LFR Demonstrator Materials Viability
Interest in fast reactor development has increased with the Department of Energy's introduction of the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) [1]. The GNEP program plans development of a sodium cooled Advanced Burner Reactor (ABR) that can be used to reduce the amount spent LWR fuel in storage and the number of high level waste sites needed for expansion of nuclear power throughout the world over the 21st century. In addition, the program proposes to make nuclear power more available while reducing the proliferation concerns by revising policies and technology for control of weapons useable materials. This would be accomplished with establishment of new institutional arrangements based on selective siting of reprocessing, enrichment and waste disposal facilities. The program would also implement development of small reactors suitable for use in developing countries or remote regions with small power grids. Over the past several years, under the Department of Energy (DOE) NERI and GEN IV programs research has been conducted on small lead cooled reactors. The Small Secure Transportable Autonomous Reactor (SSTAR) [2] is the most recent version of this type of reactor and research is continuing on it in the GEN IV program in parallel with GNEP. SSTAR is a small (10MWe-100MWe) reactor that is fueled once for life. It complements the GNEP program very well in that it serves one of the world markets not currently addressed by large reactors and its development requirements are similar to those for the ABRs. In particular, the fuel and structural materials for these fast spectrum reactors share common thermal and neutron environments. The coolants, sodium in ABR and lead or lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) in SSTAR, are the major developmental difference. This report discusses the status of structural materials for fast reactor core and primary system components and selected aspects of their development.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 898506
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-TR-223397; TRN: US0701915
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
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