Small Modular Nuclear Reactors

 Small Modular Nuclear Reactors

Small moderate nuclear reactors are a type of nuclear fusion reactors but with the size and the
capability its well known as the small moderate non-other than conventional reactors. To be fall into
the small moderate category, a nuclear plant output power should be around (equivalent or less)
300MW. Those small and medium sized reactors are commonly used for wide range of power needs
and applications, not alone but combined with alternative energy sources.

Once the industrial revolution took place world was seeking for more and more powerful energy
sources, but with the time It was identified that taking consideration about the output doesn’t count but also the how renewable that energy source is. Starting from 1950s nuclear power plants had changed economies in enormous number values. Also due to the less capital and the amount which need to spend for creating a unit power is less than all of other energy sources nuclear energy plants become viral throughout the world. But with some of the historical accidents it was clearly
highlighted that the risk level is taking the largest among the other power sources.
Right now, around the world there are around 50 SMR designs and few are currently in advance
stage of construction. But its clearly seen that the technology had not being spread out for the
developing or under developing countries but only within the developed countries, due to the high
capital cost and the risk management ability. Also, most of these projects are driven using private
investments also small companies. Due to its size, these could be built inside a controlled factory
stepwise. Should also have a license to start proceedings and a ground clearance radius of 30000m as well.

At this point it seems that SMR are pretty compatible with the Sri Lankan Environment and the needs. But due to capital expenses and the maintenance cost and due to the risk level, this could be neglected in the first hand. Powering up few numbers of SMR will be enough to light up the whole country as per current power usage. But as Sri Lanka is not rich with the nuclear fuels and dumping areas it will cause serious affect on starting such. Usually SMRs are combined with hydro steam plants. The main reactor will generate heat using the nuclear reaction and that will be transferred to the main boiler where water being heated up the steam is produced, then using that steam, a turbine will rotate and the connected electric generator will generate electricity. Factories like Rolls Royce do have their own SMR which is combined with a steam power plant. Due to its moderate features these SMRs are way better than usual fusion reactors. Less heat generation, less construction time, less risk assessment and passive safety systems will lead countries to fulfil their power need via those small modular nuclear reactors.

US is leading in this filed as they have enough land areas and rich nuclear reserves enriched with top
end nuclear fuel. As the unit cost will play around $30 for a MW it still has the lead when compared
to solar energy manufacturing cost of $35 per unit. In nuclear reactor family there are light water
reactors, heavy water reactors, high temperature gas cooled reactors, fast neutron reactors, molten
salt reactors, aqueous homogeneous reactors and heat pipe microreactors; even though the SMR is
falling in to small-moderate scale it does include almost every type which are mentioned above.
Finally, the effect of the nuclear plant towards the environment is highly risky but as its renewable or
a long time use energy source there will be less effect on the environmental pollution. But heat and
radiation can cause almost each and every type of disaster for living beings and to the earth itself for
centuries. Getting complex day by day the power usage of the world, is now turning into nuclear
energy sources to gain much more energy than ever by leaving it as the only satisfactory answer.
IAEA or the International Atomic Energy Agency which was found in 1957 as a response for the

apprehension due to the discovery and diverse of nuclear technology, its currently monitor and
evaluate the nuclear power plants all around the world. In near future small modular nuclear plants
will be all over the world, leading for a brighter future of the mankind.