Design features and cost reduction potential of JSFR

Abstract To improve the economic competitiveness of the Japan Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor (JSFR), several innovative designs have been introduced, e.g. reduction of number of main cooling loop, shorter pipe arrangement by adopting thermally durable material, in fact high chromium ferrite steel, a compact reactor vessel (RV), integration of a primary pump and an intermediate heat exchanger (IHX). Since they had not been introduced in the past and existing reactors, a new approach for construction cost estimation has been introduced to handle innovative technologies, for example, concerning different kinds of material, fabrication processes of equipment etc. As results of JSFR construction cost estimations based on the new method and the latest conceptual JSFR design, economic goals of Generation IV nuclear energy systems can be achieved by expecting the following cost reduction effects: commodity reduction by adopting innovative design, an economy of scale by power generation increase, learning effect etc. It is well analyzed quantitatively that feasibility of innovative designs is essential for economic competitiveness of JSFR.