Fast Reactors and Accelerator Driven Systems Knowledge Base

IAEA-TECDOC--1289: Comparative assessment of thermophysical and thermohydraulic characteristics of lead, lead-bismuth and sodium coolants for fast reactors

International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)

Abstract

All prototype, demonstration and commercial liquid metal cooled fast reactors (LMFRs) have used liquid sodium as a coolant. Sodium cooled systems, operating at low pressure, are characterised by very large thermal margins relative to the coolant boiling temperature and a very low structural material corrosion rate. In spite of the negligible thermal energy stored in the liquid sodium available for release in case of leakage, there is some safety concern because of its chemical reactivity with respect to air and water. Lead, lead-bismuth or other alloys of lead, appear to eliminate these concerns because the chemical reactivity of these coolants with respect to air and water is very low. Some experts believe that conceptually, these systems could be attractive if high corrosion activity inherent in lead, long term materials compatibility and other problems will be resolved. Extensive research and development work is required to meet this goal.

Preliminary studies on lead-bismuth and lead cooled reactors and ADS (accelerator driven systems) have been initiated in France, Japan, the United States of America, Italy, and other countries. Considerable experience has been gained in the Russian Fedaration in the course of development and operation of reactors cooled with lead-bismuth eutectic, in particular, propulsion reactors. Studies on lead cooled fast reactors are also under way in this country.

The need to exchange information on alternative fast reactor coolants was a major consideration in the recommendation by the Technical Working Group on Fast Reactors (TWGFRs) to collect, review and document the information on lead and lead-bismuth alloy coolants: technology, thermohydraulics, physical and chemical properties, as well as to make an assessment and comparison with respective sodium characteristics. This report considering these issues has been prepared in response to the recommendation from TWGFR.

view the full text of this report (format: PDF, size= 1794kB, 72 pages)

see also:

Chapters

Introduction
(format: PDF, size= 91kB, 3 pages)
Technical background
(format: PDF, size= 950kB, 16 pages)
Physical and chemical properties of reactor coolants
(format: PDF, size= 286kB, 8 pages)
Production of sodium, lead and bismuth
(format: PDF, size= 145kB, 4 pages)
Sodium and lead technologies
(format: PDF, size= 196kB, 10 pages)
Thermohydraulics of reactor core and some aspects of fast reactor engineering
(format: PDF, size= 484kB, 18 pages)
Radioactivity and toxicity of coolants
(format: PDF, size= 281kB, 11 pages)
Reference:
International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)
IAEA-TECDOC--1289