原子力システム　研究開発事業　成果報告会資料集

Sustainable Nuclear Technology Development and Research in Canada

I. Introduction

Canada is well known as one of the most research oriented country, since the research budget per GDP in 2007 was highest among the G8 countries. More recently Canada adapted the policy of the research must be considered so called E³LS (Economy, Environment, Ethical, Legal and Social Issues). Nuclear technology development also must be sustainable based on this policy. Nuclear technology developments in Canada are focus not only in electrical power generations but also in the area of bio-medical, environmental, energy, material, geology, archaeology etc.. In this paper, these sustainable nuclear technology developments in Canada are reviewed. However, due to the diversity of area, the research and development activity of McMaster Institute of Applied Radiation Sciences (McIARS) and McMaster Nuclear Reactor (MNR) will be introduced since MNR (5MWt) is only MW level nuclear reactor own by the university in Canada.

For the energy (heat and electricity) generation application, the concept so called the best mixing was proposed for the sustainable developments. However, the pollution generated by the various energy sources is far from the ideal as shown in Tables 1 and 2, hence nuclear energy supply must be best mixed not only from the resource and demand but with E³LS based on life cycle assessments. In the Canada, electrical power generation research is manly under government crown cooperation AECL, provincial crown cooperation of each electrical utilities, and UNENE satellite laboratories in universities. There effort on the next generation CANDU nuclear power generation system will be introduced.

2. McIARS and MNR

MNR is 50 years old swimming pool type research reactor critical in April 4^th, 1957 and mainly contributed to material physics, radiation chemistry and mining researches in past leaded by Dr. H. Thode. Neutron scattering material research facility as similar to originally developed by Dr. B. Blockhouse (1994 Noble Price of Physics) is one of the famous facility in MNR in past. However, all the research funding from Canadian Government to operate this reactor was terminated in 20 years ago by NSERC. Hence currently operated under university as commercial income through medical isotope productions, neutron activation analyses and non-destructive evaluation of components by film neutron radiography (rental to commercial private company). In the 2000, the Canadian Foundation of Innovation (CFI) funded new research institute applied by the professors for the area of medical physics, radiation chemistry, geology, nuclear and energy engineering and the research facilities were enhanced for the both MNR and Accelerator Laboratory for nuclear technology research and developments.

Table 1 Potential pollutants generated by a different energy generating systems.

Note; O Significant; Δ Indirect or Small; X None or Very Small

3. Reactor based Nuclear Technology Development

Fundamental research developments are in the area of medical isotope production from the current accelerator based production method to reactor based production method. Medical I-125 production developed is currently full commercial production to maintaining MNR operation. Currently main focus is an isotope production for the Medical Imaging such used in PET system. Neutron activation analyses system included the prompt Gamma system is not only used in a medical physics application but also incineration ashes, sludge and their treatment system byproducts analyses for the environmental applications. Canada’s the first digital real time neutron radiography system was installed at MNR in 1989, and under the CFI grant, the system was upgrated to the world first 3-D real time and high speed neutron radiography system (3-D DNR) as shown in Fig.1. This DNR system is not only used in the fission and fusion nuclear reactor thermal hydraulic safety studies but also used for the automobile engine exhaust pollution control device developments and heat exchanger studies.

Table 2 Type of potential gaseous pollutant for a different energy generation system.

Note; O Significant; Δ Indirect or Small; X None or Very Small

4. Supporting of Nuclear Electrical Power Generations

In the CANDU related safety studies, the aging impact on nuclear components and waste treatments are focus of research on top of reactor thermal hydraulic and reactor physics safety analyses. For the main research and developments of CANDU technology, the advances CANDU-6, ACR (hybrid of heavy and light water) and the super critical CANDU (Gen-IV) are the currently focus of study. However, in this moment no new nuclear power plants are been constructed inside Canada except concept ional design and plan.

Figure 1 Schematics of 3-dimentional dynamic neutron radiography system at MNR.

5. Concluding Remarks

In order to have sustainable nuclear technology developments, Canada take a concept based on the E³LS (Economy, Environment, Ethical, Legal and Social Issues) with life cycle assessments. Currently focus is mainly for the Medical, bio-medical, energy and environmental technology developments as well as next generation CANDU technology.

Acknowledgements

Autghor thanks for K. Urashima, G.D. Harvel, D. Novog, A. Kahail, V.S. Krishnan D. Chettle, J. Vallant, C. Haisel for valuable discussion and comments. This work is supported by NSERC of Canada.