Innovative nuclear technology based on modular multi-purpose lead–bismuth cooled fast reactors

Abstract Today's nuclear power is in the state of an intrinsic conflict between economic and safety requirements. This fact makes difficult its sustainable development. One of the ways of finding the solution to the problem can be the use of modular fast reactors SVBR-75/100 cooled by lead–bismuth coolant that has been mastered in conditions of operating reactors of Russian nuclear submarines. The inherent self-protection and passive safety properties are peculiar to that reactor due to physical features of small power fast reactors (∼100 MWe), chemical inertness and high boiling point of lead–bismuth coolant, integral design of the pool type primary circuit equipment. Due to small power of the reactor, it is possible to fabricate the whole reactor at the factory and to deliver it to the NPP site in practical readiness by using any kind of transport including the railway. Substantiation of the high level of reactor safety, adaptability of the SVBR-75/100 reactor relative to the fuel type and fuel cycle, issues of non-proliferation of nuclear fissile materials, opportunities of multi-purpose usage of the standard SVBR-75/100 reactors have been viewed in the paper.