A S T R I D

DEN/CAD/DER/CPA

www.cea.fr

BRUSSELS, MARCH 18th, 2015

Jean-Paul Grouiller / ASTRID Project

« Core and Transmutation »

« Fuel Cycle Interfaces »

| PAGE 1

Prototypes and fuel cycle

options including

transmutation

• General introduction, GEN IV fast reactors

• Transmutation demonstration

• Fuel cycle

• Conclusions

| PAGE 2 Brussels | March 18th 2015

Fast Neutron Reactors of GEN IV

SFR Sodium-cooled fast reactor

ASTRID

GFR Gas-cooled fast reactor

ALLEGRO

LFR Lead-cooled fast reactor

ALFRED

Closed fuel cycle Closed fuel cycle Closed fuel cycle

Type of fuel : (U, Pu)O2

| PAGE 3 Brussels | March 18th 2015

Why to choose a Fast Reactors ?

Three main reasons:

• Mastering, through recycling, the growth of Plutonium inventory

• Excellent use of uranium resource Unlike reactors currently in operation or construction worldwide, that use only about 1% of

natural Uranium, Fast neutron Reactors are able to use more than 80% of the Uranium

resource.

The current stockpile of depleted Uranium available could feed the current needs of electricity

production for several centuries.

• Ability to transmute and burn minor actinides

Source : WEC, 2010 Survey of Energy. (Coal: 860 Gt, Oil: 163 Gt, Gas: 185 Tm3, Uranium : 3,5 Mt)

| PAGE 4 Brussels | March 18th 2015

Pu stored in MOX Spent

Fuel recycled in MOX FR

to start the FRs deployment

Scenario can be flexible

Both systems can coexist

during a transition phase

Illustration from LWRs recycling to FRs recycling

FRs merits as regards to fuel cycle

Removal of the stages for the cycle upstream and no enrichment technology

Use depleted U; Use Pu included in UOX or in MOX Spent Fuels

Multi-recycling of Pu

Possible recycling of Minor Actinides

| PAGE 5 Brussels | March 18th 2015

4th Generation Systems – Waste management

| PAGE 6 Brussels | March 18th 2015

4th Generation Systems – Waste management

| PAGE 7 Brussels | March 18th 2015

The FRs Prototype objectives

Technological Demonstrator for industrial Fast Reactors

A GEN IV system

Safety :

- Level at least equivalent to GEN III systems

- Integrating FUKUSHIMA accident feedback

Sustainability : “GENIV systems shall make better use of U and Pu resource, and have the

capability, if the decision is taken, to perform transmutation of certain minor actinides”

Realization of demonstrations on:

• Pu and U recycling

• minor actinides transmutation

Operability

A mastered investment cost

Irradiation services and options test

| PAGE 8 Brussels | March 18th 2015

Conception, Validation :

• Based on 20 years of R&D

(Contribution of the EU programs)

R&D Areas :

Partitioning processes

Fabrication processes

Fuels behavior

Irradiations

* Industrial demonstration

in the FRs Prototypes

*Priority to Americium

Homogeneous mode < 2%

Heterogeneous mode < 20 %

Homogeneous

recycling

R T

U

FP

U Pu MA

Homogeneous

recycling

R T

U

FP

U Pu MA

R T

U

FP

U Pu MA

Heterogeneous

recycling

R T

U

MA

U Pu

FP

Heterogeneous

recycling

R T

U

MA

U Pu

FP

Fuels (U, Pu, MA)O2

Fuels (U, Pu)O2

Minor Actinides Transmutation Concepts

All the fuel cycle

is concerned by

Transmutation

Specific cycle

for Transmutation

| PAGE 9 Brussels | March 18th 2015

Contribution of FRs Prototypes for Transmutation

24 MARS 2015

Develop and Qualify the concept Experimental irradiations up to some sub-assemblies

in Prototypes

Minor Actinides : Am, Np, ..

Transmutation mode :

Homogeneous

Heterogeneous

In progress or in the near future

Different temperatures

Materials Pin Section of pin Sub assembly Some of pins

Irradiations

systems

Core prototype

| PAGE 10 Brussels | March 18th 2015 24 MARS 2015

Fuel cycle for transmutation demonstration in

the FRs Prototypes

Cellule chaude

Quelques mini

aiguilles/an (CCAm

ou (U,Pu,Am)O2)

Extension à la

séparation de l’Am

Labos chauds pour

examens destructifs

Adaptation pour

fabrication

assemblages

CCAm,

(U,Pu,Am)O2) ou

forte teneur en Pu

Am

Am

ASTRID

ATC AFC Am

U, Pu

U

Pu

Labo

Traitement

combustible à

forte teneur en Pu

A few samples

and pins with MA

A few

Sub-assemblies

fabrication with

MA

Hot cell

Hot Labs for destructive exams

Proto

Reprocessing

Lab for partitioning

Fabrication

Dosage

Mélange

UO2 UPuAmO2

Retraitement

Contrôles

Pastilles

RebutsFrittage

Pastillage

Lubrifiant

Procédé Voie Diluée

Co-conversion

MA

| PAGE 11 Brussels | March 18th 2015

Conclusions

FRs prototypes : (U, Pu)O2 fuels

Potential to demonstrate the closed cycle for Pu and U

Several experimental phases to implement different transmutation scenarios using

homogeneous and heterogeneous concepts.

Experimental programs in support to the demonstration for industrial FRs o New materials

o Type of fuels (carbide, nitride, ..)

o The consumption of Pu

the availability of facilities involved in the Prototypes material cycles

Interfaces with others R&D

• Fabrication

• Transportation

• Reprocessing

• Waste management

Direction de l’énergie nucléaire

Département d’Etudes des Réacteurs

Cellule Projet ASTRID

Commissariat à l’énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives

Centre de Cadarache | DER/CPA bt155 - 13108 Saint-Paul lez Durance

Etablissement public à caractère industriel et commercial | RCS Paris B

775 685 019

| PAGE

12 CEA | 10 AVRIL 2012

Thank you for your attention