GIF Lead-cooled Fast Reactor Development Status

10th GIF-IAEA Interface Meeting IAEA Headquarters, Vienna. 11-12 April 2016

Alessandro Alemberti (EURATOM / Ansaldo Nucleare)

on behalf of GIF LFR

provisional System Steering Committee

Slide 2

OUTLINE

Three GIF–LFR Reference Systems

Status of Main Activities of LFR Provisional SSC (pSSC)

Status of LFR Development in MoU countries

JAPAN

REPUBLIC OF KOREA

RUSSIAN FEDERATION

EURATOM

Slide 3

GIF–LFR REFERENCE SYSTEMSthe three reference systems of GIF–LFR are:

ELFR (600 MWe), BREST (300 MWe), and SSTAR (small size)Members of provisional System Steering Committee: EURATOM, RUSSIA, JAPAN,KOREAObservers to pSSC activities: USA, CHINA

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2

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1 - Core2 - Steam Generator 3 - Pump4 - Refueling Machine 5 - Reactor Vault

CLOSURE HEAD

CO2 INLET NOZZLE (1 OF 4)

CO2 OUTLET NOZZLE (1 OF 8)

Pb-TO-CO2 HEAT EXCHANGER (1 OF 4)

ACTIVE CORE AND FISSION GAS PLENUM

RADIAL REFLECTOR

FLOW DISTRIBUTOR HEAD

FLOW SHROUDGUARD VESSEL

REACTOR VESSEL

CONTROL ROD DRIVES

CONTROL ROD GUIDE TUBES AND DRIVELINES

THERMAL BAFFLE

ELFRsystem for central station

power generation

BRESTsystem of

intermediate size

SSTARsystem of small size

with long core life

SG

Reactor Vessel

Safety Vessel

DHR dip cooler

FAs

PrimaryPump

Slide 4

• LFR System Research Plan (SRP):Final draft of LFR SRP has been issued by pSSC and sent to EG

• LFR White Paper on safety: Final version of the White Paper is available to the public on the GIF web-site

• LFR Safety Design Criteria (SDC):LFR Safety Design Criteria have been developed on the basis of SDC for SFRs.Submitted to RSWG for review in December of 2015

• LFR System Safety Assessment (SSA):. Final draft version of LFR-SSA sent to RSWG on January 2016

• Position document on the IRSN report:Following a request of EG, LFR-pSSC developed a short note summarizing its comments to the IRSN report on Gen-IV safety. Document submitted to EG for review

Status of the main activities:

SRP, SDC, SSA, IRSN report

Slide 5

JAPAN

Investigations at Tokyo Institute of Technology

Research Plan for LFR in 2016

• Study of detail design of Lead-Bismuth Cooled CANDLE reactor

• Theoretical study of corrosion in LBE cooled reactor

• Experimental study of corrosion in accidental condition of LBE cooled reactor

Slide 6

In Japan, fundamental R&D studies are carried out at the Tokyo Institute of Technology tosupport LFR technology development. These include

JAPAN

Investigations at Tokyo Institute of Technology

• Design activities related to:o Nuclear design: Low void reactivity, Long life core, CANDLE concepto Thermal-hydraulic and structural design o Plant designo Safety analysis (UTOP, ULOF, ULOHS)

• Thermal-hydraulic tests • Material compatibility tests: Corrosion-resistant material (Al/Si-added steels, Al/Fe-

alloy-coated steels, ceramics, refractory metals), Effect of stresses, cold-work and welding on steel corrosion, Erosion phenomena

• Po test: Po removability, Filtration• Oxygen control tests, incl. oxygen sensor developments, oxygen control with gas

and PbO• LBE property test: Diffusivity of impurities, etc.• Analytical studies: Core calculation, Thermal-hydraulics, MD simulation

During 2015 main studies have been dedicated to CANDLE concept

Slide 7

The CANDLE Reactor Concept• The CANDLE (Constant Axial shape of Neutron flux, nuclide density

and power shape During Life of Energy production) reactor concepthas been considered for very high uranium fuel utilization withoutreprocessing.

