Design study of FR fuel and core with various types of coolant. Na, Pb-Bi gas and water-cooled large-scale FR, and small-scale FR

As a part of the FR cycle feasibility study in Japan, fuel and core design studies on a combination of fuels (oxide, metal, and nitride) and coolants (sodium, lead-bismuth, helium, and water) in Large-/Small-scale FR systems have been performed by employing advanced technologies and leveraging coolant/fuel typical features. The best-to-date designs and recognized important features for actualization are presented here. Sodium-cooled FR exhibits the highest burnup for reducing amount/expense of fuel recycling. Its technological possibility is certificated by existing/copious experiments. Lead-bismuth-cooled and Helium-cooled FRs present desirable core characteristics, although experimental proofs of high burnup nitride fuel, fuel coating and structural materials are of indispensable. Water-cooled FR is expected to achieve economical advantage in power plant capital cost, although large fuel inventory and low discharge result in disadvantage of fuel recycling cost. Small-scale sodium-/lead-bismuth-cooled reactors achieve very-long operation period. (author)