Second Information Exchange Meeting on the Nuclear Production of Hydrogen

Background and purpose

As growing demand for energy has prompted ever-increasing use of fossil fuels, the resulting issues of energy security and climate change have in turn led to renewed interest in the use of hydrogen as an energy carrier.

The Nuclear Science Committee (NSC) held its first Information Exchange Meeting on the Nuclear Production of Hydrogen in October 2000 to discuss scientific matters pertaining to the production of hydrogen using energy produced by nuclear reactors. Thirty-nine participants from nine countries and three international organisations met in Paris to discuss the following issues: the physics and chemistry of hydrogen production methods; the application, concepts and roles of nuclear technology for hydrogen production; ongoing or planned R&D programme. Since then, interest in nuclear production of hydrogen has grown dramatically in the framework of the Generation IV initiative. As a result, many countries have continued research and development activities in this field.

Scientific and technical issues related to hydrogen generation using nuclear energy were presented and discussed during the second information exchange meeting. Recommendations to the NSC on possible further international collaboration in this field were formulated during the meeting.

Proceedings

All presented papers were included in the proceedings published by the NEA.

List of topics

The following topics were covered:

overview of the role of hydrogen in future energy structures
technologies of nuclear production of hydrogen, including:
- electrolysis technology
- steam methane reforming of pyrolysis technology
- thermochemical water cracking technology
concept designs for nuclear production of hydrogen.

Agenda

2 October

Introduction

Introductory note by NEA (C. Nordborg, meeting secretariat)
Opening Address by Dr. Wade (Chairperson of the Organising Committee)
Welcome Address by ANL

Session I: The Role of Hydrogen in Energy Infrastructures and R&D Planning for Implementation

D. Scott - Back from the Future: To plan the best way nuclear can get us there
R. Brown - Critical Paths to the Post-Petroleum Age

Break

M. Tashimo, A. Kurosawa, K. Ikeda - Role of Nuclear Produced Hydrogen for Global Environment and Energy
M. Paster - The U.S. Department of Energy Program on Hydrogen Production
D. Henderson, P. Pickard, C. Park and J. Kotek - The U.S. Department of Energy's Research and Development Plan for the Use of Nuclear Energy for Hydrogen Production

Session II: Thermochemical Hydrogen Production Technologies

S. Goldstein - Theoretical approach of the efficiency of the Iodine_Sulphur cycle coupled to a High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor
Vitart, J.M. Borgard, S. Goldstein - Investigation of the I-S cycle for Massive Hydrogen Production
K. Onuki, S. Kubo, H. Nakajima, S. Higashi, S. Kasahara, S. Ishiyama and H. Okuda - R&D on Thermochemical IS Process at JAERI
R. Doctor, D. Wade, D. Matonis, N. Brockmeier, M. Mendelsohn and J. Molburg - Hydrogen Generation Using a Calcium-Bromine Thermochemical Water-Splitting Cycle
T. Nakagiri - Investigation on a new hydrogen production process for FBR
M. Lewis, M. Serban and J. Basco - Hydrogen Production Using a Low Temperature Thermochemical Cycle and 550°C

3 October

Session III: Electrochemical and Membrane Hydrogen Production Technologies

C. Forsberg, B. Bischoff, L. Mansur and L.Trowbridge - Nuclear Thermochemical Production of Hydrogen with a Lower-Temperature Iodine-Westinghouse-Ispra Sulfur Process
M. Hori, K. Kobayashi, K. Matsui, M. Tashimo and I.Yasuda - Synergistic Production of Hydrogen Using Fossil Fuels and Nuclear Energy - Nuclear-Assisted Steam Reforming of Fossil Fuels
J. Herring, P. Lessing, J. O'Brien, C. Stoots, J. Hartvigsen and S. Elangovan - Hydrogen Production through High-Temperature Electrolysis in a Solid Oxide Cell
U. Balachandran, T. Lee, S. Wang and S. Dorris - Hydrogen Production by Water Dissociation using Mixed Conducting Membranes
Arkal Shenoy, Matt Richards and Ken Schultz - Coupling the Modular Helium Reactor to Hydrogen Production Processes

Session IV: Nuclear Plant Concepts for Hydrogen Production

S. Anghaie and B. Smith - Hydrogen Production with Fully Integrated Fuel Cycle Gas and Vapor Core Reactors
A. Miller and R. Duffey - Meeting the Near-Term Demand for Hydrogen using Nuclear Energy in Competitive Power Markets
Y. Inagaki, K. Onuki, T. Takeda, T. Nishihara, M. Ogawa and S. Shiozawa - Overview of HTTR Project on Hydrogen Production with HTGR
M. Tashimo, M. Hori, I. Yasuda, Y. Shirasaki, K. Kobayashi - Advanced Design of FR-MR
A. Moisseytsev and D. Matonis - Integrated Heat Balance of STAR-H2 System for Hydrogen Production
P. Peterson, C. Forsberg and P. Pickard - Advanced CSiC composites for nuclear heat transport with the Advanced High Temperature Reactor

Session V: Discussion (Chaired by D. Wade)

OECD/NEA activities relevant to high-temperature engineering and nuclear production of hydrogen (Claes Nordborg)
Outline a brief report on meeting results and recommendations to the Nuclear Science Committee (NSC)

Meeting organisation

Organising committee

D. Wade ANL (USA) (Chair)
D. Henderson DOE (USA)
M. Hori Nuclear Systems Association (Japan)
A. Miller AECL (Canada)
M. Ogawa JAERI (Japan)
P. Pickard SNL (USA)
X. Vitart CEA (France)

International scientific advisory members

S. Johnson DOE (USA) (Chair)
M. Lecomte Framatome (France)
M. Methnani IAEA
C. Nordborg OECD/NEA
M. Paster DOE (USA)
J. Ritch World Nuclear Association
D. Scott Evenstar Inc. (Canada)
K. Soda JAERI (Japan)
D. Torgerson AECL (Canada)

Meeting secretariat

C. Nordborg OECD/NEA
D. Henderson DOE (USA)

When?

2 - 3 October 2003

Argonne National Laboratory, Illinois, USA