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Rapsodie
Rapsodie was an experimental nuclear reactor built in Cadarache in France. It was France's first fast reactor, and first achieved criticality in 1967. Rapsodie was a sodium-cooled fast neutron loop-type reactor with a thermal output of 40MW and no electrical generation facilities, and closed in 1983. Rapsodie was operated in conditions considered representative of a commercial plant in terms of temperatures (inlet , outlet ) and neutron flux (3.2e15n/cm^2/s), and served to prove many elements used in later, larger, breeder reactors. Rapsodie operated for 15 years, and suffered two leaks, a sodium micro leak in 1978 that was so small it was never found, and a nitrogen gas leak in 1982. Rapsodie is currently in Stage 2 decommissioning. See also *Fast neutron reactor A fast-neutron reactor (FNR) or fast-spectrum reactor or simply a fast reactor is a category of nuclear reactor in which the fission nuclear chain reaction, chain reaction is sustained by fast neutrons (carrying ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Loop Type LMFBR
A sodium-cooled fast reactor is a fast neutron reactor cooled by liquid sodium. The initials SFR in particular refer to two Generation IV reactor proposals, one based on existing liquid metal cooled reactor (LMFR) technology using mixed oxide fuel (MOX), and one based on the metal-fueled integral fast reactor. Several sodium-cooled fast reactors have been built and some are in current operation, particularly in Russia. Others are in planning or under construction. For example, in the US, TerraPower (using its Traveling Wave technology) is building its own reactors along with molten salt energy storage in partnership with GEHitachi's PRISM integral fast reactor design, under the ''Natrium'' appellation in Kemmerer, Wyoming. Aside from the Russian experience, Japan, India, China, France and the USA are investing in the technology. Fuel cycle The nuclear fuel cycle employs a full actinide recycle with two major options: One is an intermediate-size (150–600 MWe) sodium-cooled ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fast Neutron Reactor
A fast-neutron reactor (FNR) or fast-spectrum reactor or simply a fast reactor is a category of nuclear reactor in which the fission nuclear chain reaction, chain reaction is sustained by fast neutrons (carrying energies above 1 Electronvolt, MeV, on average), as opposed to slow thermal neutrons used in thermal-neutron reactors. Such a fast reactor needs no neutron moderator, but requires nuclear fuel, fuel that is comparatively rich in fissile material. The fast spectrum is key to breeder reactors, which convert highly abundant uranium-238 into fissile plutonium-239, without requiring Uranium enrichment, enrichment. It also leads to high burnup: many transuranic isotopes, such as of americium and curium, accumulate in thermal reactor spent fuel; in fast reactors they undergo fast fission, reducing total nuclear waste. As a strong fast-spectrum neutron source, they can also be used to Nuclear transmutation, transmute existing nuclear waste into manageable or non-radioactive isotop ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cadarache
Cadarache () in Southern France is the largest technological research and development centre for energy in Europe. It includes French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission, CEA research activities and ITER. CEA Cadarache is one of the research centres of the French Commission of Atomic and Alternative Energies (CEA). Established in the north of the department of Bouches-du-Rhône, close to the village of Saint-Paul-lès-Durance to the west, CEA Cadarache is located about 40 kilometres (24 mi) from Aix-en-Provence, approximately 60 kilometres (37 mi) northeast of Marseille, standing near the borders of three other departments: the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Var (department), Var and Vaucluse. It is a major source of employment in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region and has one of the heaviest concentrations of specialised scientific staff. Cadarache began its research activities when President of France, President Charles de Gaulle launched France's atomic ener ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Breeder Reactor
A breeder reactor is a nuclear reactor that generates more fissile material than it consumes. These reactors can be fueled with more-commonly available isotopes of uranium and thorium, such as uranium-238 and thorium-232, as opposed to the rare uranium-235 which is used in conventional reactors. These materials are called fertile materials since they can be bred into fuel by these breeder reactors. Breeder reactors achieve this because their neutron economy is high enough to create more fissile fuel than they use. These extra neutrons are absorbed by the fertile material that is loaded into the reactor along with fissile fuel. This irradiated fertile material in turn transmutes into fissile material which can undergo fission reactions. Breeders were at first found attractive because they made more complete use of uranium fuel than light-water reactors, but interest declined after the 1960s as more uranium reserves were foundHelmreich, J. E. ''Gathering Rare Ores: The D ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nuclear Reactor
A nuclear reactor is a device used to initiate and control a Nuclear fission, fission nuclear chain reaction. They are used for Nuclear power, commercial electricity, nuclear marine propulsion, marine propulsion, Weapons-grade plutonium, weapons production and Research reactor, research. Fissile material, Fissile nuclei (primarily uranium-235 or plutonium-239) absorb single neutron, neutrons and split, releasing energy and multiple neutrons, which can induce further fission. Reactors stabilize this, regulating Neutron absorber, neutron absorbers and neutron moderator, moderators in the core. Fuel efficiency is exceptionally high; Enriched uranium#Low-enriched uranium (LEU), low-enriched uranium is 120,000 times more energy dense than coal. Heat from nuclear fission is passed to a working fluid Nuclear reactor#By coolant, coolant. In commercial reactors, this drives Turbine, turbines and electrical generator shafts. Some reactors are used for district heating, and isotopes, isoto ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlantic, North Atlantic, the French West Indies, and List of islands of France, many islands in Oceania and the Indian Ocean, giving it Exclusive economic zone of France, one of the largest discontiguous exclusive economic zones in the world. Metropolitan France shares borders with Belgium and Luxembourg to the north; Germany to the northeast; Switzerland to the east; Italy and Monaco to the southeast; Andorra and Spain to the south; and a maritime border with the United Kingdom to the northwest. Its metropolitan area extends from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean and from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea. Its Regions of France, eighteen integral regions—five of which are overseas—span a combined area of and hav ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
