The Safety and Security Assessments Section works with multi-disciplinary teams at Argonne to do research and development in several areas that support the energy resource initiatives of the  U.S. Department of Energy (DOE):

• The use of hydrogen as an energy carrier
• Global access to energy and fresh water
• International cooperation on safety of nuclear plants

The Use of Hydrogen as an Energy Carrier

President Bush initiated a major program to accelerate the development of a national hydrogen economy. The goal is to reverse America's growing dependence on foreign oil by developing science and technology for commercially viable fuel cells that use hydrogen to power cars, trucks, homes, and businesses without directly emitting pollution or greenhouse gases.

This national initiative encompasses basic scientific research and technology development for the widespread production, storage, and distribution of hydrogen and for its use in fuel cell vehicles, industrial production, heating, and electricity generation.

To support the national hydrogen initiative, Argonne has mounted a coordinated effort that integrates our state-of-the-art user facilities with our expertise in basic science and technology development and deployment.

Our pursuit of these objectives draws on our broad knowledge of materials science and chemistry to coordinate research programs from basic to applied science.

Our extensive expertise in chemical engineering, system analysis, and nuclear reactor technology is being used to investigate hydrogen production from nuclear power.

Hydrogen Research and Development Initiative

Argonne's Hydrogen Research and Development Initiative has seven coordinated components:

• Catalysis for hydrogen chemistry,
• Hydrogen production,
• Hydrogen storage,
• Hydrogen utilization,
• Infrastructure development,
• Environmental research, and
• Technology validation.

Catalysis for Hydrogen Chemistry

Catalysis is ripe for fundamental advances through the use of modern experimental and theoretical tools that were unavailable even five years ago. The knowledge gained from these studies is expected to significantly improve the cost, performance, and reliability of many chemical processes needed for a hydrogen economy.

Argonne has a wide range of basic science tools, developed in our interdisciplinary research environment, to explore the atomic basis for catalysis of these chemical reactions. Our tools include:

1. Surface structure and excitation analysis using x ray scattering at a novel in situ electrochemical cell at the APS,
2. Nanoscale surface modification through lithography and self-assembly at the Center for Nanoscale Materials,
3. Transmission electron microscopy at the Electron Microscopy Center,
4. Local electronic structure analysis using scanning tunneling microscopy, and
5. Quantum chemical theory and simulation for catalytic geometries.

Reference:
Argonne report, "Basic Research Needs for the Hydrogen Economy: Report of the Basic Energy Sciences Workshop on Hydrogen Production, Storage, and Use," May 13-15, 2003

Hydrogen Production

We are exploring a variety of options for using domestic energy resources—fossil, nuclear, and renewable— to efficiently produce hydrogen.

A potential transition strategy to a hydrogen economy includes the co-production of electricity and hydrogen from fossil fuels, with stringent environmental controls and carbon sequestration. To support this transition strategy, we are developing fuel-processing technology as a near-term means of producing hydrogen from fossil fuels or from renewable fuels such as ethanol.

Simultaneously, we are pursuing technologies for extracting hydrogen from water based on heat from a nuclear power plant or a solar collector. Research includes:

1. Co-generating electricity and hydrogen by nuclear power and
2. Developing novel lower-temperature thermochemical cycles, high-temperature electrolysis, and advanced membranes to generate hydrogen from water.
   

By developing the next generation of nuclear reactors (Generation IV) in conjunction with efficient hydrogen-generation technology, we will address the nation’s two major energy needs—electricity and transportation fuels—with no carbon emissions.

Hydrogen Storage

A major challenge to the success of hydrogen-powered vehicles is the development of lightweight, compact, safe onboard hydrogen storage.

We are exploring new and innovative concepts for storing hydrogen.
This research will benefit significantly from work at Argonne’s emerging Center for Nanoscale Materials.

Hydrogen Utilization

Our work on hydrogen utilization builds on our extensive, wide-ranging partnerships with federal and nonfederal organizations in areas crucial to developing this aspect of the hydrogen economy.

Argonne is a leader in the development of higher-temperature proton conducting membranes. Argonne studies degradation mechanisms and designs materials with tailored nano-structures in support of proton exchange membrane fuel cell development.

Argonne is also a leader in the development of solid-oxide fuel cell technology. We develop theory, modeling, and simulation of electrochemical materials and processes; new materials; novel synthesis routes for optimized architectures; and advanced in-situ analytical tools.

We have conducted research with the automotive industry and its suppliers through the FreedomCAR Partnership, helped fuel cell companies develop products, worked with state and local government agencies on alternative-fuel demonstrations, and helped electric power companies analyze the technological requirements for load management and transmission.

Infrastructure Development

In collaboration with Canadian partners in the "2050 Study," we are examining long-range supply-and-demand scenarios for transportation fuels.

Our expertise in infrastructure assurance enables us to identify the steps needed to ensure that a national network for hydrogen transmission and distribution is safe and secure.

We help DOE make technological program decisions based on safety, economics, environmental impact, and reliability of technology options within an evolving hydrogen economy. Our system integration studies rely on unique Argonne-developed agent-based modeling, simulation, and decision-making tools.

Environmental Research

Environmental impacts from the transition to a hydrogen economy must be considered.

