Superphenix Children

Abstract

While Superphenix reactor was still in construction, studies had been going on since 1974 so as to define Superphenix 2 reactor, which was suppose to succeed to Superphenix in this type-of-reactor development. These studies were going to be carried out in conceptual design (APS) phase from 1982 to 1983, and then in basic design (APD) phase from 1983 to 1988. Already, at this level, a large number of reactor options are going to be changed for various reasons, among which the main ones were the construction and start-up experience feedback, the safety case evolutions and the search for cost savings. Then five European countries will group, in 1988, so as to define the “European Fast Reactor (EFR)”. The studies and trials will get organized in order to optimize the concepts so as to save even more on costs and safety. These studies will end in 1998, following Superphenix abandon. This chapter describes design choice evolutions during this period, trying to give their reasons and their logic. The final drawing, which was thus obtained, enabled savings in the order of 45 % on the metal/MW_e weight and brought back the produced kWh extra cost to a magnitude of +30 %, compared to the N4 latest pressurized water reactor.