Mechanical Technology July 2016

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40 Mechanical Technology — July 2016
⎪ Nota bene ⎪
Index to advertisers
Atlas Copco................... OFC, OBC
Axiom Hydraulics. .....................18
Bonfiglioli................................ IFC
Ingersoll Rand SA......................26
ProductONE..............................22
Sassda.....................................16
SEW-Eurodrive..........................10
SMC Pneumatics.........................2
Specialised Exhibitions ..............35
Tectra Automation.....................29
ThyssenKrupp..........................IBC
Voith Mining & Metals................19
World Power Products................31
Industry diary
August 2016
Compressors: Fred Geltner
1-4 August 2016
Cedar Woods of Sandton,
Johannesburg
Phindi Mbedzi 27 11 325 0686
Welding Coordination: ISO 3834
and ISO 14731
24 Aug, Durban
17 Aug, Cape Town
21 Sept, JHB
SAIW: Laetitia Dormehl
011 298 2111
WearCheck Training
Oil Analysis 1: 16-17 August,
Pinetown
Oil Analysis 2: 18 August, Pinetown
Ashley Mayer: +2711392 6322
ASouth African company is design-
ing a safe helium-cooled nuclear
reactor that will use a locally
designed pebble-based thorium/uranium
fuel, replacing uranium as the primary
fuel. This reactor design offers a safer en-
vironment without meltdown risks such
as those experienced at the Fukushima
reactor in Japan.
“The fuel pebbles will be based on
thorium, using uranium as the fissile driv-
er material. The by-products produced by
thorium are safer than those produced
by a uranium-based nuclear reactor,
making it safer and extremely difficult
to make a nuclear weapon,” says Trevor
Blench, chairman of Steenkampskraal
Thorium Limited (STL). The thorium will
be mined in South Africa at the Group’s
Steenkampskraal (SKK) mine in the
Western Cape.
“The reactor is gas cooled and will not
need to be located near the sea or a river.
It can be built exactly where the energy
is needed and requires significantly less
water for cooling. The cost of the reactor
will also be significantly less than build-
ing a large uranium reactor,” says Blench.
He explains that there are two types of
gas reactors, carbon dioxide and helium.
Carbon dioxide is the older technology
and it has now been surpassed by heli-
um. “Helium is an inert gas, cannot burn,
and is therefore safe. Carbon dioxide is
used in older nuclear reactors and can
present health and safety risks, includ-
ing fire and harmful emissions. Helium
exhibits none of these risks,” he says.
STL’s reactor, known as the HTMR100
(High Temperature Modular Reactor)
uses a once-through fuel-cycle process,
meaning that the fuel passes through
the reactor only once and slower than
a normal high-temperature pebble-bed
reactor.
“The combination of these factors
make the design of the pebble-fuelled
nuclear reactor a world first,” says
Blench. “No other nuclear reactor offers
a combination of these features, which
contribute to safety, efficiency, reduced
cost and a reduction in the risk of nuclear
proliferation.”
In addition to the local development
of the pebble-based thorium fuel for its
new reactor, STL is also involved in the
testing of a pellet-based thorium/ura-
nium fuel for existing uranium nuclear
power stations.
This is being done in co-operation
with its associate company Thor Energy
in Norway. Tests are being conducted
at the Norwegian government-owned
Halden reactor. There are potentially
over 350 nuclear power stations around
the world that could use this fuel
composition
Thor Energy has completed three
years of a five-year test qualification
period for the world’s first commercial
thorium/uranium pellet fuel for light water
reactors (LWRs). “This will revolutionise
the nuclear industry by improving safety,”
says Blench.
The pellet fuel could be used in most
light-water reactors around the world as a
safe alternative to uranium-only fuels and
no modifications are needed to existing
nuclear reactors.
“Overall, our strategy covers design-
ing a safe nuclear reactor; designing a
thorium/uranium pebble fuel for this
new reactor; and testing a safe thorium/
uranium pellet fuel for existing reactors.”
Steenkampskraal Thorium Limited
(STL) is a South African company set up
to develop the thorium value chain, from
the mining of thorium to the production
of thorium-containing fuels. In order to
achieve these objectives, STL is pursuing
thorium fuel qualification and licensing
for use in light water reactors (LWRs)
and pebble bed reactors; designing a
100 MWth high-temperature gas-cooled
reactor (HTGR); and setting up manu-
facturing facilities for thorium fuels for
LWRs and HTGRs.
STL owns the rights to all the tho-
rium from the Steenkampskraal mine,
a significant share in Thor Energy in
Norway, where an irradiation programme
is underway to characterise and qualify
thorium-based fuels; and the completed
concept design of the HTMR100.
Electra Mining Africa 2016
Electra Mining Africa 2016 takes place from
12 to 16 September at Expo Centre Nasrec in
Johannesburg, South Africa.
The exhibition brings together suppliers,
manufacturers and distributors for all mining,
industrial, construction, power generation and
machine tool needs. The latest and greatest in-
novations and technologies in machinery, equip-
ment, products, consumables, services and so-
lutions will be on show along with cutting-edge
mining technology, equipment and supplies
Electra Mining Africa is further supported
by a programme of conferences and workshops
running alongside the exhibition, focusing on
topical issues of benefit to those involved in the
industrial sectors, insights into industry trends
and access to learning opportunities.
The HTMR100: a safe, thorium-based nuclear reactor
STL’s HTMR100 thorium-fuelled, pebble-based modular
reactor, which uses a once-through fuel-cycle process, is
helium-cooled and ideal for process heat applications.