Phénix
Encyclopedia
Phénix was a small-scale (gross 264/net 233 MWe) prototype fast breeder reactor, located at the Marcoule
nuclear site, near Orange, France. It was a pool-type liquid-metal fast breeder reactor cooled with liquid sodium
. It generated 590 MW of thermal power, and had a breeding ratio of 1.12 (12% more plutonium
produced than consumed), but normally had to be stopped for refueling operations every 2 months. Phénix continued operating after the closure of the subsequent full-scale prototype Superphénix
in 1997. After 2004, its main use was investigation of transmutation
of nuclear waste while also generating some electricity. Phénix was shutdown in 2010.
Construction of Phénix began in November 1968. The first connection to the French national electricity grid was in December 1973. The Phénix reactor was finally shut down by the end of 2009.
The ASTRID (Advanced Sodium Technical Reactor for Industrial Demonstration) reactor, with a power generating capacity of 600 MWe, is likely to succeed Phénix in its role as a French-built sodium-cooled fast reactor
and is also part of the international Generation IV reactor
programme. It is envisaged to be built in the 2015-2020 time frame, next to the old Phénix reactor at the Marcoule site.
Marcoule
Marcoule Nuclear Site is a nuclear plant in the Chusclan and Codolet communes, near Bagnols-sur-Cèze in the Gard department of France, which is in the touristic, wine and agricultural Côtes-du-Rhône region...
nuclear site, near Orange, France. It was a pool-type liquid-metal fast breeder reactor cooled with liquid sodium
Sodium
Sodium is a chemical element with the symbol Na and atomic number 11. It is a soft, silvery-white, highly reactive metal and is a member of the alkali metals; its only stable isotope is 23Na. It is an abundant element that exists in numerous minerals, most commonly as sodium chloride...
. It generated 590 MW of thermal power, and had a breeding ratio of 1.12 (12% more plutonium
Plutonium
Plutonium is a transuranic radioactive chemical element with the chemical symbol Pu and atomic number 94. It is an actinide metal of silvery-gray appearance that tarnishes when exposed to air, forming a dull coating when oxidized. The element normally exhibits six allotropes and four oxidation...
produced than consumed), but normally had to be stopped for refueling operations every 2 months. Phénix continued operating after the closure of the subsequent full-scale prototype Superphénix
Superphénix
Superphénix or SPX was a nuclear power station on the Rhône River at Creys-Malville in France, close to the border with Switzerland. A fast breeder reactor, it halted electricity production in 1996 and was closed as a commercial plant in 1997....
in 1997. After 2004, its main use was investigation of transmutation
Nuclear transmutation
Nuclear transmutation is the conversion of one chemical element or isotope into another. In other words, atoms of one element can be changed into atoms of other element by 'transmutation'...
of nuclear waste while also generating some electricity. Phénix was shutdown in 2010.
Construction of Phénix began in November 1968. The first connection to the French national electricity grid was in December 1973. The Phénix reactor was finally shut down by the end of 2009.
The ASTRID (Advanced Sodium Technical Reactor for Industrial Demonstration) reactor, with a power generating capacity of 600 MWe, is likely to succeed Phénix in its role as a French-built sodium-cooled fast reactor
Sodium-cooled fast reactor
The sodium-cooled fast reactor or SFR is a Generation IV reactor project to design an advanced fast neutron reactor.It builds on two closely related existing projects, the LMFBR and the Integral Fast Reactor, with the objective of producing a fast-spectrum, sodium-cooled reactor.The reactors are...
and is also part of the international Generation IV reactor
Generation IV reactor
Generation IV reactors are a set of theoretical nuclear reactor designs currently being researched. Most of these designs are generally not expected to be available for commercial construction before 2030...
programme. It is envisaged to be built in the 2015-2020 time frame, next to the old Phénix reactor at the Marcoule site.