| BN-800 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Generation | Generation IV[1][2] |
| Reactor concept | Fast breeder reactor[3] |
| Status | Operational |
| Location | Zarechny, Sverdlovsk Oblast,Russia |
| Main parameters of the reactor core | |
| Fuel (fissile material) | U+Pu nitride, MOX, or metal |
| Fuel state | Solid |
| Neutron energy spectrum | Fast |
| Primary coolant | Liquid sodium |
| Reactor usage | |
| Power (thermal) | 2100 MWth |
| Power (electric) | 789 MWe net 885 MWe gross |
TheBN-800 reactor (Russian: реактор БН–800) is asodium-cooledfast breeder reactor, built at theBeloyarsk Nuclear Power Station, inZarechny, Sverdlovsk Oblast,Russia. The reactor is designed to generate 880 MW of electrical power. The plant was considered part of the weapons-gradePlutonium Management and Disposition Agreement signed between the United States and Russia. The reactor is part of the final step for aplutonium-burner core (a core designed to burn and, in the process, destroy, and recover energy from, plutonium).[4] The plant reached its full power production in August 2016.[5] According to Russian business journalKommersant, the BN-800 project cost 140.6 billion rubles (roughly 2.17 billion dollars).[6]
The plant is apool-type LMFBR, in which the reactor, coolant pumps, intermediate heat exchangers and associated piping are all located in a common liquid sodium pool. This is similar to the general design of EBR-II, which went into service in 1963, but is otherwise significantly different. For example, EBR-II used metallic fuel, which is the major factor in its inherent safety, while BN-800 uses oxide fuel. The design of this plant was started in 1983 and was completely revised in 1987 after theChernobyl disaster and to a somewhat lesser degree in 1993, according to the new safety guidelines. After the second revision, output power was increased by 10% to 880 MW due to the increased efficiency of the power generator steam turbines.
The reactor core is, in size and mechanical properties, very similar to theBN-600 reactor core, but the fuel composition is not. While BN-600 uses medium-enricheduranium dioxide, this plant burnsmixed uranium–plutonium fuel,[7] helping to reduce the weapons-grade plutonium stockpile and provide information about the functioning of the closed uranium-plutonium fuel cycle, which does not require plutonium separation or other chemical processing.
The unit employs a three-circuit coolant arrangement; sodium coolant circulates in both the primary and secondary circuits. Water and steam flow in the third circuit. This heat is transferred from the reactor core via several independent circulation loops. Each is composed of a primary sodium pump, two intermediate heat exchangers, a secondary sodium pump with an expansion tank located upstream, and an emergency pressure discharge tank. These feed a steam generator, which in turn supplies a condensing turbine that turns the generator.[8]
Many infrastructure facilities were designed to accommodate both the BN-800 and a proposedBN-1200 reactor.[9]
Construction started in 1983 as Unit 4 at the Beloyarsk nuclear power plant. It was put on hold after Chernobyl. It resumed in 2006 and BN-800 achieved minimum controlled power in 2014, but issues led to further fuel development work. On 31 July 2015, the unit achieved minimum controlled power again – 0.13% of rated power. Commercial operation was expected to start before the end of 2016, with a power rating of 789 MWe.[9]The reactor was connected to the grid in December 2015[10] and achieved full power for the first time in August 2016.[5] Commercial power production started on November 1, 2016.[11]
The United States and Russia reached an agreement in 2001 to render a total of 34 tons of weapons grade plutonium intoreactor grade plutonium to reach the "spent fuel standard," which is mixed with other more radioactive products withinspent fuel.[12]
US presidentBarack Obama canceled construction of the USMOX fuel fabrication facility in 2016, citing cost overruns. He proposed that the US share of plutonium be diluted with non-radioactive material and disposed of in the undergroundWIPP facility.[12][13] However, the dilution could be reversed, and the material reconverted into weapons-grade plutonium.[12]
On October 3, 2016, Russian presidentVladimir Putin ordered the agreement to be suspended because the US did not meet its obligations.[14]
In January 2020, the reactor started commercial operation with the first batch ofMOX reprocesseduranium-plutonium fuel.[15]
In 2023, the reactor completed one year of operation using a nearly full load of uranium (96%)/plutonium/americium/neptunium MOX fuel.[16]
The BN-800 could be used to close thefuel cycle. The core load of 15 tons of material consists mostly of U-238 and about 20.5% plutonium. This could be taken from reprocessed spent nuclear fuel assemblies.
"Reactor Plants". Archived fromthe original on 4 August 2018. Retrieved14 March 2019.. (The possible updated linkFast neutron reactorsArchived 2019-02-21 at theWayback Machine)| Reactors |
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