– Its burning region propagates along the axial direction withoutchanging the spatial distribution and it have higher burn‐updischarged.

– The burning region moving speed is generally slow; hence, it isfeasible to achieve a very long‐life reactor core.

– Sekimoto et al. reported that CANDLE has a maximum fuel burnup ofup to about 40% without enrichment or reprocessing

– Currently no fuel cladding material that can withstand such highburnup necessary to ensure material integrity under ~ 40% ofburnup if CANDLE burning can be utilized for a long‐life core.

*Source: Sekimoto, H., 2010. Light a CANDLE, An Innovative Burnup Strategy of Nuclear Reactors. Center for Research into Innovative Nuclear Energy Systems (CRINES), Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo.

Fig. 1: Concept of CANDLE burning*

S-7

JAPAN

Slide 8

IN NOVEMBER 2015 KOREA signed the GIF-LFR MoU becoming full member of the GIF-LFR provisional System Steering Committee

Summary of ROK activities on GIF-LFR

• GIF-LFR-pSSC MoU signed by SNU November 2015• SMR – URANUS Kickoff with MIT and Private Industries• OECD/NEA LACANES Benchmark on Natural Circulation • SNF/HLW Security Solution – PASCAR• A new pool-type test facility PILLAR is prepared to be built• Several collaborations with MIT are ongoing

Republic of KOREA

Slide 9

LFR Design Development URANUS

– Ubiquitous3D seismic isolation

– RobustUnderground

– Accident-forgivingLBE coolantFully passive safety

system– Non-proliferatingCapsular core

– Ultra-lasting20 years refueling cycle

– SustainerCO2 Sequestration

9

Republic of KOREA

Slide 10

OECD/NEA LACANES & Natural CirculationHELIOS geometry specifications

Phase I: isothermal

forced convection(HELIOS)

3D CFD calculations for selected geometries

Calculation results from participants

Best practice guideline

Comparison & discussion

Phase II: non-isothermal

natural circulation(HELIOS

andNACIE)

Forced convection test results

Calculation results from participants

Natural circulationtest results

Best practice guideline

3D CFD calculations for selected geometries

Calculation resultsfrom participants

Comparison & Validation

N t l

test results

Natural convection test resultsrepair

HELIOSHeaterFailure

NACIE B/M iadded

NACIE B/M campaign added

NACIE geometry specifications

Rationale and Approach

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Republic of KOREA

Slide 11

Global Symposium on Lead and Lead Alloy Cooled Nuclear Energy Science and Technology (GLANST)

Website hosted by OECD/NEA GIF secretariat

Organizational Structure – Scientific Committee consisted of GIF LFR pSSC members– Chaired by GIF LFR pSSC– Organized in GIF countries every 5 years between two HLMC events

REGISTRATION FEE: US $200.00 (Proceedings, Reception, Banquet)ACCOMODATION: Seoul National University(SNU) Hoam Faculty House & Hotels

CALL FOR PAPERS – “2-Page Summary” submission deadline: May 31, 2016Use Template for 2-Page Summary for Submission to glanst-2016@peacer.org

Seoul, Korea ■ November 16-18,2016 ■ Seoul National University (SNU)

Republic of KOREA

Slide 12

Main Coolant Pump

Steam GeneratorVessel Core

Emergency Cooling System header

RUSSIAN FEDERATIONBREST–OD–300: Design concept

• BREST features an integral primary circuit layout combined with a multilayer metal-concrete vessel to exclude risk for primary coolant losses

• There are no shutoff valves in the primary circuit and a high degree of natural circulation flow can be maintained in the primary circuit of BREST during the loss of AC power

• The use of highly dense and highly heat-conductive nitride fuel allows breeding inside the BREST core (BR~1.05). This limits excess reactivity requirements and excludes risks for severe accidental reactivity insertions

• BREST employs a passive emergency cooling system with natural circulation and removal of decay heat to the atmospheric air

Slide 13

RUSSIAN FEDERATIONBREST–OD–300: Safety assessments

Comprehensive safety assessments have been performed in support to licensing ofBREST. This included:• Analyses of anticipated operational

occurrences (AOO) accompanied by postulated failures of systems, components or by personnel errors

