Overview of CANDU Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) and the Canadian Nuclear Industry

Mikko I. Jyrkama and Mahesh D. Pandey

Department of Civil Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada
The hot heavy water coolant from the reactor is transferred to the steam generators to produce steam.
Steam (light water)

CANDU

- CANada Deuterium Uranium

Point Lepreau Turbine-Generator

Steam Generator Pressurizer Pump/Motor Assembly

To Fuel Channels

Uses natural uranium as fuel and deuterium oxide (D2O) or "heavy water" as coolant and moderator Started as the Canadian contribution to the War effort Designed by AECL (Atomic Energy of Canada Limited) All nuclear power reactors in Canada are CANDUs Can be refuelled at full power Multiple shutdown systems for added safety
The steam turns tthe turbines and the turbines turn the generator to produce electricity.
Low Pressure Turbines

CANDU Evolution
Darlington

Regulation

CANDU 9 Bruce B Advanced CANDU Reactor

900 800
(image courtesy of AECL)

900 MW Class Reactors

Bruce A

ACR

Qinshan 1,2 Wolsong 2,3,4

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), an independent agency of the Government of Canada operates and enforces regulations under the Nuclear Safety and Control Act (NSC Act) As the federal regulator, the CNSC
executes licensing decisions made by the Commission or its designates continually monitors licensees to ensure they comply with safety requirements that protect workers, the public, and the environment uphold Canadas international commitments on the peaceful use of nuclear energy

700

Pt. Lepreau Embalse

Power (MWe)

600 500 400 300 200

From Fuel Channels Feeders Feedwater (light water)

600 MW Class Reactors

Pickering A

Gentilly 2 Wolsong 1

Cernavoda 1

(CANDU 6s)

Pickering B

Calandria

Heavy water coolant circulates in the Primary Heat Transport System through the reactor core.
Fueling Machine

RAPP 1,2 Douglas Point NRU ZEEP KANUPP

Generator

Power to Grid

Fueling Machine Fuel Fuel Channels

High Presure Turbine Feedwater Pump Assembly Condenser Cooling Water

Research & Prototype Reactors

Switchyard

100
NRX

The CNSC functions as a tribunal, taking into account the views, concerns and opinions of interested parties and intervenors when establishing regulatory policy, making licensing decisions and implementing programs In addition to the NSC Act, the CNSC also administers other nuclear related regulations and bylaws in the form of policies, standards, guides and notices

NPD

Moderator (heavy water)

1950

1960

1970

Moderator Pump

Moderator Heat Exchanger

Uranium atoms are split in the core under controlled conditions to produce a chain reaction, providing large amounts of energy in the form of heat.

(Source: Atomic Energy of Canada Limited)

Years

1980

1990

2000

2010

The condenser turns the steam back into water which is then returned to the steam generators through the feedwater system.

CANDU Nuclear Power Plant Schematic

Operator
Nuclaire Nuclear

(image courtesy of AECL)

Reactor Assembly
Calandria - a horizontal, cylindrical, single-walled, 6 m long stepped shell enclosed at each end by tubesheets and spanned by calandria tubes and 1. Calandria 2. Calandria end shield filled with the heavy water moderator 3. Shut-off and control rods 4. Poison injection Moderator - consists of heavy water at near atmospheric pressure and at a 5. Fuel channel assemblies 6. Feeder pipes temperature of 70C, used for moderating (slowing down) the high energy 7. Vault fission neutrons Calandria Tubes - provide access through the calandria for the fuel channel assemblies and also support the pressure tubes by means of four garter 7 spring spacers per channel Fuel Channels - the fuel channels contain the pressure tubes that hold the (image courtesy of AECL) 6 fuel bundles in the neutron flux of the reactor core Gas Annulus - the gap between the fuel channel pressure tubes and the calandria tubes insulates the hot pressure tubes from the relatively cool moderator Feeders - inlet and outlet feeders connect each fuel channel individually to connectors (headers) above the core and then to the steam generators
CANDU Reactor Assembly (during construction)

Reactor Unit
Gross Capacity (per unit) Net Capacity (per unit)

Bruce A 1-4 791 MW 740 MW Dec 1970 Jul 1976 37/13 6240 480 a. Zircaloy-2 129/1.37 cw. Zr-2.5%Nb 103.4/4.06

Bruce B 5-8 807 MW 750 MW Jan 1978 May 1984 37/13 6240 480 a. Zircaloy-2 129/1.37 cw. Zr-2.5%Nb 103.4/4.11

Pickering A 1-4 542 MW 508 MW Jun 1966 Feb 1971 28/12 4680 390 a. Zircaloy-2 130.8/1.55 cw. Zr-2.5%Nb 103.4/4.06

Pickering B 5-8 540 MW 508 MW Nov 1974 Oct 1982 28/12 4560 380 a. Zircaloy-2 129/1.37 cw. Zr-2.5%Nb 103.4/4.01

Darlington 1-4 935 MW 881 MW Sep 1981 Nov 1989 37/13 6240 480 a. Zircaloy-2 129/1.37 cw. Zr-2.5%Nb 103.4/4.19

Point Lepreau N/A 680 MW 635 MW May 1975 Jul 1982 37/12 4560 380 a. Zircaloy-2 129/1.37 cw. Zr-2.5%Nb 103.4/4.19

Gentilly 2 675 MW 640 MW Apr 1974 Sep 1982 37/12 4560 380 a. Zircaloy-2 129/1.37 cw. Zr-2.5%Nb 103.4/4.19

