“Proryv” project: Inherent safety principles implementation in a new technology platform of the nuclear power industry

Abstract

Modern Nuclear Energetics (NE) based on Thermal Reactors (TR) with Uranium fuel in Open Nuclear Fuel Cycle (ONFC) has systemic problems that limit its further development: low utilization efficiency of extracted U, absence of ecologically suitable solution for long-lived high-level radioactive waste treatment and nonproliferation. Besides one of the most serious barriers for modern NE development is the problem of competitiveness that is closely related to safety problem. Attempts to solve the safety problem by development of additional active means of safety protection led to the decrease of competitive ability of NE compared to organic power industry.Fast Reactors with inherent safety as the basis for the New Technological Platform (NTP) of NE are to overcome the current development barriers. The near future transfer towards the two-component NE structure with Fast and Thermal Reactors and CNFC is the key direction of the Nuclear Energy development strategy. Reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and recycling of accumulated Pu and unburned U in Fast Reactors fuel cycle allows to cut the need in natural U in 100 times and in 10 times the mass of heavy nuclei in long-lived high-level radioactive waste, which is one of the key means of ensuring ecological safety of NTP.This article presents the means of achieving technological and ecological safety, political neutrality, resource stability and competitive ability of the New Technological Platform developed within the “Proryv” Project framework.