ML22220A076
| ML22220A076 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 08/08/2022 |
| From: | John Mckirgan Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research |
| To: | |
| N. Chandran | |
| References | |
| Download: ML22220A076 (13) | |
Text
Advanced Reactor Research Activities in Nuclear Innovation John McKirgan Deputy Director, Division of Engineering Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Overview of the NRC Independent agency that began operations in 1975 Headed by a five-member commission Licenses and regulates activities in four key areas Congressionally-mandated Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research supports key areas Nuclear Materials Radioactive Waste Nuclear Reactors Nuclear Security
NRC Organization Chart
Vision and Strategy for Advanced Reactors
Regulatory Considerations Rulemaking Codes and Standards Regulatory Guides Construct facilities Transport Waste Inspections Enforcement of Regulatory Actions Incident Response Review event assessments Tracking of Issues
Collaboration
Advanced Reactor Licensing NMSS Assessment Process for Advanced Reactor Fuels Generic technical assessments Assess the impacts of accident tolerant fuels, increased enrichment and higher burnup fuels.
Stakeholder Engagement External Coordination and Collaboration No show-stoppers Licensing Modernization Project
- Licensing basis events
- Structures, systems and components classification
- defense in depth features TRISO fuel particle
Spent-Fuel Reprocessing-Timeline
Research Activities Molten Salt Chemistry Reliability of Components & Risk Reduction Fuel Cycle
Molten Salt Compatibility/Corrosion
Modeling & Simulation
Molten Salt processing for metallic and molten salt fuels
Component Performance/
Integrity
Performance monitoring
Surveillance programs
Advanced sensors
Off-gas control
Graphite waste and disposal
Technical challenges:
enrichment, fabrication and transportation of HALEU fuel
Storage systems for waste streams from MSRs
Front-End Considerations o Fuel salt enrichment, production, blending
- Chemical reactivity hazards
- Production of uranium and thorium fuel salts o Transportation package designs to support off-site operations
- Moderator inclusion / Criticality
- Containment performance Fluoride Production for MSRE
Back-End Considerations o Confinement materials compatibility o Dose management o Fluorine gas generation o Graphite waste management Fuel Drain Tanks/Fuel Flush Tank in MSRE Drain Tank Cell Dry Spent Fuel Casks on Concrete Pad at Plant Site
Summary RES collaborating with program offices on establishing future activities to ensure readiness for licensing and certification reviews Continued/expanded engagement with DOE and industry will support mutual understanding of technical and regulatory information needs Advanced reactors pose unique challenges for front-end and back-end operations
Questions? Need More Information?
John McKirgan john.mckirgan@nrc.gov 301-415-5722 NRC Headquarters TWFN/ 08 C08 Rockville, MD The US-NRC Main Page https://www.nrc.gov