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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Demonstration of passive safety features in EBR-II

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6174616
Two tests of great importance to the design of future commercial nuclear power plants were carried out in the Experimental Breeder Reactor-II on April 3, 1986. These tests, (viewed by about 60 visitors, including 13 foreign LMR specialists) were a loss of flow without scram and a loss of heat sink without scram, both from 100% initial power. In these tests, inherent feedback shut the reactor down without damage to the fuel or other reactor components. This resulted primarily from advantageous characteristics of the metal driver fuel used in EBR-II. Work is currently underway at EBR-II to develop a control strategy that promotes inherent safety characteristics, including survivability of transient overpower accidents. In parallel, work is underway at EBR-II on the development of state-of-the-art plant diagnostic techniques.
Research Organization:
Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
W-31109-ENG-38
OSTI ID:
6174616
Report Number(s):
CONF-870415-3; ON: DE87011411
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English