Phénix
| Phénix | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Official name |
|
| Country | France |
| Location | Marcoule |
| Coordinates | 44°08′36″N 4°42′42″E / 44.1433°N 4.7117°E |
| Status | Closed |
| Construction began | 1968 |
| Commission date | 13 December 1973 |
| Decommission date | 1 February 2010[1] |
| Operators | CEA EDF |
| Nuclear power station | |
| Reactor type | FBR |
| Reactor supplier | CEM |
| Cooling source | |
| Power generation | |
| Make and model | CEM |
| Units decommissioned | 1 x 250 MW |
| Nameplate capacity |
|
| Annual net output | 591 GWh |
Phénix (French for phoenix) 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 shut down in 2009.[2]
Construction of Phénix began in November 1968. The first connection to the French national electricity grid was in December 1973.[1]
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.[3] A decision on construction will be made in 2019.[2]
See also
- Superphénix, the main reactor for which this was the demonstration
References
- ^ a b "Nuclear Power Reactor Details - PHENIX". Power Reactor Information System. International Atomic Energy Agency. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
- ^ a b "Nuclear Power in France". World Nuclear Association. 1 February 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
- ^ [1] CEA press release, November 9, 2010 (French)
External links
- Summary of key parameters
- Phénix FBR (drawing)