Application of nuclear energy for environmentally friendly hydrogen generation

• Published in: International Journal of Hydrogen Energy Vol. 32; no. 14; pp. 2719 - 2725
• Main Authors: Yamawaki, Michio, Nishihara, Tetsuo, Inagaki, Yoshiyuki, Minato, Kazuo, Oigawa, Hiroyuki, Onuki, Kaoru, Hino, Ryutaro, Ogawa, Masuro
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2007; Elsevier BV; Elsevier
• Subjects: Accelerator-driven subcritical system; Alternative fuels. Production and utilization; Applied sciences; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Fission nuclear power plants; Fuels; High temperature gas cooled reactor; Hydrogen; Hydrogen generation; Installations for energy generation and conversion: thermal and electrical energy; IS process; Nuclear energy; Radioactive waste; Asia; Japan; High temperature gas cooled reactor; Radioactive waste; Accelerator-driven subcritical system; Nuclear energy; IS process; Hydrogen generation; High temperature reactor; Accelerator driven system; Transmutation; Hydrogen production; Environmental protection; Nuclear reactor; Hydrogen generation; Nuclear energy; High temperature gas cooled reactor; IS process; Radioactive wastc
• ISSN: 0360-3199; 1879-3487
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2006.09.026

It is universally admitted that hydrogen is one of the best energy media and its demand will increase greatly in the near future. However, little hydrogen exists naturally, so that how to generate hydrogen without bringing forth much CO 2 will be very important research subject. Hydrogen generation from water using nuclear energy is one of the solutions for this problem. Especially, the high temperature gas cooled reactor (HTGR) has a possibility to generate hydrogen economically compared with other types of nuclear reactors. As for long-lived radioactive waste to be generated by nuclear reactors, it is expected to significantly reduce its burden to the human environment by applying transmutation technologies. This report describes the feature of the hydrogen generation with HTGR and the development of the accelerator-driven subcritical system to reduce radioactive waste ongoing at JAEA.