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The ALLEGRO project The ALLEGRO project –– European European project of fast breeder reactor project of fast breeder reactor

1st International Nuclear Energy Congress

Warsaw, May 23-24, 2011Prepared by

Peter Líška, VUJE SlovakiaGérard Cognet, CEA France

Content Content

��ALLEGRO reactor ALLEGRO reactor -- main featuresmain features

�ALLEGRO project

�ALLIANCE proposal

�Contributing EU FP7 projects

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ALLEGRO reactor ALLEGRO reactor –– main main featuresfeaturesALLEGROALLEGRO

� GFR demonstration reactor

GFRGFR� gas cooled fast reactor

� potential alternative of SFR

� efficient use of natural uranium

� MA recycling → reduction of HLW radiotoxicity

� high temperature heat production for hydrogen production, as process heat, ...

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ALLEGRO reactor ALLEGRO reactor –– main main featuresfeatures

ALLEGRO reactor

� first GFR (without electricity generation)

� two different core:

� starting MOX core

o test of GFR operation with well established fuel – metalic??

o test of ceramic fuel subassemblies

� second ceramic fuel core

o test of new fuel design

o overall test of GFR at high temperature

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ALLEGRO MOX Core

Power(MW) 75

Power density (MW/m 3) 100

Operating helium pressure (MPa) 7

Core Helium inlet/outlet temperature ( °C) 260/530

Fissile Core mass flow rate(kg.s -1) 53.5

Fuel form (U, Pu)O2 pellets

Fissile core height (m) 0.86

Fissile core diameter (m) 1.12

Fissile core coolant fraction(%) 37.5

Pu/U+Pu(%) 25

Global power peaking factor 1.54

Number of fissile S/As 81

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Main characteristics of Main characteristics of ALLEGRO 75 MWth MOX core (1/2)ALLEGRO 75 MWth MOX core (1/2)

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ALLEGRO MOX Core

Number of absorber S/As (shutdown+control rods) 10 (4+6)

Number of in core steel/experimental S/As 6/0

Number of reflector S/As 174

Cladding and reflector material 15-15 Ti steel

Fuel S/A Pins within hexagonal tube metallic structure

Number of fuel pins per S/A 169

Pin pitch(mm) under cold conditions (mm)Under hot conditions (mm)

7.937.98

Pin diameter (mm) 6.55

Cladding thickness(mm) 0.45

Maximum cladding/fuel temperature ( °C) in normal operating conditions 562/963

Total S/A length including spike and head (m) 4

Core pressure drop (bar) (hot channel) 0.84

Main characteristics of Main characteristics of ALLEGRO 75 MWth MOX core (2/2)ALLEGRO 75 MWth MOX core (2/2)

ALLEGRO ceramic plate core

Power(MW) 75

Power density (MW/m 3) 100

Operating helium pressure (MPa) 7

Core Helium inlet/outlet temperature ( °C) 400/900

Fissile Core mass flow rate(kg.s -1) 28.1

Fuel form (U, Pu)C pellets in SiC matrix plates

Fissile core height (m) 0.89

Fissile core diameter (m) 1.12

Fissile core coolant fraction(%) 22.7

Pu/U+Pu(%) [29.5; 35]

Global power peaking factor 1.46

Number of fissile S/As 87

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Main characteristics of Main characteristics of ALLEGRO ceramic plate core (1/2)ALLEGRO ceramic plate core (1/2)

ALLEGRO ceramic plate core

Number of absorber S/As (shutdown+control rods) 10 (4+6)

Number of reflector S/As 174

Reflector material ZrC

Fuel S/A Plates within hexagonal SiC structure

Number of fuel plates per S/A 15

Plate thickness(mm) 8.4

Clad thickness (mm) 0.85

Internal liner ( µm) 40+10=50

Fuel pellet diameter(mm) 11

Maximum cladding/fuel temperature ( °C) in normal operating conditions 1012/1290

Total S/A length including spike and head (m) 4

Core pressure drop (bar) (hot channel) 0.5

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Main characteristics of Main characteristics of ALLEGRO ceramic plate core (2/2)ALLEGRO ceramic plate core (2/2)

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ALLEGRO ceramic pin core

Power(MW) 75

Power density (MW/m 3) 92

Operating helium pressure (MPa) 7

Core Helium inlet/outlet temperature ( °C) 400/800

Fissile Core mass flow rate(kg.s -1) 36.1

Fuel form (U, Pu)C pellets with SiC cladding

Fissile core height (m) 0.86

Fissile core diameter (m) 1.12

Pu/U+Pu(%) 27.5

Global power peaking factor 1.43

Number of fissile S/As 87

Number of absorber S/As (shutdown+control rods) 10 (4+6)

Main characteristics of Main characteristics of ALLEGRO ceramic pin core (1/2)ALLEGRO ceramic pin core (1/2)

ALLEGRO ceramic pin core

Number of reflector S/As 174

Reflector materia ZrC

Fuel S/A Pins within hexagonal tube SiC structure

Number of fuel pins per S/A 90

Pin pitch(mm) 11

Pin diameter (mm) 9.10

Cladding thickness including liners (mm) 1.08

Cladding material (mm) SiC/SiC f

Internal liner thickness 40µ (W - 14%Re) + 10µ (Re)

