[en] Full text: The first electricity from nuclear power was produced by a fast reactor - EBR-1 - in the United States in 1951, 28 years ago. Since that time extensive development work has been done in many countries in the field of fast breeder reactor physics. Large scale development programmes on liquid metal fast breeder reactors (LMFBR) are being carried out in Belgium, Federal Republic of Germany, France, India, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, UK, USA and USSR, resulting in a number of important experimental sodium-cooled fast reactors, e.g. Rapsodie in France, KNK-2 in the Federal Republic of Germany, JOYO in Japan, EBR-2 in the USA, BOR-60 in the USSR. Operating experience with the first fast breeder demonstration power stations is being accumulated with the BN-350 in the USSR, Phenix in France and PFR in the United Kingdom. A number of experiments are being carried out at zero power fast test facilities such as BFS (USSR), FCA (Japan), MASURCA (France), ZEBRA (UK), ZPPR (USA), SNEAK (FRG) and others. The 400 MW(th) fast breeder FFTF in the USA, designed for irradiation testing of fast breeder reactor fuels and materials is expected to operate at full power in March 1980 and the commissioning of the USSR fast breeder reactor BN-600 (600 MWe) will be started this year. Therefore, the purpose of the symposium was to review the experience gained in the field of fast reactor physics since the last International Symposium on 'Physics of Fast Reactors' which was held in Tokyo in 1973, in order that this experience may be fully utilized in the design, construction and operation of new power stations incorporating such reactors. The papers presented at the symposium covered 5 main topics: physics of conventional cores of large fast power reactors, physics of operating fast reactors, physics of burn-up in fast reactors, experimental studies on heterogeneous fast reactor cores and improvements and optimization of large fast power reactors. They reviewed the extensive experience gained in the field of fast reactor physics since the last international symposium on the subject. It was shown that conceptual design of large power reactor cores is under development in many countries. The design work is being supported by experiments carried out at zero power fast test facilities and at operating experimental and prototype or demonstration reactors. The increasing tendency is to use prototype reactors. Though the adjustment of neutron capture cross-section is progressing, the uncertainties of actinides and structural materials cross-sections could lead to errors in the design of large power reactor cores and influence the breeding ratio prediction. There are difficulties in extrapolating from experiments on small critical facilities to the larger volumes of power reactors; this applies especially to control rods, and their interactions. The sodium void coefficient increases with increasing core size and therefore fast power reactors with large conventional cores require more rigid safety and reliability requirements. Assessments of accuracy calculations for reactivity parameters, Doppler effect and sodium void coefficient (the main safety related characteristics) are being made in different countries. A number of countries are also conducting experiments on critical facilities to model the possible consequences of hypothetical accidents. The breeding characteristics of the first mixed-oxide fuelled LMFBRs are expected to be moderate. But it was clearly shown at the meeting that Phenix already has a breeding ratio of 113 based on chemical analysis of reprocessed fuel elements. This is positive experimental confirmation of a better breeding ratio than was predicted a few years ago. It was also shown that there is considerable scope for further improvement of safety-related and breeding performance characteristics of fast reactors by using advanced oxide fuels, by improved core design, such as heterogeneous cores and by application of an improved external fuel cycle. The mam effort is expected to continue to concentrate on homogeneous, mixed oxide-fuelled cores. However, considerable effort is being made to determine the extent to which heterogeneous cores can improve breeding ratio and safety-related characteristics for a somewhat larger core size At this stage of development it is premature to judge the advantages or disadvantages of different conventional and heterogeneous cores. There are different approaches in a number of countries to designing large power reactor cores: the USA considers safety-related aspects more thoroughly, the USSR considers the problem from the standpoint of breeding and France prefers to tackle economic aspects. Heterogeneous cores could improve safety related characteristics of fast reactors, fluence, doubling time depending on the initial preconditions. For example, the central fertile zone has considerable effect on the leakage term and consequently on the sodium void reactivity effect. Of course in order to implement promising new concepts it will be necessary to solve a number of additional engineering problems, thermohydraulics problems, economic problems and so on. It is a difficult task but by the turn of the century it could be possible to demonstrate the real potential of fast breeder reactors. (author)

