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The 21ST century coe program: COE-INES “innovative nuclear energy systems for sustainable development of the world”
Progress in Nuclear Energy, Vol. 47, N o . 1-4, pp. 9-15, 2005 Available online at www.sciencedirect.corn s e, E Ne E ~)
© 2 0 0 5 E l s e v i e r Ltd. A l l r i g h t s r e s e r v e d
o, ~ E e v °
P r i n t e d in G r e a t B r i t a i n 0 1 4 9 - 1 9 7 0 / $ - s e e front m a t t e r
ELSEVIER www.elsevier.com/locate/pnucene
doi: 10.1016/j.pnueene.2005.05.055
THE 21 s~ CENTURY COE P R O G R A M : C O E - I N E S "INNOVATIVE N U C L E A R E N E R G Y S Y S T E M S F O R SUSTAINABLE D E V E L O P M E N T OF THE W O R L D "
HIROSHI SEKIMOTO Research Laboratory for Nuclear Reactors, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan ABSTRACT In the year 2002 and 2003 the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) started the "Priority Assistance for the Formation of Worldwide Renowned Centers of Research - The 21st Century Center of Excellence (COE) Program", which is planned to continue for 5 years. A program proposed by Tokyo Institute of Technology "Innovative Nuclear Energy Systems for Sustainable Development of the World" simply called as COE-INES was selected as only one program in nuclear engineering field. The program consists of research, education and international collaboration. The research will be performed on the innovative nuclear energy systems, which include innovative nuclear reactors and innovative fuel cycles. The research on innovative nuclear reactors does not cover only reactor design studies but also its utilization systems such as hydrogen production. Both free thinking and overall vision are taken on the research. They are stressed on education also. In the education program (COE-INES Captainship Program) by integrating research with education, we will foster creative researchers and engineers. The program also provides lectures at the professional engineer level, and also various opportunities to cultivate internationalism. We believe these ideas are occupied by many scientists in various countries. Then we have a plan to promote the international collaboration for research and education on innovative nuclear energy systems. © 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved KEYWORDS 21 st Century COE Program; COE-INES; Innovative nuclear energy system; Innovative nuclear reactor; Innovative fuel cycle; Education; International collaboration
10
t~ Sekimoto
1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 The 21 st Century_ Center of Excellence (COE) Program In the year 2002 and 2003 in Japan, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) started the "Priority Assistance for the Formation of Worldwide Renowned Centers of Research - The 21st Century Center of Excellence (COE) Program." This program is based on the competitive principle that selection for support by the program relies on third party evaluation, and by giving priority support to the formation of world-class centers of research it aims to promote the creation of internationally competitive universities that answer to the world's highest standards. The Ministry made a selection from proposals sent by universities from all over Japan for the formation of centers of research and education on a graduate school specialization level. From 10 fields of study 246 centers were selected from a total of 1075 applications as shown in Table 1. Each proposal adopted as a COE receives support for 5 years to form a research base at the highest level in the world. The nuclear engineering belongs to the field of Medical/Civil/Architecture/Other Engineering. Table 1. The 21 st Century Center of Excellence Program 2002
2003
field
Life Sciences
Chemistry/ Information/ Materials Electrics/ Sciences Electronics
applied 112 82 78 selected 28 21 20 field Medical Mathematics/ Mechanical/ Sciences Physics/ Civil/ Earth Science Architecture/ Other Engineering applied 138 86 106 selected 35 24 23
Human Interdisciplinary/ Sciences Combined Areas/ New Fields 79 113 20 24 Social Interdisciplinary/ Sciences Combined Areas/ New Fields 105 26
176 25
total
464 113 total
611 133
total of 2 years 1075 246
A program proposed by Tokyo Institute of Technology (TITech) "Innovative Nuclear Energy Systems for Sustainable Development of the World (COE-INES)" was selected as the only one program in nuclear engineering. This program is planned to continue for 5 years as already mentioned, and the monetary supports for the first year (2003-4) and second year (2004-5) have been fixed to be 196M yens and 156M yens, respectively. These budgets should be spent not for hardware but for software such as personnel expenses, meeting and event expenses, and traveling expenses. We have a plan to promote the international collaboration for research and education on innovative nuclear energy systems. Here the innovative nuclear energy systems include innovative nuclear reactors and innovative separation and transmutation technologies.
