Plant experience of experimental fast reactor 'Joyo'

The experimental fast reactor ''JOYO'' installed in Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corp. (PNC) of Japan completed its operation using the first core (called MK-I core) in December, 1981, and the works to transfer to MK-2 core have been performed since January, 1982. In this report, the experiences obtained through the construction, test and operation of ''JOYO'' over 12 years from the start of erection in 1970 to the termination of operation in 1981 are described. The contents of the report are divided into design, construction, the outline of facilities, testing, operating and maintenance experiences, and the topics on MK-I operation. As for the construction, the design changes performed before the start of manufacture or construction and the improvement and trouble restoring works implemented at the start of overall functional tests are reported. As for testing, overall functional tests, criticality test, low power test and power increasing test are described in detail. The number of test items of overall functional testing reached 266. The rated output operation of the reactor at 75 MW was performed six times in 1980 and 1981 until the termination of operation. No fuel failure was detected in MK-I operation, and the stable operation performance of the FBR was proved through MK-I operation. The topics on the MK-I operation includes natural circulation test, the measurement of total leakage rate for the containment vessel, and wear-marks which are the trace of wear due to the contact of fuel pins with the wires wound around the adjacent fuel pins, found in the post irradiation examination of fuel. (Wakatsuki, Y.)