A new process for the removal of impurities in the cold traps of liquid metal fast reactors

This document describes a new concept for the removal of impurities in the cold traps of Liquid Metal Fast Reactors: PRIAM (Process of Regeneration Integrated, Alternative Method). This process was chosen because it met the following objectives: Satisfactory management of the tritiated effluent; Control of the hydrogen hazard; Recovery of the integrity of the cold trap, if necessary, hence no need for requalification before re-installing it in the reactor. After a review of existing processes, the system and its operation are detailed; then we describe the development strategy that has been selected for it. (author)