Rapid neutron reactors (RNR)
by Pierre CLAUZONmember 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 »