[en] This catalogue consists of tables (one per reactor) giving the following information: number and type of detectors, range of the shutdown channels, nature of the associated electronics, thresholds setting off the alarms, fitted interlocks. These cards have been drawn up with a view to an examination of the reactors safety by the 'Reactor Safety Sub-Commission', they take into account the latest decisions. The reactors involved in this review are: Azur, Cabri, Castor-Pollux, Cesar-Marius-2, Edf-2, EL3, EL4, Eole, G1, G2-G3, Harmonie, Isis, Masurca, Melusine, Minerve, Osiris, Pegase, Peggy, PAT, Rapsodie, SENA, Siloe, Siloette, Triton-Nereide, and Ulysse. (authors)

[en] Regular inspections were carried out in 17 reactor facilities for test and research. As for the experimental FBR 'Joyo' and the ATR 'Fugen', the report was made separately. Besides, JRR-3 reactor facility is under reconstruction at present. On respective reactor facilities, the appearance inspection of reactor vessels, the inspection of the functioning of reactor stop, interlocking system and alarm, the inspection of confirming the effect of reactivity control, excessive reactivity and the storage capacity of fuel storage facilities, the inspection of the treatment capacity of radioactive waste facilities, the inspection of confirming the negative pressure in reactor buildings, the inspection of the functioning of emergency power sources, the inspection of measuring radiation dose rate and the concentration of radioactive substances and so on were carried out, and all the facilities passed the inspections. The main repair works were the addition of pulse operation and the repair of a transient rod in NSRR reactor facilities, and the repair of heavy water pipe leak and the renewal of heat exchangers in KUR. The exposure dose accompanying the regular inspections was sufficiently low within the limit of the relevant laws in all the facilities. (K.I.)

[en] Reactor Incident followup action is summarized through periodic status reports. This annual report summarizes action taken or anticipated for Reactor Incidents through December, 1985 for Reactors C, K, L, and P

[en] Within the VGB Technical Committee 'Exchange of Operating Experience' (ABE), a regular exchange of experience has been cultivated for more than 25 years. It involves 28 nuclear power plants in Germany, Finland, France, The Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and Spain. This paper reports operating results obtained in 1996 and safety-related incidents, important retrofit measures and annual discharge rates of radioactivity. (orig.)

[en] One of the first tasks of the NFPQT Committee was to determine which DOE reactors would be assessed. The Committee determined that in view of the limited time available to conduct the assessment, 13 DOE reactors were of such size (physical, power or fission product inventory) to warrant review. This determination was approved by the Under Secretary. A decision was also made in the cases of three weapons material production reactors, C, K and P, to concentrate on the K reactor only, since all three are of the same basic design, have the same operating features, are all at the same site, and are all operated by the same contractor. The assessment was accomplished in the following ways: reviewing the results of assessments conducted by the DOE organizations with reactor safety responsibilities, which were undertaken in compliance with the request of the various program directors; reviewing selected documents that were requested by the Committee and assembled at DOE Headquarters; interviewing DOE Headquarters and Field Office personnel; and conducting on-site reviews of four reactors located at four different sites. The four reactors for on-site reviews were: Advanced Test Reactor (ATR); K Production Reactor; High Flux Beam Reactor (HFBR); and High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR). Specific findings and recommendations from the assessment are presented

[en] In this second section of reports from the world's nuclear power station sites, a very brief summary is given of experience gained from stations which have been in commercial operation and those recently commissioned. The reactors, which are listed under country, included: Pickering NGS-A, Phenix, Rapsodie, Obrigheim, Brunsbuettel, Biblis B, Wuergassen, Gundremmingen, Stade, Rajasthan, Takahama 1 and 2, Mihama 1, Mihama 2, Tokai 2, Tsuruga, Borssele, Muehleberg, Prototype Fast Reactor, Hinkley Point B, Hunterston A, Hunterston B, Port St. Vrain, Pilgrim, San Onofre-1. (U.K.)

[en] The report presents the 1986 operating results of the nuclear power reactors in the Federal Republic of Germany. The material is arranged by the names of power stations. The survey also includes reports about two nuclear power stations in Finland, three in Sweden, and three in Switzerland. (UA)

[en] The survey presents the operating results and experience of the year 1989, of nuclear power plants in West Germany, Finland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, and Spain. A summarizing brief account and aggregated operating data set out in tables are given, followed by individual reports on the power stations under review, each including the 1989 annual operating log. (UA)

[en] The exchange of experience within the VGB Specialist Committee 'Exchange of Operational Experience' (ABE) (Nuclear Technology) embraces nuclear power stations in the following countries: Germany, Finland, France, The Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and Spain. This paper reports on the operating results achieved in 1990, incidents relevant to safety technology, important modifications and annual discharge rates of radioactivity. (orig.)