Fast Reactors and Accelerator Driven Systems Knowledge Base

Conference Article: The status of fast reactor technology development in China

Xu Mi (China Inst. of Atomic Energy (China))

Abstract

The paper will outline the main activities on fast reactor technology in China. In the year 1996, with the increasing of about 15 GWe installed electricity capacity, the total national electricity generation capacity has reached 225 GWe in the Country. Two nuclear power plants, Qinshan Phase 1 and Daya Bay have their rather good operation. The load factor of Qinshan Phase 1 was 84.7%. 76.1% and 64.1% for Daya Bay Unit 1 and Unit 2 respectively. During the Ninth 5-year (from 1996 to 2000) four NPPs Consisting of eight units of installed 6620MWe will be constructed. Under the framework of the High Technology Programme the Chinese Experimental Fast Reactor (CEFR) with the power 65MWth matched with 25MWe turbine-generator is still under preliminary design stage, which is sodium cooled pool type, (Pu,U)O2 as fuel, in-core primary Went fuel storage, two mechanical pumps and four intermediate heat exchangers for primary circuit two loops for secondary circuits two independent immersed heat exchangers and air coolers with high stacks for passive residual heat removal system. Some design changes are presented in the paper. Concerning the R and D for the CEFR, besides the facilities already prepared, for demonstration of thermohydraulic characteristics of natural convection, a water simulation reactor pool facility in about one third scale is planned, in order to prepare the reactor physics experiments for its start-up, the zero power fast neutron facility with 50kg U-235 has been restored, for endurance testing of core subassemblies and getting some sodium loop operation experiences, Italian ESPRESSO and CEDI are under reconstruction in our lab. As for the engineering preparation of the project CEFR, the Feasibility Study Report was approved by Authorities on November last year. The site preparation and the design of incorporated to grid are just started. Finally, the activities of the international cooperation are presented in the paper.

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key words: Fast Neutron Spectrum Systems, Nuclear Technology
Reference:
Advances in fast reactor technology. 30-st meeting of the International Working Group on Fast Reactors, Beijing (China). 13-16 May 1997
International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)
IAEA-TECDOC--1015, pp:13-24