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The ALLEGRO project The ALLEGRO project –– European European project of fast breeder reactor project of fast breeder reactor
1st International Nuclear Energy Congress
Warsaw, May 23-24, 2011Prepared by
Peter Líška, VUJE SlovakiaGérard Cognet, CEA France
Content Content
��ALLEGRO reactor ALLEGRO reactor -- main featuresmain features
�ALLEGRO project
�ALLIANCE proposal
�Contributing EU FP7 projects
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ALLEGRO reactor ALLEGRO reactor –– main main featuresfeaturesALLEGROALLEGRO
� GFR demonstration reactor
GFRGFR� gas cooled fast reactor
� potential alternative of SFR
� efficient use of natural uranium
� MA recycling → reduction of HLW radiotoxicity
� high temperature heat production for hydrogen production, as process heat, ...
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ALLEGRO reactor ALLEGRO reactor –– main main featuresfeatures
ALLEGRO reactor
� first GFR (without electricity generation)
� two different core:
� starting MOX core
o test of GFR operation with well established fuel – metalic??
o test of ceramic fuel subassemblies
� second ceramic fuel core
o test of new fuel design
o overall test of GFR at high temperature
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ALLEGRO MOX Core
Power(MW) 75
Power density (MW/m 3) 100
Operating helium pressure (MPa) 7
Core Helium inlet/outlet temperature ( °C) 260/530
Fissile Core mass flow rate(kg.s -1) 53.5
Fuel form (U, Pu)O2 pellets
Fissile core height (m) 0.86
Fissile core diameter (m) 1.12
Fissile core coolant fraction(%) 37.5
Pu/U+Pu(%) 25
Global power peaking factor 1.54
Number of fissile S/As 81
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Main characteristics of Main characteristics of ALLEGRO 75 MWth MOX core (1/2)ALLEGRO 75 MWth MOX core (1/2)
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ALLEGRO MOX Core
Number of absorber S/As (shutdown+control rods) 10 (4+6)
Number of in core steel/experimental S/As 6/0
Number of reflector S/As 174
Cladding and reflector material 15-15 Ti steel
Fuel S/A Pins within hexagonal tube metallic structure
Number of fuel pins per S/A 169
Pin pitch(mm) under cold conditions (mm)Under hot conditions (mm)
7.937.98
Pin diameter (mm) 6.55
Cladding thickness(mm) 0.45
Maximum cladding/fuel temperature ( °C) in normal operating conditions 562/963
Total S/A length including spike and head (m) 4
Core pressure drop (bar) (hot channel) 0.84
Main characteristics of Main characteristics of ALLEGRO 75 MWth MOX core (2/2)ALLEGRO 75 MWth MOX core (2/2)
ALLEGRO ceramic plate core
Power(MW) 75
Power density (MW/m 3) 100
Operating helium pressure (MPa) 7
Core Helium inlet/outlet temperature ( °C) 400/900
Fissile Core mass flow rate(kg.s -1) 28.1
Fuel form (U, Pu)C pellets in SiC matrix plates
Fissile core height (m) 0.89
Fissile core diameter (m) 1.12
Fissile core coolant fraction(%) 22.7
Pu/U+Pu(%) [29.5; 35]
Global power peaking factor 1.46
Number of fissile S/As 87
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Main characteristics of Main characteristics of ALLEGRO ceramic plate core (1/2)ALLEGRO ceramic plate core (1/2)
ALLEGRO ceramic plate core
Number of absorber S/As (shutdown+control rods) 10 (4+6)
Number of reflector S/As 174
Reflector material ZrC
Fuel S/A Plates within hexagonal SiC structure
Number of fuel plates per S/A 15
Plate thickness(mm) 8.4
Clad thickness (mm) 0.85
Internal liner ( µm) 40+10=50
Fuel pellet diameter(mm) 11
Maximum cladding/fuel temperature ( °C) in normal operating conditions 1012/1290
Total S/A length including spike and head (m) 4
Core pressure drop (bar) (hot channel) 0.5
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Main characteristics of Main characteristics of ALLEGRO ceramic plate core (2/2)ALLEGRO ceramic plate core (2/2)
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ALLEGRO ceramic pin core
Power(MW) 75
Power density (MW/m 3) 92
Operating helium pressure (MPa) 7
Core Helium inlet/outlet temperature ( °C) 400/800
Fissile Core mass flow rate(kg.s -1) 36.1
Fuel form (U, Pu)C pellets with SiC cladding
Fissile core height (m) 0.86
Fissile core diameter (m) 1.12
Pu/U+Pu(%) 27.5
Global power peaking factor 1.43
Number of fissile S/As 87
Number of absorber S/As (shutdown+control rods) 10 (4+6)
Main characteristics of Main characteristics of ALLEGRO ceramic pin core (1/2)ALLEGRO ceramic pin core (1/2)
ALLEGRO ceramic pin core
Number of reflector S/As 174
Reflector materia ZrC
Fuel S/A Pins within hexagonal tube SiC structure
Number of fuel pins per S/A 90
Pin pitch(mm) 11
Pin diameter (mm) 9.10
Cladding thickness including liners (mm) 1.08
Cladding material (mm) SiC/SiC f
Internal liner thickness 40µ (W - 14%Re) + 10µ (Re)
External liner thickness 30µ (SiC/SiCf provisionally)
Maximum cladding/fuel temperature ( °C) innominal operation 863/1140
Total S/A length including spike and head (m) 4.20
Core pressure drop (bar) 0.36
