MYRRHA, the Multi-purpose hYbrid Research
Reactor for High-tech Applications
Didier De Bruyn, Hamid Aït Abderrahim, Peter Baeten,
Rafaël Fernandez & Jeroen Engelen
SCK•CEN
SILER Training Course
Verona, 21-25 May 2012 Copyright © 2012
SCK•CEN
1
Table of contents
Purpose of the MYRRHA project
Plant layout & reactor building
Primary system
Way ahead to construction
2
Global issues for nuclear energy
Common needs
Reducing cost of
ultimate waste
Burning legacy
of the past
Better use of
resources
Enhance Safety
3
Fission generates High-Level Nuclear Waste
4
U235
n
Pu
Np
Am
Cm
Actinides Minor Actinides
Neutron
Uranium Fission
Fuel
U238
n
n
n
U235
U238
Plutonium Neptunium Americium Curium
Minor Actinides
high radiotoxicity long lived waste
that are difficult to store due to:
Long lived (>1,000 years)
Highly radiotoxic
Heat emitting
spent fuel
reprocessing no
reprocessing
Uranium
naturel
Time (years)
Rela
tive r
ad
ioto
xic
ity
transmutation
of spent fuel
Duration Reduction
1.000x
Volume Reduction
100x
Motivation for Transmutation
5
Reactor • Subcritical mode
• 65 to 100 MWth
Accelerator
(600 MeV - 4 mA proton)
Fast
Neutron
Source
Spallation Source
Lead-Bismuth
coolant
Multipurpose
Flexible
Irradiation
Facility
MYRRHA - Accelerator Driven System
6
MYRRHA should be a multipurpose facility
7
Multipurpose hYbrid Research Reactor for High-tech Applications Waste
Fission GEN IV Fusion
Fundamental
research
Silicon
doping
Radio-
isotopes
50 to 100 MWth
FFast = ~1015 n/cm².s
(En>0.75 MeV)
F = 1 to 5.1014 n/cm².s
(ppm He/dpa ~ 10)
in medium-large volumes
Material research
FFast = 1 to 5.1014 n/cm².s
(En>1 MeV) in large volumes
Fuel research
Φtot = 0.5 to 1.1015 n/cm².s
Fth = 0.5 to 2.1015 n/cm².s
(En<0.4 eV)
Fth = 0.1 to 1.1014 n/cm².s
(En<0.4 eV)
High energy LINAC
600 MeV – 1 GeV
Long irradiation time
Continuity: SCK•CEN has a long tradition of «first of a kind»
Inventor of
innovative nuclear
fuel (MOX fuel)
1st pressurized water
reactor (PWR)
outside of US (BR3)
World first underground
laboratory for R&D on HL
waste disposal (HADES)
World premiere project
for transmutation of
nuclear waste
Highest performing
material testing reactor
in Europe (BR2)
World first
lead based ADS
(GUINEVERE)
8
The place of MYRRHA within Generation IV
9 http://www.gen-4.org/GIF/
Sodium Fast ReactorSodium Fast Reactor
Lead Fast Reactor
Molten Salt ReactorMolten Salt Reactor
Gas Fast ReactorGas Fast Reactor
Supercritical Water-cooled ReactorSupercritical Water-cooled ReactorVery High Temperature ReactorVery High Temperature Reactor
ALLEGRO Experimental reactor
(GFR)
ASTRID
Prototype
(SFR)
2008 2012 2020
SFR
Supporting infrastructures, research facilities
MYRRHA ETPP European
demonstration reactor (LFR)
Reference
technology
Alternative technology
LFR
GFR
The place of MYRRHA in ESNII European Sustainable Nuclear Industrial Initiative
MYRRHA Fast spectrum
irradiation facility
10
Objective of MYRRHA : replace the existing BR2 as a Multipurpose Irradiation Facility
Material
Testing Reactor
(fission)
Fuel testing
for LWR &
GEN II/GEN III
Irradiation
Services: - Medical RI
- Silicium Doping
- Others
Fast Neutron
Material
Testing Reactor
(fission + fusion)
ADS-Demo
+
P&T Testing (Partitioning &
Transmutation)
Irradiation
Services: - Medical RI
- Silicium Doping
- Others
Fuel testing for
LFR GEN IV
LFR European Technology Pilot Plant (ETPP)
1962
BR2
2024
MYRRHA
11
Part 2
Plant layout & reactor building
13
Evolution of the reactor building & layout concept
Before 2000: a building concept was sketched,
when the accelerator was still a cyclotron;
MYRRHA – Draft 2 (2005):
OTL (UK) performed a conceptual study;
Tractebel (BE) did stability and costs estimates.
FP6 EUROTRANS (2005-2009):
building concept of 2005 was kept as such,
but the plant layout has been developed.
FP7 CDT (2009 – 2012):
Both building shape and plant layout optimized.
14
Today’s concept of plant layout
REACTOR
BUILDING
FRONT-END
ACCELERATOR
LINAC +
RF GALLERY
15
General layout
REACTOR
BUILDING
LINAC
VITO SCK-CEN
RF
16
Vertical section in the Reactor building
SECTION BB
17
Horizontal section in the Reactor building
LEVEL 00
18
Horizontal section in the Reactor building
LEVEL 91
19
Vertical section in the Reactor building
SECTION AA
20
Some logistical flows that we consider
Entrance of new components & experiments in the reactor hall;
Entrance of equipment elsewhere;
Evacuation of experiments after irradiation;
Evacuation of solid, liquid & gaseous wastes;
Evacuation of bending magnet;
Entrance & evacuation of silicon & isotopes;
Pumping of LBE reactor vessel reserve tank;
Replacement of diaphragm & reactor cover;
Personnel inside reactor building.
