Sodium-cooled fast reactor technology

The papers presented a comprehensive overview of the accumulated experience with the operation of sodium cooled fast reactors. The worldwide 40+ years of fast reactor development represent a total of 300 years of operation. Based on this figure, it was concluded that the sodium cooled fast reactor technology has reached a mature stage. The advantages of this type of reactor were pointed out by the various presenters ... 

A concept for nuclear production of hydrogen, FR-MR , which combines sodium cooled fast reactors (SFR) with the membrane reformer technology, has been studied jointly by MHI, ARTEC, TGC and NSA[15]. 

Large experience has been already gained with sodium cooled fast reactor operation. The use of sodium as a coolant poses fire danger in case of its leakage and interaction with air or water. Operating experience testifies the possibility of coping with the mentioned problem, but the quest for excellence calls for future improvement in LMFRs technology. 

The principal objective of the BR-5/BR-10 reactor was to gain practical experience of operation of sodium cooled fast reactor and find optimum solutions of engineering and technological problems arising in SFR operation, which can be used in the future power reactor designs. 

Feasibility of technology of sodium cooled fast reactors has been confirmed in all stages of their life ... 

The ultimate objective for fast reactors has always been to maximise the utilisation of the natural uranium resource and in common with the main development programmes world wide, EFR has pursued the sodium coolant technology. The safety approach recognises the differing requirements of a sodium cooled fast reactor core compared to the established water and gas cooled thermal reactors which has resulted in a different balance between prevention and mitigation with consequences for the shutdown, decay heat removal and containment systems. 

The facility designs and many of the refueling characteristics of the LS-VHTR are similar to those of sodium-cooled fast reactors. As a consequence, much of the refueling technology for sodium-cooled fast reactors is applicable to an LS-VHTR with relatively minor changes required. This technology is reviewed herein. The reactors have the following similarities. 

In this context the so-called "knowledge acquisition" programme ( 4), proposed by NERSA, "Electricite de France" and "Commissariat a I Energie Atomique" is designed to prove the capacity of a large FBR to produce electricity on an industrial scale, to test the consumption of plutonium and minor actinides in a large fast reactor, as well as to provide information on technology of sodium-cooled fast reactors. 

Sodium-cooled-fast reactor. (From US DOE Nuclear Energy Research Advisory Committee and the Generation IV International Forum, A technology roadmap for generation IV nuclear energy systems, GIF-002-00, 2002.)... 

The technical basis for the RAPID includes general experience with sodium cooled fast reactors. Specifically, the RAPID concept includes no control rods but incorporates the passive lithium expansion modules, lithium injection modules and lithium release modules to enable an operator-free operation mode. These systems utilize Li as a liquid poison instead of B4C rods. To verify the reactivity worth of Li, the criticality test [XVII-5] using the fast critical assembly (FCA) of the Japan Atomic Research Institute (JAERI) has been conducted. Also, the manufacturing technology of the lithium modules was mastered, and the performance and neutron radiography tests of the lithium expansion and lithium injection module pilots were conducted. 

With these goals in mind, some 100 experts evaluated 130 reactor concepts before GIF selected six reactor technologies for further R D. These include the gas-cooled fast reactor (GFR), lead-cooled fast reactor (LFR), molten salt reactor (MSR), supercritical water-cooled reactor (SCWR), sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR), and very high temperature reactor (VHTR). 

Suzuki, T., Kamiyama, K., Yamano, H., Kuho, S., Tobita, Y., Nakai, R., Koyama, K., January 20, 2014. A scenario of core dismptive accident for Japan sodium-cooled fast reactor to achieve in-vessel retention. Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology. 

Takata, T., Yamaguchi, A., Uchihori, A., Ohshima, H., 2009. Computational methodology of sodium-water reaction phenomenon in steam generator of sodium-cooled fast reactor. Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology 46, 613—623. 

Yamano, H., Kubo, S., Shimakawa, Y., Fujita, K., Suzuki, T., Kurisaka, K., 2012. Safety design and evaluation in a large-scale Japan sodium-cooled fast reactor. Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations 2012. Article Id 614973, 14 pages. 

Key innovative technologies in the Japan sodium-cooled fast reactor design... 

Kimura, N., et al., 2008. Experimental study on gas entrainment at free surface in reactor vessel of a compact sodium-cooled fast reactor. Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology 45 (10), 1053-1062. 

Onoda, Y., et al., 2011. Three-pin cluster CABRI tests simulating the unprotected loss-of-fiow accident in sodium-cooled fast reactors. Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology 48 (2), 188-204. 

Bakanov, M.V., Nosov, Yu.V., Potapov, O.A., 2013. Operating experience with the BN-600 sodium-cooled fast reactor. In FRs and Related Fuel Cycles Safe Technology and Sustainable Scenarios (FRl 3). Proceedings from the International Conference on Fast Reactors and Related Fuel Cycles, vol. 2. Paris, France. 

It has been recognized nationwide that a fast reactor system is one of the most promising nuclear options for electricity generation with an efficient utilization of uranium (U) resources and a reduction of the radioactive wastes from nuclear power plants. In response to this recognition, sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) technology... 

In 2002, the Generation IV International Forum selected six systems as Generation IV technologies very-high-temperature reactors (VHTRs), supercritical water-cooled reactors (SCWRs), gas-cooled fast reactors (GFRs), lead-cooled fast reactors (LFRs), sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFRs), and molten salt-cooled reactors (MSRs). As shown in Table 12.1, the spectra of the operating conditions for the six selected types of reactors are versatile [1]. 

Much, but not all of the fuel technology for the MSR exists. Most of the LFR fuel cycle exists because it uses the same basic technology that was developed for the sodium-cooled fast reactor. (The sodium-cooled fast reactor itself is not a candidate for H2 production because of the low boiling point of sodiiun.) However, the LFR technology has not been deployed on a commercial scale. The GFR fuel cycle technology is in a very early state of development (fuel form not yet defined). 

As an effort to enhance the key LMR technologies, KAERI decided to join the I-NERI, a three-year collaboration program between Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and KAERI. The objective of this collaboration is to identify and quantify the performance of innovative design features in metallic-fuelled, sodium cooled fast reactor designs. Korea also expects to... 

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