Monju system start-up test report evaluation of the feedback reactivity

Miyagawa, Takayuki*; Kitano, Akihiro ; Okawachi, Yasushi 

The prototype fast breeder reactor Monju resumed the system startup test (SST) on May 6, 2010 after fourteen year and five month shutdown since the sodium leakage of the secondary heat transport system in December 1995 and reached criticality on May 8, 2010. Core Confirmation Test (CCT) is the first step of SST which consists of three steps, and finished on July 22 after 78 days test. In the evaluation of the feedback reactivity at the part of the CCT, the "self-stability" of Monju was observed when the positive reactivity was inserted with the control rod withdrawal, due to the negative feedback property of the reactor, and due to the control properties of the auxiliary cooling system. Parameters represented with reactor power, sodium temperature of the primary loops became to be stable after transient without any operations. Additionally, the quantitative feedback reactivity was evaluated using the results of this test tentatively.