21
Illustration n°1: entrance new components & experiments
Level 00
22
Illustration n°2: evacuation of experiments after irradiation (1/3)
From: level 00 To: level 92
23
Illustration n°2: evacuation of experiments after irradiation (2/3)
From: level 92 To: level 00
24
Illustration n°2: evacuation of experiments after irradiation (3/3)
From: level 00 To: outside
25
Workflow « experiments » in other direction
26
Illustration n°3: evacuation of waste (1/4)
From: level 00 To: level 92
27
Illustration n°3: evacuation of waste (2/4)
From: level 92 To: level 93
28
Illustration n°3: evacuation of waste (3/4)
From: level 93 To: level 00
29
Illustration n°3: evacuation of waste (4/4)
From: level 00 To: outside
30
Workflow « waste » in other direction
31
Part 3
Primary systems
Reactor Vessel
Reactor Cover
Core Support Structure
Core Barrel
Core Support Plate
Jacket
Core
Reflector Assemblies
Dummy Assemblies
Fuel Assemblies
Spallation Target Assembly and Beam Line
Above Core Structure
Core Plug
Multifunctional Channels
Core Restraint System
Control Rods, Safety Rods, Mo-99 production units
Primary Heat Exchangers
Primary Pumps
Si-doping Facility
Diaphragm
IVFS
IVFHS
IVFHM
Reactor layout
33
Reactor Vessel
Main dimensions
Height: about 12.200 m
Inner diameter: 8 m
Wall thickness: 80 mm
Material
AISI 316L
Weight
About 320 ton
34
Reactor Cover
Main dimensions
Height: 2 m
Outer diameter: 9.3 m
Material
AISI 316L
Concrete
Weight
About 340 ton
35
Reactor Cover
36
Core Support Structure
Core barrel
Main dimensions
Height: about 9.5 m
Outer diameter: about 1600 mm
Material
AISI 316L
Core support plate
Main dimensions
Outer diameter: about 1530 mm
Thickness: 200 mm
Material
T91
Total weight
About 15 ton
37
Above Core Structure
Main dimensions
Height: about 7.750 m
Outer diameter: about 1520
mm
37 Multi-functional Channels
Material
AISI 316L
Total weight
About 20 ton
38
Primary Heat Exchangers
Main dimensions
Shell and Tube
Power: 27,5 MW
Double walled design
About 700 tubes
Shroud: about 860 mm
Total length: about 8.1 m
Internal pressure: 16 bar
Weight: about 7 ton
Material
AISI 316L
39
Primary Pumps
Main dimensions
Mass flow: about 4750 kg/s per
pump
Pressure head: 2,8 m
External diameter: ~ 1100 mm
Rotating speed: 225 rpm
Length: about 12 m
Axial type of pump
Material
AISI 316L
Impeller: TBD
40
Diaphragm
Main dimensions
Double plate design
Baffle
In-vessel fuel storage
Height: about 9.8 m
Inner diameter: 7.7 m
Wall thickness: 50 mm
Lower plate thickness: 80 mm
Upper plate thickness: 50 mm
Material
AISI 316L
Weight
About 190 ton
41
Core and Fuel Assemblies
151 positions & 37 multifunctional plugs
42
Control/Safety rods
Buoyancy driven control rods Insertion
<1s
Material Tube: T91
Absorber: B4C (90%
enriched)
Absorber pins: 15-15Ti
Dimensions
Length: about 12 m
Diameter: about 110 mm
Weight: about 350 kg
43
Control/Safety rods
Gravity driven safety rods Insertion
<1s
Material Tube: T91
Absorber: B4C (90%
enriched)
Absorber pins: 15-15Ti
Ballast: W
Dimensions
Length: about 10 m
Diameter: about 110 mm
Weight: about 400 kg
44
Spallation Target Assembly
Produces about 1017 neutrons/s at the reactor
mid-plane to feed subcritical core @ keff=0.95
Fits into a central hole in core Compact target
Remove produced heat
Accepts megawatt proton beam 600 MeV, 3.5 mA ~2.1 MW heat
Cooling of window is feasible
Material challenges Preferential working temperature: 450 – 500°C
Service life of at least 3 full power months (1
cycle) is achievable
Dimensions Length: about 12.5 m
Diameter: about 105 mm
Weight: about 250 kg
45
Part 4
Way ahead to construction
The project schedule
2010 – 2014: Front End Engineering Design; file for the Belgian
Government
2015: Tendering & Procurement
2016 – 2018: Civil Engineering & construction of components
2019: On site assembly
2020 – 2022: Commissioning at progressive power
2023: Progressive start-up
2024 – 20??: Full exploitation
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Copyright notice
Copyright © 2012 - SCKCEN
All property rights and copyright are reserved.
Any communication or reproduction of this document, and any
communication or use of its content without explicit authorization is
prohibited. Any infringement to this rule is illegal and entitles to claim
damages from the infringer, without prejudice to any other right in case
of granting a patent or registration in the field of intellectual property.
SCK•CEN
Studiecentrum voor Kernenergie
Centre d'Etude de l'Energie Nucléaire
Stichting van Openbaar Nut
Fondation d'Utilité Publique
Foundation of Public Utility
Registered Office: Avenue Herrmann-Debrouxlaan 40 – BE-1160 BRUSSEL
Operational Office: Boeretang 200 – BE-2400 MOL
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