European lead cooled system (ELSY)

The international Generation IV (GEN IV) initiative has once more highlighted that fast reactors are indispensable for a sustainable development of the Nuclear Energy. Europe has historically a large experience in the field of sodium-cooled fast reactors and recently has made a big effort in the development of the Lead-Bismuth Eutectic (LBE) technology for use in the sub-critical reactors, starting from the Russian technology for the submarine propulsion programme. The evolution from the LBE technology towards the pure lead technology is a natural and logical way because lead is less expensive, less corrosive and of lesser radiological concern. Lead has chemical and neutronic characteristics which are unique for a safe fast reactor. Molten lead, namely, operates at low pressure and high temperature, is relatively inert to air and water. The ELSY consortium intends to design a Lead-cooled Fast Reactor (LFR) system that complies with all GEN IV goals and gives assurance of investment protection. The EC FP6-ELSY project aims to demonstrate that it is possible to design a competitive and safe fast critical reactor using simple engineered technical features. ELSY is a 36-months project (starting September 1, 2006) partially funded as a Specific Targeted Research Project entitled to the European Commission