TECHNOLOGY

Generation III

ABWR reactor

ABWR reactor is the first gen III design, developed in years 90's. It is also the only one, among new generation, already in operation. Two units built by Hitachi and two by Toshiba in Japan. Under construction are another two in Japan. In Taiwan, in service are operated next two. Four ABWR reactors are planned in Japan and two in the USA. Originally ABWR (Advanced Boiled Water Reactor) derives from General Electric classic design of water boiling reactor, but next versions are various and depends on manufacturer. GE-Hitachi design is 1350-1600 MWe reactor, Toshiba has power capacity of a 1600-1700 MWe. Moreover Hitachi is working on 600, 900, 1700 MWe designs, and Tepco is about to develop ABWR II reactor with capacity of a 1717 MWe. GE and Hitachi joined their businesses, while Toshiba and Tepco ( with rights over the design) trade with ABWR separately, but all are present in the nuclear market.

ABWR is not gen III+ reactor. As the first developed construction it has not passive safety system. The main development in design is reduction in external (outside the reactor) pipelines by use of once-through force flow coolant pumps in the core blocked with reactor vessel. This construction changes increase nuclear safety, due to elimination of pipelines break possibility, what (in classic design) causes serious radiological emissions.

Designed service time is 60 years, and reactor is optimized for electricity frequency of 60 Hz (USA and Japan) and generally is built with fulfilling US and Japanese requirements according to EPRI-USA and JUR documents. In case its order in Europe, serious changes would be needed.

The first ABWR reactors, in Japan, were built in 39 months each. It means significantly faster than today build of EPR reactor, nevertheless they were FOAK constructions as well. [12],[35],[36],[41]

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