The concept and neutronic characteristics of a multipurpose fast reactor (MPFR)

The paper describes a concept and its neutronic characteristics of a long-life multipurpose nuclear reactor with self-sustained liquid metallic fuel, which is proposed to meet the requirements for the energy production in the future. The application of the liquid plutonium–uranium metallic alloys as a nuclear fuel demonstrates high potential to reach excellent conversion characteristics and high burn-up values with relatively small reactivity swings. Considerations about the capability of in-vessel separation of the main fission products to prolong the core lifetime without fuel reloading or shuffling are also discussed from the viewpoint of the influence on core burn-up characteristics.     

Safety characteristics of the multipurpose fast reactor (MPFR)

The safety characteristics of a long-life multipurpose nuclear reactor (MPFR) with self-sustained liquid metallic fuel and lead coolant, which is proposed to meet the requirements for the energy production in the future, were investigated. The application of liquid plutonium–uranium metallic alloys used as a nuclear fuel demonstrated high potential to reach excellent reactor shutdown characteristics against anticipated transients without scram such as unprotected loss-of-flow and unprotected transient overpower. The calculations indicated that the thermal expansion of liquid fuels would cause the negative reactivity insertion that would be larger in magnitude than any other thermally induced reactivity changes. This created the reactivity balance for the passive shutdown and power stabilization capabilities of the MPFR core. It was found that MPFR satisfies such design characteristics to be a potential candidate providing the replacement of fossil fuels by alternative energy sources in the next century.     

Long life multipurpose small size fast reactor with liquid metallic-fueled core

A concept of a long life multipurpose nuclear reactor with self-sustained liquid metallic fuel is proposed to meet the requirements for the future energy production. The conceptual design is described and the core neutronic characteristics are obtained based on two-dimensional cylindrical diffusion reactor model. The influence of fission products separation in the liquid-fueled system on the core burnup capability is discussed. The burnup analysis shows a feasibility of the long life refueling-free core concept.     

Gallium-cooled liquid metallic-fueled fast reactor

We have examined the effects on core characteristics of using two different types of Pu-based metallic alloy fuels in the gallium-cooled fast reactor core. In the proposed concept, the liquid metal fast nuclear reactor uses metallic fuel in the liquid phase and gallium coolant at high temperature (inlet 1700K, outlet 1900K). The liquid fuel is continuously supplied to the reactor during operation at full reactor power. The reactor power is controlled by rotational control drums with absorber material. The aim was to evaluate reactor core neutronics and safety characteristics demonstrating a feasibility of the reactor system. Although gallium has large absorption cross section in the high neutron energy region, we can design the core with rather good neutronics performances. The large negative reactivity feedback induced by the thermal expansion of liquid metallic fuel ensures the core's inherent safety against the unprotected loss-of-flow transient.     

Scram and nonlinear reactor system seismic analysis for a liquid metal fast reactor

Earthquake vibrations cause large forces and stresses that can significantly increase the scram time required for safe shutdown of a nuclear reactor. The horizontal deflections of the reactor system components cause impact between the control rods and their guide tubes and ducts. The resulting frictional forces, in addition to other operational forces, delay the travel time of the control rods. To obtain seismic responses of the various reactor system components (for which a linear response spectrum analysis is considered inadequate) and to predict the control rod drop time, a non-linear seismic time history analysis is required. Nonlinearities occur due to the clearances or gaps between various components. When the relative motion of adjacent components is large enough to close the gaps, impact takes place with large impact accelerations and forces.This paper presents the analysis and results for a liquid metal fast rector system which was analyzed for both scram times and seismic responses such as bending moments, accelerations and forces. The reactor system was represented with a one-dimensional nonlinear mathematical model with two degrees of freedom per node (translational and rotational). The model was developed to incorporate as many reactor components as possible without exceeding computer limitations. It consists of 12 reactor components with a total of 71 nodes, 69 beam and pin-jointed elements and 27 gap elements. The gap elements were defined by their clearances, impact spring constants and impact damping constants based on a 50% co-efficient of restitution.The horizontal excitation input to the model was the response of the containment building at the location of the reactor vessel supports. It consists of a 10 sec safe shutdown eathquake (SSE) acceleration-time history at 0.005 sec intervals and with a maximum acceleration of 0.408 g. The analysis was performed with two Westinghouse special purpose computer programs. The first program calculated the reactor system seismic responses and stored the impact forces on tape. The impact forces on the control rod driveline were converted into vertical frictional forces by multiplying them by a coefficient of friction, and then these were used by the second program for the scram time determination.The results give time history plots of various seismic responses, and plots of scram times as a function of control rod travel distance for the most critical scram initiation times. The total scram time considering the effects of the earthquake was still acceptable but about four times longer than that calculated without the eathquake. The bending moment and shear force responses were used as input for the structural analysis (stresses, deflections, fatigue) of the various components, in combination with the other applicable loading conditions.     

