Systems Engineering Final
Essay by Preston Pannell • March 18, 2017 • Term Paper • 1,976 Words (8 Pages) • 1,059 Views
Preston J. Pannell
Systems Engineering Analysis (SYSE688-911)
Final Project Assignment
March 13, 2016
Professor Walter Sobkiw
- What is your project charter?
The purpose of this project is to bring clean, safe, and sustainable energy to the world using nuclear fuel. The approach is to use Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactors, which operate at significantly lower temperatures and pressures than a traditional Light Water Reactor (LWR). LFTR burns “spent” uranium and plutonium in addition to thorium, which is a much more common mineral.
- Who are the stakeholders and what are the key issues?
Stakeholders | Category |
EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) | Environmental Concerns |
NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission) | Anti-proliferation/Nuclear Incident Concerns |
Mining Companies | Environmental Concerns |
Nuclear Waste Management | Environmental Concerns |
Electric Companies | Cost/kW |
End User (Consumer) | Cost/kW & Environmental Concerns |
The EPA will disagree with the mining companies over placement of mines. The NRC will also disagree with the EPA and the End User over placement of the new nuclear power plants. Nuclear Waste Management is a problem with every party involved because there has not been a consensus on where to store nuclear waste or what to do with it.
Stakeholders | Key Requirements |
EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) |
|
NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission) |
|
Mining Companies |
|
Nuclear Waste Management |
|
Electric Companies |
|
End User (Consumer) |
|
- What is the system boundary?
The system boundary includes all interfaces with the needs of a Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactor plant as well as the interfaces where it provides a service, such as a water or electric company.
Thorium (fuel) is the primary source of energy for the LFTR. Included in the fuel portion of system boundary will be the refineries used to refine the thorium to the proper grade of fuel as well transportation of the fuel to the plant.
Nuclear waste material is a two-way boundary because the LFTR is not 100% efficient and will generate a relatively small amount of waste. However, the LFTR will use spent uranium and plutonium as a secondary source of fuel.
Electric power is supplied by the LFTR to the local electrical grid.
Communications are an essential piece to the system boundary because there must be dedicated communication channels into and out of the power plant in case of emergency and for standard communications.
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- Goals and Process and Methodology:
- Get Nuclear Regulatory Commission site approval
- Develop clean, sustainable nuclear technology with Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactor (LFTR) plant.
- Interface with local water utility for desalination operations
- Interface with local electrical utility for electrical generation operations
- Interface with railroad company for dedicated access to and from the LFTR plant
- Interface with traditional enriched uranium reactor plants to remove and use waste as fuel for LFTR plant
Process and Methodology:
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- What is your development process (block diagram and text), don't forget the tools and artifacts? Why did you select this development process?
Sustainable development, the human race will be unable to supply sufficient electrical power to developing countries as well as developed countries without nuclear power. Acidification of the oceans is one of the many negative effects of burning fossil fuels; this is because of the increase of greenhouse gases that are absorbed into the ocean.
- What is the system block diagram from a function and operational point of view?
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The Functional Block Diagram shows a very basic process of bringing in new fuel and/or nuclear waste to create steam to provide a few functions such as desalination and generating electricity.
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The Functional Sequence Diagram shows a brand new LFTR plant using thorium as its primary source of fuel to solely generate electricity. This sequence is based on the assumption that the plant either does not have desalination capabilities or is not based near an ocean.
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- What analysis needs to be performed, what have you started, what have you completed? Did you run any analysis tools? Include a diagram of how one analysis feeds or is dependent upon another analysis. Show the analysis performed and state its’ impact on your system. Identify the analysis that does not apply to your project and state why it does not apply.
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- What are the big issues moving forward?
Maintaining the proper licensing to operate are the big issues moving forward. LFTR are a relatively new technology but much of the technology is based on traditional Light Water Reactors (LWRs).
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