Nuclear Power Technology Development Section
NUCLEAR DESALINATION
Activities
The objective of the programme in the Nuclear Power Technology Development Section (NPTDS) of the IAEA is to increase the exchange of information on the introduction of nuclear desalination and other applications of nuclear energy. The main focus of the project is placed on nuclear desalination.
Since the Member States expressed their renewed interest in utilizing nuclear energy for seawater desalination at the IAEA General Conference in 1989, the IAEA has reassessed the technical and economic potential of nuclear energy for seawater desalination in the light of the experience gained during the past decades. This assessment was carried out in cooperation with many institutions and experts from Member States. The results have been reported to the General Conference and the strengthening of the activity has been recommended every year.
In order to provide the IAEA with advice and guidance for fulfilling General Conference resolutions on activities in nuclear seawater desalination, the International Nuclear Desalination Advisory Group (INDAG) was established in 1997 and has been convening periodically.
Members of the INDAG, Term II (2001-2004), are from:
| Argentina | India | Pakistan |
| Canada | Israel | Russian Federation |
| China | Japan | Saudi Arabia |
| Egypt | Republic of Korea | Tunisia |
| France | Libyan Arab Jamahiriya | United States of America |
| Morocco |
Experience in nuclear desalination has been obtained in Kazakhstan and Japan. The fast breeder reactor BN-350 in Kazakhstan had for many years been used partly for desalination. Several nuclear power units in Japan are equipped with seawater desalination facilities to get fresh water for make-up of the plant water system and in-plant household use. The experience has proven technical feasibility of nuclear seawater desalination over the 150 reactor-years of successful operation. Relevant technical experience has been also accumulated in Russia, Eastern European countries and Canada in utilizing nuclear heat for district heating and other process heat use. Successful operating experience exceeds 1000 reactor-years.
Through IAEA programmes several Member States have been involved in the assessment of the potential for nuclear desalination. One study focused on analyzing needs and possibilities in North Africa. In the mid-1990s, efforts intensified to evaluate the economic competitiveness of the nuclear desalination option. Many desalination and reactor systems were screened in the “Options Identification Programme”, leading to identification of three practical options for demonstration.
To focus on the state-of-the-art status and future opportunities for nuclear desalination, the IAEA convened a Symposium on of Seawater with Nuclear Energy, which was organized in co-operation with the Korean Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), the Global Technology Development Center (GTDC) and the International Desalination Association (IDA), and held in the Republic of Korea in May 1997. The purpose of the Symposium was to provide an international forum for the exchange of information and ideas regarding all aspects of the desalination of seawater using nuclear energy as energy source. This included technical sessions, which addressed the current status of national programmes and activities, operating experience, technical aspects and future opportunities, as well as two panel discussions, which covered social and institutional issues that have an impact on the implementation of nuclear desalination.
The “Options Identification Programme for Demonstration of Nuclear Desalination” and the international symposium on “Nuclear Desalination of Seawater” in 1997 gave momentum to many Member States to consider evaluating, planning, or in some cases, initiating nuclear desalination projects under country-specific conditions .
The IAEA is providing a framework for international cooperation in these demonstration projects in order to share experience and knowledge between Member States interested in deploying nuclear desalination. Small and medium sized reactors are of particular interest for non-electrical application in developing countries.
To assess and compare different energy and technology options for desalination, the NPTD has developed a computer software package for economic assessment of nuclear and fossil options in combination with various desalination processes. The Desalination Economic Evaluation Program, CD-ROM version, ( ) is available cost-free from the NPTD Section. DEEP was distributed to some users in Member States; License agreements have been established. Safety of nuclear desalination installations is addressed in co-operation with the Department of Nuclear Safety. The economic competitiveness of nuclear desalination was also assessed in a comprehensive economic study; results are available as an IAEA Technical Document.
To assist Member States in their planning and implementation of nuclear desalination programmes and projects, a Guidebook on the Introduction of Nuclear Desalination has been published.
A co-ordinated research project (CRP) initiated in 1998 on “ Optimization of the Coupling of Nuclear Reactors and Desalination Systems ” has the objective to review reactor designs intended for coupling with desalination systems as well as advanced desalination technologies. Research on optimized coupling schemes and on improving the performance of desalination plants aim at further cost reduction of nuclear desalination.
A CRP initiated in 2001 "Economic Research on, and Assessment of, Selected Nuclear Desalination Projects and Case Studies" aims at evaluat the economic aspects and the competitiveness of nuclear desalination under specific conditions in case studies.
An Interregional Technical Co-operation Project on “Integrated Nuclear Power and Desalination System Design” was launched in 1999. The project is being planned to encompass international collaboration between technologies suppliers and prospective recipients (end users) for the joint development of desalination at a specific site or sites. Project cooperation contacts have been initiated by Member States.
Please contact
A.Badulescu@iaea.org
for questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: March, 2004