Characteristics of fuel melting and relocation in metallic-fueled fast reactor core and its feasibility for eliminating recriticality

The paper gives a concept for eliminating recriticality so that a fast reactor core can have high potential to terminate severe accidents and prevent their progression into further disruption leading to a large-scale inter-subassembly molten configuration. The basic idea to eliminate recriticality events is to remove a certain amount of fuel materials out of the core in order to keep the core subcritical. This concept is called as Controlled Material Relocation (CMR). Based on the concept, we propose an example of CMR devising consisting of annular fuel pins for a metallic-fueled fast reactor core. By this devising, we can define the fraction of core fuels that should be preferentially removed out of the core to eliminate the recriticality potential. We have analyzed melting and relocation behavior of metallic fuel pin, which has annular fuel meat, under accidental condition leading to core degradation. We have also examined the possibility of eliminating neutronic recriticality for a metallic-fueled fast reactor, where the annular fuel pins are partially embedded in the core for realizing the CMR concept.     

SSTAR: The US lead-cooled fast reactor (LFR)

It is widely recognized that the developing world is the next area for major energy demand growth, including demand for new and advanced nuclear energy systems. With limited existing industrial and grid infrastructures, there will be an important need for future nuclear energy systems that can provide small or moderate increments of electric power (10-700 MWe) on small or immature grids in developing nations. Most recently, the global nuclear energy partnership (GNEP) has identified, as one of its key objectives, the development and demonstration of concepts for small and medium-sized reactors (SMRs) that can be globally deployed while assuring a high level of proliferation resistance. Lead-cooled systems offer several key advantages in meeting these goals. The small lead-cooled fast reactor concept known as the small secure transportable autonomous reactor (SSTAR) has been under ongoing development as part of the US advanced nuclear energy systems programs. It is a system designed to provide energy security to developing nations while incorporating features to achieve nonproliferation goals, anticipating GNEP objectives. This paper presents the motivation for development of internationally deployable nuclear energy systems as well as a summary of one such system, SSTAR, which is the US Generation IV lead-cooled fast reactor system.     

A design study on MOX-fueled small fast reactors for standardization of a small fast nuclear reactor system

A way of development to standardize a small fast nuclear reactor system, which is considered one of the suitable concepts at next generation for satisfying such needs as generality, small dependence on natural resources, safety and non-proliferation, is proposed. This process consists of three steps : the first is to demonstrate the basic system within a short period based on current techniques, the second is to achieve greatly higher economy, and the final is to standardize the commercial system that can economically compete with or overcome current light water reactors. A technical investigation is conducted on the performance of a mixed-oxide (MOX)-fueled small fast reactor with a reflector-driven reactivity control system to satisfy the needs at the first step, considering plenty of accomplishments on the MOX fuel and its advantage for limiting the duration of development to the level required at the stage. The results obtained from a series of neutronic and thermal-hydraulic calculations show the feasibility of a small fast reactor that produces the electric power of about 50MW, achieves about two-year consecutive operation with high safety performance and is greatly flexible for updating the system. A mixed-nitride-fueled core is found to be promising past the first stage.     

Thermal hydraulic design of a liquid salt-cooled flexible conversion ratio fast reactor

A 2400 MWth liquid-salt cooled flexible conversion ratio reactor was designed, utilizing the ternary chloride salt NaCl-KCl-MgCl₂ (30-20-50%) as coolant. The reference design uses a wire-wrapped, hexagonal lattice core, and is able to achieve a core power density of 130 kW/l with a core pressure drop of 700 kPa and a maximum cladding temperature under 650 °C. Four kidney-shaped conventional tube-in-shell heat exchangers are used to connect the primary system to a 545 °C supercritical CO₂ power conversion system. The core, intermediate heat exchangers, and reactor coolant pumps fit in a vessel approximately 10 m in diameter and less than 20 m high. Lithium expansion modules (LEMs) were used to reconcile conflicting thermal hydraulic and reactor physics requirements in the liquid salt core. Use of LEMs allowed the design of a very favorable reactivity response which greatly benefits transient mitigation. A reactor vessel auxiliary cooling system (RVACS) and four redundant passive secondary auxiliary cooling systems (PSACSs) are used to provide passive heat removal, and are able to successfully mitigate both the unprotected station blackout transient as well as protected transients in which a scram occurs. Additionally, it was determined that the power conversion system can be used to mitigate both a loss of flow accident and an unprotected transient overpower.     