Construction Start Start-up Fuel:

Elements in bundle/bundles per channel Total number of fuel bundles in core

Fuel Channels:
Number Calandria tube material Calandria tube ID/wall thickness (mm) Pressure tube material Pressure tube ID/wall thickness (mm)

Heat Transport System

Number of loops Reactor inlet/outlet temperature (C) Number of heat transport pumps Number of steam generators Number of SG tubes/material 4 250-265/304 4 8* 4200/Inconel 600 4 250-265/304 4 8* 4200/Inconel 600 2 249/293 12 plus 4 spare 12 2600/Monel 2 249/293 12 plus 4 spare 12 2573/Monel 4 267/310 4 4 4663/Incoloy 800 2 266/310 4 4 3542/Incoloy 800 2 266/310 4 4 3542/Inconel 600

5 4

Heat Transport System

(image courtesy of CANTEACH)

* Bruce A and B steam generators have separate preheaters

(Sources: International Atomic Energy Agency IAEA and Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission CNSC)

Calandria Heavy Water Moderator Lattice Tube Fuel Channel

Cross-Section
(image courtesy of AECL)
End Shield Tubesheet End Fitting

Feeder Pipe

Fuel Bundles

Shield Plug

Channel Liner Tube Closure

The heavy water coolant in the primary heat transport system removes heat from the reactor core by circulating in the pressure tubes and cooling the fuel bundles The HTS operating pressure is ~10 MPa and the typical Steam Outlet Nozzle Manway variation of coolant temperature is from 266C at the channel inlet to 312C at the channel outlet The HT water has a pH above 10 and a very low oxidation Secondary Cyclone Separators potential in order to protect the HT piping such as pressure Primary Cyclone Separators tubes, steam generator tubes, feeders, and fuel Steam Generators - transfer the heat from the hot Shroud Cone heavy water (D2O) circulating in the primary heat transport U Bend system to ordinary "light" water in the steam generator
Tube Bundle

Demand for Electricity

UNENE University Network of Excellence in Nuclear Engineering

Current energy infrastructure in Ontario will be unable to meet future supply requirements
coal phase-out will place additional strains on supply imports can only meet fluctuations in demand

Future demand can be met with a mix of sources, including Nuclear

MW Dispatchable (after avg. Capacity Factors applied)
Wind/Renewable ~10% of Installed MW IMO Median Demand Growth ~0.9% p.a. Pickering 2,3 Restart Total Gas ~12,000 MW (~30% of Installed MW) New Gas Builds ~7,000 MW Installed New Hydro (incl. ~1,400 MW from Manitoba)

36,000 34,000 32,000 30,000 28,000

Resources (MW)

UNENE is an alliance of universities, nuclear power utilities, research and regulatory agencies for the support and development of nuclear education and R&D capability in Canadian universities The main purpose of UNENE is to assure a sustainable supply of qualified nuclear engineers and scientists to meet the current and future needs of the Canadian nuclear industry Nuclear Research and Development

Positioning Assembly

Fuel
Pressure Tube

Shroud Grid Tube Support Plate

UNENE has established Industrial Research Chairs (professorships) in six Ontario universities through a partnership with NSERC and generous support from the Canadian nuclear industry UNENE has created a fully accredited course-based Master's of Engineering (MEng) program in Nuclear Engineering which is offered jointly by the member universities

New Nuclear (6,100 MW net) Six ACR-1000 units

Nuclear Engineering Education Program

Calandria Tube

Fuel Bundle Annulus Spacer Annulus Gas (CO2) Heavy Water Coolant

Close-up

End Plate Spacer Pad

Fuel Bundle
End Cap UO2 Fuel Pellet

Zircaloy Fuel Rod (fuel sheath)

The CANDU fuel consists of natural uranium, which contains a fraction of 0.72 % (isotopic abundance) of isotope 235U, with the remaining fraction in the form of 238U The fuel is fabricated into small UO2 pellets which are then placed inside 0.5 m long fuel rods (small Zircaloy tubes) The tubes are then arranged into fuel bundles consisting of an assembly of 37 elements Spacer pads on the surface of the tubes prevent direct contact of the fuel rods with the pressure tube walls and allow space for coolant flow through the bundles

26,000 24,000
Coal (as shutdown)

Tube Bundle Cold Leg

Tube Bundle Hot Leg

22,000 20,000 18,000

Nuclear Refurbishment Bruce & Darlington (Pickering A&B run to end of current life) Existing Resources (2005) 11,000 MW Nuclear 7,700 MW Hydro 7,600 MW Coal 5,100 MW Gas

Preheater Section

Acknowledgements
This work is part of the NSERC-UNENE Industrial Research Chair (IRC) program at the University of Waterloo. The Chair is one of the six university professorships established by UNENE in Ontario. The program is funded by UNENE in partnership with NSERC. Industrial sponsorship is provided by Ontario Power Generation, Bruce Power, and Atomic Energy of Canada Limited.
U N E N E University Network of Excellence in Nuclear Engineering

Feedwater Inlet Nozzle Tubesheet

16,000 14,000 12,000

D2 O Outlet

D2O Inlet

10,000

Steam Generator
(image courtesy of CANTEACH)

13

14

16

11

15

17

05

07

18

21

22 20

06

08

12

09

10

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

19

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

(Sources: Atomic Energy of Canada Limited AECL and Canadian Nuclear Association CNA)

20

20

20

23