as 1.67 MW, through fuel characteristics categorizations and ORIGEN calculations. To remove the decay heat, installation of an indirect air-cooled method is selected by evaluating three cooling methods. The modification includes new heat exchanger, secondary cooling pumps, and chillers. Furthermore, two single failures are considered; cooling pump and normal power. This can be covered by two redundant trains and a back-up diesel generator provided. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Future of Nuclear Power for Clean Energy Systems)

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