Third Information Exchange Meeting on the Nuclear Production of Hydrogen

Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Ibaraki-ken, Japan
5-7 October 2005

Background and purpose

The NEA Nuclear Science Committee (NSC) has already organised two information exchange meetings on the nuclear production of hydrogen. The last of these meetings was held in October 2003, where developments in the following scientific and technical areas were reviewed:

• the role of hydrogen in energy infrastructures and R&D planning for implementation;
• thermochemical hydrogen production technologies;
• electrochemical and membrane hydrogen production technologies;
• nuclear plant concepts for hydrogen production.

The participants concluded that substantial experimental progress is being made in developing nuclear hydrogen production technology. The participants also stressed the need to pursue the use of currently available nuclear reactor types and methods for producing hydrogen (such as electrolysis of LWR-produced electricity), while continuing R&D work on promising new concepts that may become better suited to centralised production.

The current scientific and technical issues related to the nuclear production of hydrogen were discussed during the third NEA Information Exchange Meeting on Nuclear Production of Hydrogen. Recommendations to the NSC on possible further international collaboration in this field were also formulated during the meeting.

List of topics

The meeting consisted of plenary sessions with invited and contributed papers, followed by a general discussion and a conclusion to close the meeting. The following topics were covered:

1. The prospects for hydrogen in future energy structures and nuclear power’s role.

2. The status of nuclear hydrogen research and development efforts around the globe.

3. Nuclear hydrogen technologies and design concepts.

a) Thermochemical cycles;
b) Electrolysis;
c) Nuclear-assisted steam methane reforming.

4. Integrated nuclear hydrogen production systems.

a) Nuclear reactor concepts tied to hydrogen production;
b) Technology linking hydrogen production facilities to nuclear heat sources;
c) Co-generation concepts and technology;
d) Integration of nuclear hydrogen production with a growing hydrogen economy.

5. Basic and applied science in support of nuclear hydrogen production.

a) Thermodynamic data;
b) Membrane separation;
c) Catalysis;
d) Heat transfer technology;
e) Safety research;
f) Oxygen disposition.

 

Meeting organisation

Organising committee

International scientific advisory members

Meeting secretariat

Proceedings

All presented papers were included in the proceedings, which have now been published by the NEA.

The Third Information Exchange Meeting on Nuclear Production of Hydrogen was co-organised by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), and the NEA Nuclear Science Committee (NSC). The IAEA co-sponsored the meeting.

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Last updated: 2 November 2005