Astrid project, from conceptual to basic design progress status

International audienceSince the beginning of this year, after 6 years of conceptual design phase, the French 600 eMW ASTRID project has started a 4 years basic design phase. The ASTRID project is funding for basic design phase (2016-2019) through France Future Investments Program. All the Industrials partners involved in the project during the last phase have decided to pursue in the ASTRID project, and the strategic partnership with Japan is going to be reinforced. This very efficient industrial network with CEA as contracting authority is an original and effective project management. Very high level and up-to-date project management methods are performed, including technical control with engineering System tools and 3D mock-up consolidation. On the technical point of view, the first ten months have been kept for a reopening options phase called P2C (Configuration Confirmation Phase) concluded by a configuration review in October. According to conclusions of conceptual design phases, several items had been checked and challenged through three main drivers safety, cost killing and operability. Global consistency was also watched over.It has been also decided for the next two years, to investigate and integrate Gas Power Conversion System in the basic design configuration. The objective for the ASTRID project is to raise Gas PCS integration studies at the same level that was achieved for Water/steam PCS at the end of 2015. A go-no go decision for Gas PCS integration will be organized at the end of 2017.In the same time an ongoing effort started two years ago is underway to map all the qualification needs and define all joined processes consistent with safety regulator requirement. A more realistic planning has been prepared, adding a four years consolidation phase between basic design and detailed design, in order to increase the level of confidence and progress on the technology feasibility including experimental validations of the ASTRID's main innovative options

ASTRID, The SFR GENIV Technology Demonstrator Project Where Are We, Where Do We Stand For?

International audienceThe Preconceptual Design phase (AVP1) of the ASTRID Project ended late 2012, the main goal was to evaluate innovative options. It is now followed by the AVP2 phase planned until the end of 2015 whose objectives are both to focus the design in order to finalize a coherent reactor outline and to finalize by December 2015 the Safety Option Report.The CEA acts as the industrial architect of the project. In 2014, twelve industrial partners were involved in the project. Japan which participates now in the design studies and also in RandD in support of the ASTRID Project and VELAN of the French Pole Nucleaire de Bourgogne, are the latest partners to join the Project.The Option Selection Process (RCO) is continuing during the AVP2 phase although structuring decisions remain to be made (the choice of the Energy Conversion System between Rankine cycle and Gas Brayton cycle). Other important option selections, which could nevertheless be reconsidered before starting the core of the Basic Design phase are: the choice of an internal fuelstorage and a gas fuel handling chain, a rectangular reactor building with a single wall containment, the steam generator size the vertical handling of components. In addition, BOP studies considering the MARCOULE site as a possible one are going on.The next important milestone is at the end of 2015 with the release by the Project team of a convincing and coherent Conceptual Design file

Status of the astrid sodium fast reactor project from conceptualdesign to basic design phase

International audienceThe ASTRID project is pursuing its progress and has reached at the end of 2015 the Conceptual Design phasefollowed by the starting of the Basic Design phase from 2016 to 2019.The transition from the Conceptual Design phase (2010-2015) to the Basic Design phase (2016-2019) was validated by theproduction of the Conceptual Design files. According to the production of this report, at the end of the Conceptual Designphase (December 2015), the French ministries representatives agreed to launch the Basic Design Phase due to the goodprogression of the program all the milestones have been met during the Conceptual Design phase, and relevant innovationshave been proposed in order to propose a technological demonstration reactor that could fulfilled Generation IV objectives.For the Basic Design phase, the ASTRID project has consolidated its industrial partnership with fourteen industrial partnersespecially strengthened with JAEA / MHI MFBR.The Basic Design phase started with a particular step named Confirmation Configuration Phase (P2C) where during the firstnine months of the 2016 year, the project - with all partners has- re-analyzed several structural options regarding three main drivers safety, operability and cost killing,- implemented the Gas (Nitrogen) Energy Conversion system within the plant design,- and built a coherent reactor layout shared by all partners as a starting point of a new ASTRID configuration forthe Basic Design phase.Therefore, this papers aims at presenting the recent progress of the ASTRID project either in terms of project managementand organization, than in terms of technological progress in reactor design and support studies

ASTRID project, general overview and status progress

International audienceAfter 6 years of conceptual design phase, the French ASTRID project has started at the beginning of 2016, a 4 years basic design phase. The objective of this paper is to show and underline ASTRID progress and status and to give information of what we have intended for the next 2 years. The ASTRID project is based on a very efficient partnership, allowing versatility and manageability. Very high level and up-to-date project management methods are performed, including technical control with engineering System tools and 3D mock-up consolidation.All the industrials partners involved in the project during the last phase have decided to pursue in the ASTRID project, and the strategic partnership with Japan is going to be reinforced.ASTRID design has also evolved, taking into account new progresses on design to reach better consistency according to high level of reliability and safety, consistent with Generation IV objectives. A cost killing methodology is provided and feedbacks will be expected during 2018 and 2019 years. In the same time, an ongoing effort started two years ago is underway to map all the qualification needs and define all associated processes consistent with safety regulator requirement