We are drawing on our broad expertise in environmental research to investigate largely unanswered questions regarding the possible atmospheric and global-warming impacts of hydrogen leaks and other losses from vehicles and a national hydrogen infrastructure.

Technology Validation

After the appropriate technologies have been developed, it will be necessary to evaluate and validate hydrogen-powered vehicles, hydrogen production, and other infrastructure. We will form a regional partnership with vehicle developers, energy suppliers, and vehicle fleet operators for needed hydrogen technology demonstrations.

Argonne’s Center for Transportation Research provides important expertise and facilities for hydrogen-related technology validation.

Top of page

Global Access to Energy and Fresh Water

Situation Overview

Water shortages, unreliable water supplies, and poor water quality have been considered in recent years to be major obstacles to sustainable development and poverty alleviation that require urgent attention.

Over 1 billion people lack access to safe drinking water. In such areas, water shortages are increasingly limiting development options.

Up to 14.6 million children die yearly because of water shortages or exposure to water-related diseases.

It is predicted that by 2025, about half of the world’s population – some 3.5 billion people – will live in areas facing serious water shortages.

Argonne's Role

Argonne National Laboratory is taking a leading role in helping developing countries develop their own individually tailored Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) plans.

Argonne has active water-related projects that include river basin management, groundwater management, desalination, energy planning (including cogeneration of water and power), detailed hydropower evaluation, water policy and regulation, and computer modeling.

The Argonne IWRM working group teams with water professionals around the world to lead the assessment of various water needs and related infrastructure requirements, planning, and training within the framework of broader integrated water resource management plan development and implementation efforts.

Argonne Capabilities

General Water Modeling and Data Analysis

• Groundwater and surface water modeling for site disposal activities
• Analyses of flow patterns, behavior, and quality for water basins, including dams
• Satellite, remote sensing, and isotopic techniques for watershed analyses
• Numerical modeling and simulation of groundwater systems
• Groundwater and aquifer assessment and development using unique well drilling methods

Capacity Building in Water Desalination and Wastewater Treatment and Reclamation

• Planning, design of, and training in water desalination and wastewater treatment and recycling
• Unique software tools for economic analyses of cogeneration plants (desalination and power)
• Energy calculations and assessment for coupled energy/water systems
• Integrated water resource management planning and education

Energy Planning and Analysis

• Market supply and demand analyses using Argonne computer models and tools
• Energy and power technology assessment and implementation
• Energy for water assessment and planning
• Modeling interdependent relationships between water and energy

Water resource management regulatory and policy issues

• National and region-specific policy making
• Environmental considerations
• Water system security considerations

For additional information on the Argonne IWRM working group, please visit http://www.aiwrm.anl.gov. 

Top of page

International Cooperation on Safety of Nuclear Plants

Objectives

The goals of the Plant Safety Evaluation (PSE) Program are to assess and reduce risks at Soviet-designed nuclear power plants and enhance nuclear safety infrastructure. The program accomplishes these goals by:

• Transferring the tools and knowledge to conduct in-depth safety assessments using internationally accepted methods.
• Providing expert training in safety assessment methodologies.

History

Since the early 1990s, the Department of Energy has worked to build capability in countries of the former Soviet bloc to assess the safety of their VVER and RBMK commercial power reactors.

Since 1994, the Plant Safety Evaluation Program has used deterministic and probabilistic analyses to provide documented plant risk profiles to support safe plant operation and to set priorities for safety upgrades.

Work has been sponsored at fourteen nuclear power plant sites in eight countries.

The program has resulted in immediate and long-term safety benefits for Soviet-designed nuclear plants.

Scope of Work

• Deterministic Risk Assessments: How would the power plant behave during postulated accent scenarios? Would the plant systems fulfill their safety mission?
• Probabilistic Risk Assessments: What are the probabilities and consequences of an initiating event at a plant propagating into a severe accident? What are the weak links in the plant’s safety systems?
• Structural Assessments: Can the plant buildings and structures withstand external and internal forces?
• Severe Accident Analyses: In case of a major nuclear accident, will the containment building prevent the release of radioactive material to the environment? Are there steps the plant operators can take to mitigate the consequences of such an accident?
• Fire, Flood and Seismic Analyses: What risks are posed by external hazards that could potentially disable safety systems?
• Safety Code Assessments: Do standard safety codes accurately predict Soviet-designed plant behavior? What uncertainties exist in the safety assessment results?
  

Benefits

The Plant Safety Evaluation Program has resulted in three types of safety benefits:

• Immediate benefits from addressing safety assessment findings;
• Near-term operational benefits based on plant knowledge gained through safety assessments; and
• Benefits in making informed management decisions based on acquired safety knowledge.
  

Moreover,

• The process of conducting safety assessments has resulted in an improved safety culture at the plants and in improved communication among the plant, support technical organizations, regulators, and the international nuclear safety community.
• In-depth safety assessments have provided a mechanism to judge the effectiveness of proposed safety improvements.
• In-depth safety assessments have identified generic reactor design concerns that must be addressed. The resolution of these concerns would benefit all Soviet-designed reactors, even those not currently being assessed through the Plant Safety Evaluation Program.
   

International Nuclear Safety Center Links

• U.S. Center
• Russian Center
• Lithuanian Center
• Kazakhstan Nuclear Technology Safety Center
• Ukrainian Center