Integral Fast Reactor

The EBR-II reactor was the prototype for the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR), a reactor fueled by metal alloy and cooled by liquid sodium. Click on photo to view a larger image.

Download image from Flickr

The Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) is a fast reactor system developed at Argonne National Laboratory in the decade 1984 to 1994. The IFR project developed the technology for a complete system; the reactor, the entire fuel cycle, and the waste management technologies were all included in the development program. The reactor concept had important features and characteristics that were completely new and fuel cycle and waste management technologies that were entirely new developments. The reactor is a “fast” reactor – that is, the chain reaction is maintained by “fast” neutrons with high energy – which produces its own fuel. The IFR reactor and associated fuel cycle is a closed system. Electrical power is generated, new fissile fuel is produced to replace the fuel burned, its used fuel is processed for recycling by pyroprocessing – a new development – and waste is put in its final form for disposal. All this is done on one self-sufficient site.



Diagram showing the concept behind the IFR fuel recycling process. Click on image to view a larger image.

