Fast Reactors and Related Fuel Cycles
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DIC425s★ Fast Reactors and Related Fuel Cycles: Challenges Opportunities (FR09) DIC645s★ DIC425s★ DIC645s★ DIC425s★ Fast Reactors and DIC404s★ Related Fuel Cycles: DIC404s★ DIC404s★ After a hiatus of 18 years, the IAEA convened the International Conference on Fast Reactors and Related Fuel Cycles: Challenges Challenges and Opportunities and Opportunities (FR09) in Kyoto, Japan, on 7–11 December 2009. FR09 was organized in response to strong Member States’ demand and the gathering attracted 622 experts from 20 countries and three FR09 international organizations. The programme comprised 150 oral presentations, 154 posters, two panels and the Young Generation Event. The scope of FR09 covered key scientific and technological areas (e.g. fuel and materials development, safety, advanced simulation, component and system design, coolant technology) in which innovation is pursued to ensure that the next generation’s fast reactors and related fuel cycles achieve their potential. Proceedings of an DIC2053s★ International Conference Kyoto, Japan, 7–11 December 2009 DIC427s DIC594s★★★ DIC2053s★ DIC435s★ DIC404s★ DIC427s INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY VIENNA ISBN 978–92–0–102410–7 DIC2053s★ ISSN 0074–1884 1 @ DIC442s DIC435s★ DIC425s★ FAST REACTORS AND RELATED FUEL CYCLES: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES (FR09) The Agency’s Statute was approved on 23 October 1956 by the Conference on the Statute of the IAEA held at United Nations Headquarters, New York; it entered into force on 29 July 1957. The Headquarters of the Agency are situated in Vienna. Its principal objective is “to accelerate and enlarge the contribution of atomic energy to peace, health and prosperity throughout the world’’. PROCEEDINGS SERIES FAST REACTORS AND RELATED FUEL CYCLES: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES (FR09) PROCEEDINGS OF AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON FAST REACTORS AND RELATED FUEL CYCLES: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES (FR09) ORGANIZED BY THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY IN COOPERATION WITH THE ATOMIC ENERGY SOCIETY OF JAPAN, EUROPEAN COMMISSION, EUROPEAN NUCLEAR SOCIETY, INSTITUTE OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS OF JAPAN, JAPAN ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION, JAPAN ATOMIC INDUSTRIAL FORUM, JAPAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS, KOREAN NUCLEAR SOCIETY, MINISTRY OF ECONOMY, TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, CULTURE, SPORTS, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, OECD NUCLEAR ENERGY AGENCY, AND THE WAKASA WAN ENERGY RESEARCH CENTRE, HOSTED BY THE JAPAN ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY AND HELD IN KYOTO, 7–11 DECEMBER 2009 INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY VIENNA, 2012 COPYRIGHT NOTICE All IAEA scientific and technical publications are protected by the terms of the Universal Copyright Convention as adopted in 1952 (Berne) and as revised in 1972 (Paris). The copyright has since been extended by the World Intellectual Property Organization (Geneva) to include electronic and virtual intellectual property. Permission to use whole or parts of texts contained in IAEA publications in printed or electronic form must be obtained and is usually subject to royalty agreements. Proposals for non-commercial reproductions and translations are welcomed and considered on a case-by-case basis. Enquiries should be addressed to the IAEA Publishing Section at: Marketing and Sales Unit, Publishing Section International Atomic Energy Agency Vienna International Centre PO Box 100 1400 Vienna, Austria fax: +43 1 2600 29302 tel.: +43 1 2600 22417 email: [email protected] http://www.iaea.org/books © IAEA, 2012 Printed by the IAEA in Austria March 2012 STI/PUB/1444 IAEA Library Cataloguing in Publication Data International Conference on Fast Reactors and Related Fuel Cycles : Challenges and Opportunities (FR09) (2009 : Kyoto, Japan) Fast reactors and related fuel cycles : challenges and opportunities : proceedings of an International Conference on Fast Reactors and Related Fuel Cycles : Challenges and Opportunities : FR09 / organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency … [et al.], and held in Kyoto, 7–11 December 2009. — Vienna : International Atomic Energy Agency, 2012. p. ; 24 cm. — (Proceedings series, ISSN 0074–1884) STI/PUB/1444 ISBN 978–92–0–102410–7 Includes bibliographical references. 1. 1. Nuclear Reactors — Congresses. 2. Fast Reactors — Congresses. 3. Nuclear fuels — Management — Congresses. 