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MHI: Advanced light water reactor “SRZ-1200”

September 29, 2022

TOKYO, Sep 29, 2022 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) in collaboration with four Japanese PWR utilities*, has developed the conceptual design of an advanced light water reactor "SRZ-1200". This reactor has additional safety features when compared to conventional pressurized light water reactors. It is in the intention of MHI to take the SRZ-1200 conceptual design and proceed with basic design efforts. These efforts will ensure new innovative nuclear technologies are available toward a stable energy supply for Japan.Advanced light water reactor "SRZ-1200"The SRZ-1200 is a 1,200MWe class advanced light water reactor designed based on enhanced Japanese regulatory safety standards which incorporates lessons learned from the Fukushima Daiichi accident. Development of the SRZ-1200 is in progress which will ensure the regulatory requirements of "strengthening safety equipment" and "resistance to natural disaster and security against terrorism and unforeseen event" are fulfilled. The cumulation of this development will ensure safety and reliability of the SRZ-1200.Relative to new safety mechanisms, even though the SRZ-1200 accounts for global lesson learned, low-probability postulated events are still accounted for in the design to ensure plant and public safety. These safety mechanisms include, but are not limited to, an advanced accumulator design, and systems which effectively reduce the probability of radioactivity release in the event of a postulated accident. Efforts of this nature and the resultant SRZ-1200 design features will limit any impact to the public and plant site.Furthermore, the SRZ-1200 design is intended to enhance operational flexibility which will effectively allow for improved electrical power delivery alongside variable electric power sources such as renewables. The ability to adapt the SRZ-1200 for hydrogen production will also be studied to ensure that all potential uses of energy generated from this plant are efficiently and proactively applied for all of societal needs.MHI has been involved in the construction and maintenance of all of the 24 PWRs in Japan and has led the efforts to restart and ensure the safe operation of the existing nuclear power plants. These efforts will continue as we bring the SRZ-1200 to market as early as possible to realize a carbon-neutral society for Japan.The name of SRZ has the following meaning:S: supreme safety, sustainabilityR: resilient light water reactorZ: ultimate type (Z) contributing to society by Zero Carbon emission.(In Japan, "Z" also has a meaning of "ultimate type")1200: represents the electrical power output of 1200MWe classTaking into account the Fukushima Daiichi accident, MHI Group strives to continuously enhance safety through the restart of existing nuclear power plants as well as the safe and stable operation upon restart. This is part of our contribution to society and we intend to continue this contribution through the development of advanced light water reactors which achieve the world's highest level of safety.*Four PWR utilities: Hokkaido Electric Power Co., Inc., The Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc., Shikoku Electric Power Co., Inc., and Kyushu Electric Power Co., Inc.About MHI GroupMitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group is one of the world's leading industrial groups, spanning energy, smart infrastructure, industrial machinery, aerospace and defense. MHI Group combines cutting-edge technology with deep experience to deliver innovative, integrated solutions that help to realize a carbon neutral world, improve the quality of life and ensure a safer world. For more information, please visit www.mhi.com or follow our insights and stories on spectra.mhi.com. Copyright 2022 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

Windows gain competitive edge over global warming

September 1, 2022

TSUKUBA, Japan, Sep 1, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - A French-Japanese research collaboration has fabricated metal nanocomposite coatings that improve the insulating properties of window glasses. The new coating prevents a significant portion of near-infrared (NIR) and ultraviolet rays (UV) from passing through, while at the same time admitting visible light. The findings were reported in the journal Science and Technology of Advanced Materials.The nanoclusters are dispersed in a PVP matrix that is then coated on ITO glass to block NIR and UV rays while letting visible light pass through."Although the fabrication of a commercial products is still a long way ahead, our work demonstrated a significant improvement in UV and NIR blocking properties compared to previous research," says solid-state chemist Fabien Grasset, research director at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS)."Buildings account for a large part of global energy consumption," explains Grasset, "with a large amount of the annual energy consumption of a standard building going to cooling and/or heating systems to maintain indoor temperatures at comfortable levels." Scientists are looking for ways to develop window glass coatings that can block the entry of NIR radiation so that buildings, and even cars, can consume less energy to keep it cool inside. However, this needs to be done in a way that still allows visible light to enter. Ideally, harmful UV rays would also be blocked.To this end, the international French-Japanese research collaboration fabricated and analysed the performance of nanocomposites based on niobium-tantalum cluster compounds containing chloride or bromide ions.They found that chloride-based nanoclusters provided the best performance in terms of blocking NIR and UV rays and allowing the passage of visible light. NIR and UV blocking by the nanoclusters depended on their concentration, dispersion and oxidation state. By tuning these parameters, the team was able to improve the nanocluster performance.The nanoclusters were dispersed into a polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) matrix that was then coated onto indium-tin-oxide (ITO) glass. The combination increased the transmittance of visible light while reducing that of NIR and UV rays, relative to previous research. "These are very promising coating materials that block the most troublesome NIR wavelengths," says Grasset."We have a long history of Japanese-French collaboration," he continues. "We were already convinced that we are stronger working together by mixing our different cultures and ways of thinking. The international LINK project has reinforced this belief. We will continue to do our best to make further progress towards finding solutions for the global warming problem."Further informationFabien GrassetFrench National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS)Email: fabien.grasset@cnrs.frResearch paper: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14686996.2022.2105659About Science and Technology of Advanced Materials (STAM)Open access journal STAM publishes outstanding research articles across all aspects of materials science, including functional and structural materials, theoretical analyses, and properties of materials. https://www.tandfonline.com/STAMFor more information on STAM, contactDr. Mikiko TanifujiSTAM Publishing DirectorEmail: TANIFUJI.Mikiko@nims.go.jpPress release distributed by Asia Research News for Science and Technology of Advanced Materials. Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)