A review of the operation of the Prototype Fast Reactor

The Prototype Fast Reactor at Dounreay in the United Kingdom began operation in 1974. In the intervening period PFR has provided valuable operating experience and data to the designers of future fast reactors, e.g. the demonstration of high burn-up fuel, operation of the reactor with failed fuel, the demonstration of natural circulation. There have been problems which have proved equally fruitful in terms of data, e.g. the tube/tube-plate welds in the evaporators, the superheater 2 leak, the cracks in the steam generator vessels. This Paper describes the PFR design and provides a summary of the plant's performance and history since start-up. (author)