International Symposium on Present Status and Future
Perspective for Reducing of Radioactive Wastes

Concept and Future Perspective
on ASTRID projectin France
Sylvestre PIVETCEA, Nuclear Energy Division
Direction of Innovation and Nuclear Support Division

17 FEBRUARY 2016
JAEA International Symposium | 17 February| PAGE 1
2016

The French frame of long-term Radioactive Waste
ManagementPrinciples :The 2006 Act

Recycling to decrease waste amount & harmfulness

Geological repository :the reference option for ultimate waste
management.
JAEA International Symposium | 17 February 2016 | PAGE 2

Fast reactors at the heart of the CEA research

For the longer term:
comprehensive closed fuel cycle

MOX-RNR
450t

RNR
RECYCLING

Fuel fabrication
Plutonium (#20%)

Excellent use of uranium
resources

DepletedUranium(40t)

Uranium (#80%)

Uranium enrichment

WASTE
50 t

Uranium conversion

Contribution to the managementof long-lived radioactive waste

Mining and milling

Sodium-cooled fast reactors

Gas-cooled fast reactors

Astrid program

For the longer term

JAEA International Symposium | 17 February 2016 | PAGE 3

The Astrid project: perimeter
ASTRID design studies
Core fabrication workshop
MOX fuelA few tons per year

Full scale component testing
Large test sodium loops
Refurbishment of zero
power reactor MASURCA

R&D

Severe accidents
experimental program

JAEA International Symposium | 17 February 2016 | PAGE 4

The ASTRID ProjectTechnological demonstration reactor (a step before a First Of A Kind)
Integrating French and international SFRs feedback
A GEN IV system
SafetyDurability
Operability
Non proliferation warranty
Irradiation services and options test

JAEA International Symposium | 17 February 2016 | PAGE 5

14 industrial Partners have joined the astrid Project
CEA/Nuclear Energy Division is in charge of the ASTRID project
Bilateral industrial partnerships cover main design engineering batches

JAEA International Symposium | 17 February 2016 | PAGE 6

Astrid main technical choices
1500 thMW - ~600 eMW
Oxide fuel UO2-PuO2.
New reactor core designCore catcher integrated into the reactor
vessel to catch molten core debris
Inerting and early leak detection systems
which greatly reduce the risk of sodium fires
Integration
ofin-service
inspection
requirements into the reactor design
Multiple, redundant decay heat removalsystems.
Experimental capabilities: to contribute tothe qualification of transmutation, fertile orburner subassemblies
JAEA International Symposium | 17 February 2016 | PAGE 7

Reactor site studies and infrastructures implementation
A one geographical level platform
An optimization work on the balance of plant

Main buildings on
isolated raft

Turbomachinerybuilding

Special handlingbuilding

Fuel building
JAEA International Symposium | 17 February 2016 | PAGE 8

Reactor site studies and infrastructures implementation

Steam
generators

Fuel building

ReactorSpecialhandlingbuilding

Electrical
Building
Turbomachinerybuilding

Steamgenerators

JAEA International Symposium | 17 February 2016 | PAGE 9Reactor building

Reactor hall

Polar table

SodiumpipingSlabPrimarycircuitAnti-seismicraft

JAEA International Symposium | 17 February 2016 | PAGE 10

Confirmation of a low sodium void core (CFV)
Enhanced Core safety in case of all protection
systems failures« CFV » = no power increase in case of coolant
loss (CEA-AREVA-EDF patent)

Absorber zone

Plenum zone
Fissile zone
Fertile zone

Objectives :Reduced reactivity loss
Negative sodium void worth
Favorable behavior in nonprotected transients

Phenixexperiments
post-irradiation
examinations

Low Sodium Void Worth CoreASTRID mock-up
in Masurca ZPRJAEA International Symposium | 17 February 2016 | PAGE 11

Reactivity control system and its complementary
safety devices
All the rods are used for reactor operation: control rods anddiversified rods.
Addition of complementary diversified safety devices : hydraulics
ones and Curie point thermal ones.

Curie point electro
magnet

JAEA International Symposium | 17 February 2016 | PAGE 12

In service inspection and repair
Carrier development

Main vessel inspection

Access channelCore supportingstructure welds

Sensor development

Pushing chain with inspection trolley| PAGE 13Diversified decay heat removal systems

RRB

2 diversified in-vessel decayheat removal systems- Na coolant- Air heat sink

RRA

Third heat removal systemthrough reactor vessels forsevere accidental conditions- Oil coolant- Water heat sink
RRC
JAEA International Symposium | 17 February 2016 | PAGE 14

In-core complementary safety devices for severe
accidents mitigation
CFV core equipped with 21 devices
for corium dispersion
Objectives:
Reduce re-criticality risk
Avoid melting propagation tothe internal storage
Minimize impact on coreperformances
Foreseen Plinius2 facility – CEA Cadarache

Furnace Hall

Diagrid,strongback& core catcher
3D Mockup
JAEA International Symposium | 17 February 2016 | PAGE 15

Na experiments

LWR experiments

Secondary loops main options(steam water PCS option)
4 loops secondary circuits

375 MW helicoïdalSteam Generator

Electro Magnetic pump

JAEA International Symposium | 17 February 2016 | PAGE 16

GAS power conversion system: an option under study
Brayton gas cycle : 180 bar of Nitrogenat 515°C
37% efficiency
Operation and safety analysis have been
performedNo show-stopper identified at that point

Compact sodium gaz heat exchanger

gassodiumMock-up 40kW

Turbomachinery

TurbineCompressor

JAEA International Symposium | 17 February 2016 | PAGE 17

Constructability studies

JAEA International Symposium | 17 February 2016 | PAGE 18

Reducing waste
Transmutation of minor actinides
Americium has been identified as a first target for a possible separation andtransmutation strategy with the goal of reducing the long term harmfulness ofultimate waste.
A substantial impact on the on the high-level waste disposal surface area
requiredMINOR
ACTINIDES

Contribution to intrinsic harmfulness

FISSION PRODUCTS

Without transmutationtransmutation AM

After 30 years

After 300 years

After 1000 years

R&D studies
Recycling B4C
JAEA International Symposium | 17 February 2016 | PAGE 19

Planning of astrid project (under discussion)
2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

2027

Basic design

2028

2029

2030

1stcriticality

End of Basic Design

Kick Off

Conceptual design

2019

Detailed Design

Building Phase

Gas PCS system at Conceptual
Design phase comparable to asteam water PCS

Configuration Review
Confirmation or re-consideration of some options•Opportunities raised by the gas PCS•Operability fuel handling optimization, internal storage vs external storage•

General lay out, buildings optimization, constructability and realization planning•

Mechanical integrity and lifetime of large components•

Decay heat removal and mitigation strategy, safety devices•

ASTRID frontend/backend fuel cycle

Cost, safety and operability are the drivers
JAEA International Symposium | 17 February 2016 | PAGE 20

Tests

Thank you for your attention

JAEA International Symposium | 17 February 2016 | PAGE 21