Main stages of physical startup of BN-600 and comparison of the measured and nominal characteristics

Abstract

A retrospective exposition of the preparation for and performance of the physical startup of BN-600 is presented. There are three sections: program of physical startup and measurements of the physical characteristics, physical startup procedure, and main results of the investigations of the neutron-physical characteristics of a reactor and their comparison with the nominal characteristics. The use of the experience gained in performing the physical startup of BN-600 will be important for the startup of other advanced fast reactors, first and foremost, BN-800.The sodium-cooled fast power reactor BN-600 was put into operation in the Beloyarskaya nuclear power plant on April 8, 1980 [1]. Since starting operation, it has produced ~112·10 9 kW·h of electricity with calendar time utilization factor 77% and installed capacity utilization factor 72%. For the nominal 80%, the maximum installed capacity utilization factor 83.5% was attained in 1992. The construction of the reactor was completed at the end of 1979. Physical startup was begun on December 28. The reactor first reached a critical state with minimum critical mass on February 26, 1980. Successful startup of BN-600 was largely determined by high quality of the design, including validation of the neutron-physical characteristics.The present article gives a retrospective exposition of the main stages of the preparation and physical startup of BN-600 and compares with the nominal characteristics of the reactor as determined at startup. The overall management of the preparations for and physical startup of BN-600 was handled by V. P. NevskiiIndustrial Association Soyuzatomenergo, A. G. Meshkov, E. V. Kulov, and A. M. Smirnov -16th Chief Direactorate of the Ministry of Medium Machine Building, O. D. Kazachkovskii, M. F. Troyanov, and Yu. A. Kazanskii -Physics and Power Engineering Institute (FEI), F. M. Mitenkov, V. I. Shiryaev, O. B. Samoilov, V. V. Pakhomov -Afrikantov OKBM, and V. M. Malyshev, V. I. Kupnyi, and A. Ya. Evseev -Beloyarskaya Nuclear Power Plant. A group of specialists directly managed the preparation and physical startup and investigations of the characteristics of BN-600: Yu. A. Kazanskii -Scientific Direactor, A. Ya, Evseev -Deputy Scientific Direactor, V. I. Matveev, A. V. Zvonarev, A. A. Vaimugin, B. A. Vasiliev, and Yu. A. Lebedev -members of the group.