Status of the astrid gas power conversion system option

D. Plancq (1) , L. Cachon (1) , A. Remy (2) , J. Quenaut (2) , Y. Fasel (2) , P. Gama (3) , A. Dauphin (3) , L. Raquin (4)

1 CEA-DES (ex-DEN) - CEA-Direction des Energies (ex-Direction de l'Energie Nucléaire)
2 GE Power - General Electric Power
3 FRAMATOME
4 NOX, Ivry-sur-Seine France

Within the framework of the French 600 MWe Advanced Sodium Technological Reactor for Industrial Demonstration project, two options of Power Conversion System (PCS) were studied during the conceptual design phase (2010-2015) - the use of a classical Rankine water-steam cycle, similar to the solution implemented in France in Phenix and Superphenix , but with the goal of greatly reducing the probability of occurrence and limiting the potential consequences of a sodium-water reaction; chosen as the reference for the ASTRID Plant Model during the conceptual design phase due its high level of maturity, - the use of a Brayton gas cycle which has never been implemented in a Sodium Fast Reactor. Its application is mainly justified by safety and public acceptance considerations in inherently eliminating the sodium-water and sodium-water-air reaction risk existing with a Rankine cycle. The ASTRID conceptual design phase period allowed to greatly increase the maturity level of a standalone Gas Power Conversion System option. It has been thus decided to lay during the 2016-2017 phase the ASTRID Gas PCS integration studies at the same level as that achieved by ASTRID Water based PCS at the end of 2015. The 2016-2017 period, in which the Gas PCS has been integrated in the overall layout of the reactor, has allowed to better specify the technical and economic implications of the selection of gas PCS taking into account all the aspects of the integration of such an option. A well-documented comparison between the two systems is therefore facilitated. This paper resumes progress in the integration of the Gas Power Conversion System in the ASTRID Reactor Plant Model. It describes the main characteristics defined particularly on the Balance of Plant (BOP), the turbomachinery, the Sodium Gas Heat Exchangers (SGHE) as well as expected performances, operability and safety analysis.

Mots clés: ASTRID; SCE Gaz

Domaines: Physique Nucléaire Expérimentale [nucl-ex]; Physique Nucléaire Théorique [nucl-th]

D. Plancq, L. Cachon, A. Remy, J. Quenaut, Y. Fasel, et al.. Status of the astrid gas power conversion system option. GIF Symposium 2018 - The Generation IV International Forum, Oct 2018, Paris, France. ⟨cea-02338590⟩