Proceedings of lNES-1, 2004
11
1.2 COE-INES Half a century has passed since peaceful use of nuclear energy began. Recently, international cooperative activities, such as Generation IV International Forum (GIF) initiated by US Department of Energy and International Project of Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles(INPRO) initiated by IAEA, have increased among developed countries to search for a next generation of innovative reactors. More than ten years ago at the Tokyo Institute of Technology (YITech), and long before these latest activities, a systematic research was started toward "Construction of Self-Consistent Nuclear Energy Systems". This research led to our achievements in separation and transmutation of radioactive wastes, small reactors, and lead-bismuth and carbon dioxide cooling, and finalized to COE-INES.
Research1 ~lnnovative Nuclear Energy Systems I
forSustainable Developmentof the World N
E-INE __ \
~ n ofYoungResearchersI EnrichmentofDoctoralCurriculaI
I In~=rnatlr=ne=l I ~ PersonnelExchangeI" InternationalSymposium I
Fig. 1.
COE-INES key activities
COE-INES is a center not only for research, but consists of three main activities, research, education and international cooperation as shown in Fig. 1. Details of these activities are described in the following chapters. 2. RESEARCH PLAN
2.1 Overview Nuclear energy involves a wide variety of research areas. In the COE-INES program, these areas are grouped into two parts, i.e., nuclear reactors and the fuel cycle supporting them. We have considered that it is suitable for the university to study the frontiers of each of these areas. As shown in Fig. 2, we have decided to focus our studies on innovative nuclear reactors (including utilization systems) embodied as research on nuclear reactors, and innovative research in separation and transmutation (aiming toward zero release of radioactive wastes) as research on fuel cycle. Among a variety of possible utilization systems, we currently plan to focus on utilization for hydrogen production.
12
I~ Sekimoto
Fig. 2.
COE-INES overview
System construction is tried for both innovative nuclear reactors and separation and transmutation systems, and basic technologies necessary for realizing these systems are investigated and studied. Organic whole of research and education on innovative nuclear energy systems is established. Here we believe free thinking and overall vision are inevitable.
2.2 An Ideal Nuclear Energy System An example of an innovative nuclear energy system to be pursued in the COE-INES is shown in Fig. 3. We imagine a nuclear energy park, within which radioactive wastes are subjected to separation and transmutation. Innovative separation and nuclear transmutation with micro- or nano- technologies will be conducted here, aiming at reducing the toxicity associated with material taken out of the park to a level less than the toxicity associated with material (natural uranium and thorium) brought into the park. It is desirable that the number of such parks is kept as small as possible, since radioactive materials are treated directly in the park. Nuclear energy is used by bringing small, long-life reactors manufactured here into relevant sites to produce not only electricity but portable water, hydrogen and heat for industries and homes. If fuel is contained in the nuclear reactor without refueling, resistance to nuclear proliferation and safety will be greatly enhanced. We expect that this system will be particularly valuable in the future, when a large quantity of energy will be consumed in developing countries.
Proceedings of INES-1, 2004
13
Nuclear Energy Utilization System Long-lifeSmall Reactor
Pa Act NU or Th
~..~~
P, Pb, Bi Ii ,.°°,°,,°,.o,ql
LLFP
J
b
',age: Act,LLFP ) Toxicity out
(Option)
Fig. 3.
An ideal nuclear energy system in the future
In the COE-INES program, research into nuclear energy will be pursued by viewing the current situation from the viewpoint of an ideal target. This viewpoint will enhance the possibility of discovering truly innovative technologies, as well as providing great opportunities for cultivating free thinking and overall vision.
3. EDUCATION PLAN
The COE-INES education plan is shown in Fig. 4. We name it COE-INES Captainship Program. By integrating research with education, we will foster creative researchers and engineers who have advanced knowledge of nuclear science and engineering and great insights so that they can actively participate in advanced research and development. We are surely notified that not all graduate students will take their jobs in research laboratories or similar institutes, but many will get their jobs in different kinds such as private nuclear companies, where actual nuclear business is underway. We should be aware of the needs in graduate student market. Some members of Advisory committee of COE-INES education are invited from outside of the university. Nuclear energy technology efforts need highly skilled engineers. For this reason, we plan to provide education at the professional engineer level by introducing lectures into doctoral courses that help cultivate human resources that will be able to play an active role in general enterprises, not just research institutes.
