Performance of driver and experimental fuel in Phenix and the PFR

Conference · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1992 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States)

OSTI ID:6983303

Brown, C ^[1]; Languille, A; Courcon, P ^[2]; Loyer, G ^[3]

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1. United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, Caithness (United Kingdom)
2. Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, Saint-Paul-les-Durance (France)
3. Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, Bagnols (France)

One of the principal objectives of both the protype fast reactor (PFR) in the United Kingdom and of the Phenix reactor in France has been to assist in the development of liquid-metal fast breeder reactor fuel. To have confidence in fuel, it must operate in a regime relevant to commercial power stations. Both reactors are capable of two types of fuel studies. The first uses standard or driver subassemblies, while the second uses specifically desinged experimental vehicles that enable smaller pin bundles with evolutionary design features to be tested before commitment to full-scale subassembly testing. Considerable success has been attained in terms of progressively increasing burnup targets in accord with economic requirements. This paper outlines the current status with reference to European fast reactor (EFR) targets of both the driver and experimental fuel irradiated in Phenix and in the PFR. More than 165,000 pins have been irradiated in Phenix and [approximately]97,000 in the PFR since reactor operations began.

• OSTI ID: 6983303
• Report Number(s): CONF-921102--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States) Journal Volume: 66
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210500* -- Power Reactors
Breeding
ALLOYS
AUSTENITIC STEELS
BREEDER REACTORS
BURNUP
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
EPITHERMAL REACTORS
FAST REACTORS
FBR TYPE REACTORS
FUEL ASSEMBLIES
FUEL CANS
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUEL PINS
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
IRRADIATION
LIQUID METAL COOLED REACTORS
LMFBR TYPE REACTORS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PFR REACTOR
PHENIX REACTOR
PLUTONIUM REACTORS
POWER REACTORS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTORS
SODIUM COOLED REACTORS
STEELS
SWELLING
TESTING