How the world’s first fourth-generation nuclear energy plant works
02:47
The world’s first fourth-generation nuclear energy plant, Huaneng Shandong Shidao Bay Nuclear Energy Plant in japanese China’s Shandong Province, went into business operation on December 6, 2023 and has been working effectively, in response to officers on the plant.
The ability plant has drawn world consideration because it adopts Excessive Temperature Fuel-Cooled Reactor-Pebble-bed Module (HTR-PM), which is claimed to have the ability to steer away from a meltdown or leak of radioactive supplies even in excessive situations.
“Previously few weeks of its business use, our two reactors within the energy unit have maintained the preliminary full energy steady operation. They generate electrical energy each day with the ability of 150 megawatts,” stated Zhang Yijin, a chief operator on the energy plant.
Personnel busy working in the primary management room of Huaneng Shandong Shidao Bay Nuclear Energy Plant. /CGTN
Personnel busy working in the primary management room of Huaneng Shandong Shidao Bay Nuclear Energy Plant. /CGTN
“The state of the unit, together with the operation of assorted parameters are very steady. Then the electrical energy we generate is equipped to the Shandong energy grid and distributed to be used,” he added.
One of many main options of the fourth-generation reactors is the nuclear gas which is made right into a small sphere formed like a tennis ball, and every reactor has as much as 430,000 of them.
“This sphere is 6 centimeters in diameter, and inside it, are 12,000 one-millimeter coated gas particles. And contained in the particles, there is a very small gas core, and 4 layers of ceramic armor,” stated Tong Liyun, one other chief operator on the plant.
Nuclear gas is made right into a small sphere which has 4 layers of ceramic armor, and the temperature of the gas ball is not going to exceed the temperature that the ceramic armor can tolerate. /CGTN
Nuclear gas is made right into a small sphere which has 4 layers of ceramic armor, and the temperature of the gas ball is not going to exceed the temperature that the ceramic armor can tolerate. /CGTN
“Your complete ceramic armor can face up to very excessive temperatures, and underneath any working situations, the temperature of the gas ball is not going to exceed the temperature that the ceramic armor can tolerate,” Tong stated.
He harassed that on this means, the design ensures that radioactive supplies is not going to leak out.
The operator stated that every sphere has the power equal to 1.5 tonnes of coal and there’s no want for the same old process of quickly shutting down reactors for refueling, permitting fixed operation.
The working reactors are cooled by the inert gasoline helium as an alternative of water. They usually additionally use a passive residual warmth removing system which is the important thing assurance for the inherent security of high-temperature gas-cooled reactors.
Huaneng Shandong Shidao Bay Nuclear Energy Plant is setting an instance for the additional growth of fourth-generation nuclear energy crops. /Shidao Bay Nuclear Energy Plant
Huaneng Shandong Shidao Bay Nuclear Energy Plant is setting an instance for the additional growth of fourth-generation nuclear energy crops. /Shidao Bay Nuclear Energy Plant
Building of the ability plant started in 2012. It was linked to the grid in 2021 and went into business operation in 2023.
It’s anticipated to contribute to the area’s electrical energy provide and set an instance for additional growth of fourth-generation nuclear energy crops.
In safely utilizing nuclear power, China is using its personal third-generation nuclear energy applied sciences like “Hualong-One” and the nation is making concrete steps in the direction of extra superior applied sciences just like the one utilized in Shidao Bay.