phenix: the irradiation programme for transmutation experiments j. guidez head of phenix reactor

1DEN /Valrhô /Centrale Phénix NEA 8th Information Exchange Meeting Las Vegas, 9th-11th of November 2004

PHENIX:

The irradiation programme for transmutation experiments

J. Guidez

Head of PHENIX reactor


GENERAL DESIGN of the PLANT


PLANT DATA

First criticality: 31st August 1973

First connection to the grid: 13th December 1973

Commercial operation: 14th July 1974

Nominal Power: 563 MWth (250 MWe)

Since 1993 Power limited to 350 MWth (145 MWe),

on two secondary loop operation.

Total number of Equivalent Full Power Days: 3990

Total operating hours: 106 000 h

Gross electrical output: 23 123 400 MWh


6 years of work in two phases from 1994 to 1997 and 1999 to 2003, separated by one operating cycle.

250 million € of studies and renovation works

5000 contract entered into,

350 sub-contracting companies

4500 agents working for the sub-contractors (up to 700 per day)

[PHENIX staff : 210 CEA + 70 EDF]

PLANT LIFETIME EXTENSION WORK


PLANT OPERATING DIAGRAM 2004

52 ème cycle52 ème cycle

2004

350300

200

OctJanvier Février Mars Avril Mai Juin Juillet Août Sept Nov Déc

100

AT2

51th cycle51th cycle

AM1

51th cycle: 210 Days at nominal power 131 EFPD

Availability factor: 94%Load factor: 85%

Power operation

Operation schedule


FUTURE OPERATION of the PLANT

80% Load factor

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

51 - 2 52-1 53-1

2004 2005 2006

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

53-2 54-1

54-2 55-1 55-2 56-1 56-2

2007 2008 2009

6 cycles of 120 EFPD

equivalent to about 5.5 years of operation

52-2


EXPERIMENTAL CONDITIONS AT PHENIX

Fast flux (n/cm2.s)

Thermal flux (n/cm2.s)

Dose rate

PWR power reactor

1.3.1014 0.9.1014 2 dpa/year

OSIRIS, HFR, BR2 type research reactor …

2 to 4.1014 4 à 7.1014 3 dpa/year

Phénix reactor

2.5.1015 4.4 . 10 15

18 dpa/6-month

cycle Type 1

moderate flux*3.6.1015 12 dpa/

cycle

Type 2 moderate flux*

1.5.1015 3.7.1013 4 dpa/6-mont cy

cle

COMPARISON OF NEUTRON FLUX

* Types 1 and 2 correspond to the type of moderating carrier used : 1: 11B4C , 2: CaHx


TEMPERATURE

Core inlet/outlet: 380/550°C

Device developed for material irradiation up to 1000°C

MEASUREMENTS

Sodium inlet/outlet Temperature

Sodium sampling at S/A outlet

Argon gas blanket analysis



EXPERIMENTAL RIG AND CARRIER



PHENIX EXPERIMENTAL TRANSMUTATION PROGRAMME

General irradiation data acquisition Neutronic data measurements

Fuel irradiation for homogeneous transmutation mode

Target irradiation for heterogeneous transmutation mode

Constituent materials (Inert matrices, moderators) Irradiation of actinide-based compounds (primarily Americium) Irradiation of targets containing long-lived fission products (Technetium 99)

Irradiation of high Pu content fuel

Fuel irradiation for future systems(dedicated critical or sub-critical transmutation systems, GFR...)


1

101 111

201

211

191

181

171

161 151

141

121 131

71

91

81 70

110

200

210

190

170

160 150

140

120 130

90

80

100

61

51

41 31

21 20

11 10

2

102 103 112

202

212

192

182

172

162

142

122 132

72

92

82

62

52

42 32

22

12

3

163

113

203

213

193

183

173

153

143

123 133

73

93

83

63

53 43

33 34

23

13

4

104

164

134

114

204

214

194

184

174

154

144

124

74

94

84

64

54 44

24

14

5

105

165

135

115

205

215

195

185

175

155

145

125

85

75

95

65

55 45

35

25

15

6

106

176

166

136

116

206

216

196

186

156

146

126

86

76

96

66 56

46

36

26

16

7

107

177

167

137

117

207

217

197

187

157

147

127

87

77

97

67 57

47

37

27

17

8

108

188 198

208

178

168

158

138 148

118 128

88

78

98

68 58

48

38 40

28

18

9

109

199

209

189

179

169

159 149

139

119 129

89

79

99

69 59 60

49 50

39

29 30

19

Profil-R pins

Reference standard pin

PROFIL-R SUB-ASSEMBLY

Measurement of actinides and fission products cross sections in fast (PROFIL-R) and moderated (PROFIL-M) neutron flux

PROFIL-R container

Cask

Body

Isotope

Height 10 mm

Containers

Spacers PROFIL-R pins


71U 19Pu 10Zr

67U 19Pu 10Zr 2A.M. 2T.R.

66U 19Pu 10Zr 5A.M.

61U 1 9Pu 10Zr 5A.M. 5T.R.

