EBR-II: summary of operating experience

Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II) is an unmoderated, sodium-cooled reactor with a design power of 62.5 MWt. The primary cooling system is a submerged-pool type. The early operation of the reactor successfully demonstrated the feasibility of a sodium-cooled fast breeder reactor operating as an integrated reactor, power plant, and fuel-processing facility. In 1967, the role of EBR-II was reoriented from a demonstration plant to an irradiation facility. Many changes have been made and are continuing to be made to increase the usefulness of EBR-II for irradiation and safety tests. A review of EBR-II's operating history reveals a plant that has demonstrated high availability, stable and safe operating characteristics, and excellent performance of sodium components. Levels of radiation exposure to the operating and maintenance workers have been low; and fission-gas releases to the atmosphere have been minimal. Driver-fuel performance has been excellent. The repairability of radioactive sodium components has been successfully demonstrated a number of times. Recent highlights include installation and successful operation of (1) the hydrogen-meter leak detectors for the steam generators, (2) the cover-gas-cleanup system and (3) the cesium trap in the primary sodium. Irradiations now being conducted in EBR-II include the run-beyond-cladding breach fuel tests for mixed-oxide andmore » carbide elements. Studies are in progress to determine EBR-II's capability for conducting important ''operational safety'' tests. These tests would extend the need and usefulness of EBR-II into the 1980's.« less