SFR – Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor System

SFR – Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor System
The SFR system features a fast-spectrum sodium-cooled reactor and a closed fuel cycle for efficient management of actinides and conversion of fertile uranium. The fuel cycle employs full actinide recycle with two major options: One is an intermediate size (150 to 500 MWe) sodium-cooled reactor with a uranium-plutonium-minor-actinide-zirconium metal alloy fuel, supported by a fuel cycle based on pyrometallurgical processing in facilities integrated with the reactor. The second is a medium to large (500 to 1500 MWe) sodium-cooled reactor with mixed uranium-plutonium oxide fuel, supported by a fuel cycle based upon advanced aqueous processing at a central location serving a number of reactors. The outlet temperature is approximately 550°C for both.
The SFR is designed for management of high-level wastes and, in particular, management of plutonium and other actinides. Important safety features of the system include a long thermal response time, a large margin to coolant boiling, a primary system that operates near atmospheric pressure, and an intermediate sodium system between the radioactive sodium in the primary system and the water and steam in the power plant. With innovations to reduce capital cost, the SFR can serve markets for electricity. The SFR’s fast spectrum also makes it possible to utilize available fissile and fertile materials (including depleted uranium) considerably more efficiently than thermal spectrum reactors with once-through fuel cycles.