Advanced operator's aids and control for French FBR's: Present and future

The European reactor SUPER-PHENIX (SPX 1) is at the present time the largest Fast Breeder Reactor in operation in the world. Its instrumentation and control systems have been designed more than a decade ago, but they are still at the leading edge of technology, while an extensive use of computerized systems is made, even in the reactor protection domain. The most important challenge for the utility is now to operate this power plant industrially and to prove the effectiveness of the technological solutions that have been chosen. In this context, advanced control systems and operator aids are not a major concern, at least for the present time. For longer-termed applications, developments concerning advanced controls are not reactor specific and this paper briefly presents an overview of French research programs, essentially in the light water reactors domain that could find some openings on the Fast Breeders. (author). 10 refs, 7 figs