GENIUS & The Swedish Fast Reactor programme

IAEA TWG-FR - Argonne National Laboratory, June 2012

GENIUS & The Swedish Fast Reactor programme

Janne Wallenius

Professor in reactor physics

KTH


Outline

Fast reactor research in Sweden

The GENIUS project

Swedish participation in ASTRID

Swedish participation in MYRRHA

ELECTRA: European Lead Cooled Training Reactor


Fast reactor R&D programmes in Sweden

All research is carried out at universities (KTH, Chalmers & Uppsala)

SKB funding on P&T since 1991

Coordination of five EU-projects on P&T (CONFIRM, RedImpact, ASGARD)

Participation in ~ 20 other EU projects

2009: Government funded project GENIUS (Gen-IV technology, in particular for lead fast reactors)

2010: Development of ELECTRA starts

2011:Swedish participation in MYRRHA & ASTRID supported by government


The GENIUS project

Generation IV research in Swedish Universities (KTH, Chalmers & UU)

36 MSEK (5 M$) funding from VR for 2009-2012.

Focus on technology for Lead Fast Reactors (LFR)

Three work packages

Fuel development

Materials research

Safety


Uranium nitride fuel fabrication at low T

UN powders fabricated by hydridation/nitridation of metallic source materials

Pellets fabricated using spark plasma sintering (SPS) technique: hot pressing under 5000 A of current!

UN pellets with 98% density obtained when holding for 3 minutes at 1650°C. World record!

90% density obtained at T = 1450°C. Permits fabrication of Pu & Am bearing nitrides, to be conducted at Chalmers.

Fuel pellets to be tested in lead at 500°C & 1000°C


Plutonium fuel fabrication lab

Chalmers university has done R&D on separation of Pu and MA since 40 years

Glove boxes for Pu fuel fabrication lab installed this week. Only university lab in Europe.

(Pu,Zr)N fuels to be fabricated by Sol-Gel techniques (and later, from powders)

Zirconia microspheres with heomogeneous carbon nano-tube dispersions obtained spring 2012

Start of hot operation: Fall 2012


Natural convection studies

6 m tall LBE loop in operation since 2004

Extensively used for tests of natural convection

Flow reversal observed under certain conditions

Single pin heat transfer experiments conducted

Now modified for additional heat transfer experiments within THINS


Corrosion tests of new steels in lead

Stagnant corrosion facility purchased from KIT

New FeCrAlY alloys developed by Sandvik, based on commercial FeCrAlY-ODS steels.

Data for Sandvik materials exposed to lead with 0.1 ppm oxygen at 550°C for 10 000 hours now available. Commersial ODS (AMPT) is in perfect condition.

2000 hour tests of Sandvik’s12R72 (15-15Ti) completed.

15-15Ti with FeCrAlY surface alloying to be developed in collaboration with KIT & SandvikAPMT: Fe20Cr5Al-ODS

COSTA @ KTH


Swedish participation in ASTRID

In May 2012, Swedish research council awarded 30 MSEK (4 M$) to KTH, Chalmers and Uppsala University for participation in ASTRID.

About 10 PhD students and post-docs will be sent to CEA/Cadarache

Severe accident analysis (core catcher design)

Core physics

Core instrumentationASTRID


Swedish participation in MYRRHA

Swedish Research Council awarded planning grant for Swedish participation in MYRRHA

Technical application submitted in April 2012, including

MOX-LBE interaction at high temperature

Fuel dispersion in LBE

Thermal striping

Steam bubble transport in LBE

Mechanical testing of 15-15Ti in LBEMYRRHA


ELECTRA: European Lead Cooled Training Reactor

0.5 MW fast reactor with (Pu,Zr)N fuel cooled by 100% natural convection of liquid lead

Design published in Nuclear Technology, March 2012.

Core size 30 x 30 cm! Reactor vessel ~ 1.5 x 3.0 m.

Main use for lead fast reactor dynamics research & education & training

Tentative cost: ~ 35 M€ (based on real cost of MEGAPIE)

MoU for collaboration with ENEA signed in May 2012.ELECTRA


ELECTRA: updated core design

397 fuel pins, Dclad = 12.6 mm

(Pu0.4,Zr0.6)N fuel with Pu from spent UOX

Active core dimensions: ~ 30 x 30 cm

Pu inventory ~ 70 kg

Linear rating: 4 kW/m

Shutdown and reactivity compensation using 12 rotating B4C ”drums”.

Core life time: 14 full power years

Fuel burnup ~ 5% fission in actinides


ELECTRA fuel cycle centre in Oskarshamn

The GENIUS partners officially propose the Swedish government to construct ELECTRA-FCC, a centre for Gen-IV system R&D in Oskarsham, including

Facility for processing of 4 tons of spent LWR fuel per year, relying on group extraction of Pu,Am & Cm.

Fuel fabrication facility for (Pu,Zr)N fuels, with capacity of ~ 2 fuel pins per day

ELECTRA - 0.5 MW lead cooled fast reactor with (Pu,Zr)N fuel


Best case timeline

2013 2017

Design & construction of electrically heated mockup

2023

Operation of electrically heated mockup of ELECTRA

2015 2019 2021

Design of recyclefacility

Licensing of recycle facility

Construction of recycle facility

Separation of TRU for ELECTRA

Fuel design & manufacture QA

Singe pin irradiationtest and PIE

Fuel bundle manufacture, irradiation and PIE

Fuel fabrication facility design

Licensing of fuel fabrication facility

Construction of fuel fabrication facility

Fuel fabrication

Design and safety analysis of ELECTRA Licensing of ELECTRA

Construction of ELECTRA

Criticality


Concluding remarks

Sweden’s growing fast reactor programme focuses on LFR technology, but we also participate in ASTRID.

An innovative facility for UN fabrication, an LBE thermal hydraulics loop and a lead corrosion facility are operational.

A plutonium fuel fabrication lab is is under installation (this week!)

The government is assessing the construction of ELECTRA-FCC, a centre for Gen IV-system R&D, at a tentative cost of ~ 140±20 M€.

Location: Oskarshamn (adjacent to intermediate repository)

Date of criticality: 2023 (best case)

Swedish participation in IAEA TWG-FR should intensify.

GENIUS & The Swedish Fast Reactor programme

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