14
I~ Sekimoto
I
raining through Research on Innovative Nuclear Energy Systems I • Human Resourceswith Free Thinking and Overall Vision • HumanResourceswith Innovative and CreahveR&D Ability • Advanced Knowledgeof Nuclear Scienceand Great Insight • Cultivationof Next-Genera~n Researchers by EnnchedRA System
| II II )
COE-INES Captainship Program
~
nrichmentof DoctoralCurdoula
VCultivalion of IntemalJonalLeaders
~'~
PracticalTraining at Professional Engine~ Level l l
~npro,eme~ o~T r = ~
-IndependentRanning and ]mplernentat~n of / II I O~,r, ea, T r = ~ by S ~ d ~ , I -Volunt.-.-ypart~cipa~onby Students In /
En*ro~m~ by Enriched TA SystemI I
Fig. 4.
COE-1NES education plan
We expect the students to energetically acquire knowledge and technology required for nuclear energy researchers and engineers, ranging from research subjects specific to nuclear energy to issues confronting mankind such as global environmental problems. Furthermore, we provide lectures for the presentation skill in English and English technical writing. Doctoral students will be provided with various opportunities to cultivate internationalism such as active participation in international conferences. We also hope to foster highly skilled specialists to work in developing countries. 4. INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION
We believe these ideas mentioned above are occupied by many scientists in various countries. Then we have a plan to promote the international collaboration for research and education on innovative nuclear energy systems. We have already pursued a lot of international cooperation. We have concluded many agreements for cooperation with foreign institutes, and made a lot of personal exchanges. Many international meetings have been hold for innovative nuclear energy system. We try to develop these activities to encourage research and education in COE-INES.
Proceedings of INES-1, 2004
15
6. CONCLUSIONS
The COE-INES program proposed by TITech was adopted as a 21 st Century COE Program initiated by MEXT in Japan. The program consists of research, education and international collaboration. The research will be performed on the innovative nuclear energy systems, which include innovative nuclear reactors and innovative fuel cycles. The research on innovative nuclear reactors does not cover only reactor design studies but also its utilization systems such as hydrogen production. Both free thinking and overall vision are taken on the research. They are stressed on education also. In the education program (COE-INES Captainship Program) by integrating research with education, we will foster creative researchers and engineers. The program also provides lectures at the professional engineer level, and also various opportunities to cultivate internationalism. We believe these ideas are occupied by many scientists in various countries. Then we have a plan to promote the international collaboration for research and education on innovative nuclear energy systems.
© 2 0 0 5 E l s e v i e r Ltd. A l l r i g h t s r e s e r v e d
o, ~ E e v °
P r i n t e d in G r e a t B r i t a i n 0 1 4 9 - 1 9 7 0 / $ - s e e front m a t t e r
ELSEVIER www.elsevier.com/locate/pnucene
doi: 10.1016/j.pnueene.2005.05.055
THE 21 s~ CENTURY COE P R O G R A M : C O E - I N E S "INNOVATIVE N U C L E A R E N E R G Y S Y S T E M S F O R SUSTAINABLE D E V E L O P M E N T OF THE W O R L D "
HIROSHI SEKIMOTO Research Laboratory for Nuclear Reactors, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan ABSTRACT In the year 2002 and 2003 the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) started the "Priority Assistance for the Formation of Worldwide Renowned Centers of Research - The 21st Century Center of Excellence (COE) Program", which is planned to continue for 5 years. A program proposed by Tokyo Institute of Technology "Innovative Nuclear Energy Systems for Sustainable Development of the World" simply called as COE-INES was selected as only one program in nuclear engineering field. The program consists of research, education and international collaboration. The research will be performed on the innovative nuclear energy systems, which include innovative nuclear reactors and innovative fuel cycles. The research on innovative nuclear reactors does not cover only reactor design studies but also its utilization systems such as hydrogen production. Both free thinking and overall vision are taken on the research. They are stressed on education also. In the education program (COE-INES Captainship Program) by integrating research with education, we will foster creative researchers and engineers. The program also provides lectures at the professional engineer level, and also various opportunities to cultivate internationalism. We believe these ideas are occupied by many scientists in various countries. Then we have a plan to promote the international collaboration for research and education on innovative nuclear energy systems. © 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved KEYWORDS 21 st Century COE Program; COE-INES; Innovative nuclear energy system; Innovative nuclear reactor; Innovative fuel cycle; Education; International collaboration
