Lead-Cooled Fast Reactor (LFR) Design: Safety, Neutronics, Thermal Hydraulics, Structural Mechanics, Fuel, Core, and Plant Design

The idea of developing fast spectrum reactors with molten lead (or lead alloy) as a coolant is not a new one. Although initially considered in the West in the 1950s, such technology was not pursued to completion because of anticipated difficulties associated with the corrosive nature of these coolant materials. However, in the Soviet Union, such technology was actively pursued during the same time frame (1950s through the 1980s) for the specialized role of submarine propulsion. More recently, there has been a renewal of interest in the West for such technology, both for critical systems as well as for Accelerator Driven Subcritical (ADS) systems. Meanwhile, interest in the former Soviet Union, primarily Russia, has remained strong and has expanded well beyond the original limited mission of submarine propulsion. This section reviews the past and current status of LFR development.