• Analyses of progression of these anticipated operational occurrences accompanied by multiple failures of systems, components or by personnel errors

As an enveloping case, an analysis of station black-out accident has also been performed:• Decay heat was assumed to be removed by

two out of four emergency cooling loops

The results of these analyses show that no cladding or fuel melting is to be expected and that the integrity of the primary system of BREST is maintained

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0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350

Power (N) and flow rate (G) [relative units]

Time [s]

N

G

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

1100

1200

1300

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350

Temperature Т [С]

Time [s]

ТF

Тcl

ТSG in. Тcore out.

ТSG out.

Тcore in.

Station blackout

Slide 14

BREST–OD–300 SCHEDULE:

Design completed 2014

License approval 2015-16

Start of construction 2017

Commissioning 2020-2022

RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Slide 15

MAIN COOLANT PUMP

REACTOR VESSEL SAFETY VESSEL

FUEL ASSEMBLIES

STEAM GENERATOR

STEAM GENERATOR

MAIN COOLANT PUMP

REACTOR CORE

ALFRED - Reactor ConfigurationPower: 300 MWth (125 MWe)Primary cycle: 400 ‒ 480ºCSecondary cycle: 335 ‒ 450ºC(superheated steam)

EURATOM

Slide 16

THE FALCON CONSORTIUM

• Unincorporated consortium• In-kind contributions• Optimize the cooperation• Activities: strategic, management,

governance, financial andtechnical aspects

• Detailed agreement • R&D needs management• Engineering design• Licensing, and • Commit the construction

2PHASE

1PHASE

EURATOM

Slide 17

INITIATIVES on-going• i-CRADLE proposal for a Lead technology distributed

infrastructure has been launched. i-CRADLE nodes:

Brasimone (Italy)CV-Rez (Czech Republec) Mioveni (Romania)

• Proposal to the next call of Romania minor projects (March 2016) finance the construction and testing program of ATHENA facility in Mioveni (Lead pool – 3m dia – height 9 m - 20 M€ ) + Chem Lab

• Work on going to promote ALFRED as a Major Project in RomaniaYet preliminary steps, but may provide access to large fund.

FALCON Status

EURATOM

Slide 18

LEADER–BREST Cooperation Agreement

In May 2014, a Cooperation Agreement (CooA) was signed between Ansaldo Nucleare, as the coordinator of the LEADER project, and OJSC NIKIET, as the coordinator of the BREST project

The CooA aims at the exchange of information between the two projects on 7 main topics:

Topic 1: Conceptual design of LFR at various power sizes and for various purposesTopic 2: Approaches and methods for ensuring nuclear reactor safetyTopic 3: Computational and exp. studies of neutron and physical characteristics of the LFRTopic 4: Computer and exp. study of thermal and hydraulic characteristics of elements of

the active core, steam generator and flow pattern in the reactorTopic 5: Investigation on available materials compatible with lead coolant and possible

approaches for corrosion control/reductionTopic 6: Long-term impact on nuclear fuel cycle highlighting advantages and

environmental effectsTopic 7: Education and training: Provide a framework to grow the skills of the young

generation of engineers and scientist on LFR technology

Slide 19

LEADER – BREST Cooperation Agreement

The first meeting of the Cooperation Agreement has been hosted by Ansaldo Nucleare in Genova on December 9-10.

The meeting was centered on the following topics:

• LFRs design: design details, safety features and safety analysis• Leader project safety approach and aspects of LFRs• CFD calculations of flow blockage for ALFRED and BREST• CFD modelling of the mixing and swirling of liquid metal flows

The meeting was followed by a visit to ENEA Brasimone research center on December 11 where several collaboration possibilities related to experiments and code qualification have been identified.

Next meeting is proposed end of September in Moscow in conjunction with Nikiet 2016 Conference

Slide 20

Thank you for your attention

NEA Director-General Magwood receiving LFR MoU signature from Korea'sSeoul National University Prof Hwang, November 2015