10
t~ Sekimoto
1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 The 21 st Century_ Center of Excellence (COE) Program In the year 2002 and 2003 in Japan, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) started the "Priority Assistance for the Formation of Worldwide Renowned Centers of Research - The 21st Century Center of Excellence (COE) Program." This program is based on the competitive principle that selection for support by the program relies on third party evaluation, and by giving priority support to the formation of world-class centers of research it aims to promote the creation of internationally competitive universities that answer to the world's highest standards. The Ministry made a selection from proposals sent by universities from all over Japan for the formation of centers of research and education on a graduate school specialization level. From 10 fields of study 246 centers were selected from a total of 1075 applications as shown in Table 1. Each proposal adopted as a COE receives support for 5 years to form a research base at the highest level in the world. The nuclear engineering belongs to the field of Medical/Civil/Architecture/Other Engineering. Table 1. The 21 st Century Center of Excellence Program 2002
2003
field
Life Sciences
Chemistry/ Information/ Materials Electrics/ Sciences Electronics
applied 112 82 78 selected 28 21 20 field Medical Mathematics/ Mechanical/ Sciences Physics/ Civil/ Earth Science Architecture/ Other Engineering applied 138 86 106 selected 35 24 23
Human Interdisciplinary/ Sciences Combined Areas/ New Fields 79 113 20 24 Social Interdisciplinary/ Sciences Combined Areas/ New Fields 105 26
176 25
total
464 113 total
611 133
total of 2 years 1075 246
A program proposed by Tokyo Institute of Technology (TITech) "Innovative Nuclear Energy Systems for Sustainable Development of the World (COE-INES)" was selected as the only one program in nuclear engineering. This program is planned to continue for 5 years as already mentioned, and the monetary supports for the first year (2003-4) and second year (2004-5) have been fixed to be 196M yens and 156M yens, respectively. These budgets should be spent not for hardware but for software such as personnel expenses, meeting and event expenses, and traveling expenses. We have a plan to promote the international collaboration for research and education on innovative nuclear energy systems. Here the innovative nuclear energy systems include innovative nuclear reactors and innovative separation and transmutation technologies.
Proceedings of lNES-1, 2004
11
1.2 COE-INES Half a century has passed since peaceful use of nuclear energy began. Recently, international cooperative activities, such as Generation IV International Forum (GIF) initiated by US Department of Energy and International Project of Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles(INPRO) initiated by IAEA, have increased among developed countries to search for a next generation of innovative reactors. More than ten years ago at the Tokyo Institute of Technology (YITech), and long before these latest activities, a systematic research was started toward "Construction of Self-Consistent Nuclear Energy Systems". This research led to our achievements in separation and transmutation of radioactive wastes, small reactors, and lead-bismuth and carbon dioxide cooling, and finalized to COE-INES.
Research1 ~lnnovative Nuclear Energy Systems I
forSustainable Developmentof the World N
E-INE __ \
~ n ofYoungResearchersI EnrichmentofDoctoralCurriculaI
I In~=rnatlr=ne=l I ~ PersonnelExchangeI" InternationalSymposium I
Fig. 1.
COE-INES key activities
COE-INES is a center not only for research, but consists of three main activities, research, education and international cooperation as shown in Fig. 1. Details of these activities are described in the following chapters. 2. RESEARCH PLAN
2.1 Overview Nuclear energy involves a wide variety of research areas. In the COE-INES program, these areas are grouped into two parts, i.e., nuclear reactors and the fuel cycle supporting them. We have considered that it is suitable for the university to study the frontiers of each of these areas. As shown in Fig. 2, we have decided to focus our studies on innovative nuclear reactors (including utilization systems) embodied as research on nuclear reactors, and innovative research in separation and transmutation (aiming toward zero release of radioactive wastes) as research on fuel cycle. Among a variety of possible utilization systems, we currently plan to focus on utilization for hydrogen production.
12
I~ Sekimoto
Fig. 2.
COE-INES overview
System construction is tried for both innovative nuclear reactors and separation and transmutation systems, and basic technologies necessary for realizing these systems are investigated and studied. Organic whole of research and education on innovative nuclear energy systems is established. Here we believe free thinking and overall vision are inevitable.