External liner thickness 30µ (SiC/SiCf provisionally)

Maximum cladding/fuel temperature ( °C) innominal operation 863/1140

Total S/A length including spike and head (m) 4.20

Core pressure drop (bar) 0.36

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Main characteristics of Main characteristics of ALLEGRO ceramic pin core (2/2)ALLEGRO ceramic pin core (2/2)

Core designCore design

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Shutdown and reactivity Shutdown and reactivity control systemcontrol system

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Location of the

control rod drivers on the reactor vessel bottom section

Conceptual view of the

mechanical part

of control rod

ALLEGRO flow diagramALLEGRO flow diagram

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Decay heat removal systemDecay heat removal system

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�ALLEGRO reactor - main features

��ALLEGRO projectALLEGRO project

�ALLIANCE proposal

�Contributing EU FP7 projects

Allegro project Allegro project All works necessary for GFR demonstration:

� preparatory phase

� licensing and construction of ALLEGRO reactor

� R&D

� operation of ALLEGRO

� decommissioning

Preparatory phase

should provide basic documents as basis for decisio ns as follows:

� whether GFR is accepted in Europe as a complementar y option of SFR

� whether the corresponding governments are ready to host ALLEGRO in the region

� selection of the site of the ALLEGRO reactor

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Allegro project Allegro project

Preparatory phase basic documents:

� General specification of the ALLEGRO project

� Licensing roadmap

� Preliminary design

� Preliminary safety analysis

� Spent fuel management strategy, analysis of require d services

� Preliminary analysis of environmental impact

� Site studies, criteria of sitting, rules of the sit e selection process

� R&D in the licensing & construction and in the oper ational phase

� Governance, financing analysis, identification of p otential partners

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Allegro project Allegro project Participants of joint project (confirmed by MoU):

� Nuclear Research Institute, Řež, Czech Republic

� UJV, MTA KFKI Atomic Energy Research Institute, Bud apest, Hungary

� Nuclear Power Plant Research Institute, Trnava, Slo vakia – VUJE

Main technical support – CEA

� ALLEGRO concept developed there

� transfer of research and technology development res ults to project participants

� supplying of fuel, developing new fuel

Other contributing European research organisations:

� AMEC – Great Britain

� PSI – Switzerland

Invited countries:

� Poland

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Allegro project Allegro project

Preliminary timing:

2010 - 2013 Preparatory phase

2013 - 2025 Licensing&construction phase

2026 - 2046 Operation of the ALLEGRO reactor

2046 - 2076 Decommissioning phase

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�ALLEGRO reactor - main features

�ALLEGRO project

��ALLIANCE proposalALLIANCE proposal

�Contributing EU FP7 projects

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ALLIANCE proposalALLIANCE proposalALLIANCE

� Preparation of ALL egro – Implementing Advanced Nuclear in Central Europe

� Coordination and Support Action

� EURATOM 7 th Framework Programme

� Coordinator – Akos Horvath – Hungarian Academy of Sci ences

� Objectives – to support development of ALLEGRO – GFR demonstrator:

� put together information on construction feasibilit y

� assess the design following GEN IV requirements

� produce documents on

o preliminary design

o environmental impact

o site identification

o consortium and licensing issues

� Submitted – 7. 4. 2011

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ALLIANCE proposalALLIANCE proposal

Work packages

WP0 – Project management (AEKI)

WP1 – Roadmap of the ALLEGRO demonstrator (VUJE)

WP2 – Requirements for design (VUJE)

WP3 – Experimental support (UJV)

WP4 – Safety and licensing (AEKI)

WP5 – Dissemination (LGI)

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ALLIANCE proposalALLIANCE proposalParticipants

� AEKI - Magyar Tudományos Akadémia KFKI Atomenergia K utatóintézet –MTA KFKI Atomic Energy Research Institute (AEKI) (H ungary)

� UJV Rez a.s. - Ustav jaderneho vyzkumu Rez a.s. (Cze ch Republic)

� VUJE a.s. (Slovakia)

� CEA - Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux énergi es alternatives (France)

� AMEC – AMEC Nuclear UK Limited (UK)

� INBK - Institute of Nuclear Fuel Cycle at RWTH Aache n University (Germany)

� LGI – LaGrange Innovation (France)

� IRSN - Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nuclé aire (France)

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�ALLEGRO reactor - main features

�ALLEGRO project

�ALLIANCE proposal

��Contributing EU FP7 projectsContributing EU FP7 projects

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Contributing EU FP7 Contributing EU FP7 projectsprojectsGoFastR

� European Gas Cooled Fast Reactor� grant agreement № 249678� development of gas-cooled fast reactor� main challenges: refractory fuel (operation at high temperature and high power

density loss of flow and loss of coolant faults (de cay heat removal, guard containment)

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ADRIANA�Advanced Reactor Initiative and Network Arrangement�Mapping and gap analysis of research infrastructure in support of the

European Sustainable Nuclear Industrial Initiative�SFR, GFR, LFR

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Thank you for your attention Thank you for your attention

VUJE, a. s.

Okružná 5

918 64 Trnava

Slovakia

CEA / Siege (Essone)91191 Gif-sur-yvette cedexFrance