Fast reactors with lead-bismuth and lead coolants

One effective way to restore public confidence in nuclear power following severe accidents is to develop reactors that possess a high degree of inherent self-protection and passive safety features. Examples of such reactors include fast reactors cooled by heavy liquid metals, such as lead-bismuth and lead. These reactors lack the potential energy of compression and the chemical energy accumulated in the coolant which, under certain highly unlikely combinations of initiating events, could cause a release of radionuclides requiring the evacuation of the population. Due to the lack of many safety systems, nuclear power plants with heavy liquid metal coolants may be more competitive by their very nature. Lead-bismuth and lead-based coolants, like all others, have their own advantages and disadvantages. This article presents a comparative analysis of the characteristics of these coolants, their impact on the safety, reliability, and operational characteristics of reactors. It concludes that nuclear reactors with these coolants could find wide application in nuclear power after gaining operational experience with the first prototypes.