The development of fast breeder reactor basic technology

The objectives of this project are to study small-scale FBR core design, to establish the nuclear calculation system, and to develop sodium equipment and handling technology through designing and manufacturing electromagnetic flow meters and a small-scale electromagnetic pump as a key FBR equipment. In the design study on small FBR cores, design conditions required to attain inherently safe characteristics were considered, and a metallic fueled heterogeneous core concept characterized by its inherently safe characteristics superior to MOX fueled one was proposed as a candidate for our core design concept. In order to establish our FBR nuclear calculation system the kinetics code FX2-TH and the fuel cycle analysis code REBUS-2 were purchased and installed. A group constant set for more than twenty nuclides was newly produced based on the JFS-1 nuclear data set and evaluated. One point electrode and searching coil electrode type flow meters as well as an eddy current type flow meters were designed and manufactured through dry tests and flow characteristics tests. In addition, an annular linear induction pump of externally-support-duct type was designed and built. Through characteristics experiments of the pump basic sodium handling technology was acquired. (Author)