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Can small modular reactors help mitigate climate change?
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists ( IF 2.204 ) Pub Date : 2021-07-21 , DOI: 10.1080/00963402.2021.1941600
Arjun Makhijani , M. V. Ramana

ABSTRACT

In recent years, there has been much discussion of small modular reactors. Companies developing such designs have received large amounts of government funding. Lower power outputs of these reactors will likely result in higher costs in comparison to large nuclear reactors, and even if they achieve parity, will fail economically, since large reactors are themselves struggling to compete with renewable sources of electricity. Mass manufacture is unlikely to reduce costs adequately and might itself become a source of problems, including the possibility of recalls. The history of problems with non-traditional nuclear reactor designs indicates that they will likely take longer to commercialize than light-water small modular reactor designs. The problems related to radioactive waste and nuclear weapon proliferation will persist, though in different technical configurations depending on reactor design. Small modular reactors fail the tests of time and cost, which are of the essence in meeting the challenge of climate change. Even the official schedules indicate that their contributions will be negligible by 2030 and remain small by 2035, when the grid needs to be nearly completely decarbonized.



中文翻译:

小型模块化反应堆能否帮助缓解气候变化?

摘要

近年来,关于小型模块化反应堆的讨论很多。开发此类设计的公司已获得大量政府资助。与大型核反应堆相比,这些反应堆的较低功率输出可能会导致更高的成本,即使它们实现平价,也会在经济上失败,因为大型反应堆本身正在努力与可再生电力竞争。大规模制造不太可能充分降低成本,而且本身可能成为问题的根源,包括召回的可能性。非传统核反应堆设计问题的历史表明,与轻水小型模块化反应堆设计相比,它们可能需要更长的时间才能商业化。与放射性废物和核武器扩散有关的问题将持续存在,尽管根据反应堆设计采用不同的技术配置。小型模块化反应堆未能通过时间和成本的考验,而这对于应对气候变化的挑战至关重要。甚至官方时间表也表明,到 2030 年,它们的贡献将可以忽略不计,到 2035 年电网需要几乎完全脱碳时,它们的贡献仍然很小。

更新日期:2021-07-21
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