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Main characteristics of Main characteristics of ALLEGRO ceramic pin core (2/2)ALLEGRO ceramic pin core (2/2)
Shutdown and reactivity Shutdown and reactivity control systemcontrol system
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Location of the
control rod drivers on the reactor vessel bottom section
Conceptual view of the
mechanical part
of control rod
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�ALLEGRO reactor - main features
��ALLEGRO projectALLEGRO project
�ALLIANCE proposal
�Contributing EU FP7 projects
Allegro project Allegro project All works necessary for GFR demonstration:
� preparatory phase
� licensing and construction of ALLEGRO reactor
� R&D
� operation of ALLEGRO
� decommissioning
Preparatory phase
should provide basic documents as basis for decisio ns as follows:
� whether GFR is accepted in Europe as a complementar y option of SFR
� whether the corresponding governments are ready to host ALLEGRO in the region
� selection of the site of the ALLEGRO reactor
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Allegro project Allegro project
Preparatory phase basic documents:
� General specification of the ALLEGRO project
� Licensing roadmap
� Preliminary design
� Preliminary safety analysis
� Spent fuel management strategy, analysis of require d services
� Preliminary analysis of environmental impact
� Site studies, criteria of sitting, rules of the sit e selection process
� R&D in the licensing & construction and in the oper ational phase
� Governance, financing analysis, identification of p otential partners
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Allegro project Allegro project Participants of joint project (confirmed by MoU):
� Nuclear Research Institute, Řež, Czech Republic
� UJV, MTA KFKI Atomic Energy Research Institute, Bud apest, Hungary
� Nuclear Power Plant Research Institute, Trnava, Slo vakia – VUJE
Main technical support – CEA
� ALLEGRO concept developed there
� transfer of research and technology development res ults to project participants
� supplying of fuel, developing new fuel
Other contributing European research organisations:
� AMEC – Great Britain
� PSI – Switzerland
Invited countries:
� Poland
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Allegro project Allegro project
Preliminary timing:
2010 - 2013 Preparatory phase
2013 - 2025 Licensing&construction phase
2026 - 2046 Operation of the ALLEGRO reactor
2046 - 2076 Decommissioning phase
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�ALLEGRO reactor - main features
�ALLEGRO project
��ALLIANCE proposalALLIANCE proposal
�Contributing EU FP7 projects
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ALLIANCE proposalALLIANCE proposalALLIANCE
� Preparation of ALL egro – Implementing Advanced Nuclear in Central Europe
� Coordination and Support Action
� EURATOM 7 th Framework Programme
� Coordinator – Akos Horvath – Hungarian Academy of Sci ences
� Objectives – to support development of ALLEGRO – GFR demonstrator:
� put together information on construction feasibilit y
� assess the design following GEN IV requirements
� produce documents on
o preliminary design
o environmental impact
o site identification
o consortium and licensing issues
� Submitted – 7. 4. 2011
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ALLIANCE proposalALLIANCE proposal
Work packages
WP0 – Project management (AEKI)
WP1 – Roadmap of the ALLEGRO demonstrator (VUJE)
WP2 – Requirements for design (VUJE)
WP3 – Experimental support (UJV)
WP4 – Safety and licensing (AEKI)
WP5 – Dissemination (LGI)
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ALLIANCE proposalALLIANCE proposalParticipants
� AEKI - Magyar Tudományos Akadémia KFKI Atomenergia K utatóintézet –MTA KFKI Atomic Energy Research Institute (AEKI) (H ungary)
� UJV Rez a.s. - Ustav jaderneho vyzkumu Rez a.s. (Cze ch Republic)
� VUJE a.s. (Slovakia)
� CEA - Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux énergi es alternatives (France)
� AMEC – AMEC Nuclear UK Limited (UK)
� INBK - Institute of Nuclear Fuel Cycle at RWTH Aache n University (Germany)
� LGI – LaGrange Innovation (France)
� IRSN - Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nuclé aire (France)
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�ALLEGRO reactor - main features
�ALLEGRO project
�ALLIANCE proposal
��Contributing EU FP7 projectsContributing EU FP7 projects
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Contributing EU FP7 Contributing EU FP7 projectsprojectsGoFastR
� European Gas Cooled Fast Reactor� grant agreement № 249678� development of gas-cooled fast reactor� main challenges: refractory fuel (operation at high temperature and high power
density loss of flow and loss of coolant faults (de cay heat removal, guard containment)
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ADRIANA�Advanced Reactor Initiative and Network Arrangement�Mapping and gap analysis of research infrastructure in support of the
European Sustainable Nuclear Industrial Initiative�SFR, GFR, LFR