Lessons Learned from Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor Operation and Their Ramifications for Future Reactors with Respect to Enhanced Safety and Reliability

Abstract

Eighteen sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFRs), a number that includes reactors in operation or shut down, have provided 388 reactor-years of operating experience to date. This paper summarizes the important incidents related to fast reactor sodium components and systems. The solutions incorporated, based on experience, analysis, experimental tests, and research and development for past and current SFRs, are described. The paper also describes lessons learned for future SFRs.