SVBR-100 module-type fast reactor of the IV Generation for regional power industry

Full text: Fast reactors (FR) with heavy liquid metal coolant (HLMC) were chosen as one out of six lines of development of the IV Generation innovative nuclear power systems (INPS). The acronym SVBR-100 means Lead-Bismuth Fast Reactor with the equivalent electric power of 100 MW.The module-type fast reactor SVBR-100 with the HLMC (eutectic alloy of lead-bismuth) meets the main requirements to the fourth generation INPS worked out by GIF: (A) Efficient use of natural uranium energy potential. The SVBR-100 reactor meets this requirement as in the closed nuclear fuel cycle (NFC) with the use of mixed uranium-plutonium fuel this reactor operates in the fuel self-production mode, with the core breeding ratio (CBR) slightly higher than 1. (B) Significantly higher safety level. Due to the use of chemically inert lead-bismuth coolant (LBC) the SVBR-100 reactor meets this requirement owing to inherent self-protection of the reactor that operates at a low, close to the atmospheric, pressure. (C) Improved resistance to fissile nuclear material proliferation. The SVBR-100 reactor meets this requirement due to the following factors: 1) there are no blankets where weapons grade plutonium can be accumulated; 2) uranium with lower than 20% enrichment is used in uranium oxide fuel; 3) a long core lifetime (7-8 years) is assured without any refueling and 4) any access to the fuel is prevented during the core lifetime. (D) Acceptable technical and economical parameters. The SVBR-100 reactor meets this requirement owing to the following factors: 1) in SVBR-100 there is no need in many safety systems required for conventional reactors because of the high potential energy accumulated in the primary coolant of these reactors; 2) a high volume of production of this reactor can be achieved due to its low power level; 3) there is no need in R and D work and construction of a prototype reactor because the NPP power units of various capacity are based on the well-tested unified 100 MWe reactor module; 4) unloading of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) is performed cassette-by-cassette and the fresh fuel is loaded as a single cartridge. The paper presents the main concepts of this innovative nuclear power technology based on the module-type SVBR-100 reactors and results of analytical studies on the reactor capable of operating with various fuel types in various fuel cycles. A high safety level of this reactor is justified. Consideration is given to the issues of natural uranium consumption with the reactor start-up with the uranium fuel and further change for the closed NFC with the use of its own spent fuel. Possibilities of multi-purpose use of these reactors were analyzed, including their potential export in view of non-proliferation requirements. (author)