Abstract
The U.S. civilian nuclear power research and development program continues to focus on advanced large and mid-size light water reactors, advanced liquid metal fast reactors, and modular high temperature gas cooled reactors. This paper discusses the Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor program, which is composed of a small, passively safe fast reactor coupled with a metal fuel cycle that incorporates actinide recycle, and an emerging effort to process LWR spent fuel for LMR fissile material, and to enhance the LWR waste management. The liquid metal reactor concept has a sound technology base, with some three decades of research and development both in this and other countries. An existing network of government and industry research facilities and engineering test centers in the United States is currently providing test capabilities and the technical expertise required to conduct an aggressive advanced reactor development program. Notable among the research facilities is the Experimental Breeder Reactor-Il (EBR-II) at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) in Idaho and the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) at Hanford, Washington. Subsequent to the DOE directive to shut down the Fast Flux Test Facility in early 1990, significant effort was placed in finding international financial support for this reactor. This initiative was not
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Griffith, Jerry D;
[1]
Horton, Kenneth E
[2]
- Reactor Systems Development and Technology, Office of Nuclear Energy, U.S. Department of Energy (United States)
- Division of International Programs, Office of Nuclear Energy, U.S. Department of Energy (United States)
Citation Formats
Griffith, Jerry D, and Horton, Kenneth E.
Status of liquid metal reactor development in the United States of America.
IAEA: N. p.,
1992.
Web.
Griffith, Jerry D, & Horton, Kenneth E.
Status of liquid metal reactor development in the United States of America.
IAEA.
Griffith, Jerry D, and Horton, Kenneth E.
1992.
"Status of liquid metal reactor development in the United States of America."
IAEA.
@misc{etde_20251449,
title = {Status of liquid metal reactor development in the United States of America}
author = {Griffith, Jerry D, and Horton, Kenneth E}
abstractNote = {The U.S. civilian nuclear power research and development program continues to focus on advanced large and mid-size light water reactors, advanced liquid metal fast reactors, and modular high temperature gas cooled reactors. This paper discusses the Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor program, which is composed of a small, passively safe fast reactor coupled with a metal fuel cycle that incorporates actinide recycle, and an emerging effort to process LWR spent fuel for LMR fissile material, and to enhance the LWR waste management. The liquid metal reactor concept has a sound technology base, with some three decades of research and development both in this and other countries. An existing network of government and industry research facilities and engineering test centers in the United States is currently providing test capabilities and the technical expertise required to conduct an aggressive advanced reactor development program. Notable among the research facilities is the Experimental Breeder Reactor-Il (EBR-II) at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) in Idaho and the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) at Hanford, Washington. Subsequent to the DOE directive to shut down the Fast Flux Test Facility in early 1990, significant effort was placed in finding international financial support for this reactor. This initiative was not successful. Therefore, although there may be a potential future mission for the FFTF, the Secretary of Energy announced on March 13, 1992 that the FFTF will be put in a standby condition starting April 1, 1992. Current U.S. Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor (ALMR) activity is focused on providing a reactor and fuel cycle system with improved safety margins, better economics, and an attractive waste management (actinide recycle) option. Special attention is being directed to passive safety features, large design margins, modular plant construction, standardized plant design leading to simplified licensing and shorter construction schedules, factory fabrication, advanced instrumentation and control systems, the development of robotic systems, the use of high performance materials, and the option for on-site fuel processing. The United States has made substantial progress in achieving ALMR program objectives. After a competitive period, a decision was made in 1988 to select the General Electric ALMR concept known as PRISM (Power Reactor Innovative Small Module) for advanced conceptual design. Significant accomplishments have been achieved in design, licensing and economics, even though the original schedule has been stretched due to funding limitations. The Department of Energy's role is to advance the concept to a sufficient level that would enable private sector and/or international interests to further development and construction of a full size prototype plant. A key strategy within the U.S. ALMR program is to evaluate the potential of metal fuel based on the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) concept developed at ANL. The technology supports practical actinide recycling. The metal fuel cycle is designed to recycle and burn its own minor actinides, and has the potential to be a very effective utilizer of the Pu and minor actinides generated in the LWRs. The entire ALMR system can thus extend uranium resources by a hundred-fold, making nuclear essentially the same as a renewable energy source. The scientific principles involved in the IFR concept have been shown to be soundly-based, surpassing expectations in several instances. The IFR Program is developing a comprehensive technology and is now preparing the definitive technology demonstration of the economic feasibility of the concept. The development effort