The Demonstration Fast Breeder Reactor (DFBR) is the next step of FBR development following the prototype fast breeder reactor "MONJU". The DFBR is now under development by The Japan Atomic Power Co. (JAPC) under the sponsorship of 9 Japanese electric power companies and Electric Power Development Co., Ltd. The JAPC has been performing the design study and R & D for DFBR in cooperation with Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corp. (PNC), Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI) and Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI). This report describes the prospect of FBR commercialization and the current status of new technology for DFBR and innovative technology toward FBR commercialization.
A newly developed multijunction launcher for lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) experiments has demonstrated the largest driven current (3.6MA) in the world and a very high current drive efficiency (ηCD=neRpICD/PLH=3.5×1019m-2·A/W). This launcher has a good current drive capability, and may simplify largely an LHCD launcher in a steady state tokamak reactor. Experiments performed by this launcher have expanded the experimental database on LHCD widely, and show that a higher current drive efficiency and a flatter driven current profile have been observed at a higher driven current.
The purpose of this study is to develop a void fraction correlation based on the void data measured by an X-ray CT scanner. The tests were carried out in an out-of-pile test facility that can simulate the high pressure and high temperature conditions of BWRS. An electrically heated test assembly simulated a BWR fuel assembly on a full scale. The new void fraction correlation has been developed based on the drift flux model, and the prediction accuracy of the void fraction data for this study was Δα (the average of the difference between measurement and calculation)=0.3% and σ (standard deviation of Δα)=1.9%. The agreement with other published void fraction data was fairly good.