4. Radioactive wastes — Management — Congresses. I. International Atomic Energy Agency. II. Series: Proceedings series (International Atomic Energy Agency). IAEAL 12–00735 FOREWORD Renewed interest in nuclear energy is driven by the need to develop carbon- free energy sources, by demographics and development in emerging economies as well as by security of supply concerns. It is expected that nuclear will provide vast amounts of energy in both emerging and developed economies. However, acceptance of nuclear energy with large scale contributions to the world’s energy mix depends on satisfaction of key requirements to enhance sustainability in terms of economy, safety, adequacy of natural resources, waste reduction, non- proliferation and public acceptance. Fast spectrum nuclear reactors with recycle significantly enhance the sustainability indices. The fast spectrum allows increasing the energy yield from natural uranium by a factor of sixty to seventy compared with thermal reactors, theoretically extending nuclear power programmes for thousands of years as well as significantly improving nuclear waste management. It is for this reason that fast reactors and associated fuel cycle research and technology development is, in many countries, back on the agenda of research and industrial organizations, as well as academia. The way forward is tied to clear objectives, leading to the commissioning of experimental fast reactors (CEFR in China in 2010), the restart of the industrial prototype (Monju) in Japan in 2010, the commissioning, around 2012–2013, of power fast reactors in India and the Russian Federation (PFBR and BN-800, respectively), the planned construction, around 2020, of the French prototype fast reactor ASTRID (Advanced Sodium Technological Reactor for Industrial Demonstration) and further advanced demonstration and commercial fast reactor construction projects in 2020–2050 in China, Europe, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation. For more than 40 years, and in fulfilment of its statutory functions as outlined in Article III.A.1 – 3, facilitating research and technology development at the IAEA is being achieved through the mechanism of the Technical Working Groups, specifically, in the case of fast reactor and corresponding fuel cycle research and technology development, the Technical Working Group on Fast Reactors (created in 1967 as the International Working Group on Fast Reactors) and the Technical Working Group on Nuclear Fuel Cycle Options. The main aim of the Technical Working Groups is to provide a forum for exchange of non-commercial scientific and technical information and for international cooperation on generic research and technology development projects, and to enable scientists and engineers from research centres, industry and academia to share best practices globally. In response to the expressed needs for an appropriate forum to achieve the twin objectives of exchanging experience and innovative ideas among experts, and of sharing knowledge and mentoring, the IAEA, after almost 20 years since the last large international conference dedicated to fast reactors and their fuel cycle, convened on 7–11 December 2009 in Kyoto, Japan, an International Conference on Fast Reactors and Related Fuel Cycles: Challenges and Opportunities (FR09). The high expectations and interest in the conference were confirmed by the record attendance of 622 experts from twenty countries and three international organizations. This publication represents the proceedings of the conference. A CD-ROM of contributed papers accompanies these proceedings. The IAEA would like to express its appreciation to the Japan Atomic Energy Agency, the host of the conference, as well as to the members of the International Advisory Committee and of the International Scientific Committee. EDITORIAL NOTE The papers in these Proceedings (including the figures, tables and references) have undergone only the minimum copy editing considered necessary for the reader’s assistance. The views expressed remain, however, the responsibility of the named authors or participants. In addition, the views are not necessarily those of the governments of the nominating Member States or of the nominating organizations. This report does not address questions of responsibility, legal or otherwise, for acts or omissions on the part of any person. Although great care has been taken to maintain the accuracy of information contained in this publication, neither the IAEA nor its Member States assume any responsibility for consequences which may arise from its use. The use of particular designations of countries or territories does not imply any judgement by the publisher, the IAEA, as to the legal status of such countries or territories, of their authorities and institutions or of the delimitation of their boundaries. The mention of names of specific companies or products (whether or not indicated as registered) does not imply any intention to infringe proprietary rights, nor should it be construed as an endorsement or recommendation on the part of the IAEA. The authors are responsible for having obtained the necessary permission for the IAEA to reproduce, translate or use material from sources already protected by copyrights. This