Rapid neutron reactors (RNR)

by Pierre CLAUZON

member of EFN - Environmentalists For Nuclear Energy

8th June 2010

This presentation is archived here : http://www.ecolo.org/documents/documents_in_english/RNR-Clauzon-2010-en.ppt

French version of this presentation : http://www.ecolo.org/documents/documents_in_french/RNR-Clauzon-2010.ppt

Georges Vendryès, former Director of Atomic reactors at CEA

Pierre Zaleski

Summary

1 Physics and economical considerations

2 The adventure of RNR in France :

the learning phase

Rapsodie

Phénix (300 Mwe)

Superphénix (1300 Mwe)

3 The future with Astrid, and foreign projects

• To produce 1MW during 24 hours :

• you can burn 1,4 tonne of coal

• or 1 g of Uranium (fission)

• or 0.3 gram of hydrogène (fusion)

Binding energy

RAPSODIE(test reactor in Cadarache)

PHENIX(300 MWe reactor in Marcoule)

Phenix (diagram)

PHENIX (integrated reactor)

PHENIX (fuel element)

PHENIX(arrangement of fuel rods)

PHENIX (bottom bed)

SUPERPHENIX (1300 MWe in Creys-Malville)

SUPERPHENIX (Creys-Malville)

JOYO

MONJU

Japan Japan has 2 fast reactors, JOYO stopped since 2007 after technical incident, and MONJU, stopped since 1995, restarted in 2010.

JSFR (Japanese Sodium Fast Reactor will be the most advanced model of RNR in Japan (4th géeneration)

JSFR

compact reactor Vessel

Intermediate exchangerand primary pump

Short circuits

Steam generator

Secundary pump

The Russian RNR family

BN-600

BN-800

BR 10BOR-60

BN-350

Beloyarsk Beloyarsk NPP NPP

View of BN-800 siteView of BN-800 site

Inde - FBTR, a copy of Rapsodie, is in operation since 1985 with carbure fuel elements.

- PFBR, 500 Mwe, inspired from EFR, is in construction to diverge in 2010 ; it is the first of 3 similar reactors to be built on the same site.

China’s sodium reactor : CEFR

CEFR reactor building

Work on the CEFR in October 2008

China has a small sodium rapid neutron reactor, 65 MWth, inspired by BOR 60, expected to diverge in 2010.

CONCLUSIONInscribed on the JOYO reactor(transmitted by G. Vendryès)

• A quote from Seneca (Greek philosopher):

• « Veniet tempus, quo posteri tam aperta nos nescisse mirentur »

• « Time will come when our descendents will be surprised that we have missed such simple evidence »