2.2 An Ideal Nuclear Energy System An example of an innovative nuclear energy system to be pursued in the COE-INES is shown in Fig. 3. We imagine a nuclear energy park, within which radioactive wastes are subjected to separation and transmutation. Innovative separation and nuclear transmutation with micro- or nano- technologies will be conducted here, aiming at reducing the toxicity associated with material taken out of the park to a level less than the toxicity associated with material (natural uranium and thorium) brought into the park. It is desirable that the number of such parks is kept as small as possible, since radioactive materials are treated directly in the park. Nuclear energy is used by bringing small, long-life reactors manufactured here into relevant sites to produce not only electricity but portable water, hydrogen and heat for industries and homes. If fuel is contained in the nuclear reactor without refueling, resistance to nuclear proliferation and safety will be greatly enhanced. We expect that this system will be particularly valuable in the future, when a large quantity of energy will be consumed in developing countries.
Proceedings of INES-1, 2004
13
Nuclear Energy Utilization System Long-lifeSmall Reactor
Pa Act NU or Th
~..~~
P, Pb, Bi Ii ,.°°,°,,°,.o,ql
LLFP
J
b
',age: Act,LLFP ) Toxicity out
(Option)
Fig. 3.
An ideal nuclear energy system in the future
In the COE-INES program, research into nuclear energy will be pursued by viewing the current situation from the viewpoint of an ideal target. This viewpoint will enhance the possibility of discovering truly innovative technologies, as well as providing great opportunities for cultivating free thinking and overall vision.
3. EDUCATION PLAN
The COE-INES education plan is shown in Fig. 4. We name it COE-INES Captainship Program. By integrating research with education, we will foster creative researchers and engineers who have advanced knowledge of nuclear science and engineering and great insights so that they can actively participate in advanced research and development. We are surely notified that not all graduate students will take their jobs in research laboratories or similar institutes, but many will get their jobs in different kinds such as private nuclear companies, where actual nuclear business is underway. We should be aware of the needs in graduate student market. Some members of Advisory committee of COE-INES education are invited from outside of the university. Nuclear energy technology efforts need highly skilled engineers. For this reason, we plan to provide education at the professional engineer level by introducing lectures into doctoral courses that help cultivate human resources that will be able to play an active role in general enterprises, not just research institutes.
14
I~ Sekimoto
I
raining through Research on Innovative Nuclear Energy Systems I • Human Resourceswith Free Thinking and Overall Vision • HumanResourceswith Innovative and CreahveR&D Ability • Advanced Knowledgeof Nuclear Scienceand Great Insight • Cultivationof Next-Genera~n Researchers by EnnchedRA System
| II II )
COE-INES Captainship Program
~
nrichmentof DoctoralCurdoula
VCultivalion of IntemalJonalLeaders
~'~
PracticalTraining at Professional Engine~ Level l l
~npro,eme~ o~T r = ~
-IndependentRanning and ]mplernentat~n of / II I O~,r, ea, T r = ~ by S ~ d ~ , I -Volunt.-.-ypart~cipa~onby Students In /
En*ro~m~ by Enriched TA SystemI I
Fig. 4.
COE-1NES education plan
We expect the students to energetically acquire knowledge and technology required for nuclear energy researchers and engineers, ranging from research subjects specific to nuclear energy to issues confronting mankind such as global environmental problems. Furthermore, we provide lectures for the presentation skill in English and English technical writing. Doctoral students will be provided with various opportunities to cultivate internationalism such as active participation in international conferences. We also hope to foster highly skilled specialists to work in developing countries. 4. INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION
We believe these ideas mentioned above are occupied by many scientists in various countries. Then we have a plan to promote the international collaboration for research and education on innovative nuclear energy systems. We have already pursued a lot of international cooperation. We have concluded many agreements for cooperation with foreign institutes, and made a lot of personal exchanges. Many international meetings have been hold for innovative nuclear energy system. We try to develop these activities to encourage research and education in COE-INES.
Proceedings of INES-1, 2004
15
6. CONCLUSIONS
The COE-INES program proposed by TITech was adopted as a 21 st Century COE Program initiated by MEXT in Japan. The program consists of research, education and international collaboration. The research will be performed on the innovative nuclear energy systems, which include innovative nuclear reactors and innovative fuel cycles. The research on innovative nuclear reactors does not cover only reactor design studies but also its utilization systems such as hydrogen production. Both free thinking and overall vision are taken on the research. They are stressed on education also. In the education program (COE-INES Captainship Program) by integrating research with education, we will foster creative researchers and engineers. The program also provides lectures at the professional engineer level, and also various opportunities to cultivate internationalism. We believe these ideas are occupied by many scientists in various countries. Then we have a plan to promote the international collaboration for research and education on innovative nuclear energy systems.