Innovative fast breeder reactor concept ‘RAPID’ for improvement of reactor performance and proliferation resistance

The 60 MWe metal fueled fast breeder reactor concept ‘RAPID’ to improve reactor performance and proliferation resistance has been demonstrated. The reactor can be operated without refueling for up to 5 years. The essential feature of RAPID concept is that the reactor core consists of an integrated fuel assembly (IFA) instead of conventional fuel subassemblies. RAPID concept enables quick and simplified refueling by replacing an IFA in which all the core and blanket fuel elements are comprised. An on-site storage cask achieves on-site decay heat removal of an IFA. After 3 years of on-site storage, an IFA together with an on-site storage cask can be transported directly to the reprocessing plant without any intermediate steps. Significant improvement of inherent safety features and plant availability has been discussed. Decay heat removal capability, safety consideration on criticality of the IFA and shielding design of the on-site storage cask has been confirmed. The RAPID refueling concept possesses high resistance to state-supported removal of plutonium for nuclear weapons production.     

Commercialized fast reactor cycle systems and reactor core performance of the promising fast reactors

The Feasibility Study on Commercialized Fast Reactor (FR) Cycle Systems is under progress in order to propose prominent FR cycle systems that will respond to the diverse needs of society in the future. The design studies on various FR system concepts have been achieved and then the evaluations of potential to achieve the development targets have been also carried out. Crucial development issues have been found out for each FR system concept and their development plans for the key technologies are summarized as the roadmap. As a result, it has been confirmed that the sodium-cooled FR concept is highly suited to the development targets and R&D issues are related enhancing the economy with certain perspectives for realization. A flexible and robust development program for the FR cycle system will be proposed taking account of the characteristics for each FR concept until the end of the Phase II study.     

A new ordered bed modular reactor concept

The Ordered Bed Modular Reactor (OBMR) is an advanced modular HTGR design in which the annular reactor core is filled with an ordered bed of fuel spheres. This arrangement allows fuel elements to be poured into the core cavity which is shaped so that an ordered bed is formed and to be discharged from the core through the opening holes in the reactor top. These operations can be performed in a shorter shutdown time.     

Fuel element design for the 300 MW(e) gas-cooled fast breeder reactor

The fuel element design for a 300 MW(e) gas cooled fast breeder reactor (GCFR) is presented. The design is the result of a program sponsored by Kernforschungsanlage, Julich (KFA) to develop and fabricate a full size fuel element model under extension of an agreement between General Atomic (GA), Kraftwerk Union (KWU), and KFA to exchange information from GCFR irradiation experiments. The resulting fuel element model design was achieved by joint participation between GA and KWU and relies on the experience and knowledge of the two companies. The model, which will be manufactured by KWU using prototypical materials and specifications, except for dummy fuel pellets, will establish manufacturing feasibility and identify areas for future cost reduction improvements. The evolved designs, particularly the fuel rods, are very similar to those employed in the liquid metal fast breeder reactor (LMFBR) programs. These similarities enable the GCFR to use the vast amount of data being generated for the LMFBR programs, with only an incremental development plan needed to verify certain unique features inherent to the use of helium as the primary coolant.     

一种铅冷快堆主要构件的辐照损伤计算

为满足公众对更安全、更经济和环境更友好的核能系统的需求,提出一种铅铋合金冷却的铅冷快堆(Breeding Lead-based Economical Safe System–Demonstration,BLESS-D)。BLESS-D反应堆采用池式结构,热功率300 MW。金属材料受中子辐照时将造成材料的晶格缺陷,导致材料的宏观性能变化,改变其物理和机械性能。BLESS-D反应堆中有许多在反应堆寿期内不可更换的关键部件和设备,这些构件在反应堆运行期间如受到中子辐照损伤,将影响构件材料的性能,进而导致设备的使用寿命,限制了反应堆的寿命。本文通过计算BLESS-D反应堆主要部件和设备的原子离位数(Displacement Per Atom,DPA),评估结构材料的辐照损伤程度。利用SPECTER程序和MCNP程序进行燃料包壳、内部容器、主泵泵壳、蒸汽发生器壳和反应堆容器的DPA模拟计算,计算结果与发生材料辐照效应的DPA限值进行比较,发现内部容器的累积DPA在20年寿期内超过了材料辐照效应限值,需要进一步分析并优化设计,确保其寿期内的安全性。