includes large scale irradiation of the U-Pu-Zr ternary alloy metallic fuel to provide the basis for commercial fabrication specification; optimization of the flowsheet for the IFR pyroprocessing method for efficient fuel recycle and waste management; design and testing of plant-scale pyroprocessing equipment; characterization of the many inherent passive safety aspects of the IFR systems for effective exploitation of these characteristics in practical reactor and systems designs; and evaluations of capability of the IFR to interface with LWR and other programs. The United States has been active in international cooperative activities in the fast reactor sector since 1969. Over the ensuing years, joint programs evolved which benefited all parties and lowered research and development costs. Such cooperation continues, even though the fast reactor program direction in the U.S. differs from the primary direction in Europe and Japan, as more areas of common technology are identified for joint development and application.}
place = {IAEA}
year = {1992}
month = {Jul}
}
title = {Status of liquid metal reactor development in the United States of America}
author = {Griffith, Jerry D, and Horton, Kenneth E}
abstractNote = {The U.S. civilian nuclear power research and development program continues to focus on advanced large and mid-size light water reactors, advanced liquid metal fast reactors, and modular high temperature gas cooled reactors. This paper discusses the Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor program, which is composed of a small, passively safe fast reactor coupled with a metal fuel cycle that incorporates actinide recycle, and an emerging effort to process LWR spent fuel for LMR fissile material, and to enhance the LWR waste management. The liquid metal reactor concept has a sound technology base, with some three decades of research and development both in this and other countries. An existing network of government and industry research facilities and engineering test centers in the United States is currently providing test capabilities and the technical expertise required to conduct an aggressive advanced reactor development program. Notable among the research facilities is the Experimental Breeder Reactor-Il (EBR-II) at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) in Idaho and the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) at Hanford, Washington. Subsequent to the DOE directive to shut down the Fast Flux Test Facility in early 1990, significant effort was placed in finding international financial support for this reactor. This initiative was not successful. Therefore, although there may be a potential future mission for the FFTF, the Secretary of Energy announced on March 13, 1992 that the FFTF will be put in a standby condition starting April 1, 1992. Current U.S. Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor (ALMR) activity is focused on providing a reactor and fuel cycle system with improved safety margins, better economics, and an attractive waste management (actinide recycle) option. Special attention is being directed to passive safety features, large design margins, modular plant construction, standardized plant design leading to simplified licensing and shorter construction schedules, factory fabrication, advanced instrumentation and control systems, the development of robotic systems, the use of high performance materials, and the option for on-site fuel processing. The United States has made substantial progress in achieving ALMR program objectives. After a competitive period, a decision was made in 1988 to select the General Electric ALMR concept known as PRISM (Power Reactor Innovative Small Module) for advanced conceptual design. Significant accomplishments have been achieved in design, licensing and economics, even though the original schedule has been stretched due to funding limitations. The Department of Energy's role is to advance the concept to a sufficient level that would enable private sector and/or international interests to further development and construction of a full size prototype plant. A key strategy within the U.S. ALMR program is to evaluate the potential of metal fuel based on the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) concept developed at ANL. The technology supports practical actinide recycling. The metal fuel cycle is designed to recycle and burn its own minor actinides, and has the potential to be a very effective utilizer of the Pu and minor actinides generated in the LWRs. The entire ALMR system can thus extend uranium resources by a hundred-fold, making nuclear essentially the same as a renewable energy source. The scientific principles involved in the IFR concept have been shown to be soundly-based, surpassing expectations in several instances. The IFR Program is developing a comprehensive technology and is now preparing the definitive technology demonstration of the economic feasibility of the concept. The development effort includes large scale irradiation of the U-Pu-Zr ternary alloy metallic fuel to provide the basis for commercial fabrication specification; optimization of the flowsheet for the IFR pyroprocessing method for efficient fuel recycle and waste management; design and testing of plant-scale pyroprocessing equipment; characterization of the many inherent passive safety aspects of the IFR systems for effective exploitation of these characteristics in practical reactor and systems designs; and evaluations of capability of the IFR to interface with LWR and other programs. The United States has been active in international cooperative activities in the fast reactor sector since 1969. Over the ensuing years, joint programs evolved which benefited all parties and lowered research and development costs. Such cooperation continues, even though the fast reactor program direction in the U.S. differs from the primary direction in Europe and Japan, as more areas of common technology are identified for joint development and application.}
place = {IAEA}
year = {1992}
month = {Jul}
}