Key Issue: Materials Behavior
A complete understanding of the behavior of materials selected during the design under relevant conditions might not be available during the design phase. Because some advanced reactor designs are intended to operate at much higher temperatures than the currently operating LWRs, design practices need to account for the “time-dependent” behavior of materials in various coolants for safety and life-cycle analyses. To fill this gap, the materials roadmap developed by EPRI should be updated, vendors’ needs should be collected and prioritized, and the needed tests should be performed with a timeline that meets advanced reactor designers’ needs.
Priority
1
Status
On Track
Capture material data and close data gaps necessary for deployment of advanced reactors: Identify the materials needed for advanced reactor designers in both the near- and mid-term and ensure that materials testing is performed for on-time qualification. The materials roadmap developed by EPRI should be updated, vendors’ needs should be collected and prioritized, and the needed tests should be performed with a timeline that meets advanced reactor designers’ needs.
Action Owner: NGOs, Industry Groups, Developers
Need Date:
- 2028 for first mover
- 2030 – 2035 for mid-term needs
Key Issue: Insufficient Analytical Tools
Computer codes and risk assessment tools needed during design to predict the behavior of systems and components might not be qualified for advanced reactor conditions. To qualify the analytical tools needed for the design, the experimental data needed and the analytical tools that require verification and validation (V&V) qualification for the required analytical tools should be completed.
Priority
2
Status
On Track
Develop and Qualify Analytical Tools for Advanced Reactor Design: Survey advanced reactor vendors to identify analytical tools needed for optimal design. Create an action plan to develop and/or qualify analytical tools as needed.
Action Owner: NGOs, Industry Groups, Developers
Need Date:
- 2024 for action plan
- Q3 2027 for gap closure
Key Issue: Reliance on Legacy Designs
New reactor designers often rely on the idea that almost every conceivable type of reactor technology has already been tried out in the past and use this as a basis that proven designs exist. However, design drawings and manufacturing details are often not available, so past experience might not be readily available. Also, the subsequent problems found during operation might not be captured and/or understood. Furthermore, the modes and mechanisms of operation from the historical technology experience might not be the same as those planned for advanced reactors. These different operational challenges may not be understood through historical precedent. To fill this gap, a guide on how to use past designs should be developed, including the identification of past designs that can be useful for advanced reactors. The guide should be endorsed by the regulators.
Priority
2
Status
On Track
Develop Guide on Leveraging Legacy Reactor Experience: Identify best-practice uses of legacy advanced reactor demonstration experience and data, while providing guardrails based on their shortcomings.
Action Owner: NGOs, Industry Groups
Need Date: 2024