Core center plane

1 2 3

METAPHIX: Irradiation of Actinides diluted in metal fuel (UPuZr+MA+RE)Contract with ITU Karsrhue for CRIEPI

METAPHIX: Irradiation of Actinides diluted in metal fuel (UPuZr+MA+RE)Contract with ITU Karsrhue for CRIEPI

1 2

34

5

6 7

8

9

101112

13

14

15

16 17 18

19

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

1112

1314

15

1617

1819

2021

2223

24

25

26

27

28

29

30313233

34

35

36

37

38

39 40 41 42

StdCoeur 1

StdCoeur 1

StdCoeur 1

StdCoeur 1

StdCoeur 1

StdCoeur 1

StdCoeur 1

StdCoeur 1

StdCoeur 1 M ET-1

M ET-2

M ET-3

StdCoeur 1

StdCoeur 1

StdCoeur 1

StdCoeur 1

StdCoeur 1

StdCoeur 1

StdCoeur 1

1

2

444

4

4 4 4

4

4

4

444

4 4

4

3

Standard pins

Experimental pins

Capsule contentCapsule content

3 capsules containing

3 pins each

3 capsules containing

3 pins each

HOMOGENEOUS TRANSMUTATION EXPERIMENT


INERT MATRIX TESTING

MATINA 1A: re-irradiation of MATINA 1 experiment dismantled in 1996 (first selection of most promising inert matrices for heterogeneous transmutation).

MATINA 2-3 (scheduled in 2005):Testing of:

CERCER targets with a MgO matrix and micro-dispersed and macro-dispersed particles,

new materials (pyrochlore Ce2Zr2O7 and yttriated zirconia ZrYO compounds)


ECRIX EXPERIMENTS: OBJECTIVES

First experiment of Am transmutation in specific target in a fast reactor

Testing two concepts of « once trough » transmutation by using local moderation spectrum:

1. 11B4C : ECRIX-B

2. CaH2 : ECRIX-H

1. Fuel fabrication process (metallurgy powder) which can be applied to the industrial scale

2. Development of fabrication and characterisation techniques

3. Fabrication of 100 pellets

4. Property measurements*

5. Irradiation started at Phenix* Collaboration with

ITU/Karlsruhe


ECRIX B and H : Transmutation of Americium in MgO inert matrix, pins located inside special moderating carriers)

ECRIX : moderator sub-assembly and capsule cross section

ECRIX EXPERIMENTS: SUB-ASSEMBLY DESIGN


Moderator CaHx thickness 9,5 mmheight 300 mm

Steel spacers

DMC 2

Capsule KMCSteel cylinder

DMC 2 MODERATOR CARRIER AND CAPSULE


TRANSMUTATION RATES IN PWR COMPARED TO PHENIX MODERATED FLUX

Am éricium target in PWR : - Evolution of compositions - Evolution of Am transmutation rate et global f ission rate

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000

EFPD

%PuAmCmtaux de transmutation Amtaux de fission

Technological limit

At technological limit one obtains : fission rate ~25% transmutation rate ~90% remaining mass contents : 55% Pu, 10%Am et 10% Cm

Americium target in PHENIX moderating spectrum : - Evolution of compositions - Evolution of Am transmutation rate and global f ission rate

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000

1100

1200

1300

1400

1500

1600

1700

1800

1900

2000

EFPD

%

PuAmCmtaux de fissiontaux de transmutation Am

Technological limit (200 DPA NRT)

At technological limit one obtains :f ission rate ~95% transmutation rate ~100%remaining mass contents :3% Pu, 0%Am et 2% Cm


ECRIX EXPERIMENTS: PIN DESIGN

Cladding

UO2 pellets

UO2 pellets

Fissile columnwith americiumtarget - pellets

500 µm

Porosités en noir

AmOx en blanc

MgO en gris

Black elements : porosities

White elements : AmOx particle

Grey area : magnesia

Microstruture : CERCER Microdispersed type

Inert matrix : MgO

Fuel Particles: AmOx

Am content : 0,7g of Am/cm3

Height density : 97%


LLFP TRANSMUTATION: ANTICORP 1

Capsule: 3 pins with two pieces of 99Tc metal Moderator carrier Transmutation rate target: 25%


Irradiation of high Pu content fuel

To assess: Thermal-mechanical behaviour of the pin Radial Pu redistribution Cladding Internal corrosion Reprocessing

2 pins: 45% Pu /(U+Pu) enrichment pellets with

17 driver fuel pins in a capsule

Target burn-up : 10 at%

CAPRIX 1 EXPERIMENT


CORE LOCATION OF TRANSMUTATION EXPERIMENTS


Optimisation of target for Americium transmutation CAMIX (Composé d’AMéricium dans PhénIX) :

optimisation of actinide compound

COCHIX (Conception Optimisée vis-à-vis des miCrostructures dans pHénIX) :testing of new microstructures (macromasses) dispersed in inert matrix

MATINA 2-3testing of CERamics/CERamics targets with a MgO matrix and macrodispersed particles and of new materials

Fuel for future systems FUTURIX/FTA (FUels for Transmutation of transURanien elements in

PhénIX/Fortes Teneurs en Actinides

testing of Metal, nitride, CER/MET, CER/CER fuels with high TRU content

Collaboration with US/DOE, ITU, CRIEPI

three further experiments planned (fuel and materials for Gas-cooled FR)

FUTURE EXPERIMENTS


Successful re-start after a major safety upgrading of the PHENIX plant ( the unique fast breeder reactor in Europe )

(Availability factor 94% in 2004)

Transmutation experimental programme in progress for: Americium , Technetium 99 ,inert matrix for heterogeneous

transmutation(ECRIX, ANTICORP, MATINA) Homogeneous transmutation (METAPHIX ) High PU content fuel (CAPRIX) Neutronic datas (PROFIL)

which shall provide a validation of a wide range of concepts

Preparation of future experiments for the next cycles.

CONCLUSIONS

phenix: the irradiation programme for transmutation experiments j. guidez head of phenix reactor

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