Materials selection and design of a hydrogen measurement device in Pb-17Li

In the helium cooled lithium lead (HCLL) and water cooled lithium lead (WCLL) blanket concepts for DEMO correct and reliable management of tritium is of basic importance, both for safety and fuel cycle reasons. To develop a sensor for measurements of hydrogen (and its isotopes) concentration in liquid Pb-17Li, a permeable capsule of niobium was chosen. Different simulations with a mathematical model have been performed, and then the sensor was designed, constructed and tested. The first experimental results in gas phase showed a permeating flux much lower than the predicted one, probably due to the formation of an oxide layer on the capsule surface or to the formation of niobium hydrides. To solve this problem different solutions are presented

The ELSY Project

This paper presents the current status of the development of ELSY (the acronym for the European Lead-cooled System). The ELSY reference design is a 600 MWe pool-type reactor cooled by pure lead. This concept is under development since September 2006, and is sponsored by the Sixth Framework Programme of EURATOM. The ELSY project, coordinated by Ansaldo Nucleare, is being performed by a consortium consisting of twenty organizations including seventeen from Europe, two from Korea and one from the USA. The partners are from industry, research organisations and universities. ELSY aims to demonstrate the possibility of designing a fast critical reactor using simple engineered technical features, whilst fully complying with the Generation IV goals of sustainability, economics, safety, proliferation resistant and physical protection. Compactness of the reactor building is possible due to the elimination of the Intermediate Cooling System, and the adoption of innovative DHR systems. Among the critical issues, the effect of the large mass of lead has been considered; this assessment allows being very confident in the feasibility of the reactor vessel and its support.JRC.F.4-Nuclear design safet

Le Potentiel du LFR et du Projet ELSY - The Potential of the LFR and the ELSY Project

This paper presents the current status of the development of the Lead-cooled Fast Reactor (LFR) in support of Generation IV (GEN IV) Nuclear Energy Systems. The approach being taken by the GIF plan is to address the research priorities of each member state in developing an integrated and coordinated research program to achieve common objectives, while avoiding duplication of effort. The integrated plan being prepared by the LFR Provisional System Steering Committee of the GIF, known as the LFR System Research Plan (SRP) recognizes two principal technology tracks for pursuit of LFR technology: - a small, transportable system of 10-100 MWe size that features a very long refueling interval, - a larger-sized system rated at about 600 MWe, intended for central station power generation and waste transmutation. This paper, in particular, describes the ongoing activities to develop the Small Secure Transportable Autonomous Reactor (SSTAR) and the European Lead-cooled SYstem (ELSY), the two research initiatives closely aligned with the overall tracks of the SRP, and outlines the Proliferation-resistant Environment-friendly Accident-tolerant Continual & Economical Reactors (PEACER) conceived with particular focus on burning/transmuting of long-lived TRU waste and fission fragments of concern, such as Tc and I. The current reference design for the SSTAR is a 20 MWe natural circulation pool-type reactor concept with a small shippable reactor vessel. Specific features of the lead coolant, the nitride fuel containing transuranics, the fast spectrum core, and the small size combine to promote a unique approach to achieve proliferation resistance, while also enabling fissile self-sufficiency, autonomous load following, simplicity of operation, reliability, transportability, as well as a high degree of passive safety. Conversion of the core thermal power into electricity at a high plant efficiency of 44 % is accomplished utilizing a supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle power converter. The ELSY reference design is a 600 MWe pool-type reactor cooled by pure lead. This concept has been under development since September 2006, and is sponsored by the Sixth Framework Programme of EURATOM. The ELSY project is being performed by a consortium consisting of twenty organizations including seventeen from Europe, two from Korea and one from the USA. ELSY aims to demonstrate the possibility of designing a competitive and safe fast critical reactor using simple engineered technical features while fully complying with the Generation IV goal of minor actinide (MA) burning capability. The use of a compact and simple primary circuit with the additional objective that all internal components be removable, are among the reactor features intended to assure competitive electric energy generation and long-term investment protection. Simplicity is expected to reduce both the capital cost and the construction time; these are also supported by the compactness of the reactor building (reduced footprint and height). The reduced footprint would be possible due to the elimination of the Intermediate Cooling System, the reduced elevation is the of the design approach of reduced height components.JRC.F.4-Nuclear Reactor Integrity Assessment and Knowledge Managemen