Equivalent full power day

All of this would not be possible without the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) to serve as a source of neutrons to carry out the transmutation of the elements. Since first reaching full power (100 MW) on October 21, 1966, the HFIR has logged 4148 equivalent full power days through December 31, 1979, for an overall operating efficiency of 86%. During many years, this figure has run 93% or more. 

The primary system includes four primary pumps and eight intermediate heat exchangers connected with four secondary loops. The total amount of sodium in these four secondary loops is 1500 tons. The core of SPX is made of fuel elements (mixed UO2-PUO2), breeder elements, rods plus complementary control rods (pins containing pellets of boron carbide B4C). The power of SPX reactor was 3000 thermal MW converted to 1242 electric MW. At the date of the decision of the final shutdown of the reactor, SPX was in operation only 320 Equivalent Full Power Days. During this time there was no cladding failure. Therefore it can be assumed that SUPERPHENIX has a very low residual activity and minor contamination in the primary sodium. Thus the residual activity of the primary sodium was measured. The values in 2000 were ... 

The NPP was generally operated at the power tolerated by the reactor and equipment, with comparatively high load factor. Phenix has currently provided about 100 000 hours of grid-connected operation representing 3 900 equivalent full power days at operating temperatures of 560°C for the reactor hot structures. The plant has achieved the objectives of demonstration of fast breeder reactor technology which were set at the time of construction. The Phenix reactor has operated with a gross thermal efficiency of 45%. 

Feasibility studies on the incineration of actinide isotopes and fission products are being made in several countries. In the case of fission products attention has been focused on the incineration of Tc-99 and 1-129. Following neutron capture both nuclides decay rapidly to the stable isotopes, Ru-lOO and Xe-130. One method being considered is the use of special moderating assemblies located in the breeder regions of fast reactors. (This technique has been used successfully in PHENDC for the production of Co-60 fi om Co-59). An irradiation test has been carried out in the Fast Flux Test Facility. The percentage of transmutations in a 10.5 equivalent full power days irradiation were about 0.7% for Tc-99 and 0.4% for 1-129. The... 

The post-irradiation results have also confirmed the excellent resistance of these materials to external sodium corrosion (maximum depth of 30 mm measured on a PHENIX pin irradiated to 13,6 at % over 826 EFPD (Equivalent Full Power Days) Recent development... 

Besides power generation and eventual replacement of the BN-600, the BN-800 will be used to demonstrate enhanced safety features and principles that are to be implemented in the next generation of commercial SFRs. It is planned to eventually use the plant as part of the closed nuclear fuel cycle with mixed oxide (MOX) or nitride fuel. The reactor core is planned to be recycled 20 times over the course of 40 years with 730 fuel cycle length (equivalent full power day, EFPD) fuel campaigns. The facility will also play an important role in obtaining data on the economic performance and approaches to operating cost optimization as well as the advanced fuel... 

The core incorporated a graded low-enriched uranium (LEU) and thorium (LEU/Th) fuel cycle with an equilibrium cycle in which fuel exposure reaches 964 effective full power days (EFPDs) (3.3 calendar years at 80% equivalent availability), with one-half of the active core being replaced every 482 EFPDs (1.65 calendar years at S0% equivalent availability). 

The THTR 300 prototype nuclear power plant in Hamm (Westphalia) with a graphitemoderated and helium-cooled reactor was shut-down for a scheduled revision after an operation time equivalent to 423 days of full-load operation. About one year later, the decision on decommissioning was taken by the federal and state authorities and the shareholders of HKG, the plant operator. 

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