China Experimental Fast Reactor (CEFR)

     The China Experimental Fast Reactor (CEFR) is the first Fast Reactor built in China with 65MW thermal power and 20MW experimental generation power, and its building area is 44000m², including 16 sub-items. Reactor core pool type structure and Sodium-Sodium-Water circuit heat removal system is applied for the first furnace, and UO2 is adopted for initial fuel.
The fast reactor system have a fast neutron spectrum, with the resulting benefit of enhancing the utilization of uranium resources （utilization ratio up to 60% from 1% of PWR）through breeding and fuel cycle. And the fast reactor system can transmute the long life fission products and consume transuranics with a closed fuel cycle, thus reducing the radiotoxicity and heat load which facilitates waste disposal and geologic isolation. To sum up, the fast reactor system can solve the problems of sustainable development in our country, and this system is also the main choice of Gen-IV in the world.
     The CEFR is one of the key projects of National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (863 program). Significant Progress has been made since the project implemented and the key phased goals are as follows:
     December, 1995, the CEFR project officially approved.
     May, 2000, the first tank of concrete poured.
     March, 2001, the construction of nuclear island plant started.
     August, 2002, the main nuclear island plant completed and erection construction comprehensively launched.
     December, 2003, the reactor hall crane commission and operation started.
     September, 2004, the first furnace nuclear fuels arrived and preserved in Storehouse.
     March, 2005, steam generators hoisted in position.
     May, 2005, installation construction of the nuclear island ventilation circuit system completed.
     August, 2005, the first batch of Reactor Vessel assembly arrived and site installed.
     September, 2005, system debugging of nuclear island started.
     June, 2006, verification experiment of the main vessel completed.
     September, 2006, erection and construction of Primary Coolant System of secondary loop started.
     June, 2007, installation construction of Reactor Vessel and in-Reactor components completed.
     July, 2007, the main control room put into use.
     March, 2008, Rotating Plug successfully installed.
     May, 2008, Nuclear Grade Sodium entered into site.
     July, 2008, installation of nuclear transport chamber completed.

     July, 2010,  first criticality achieved.

     The China Experimental Fast Reactor made the first step in Fast Reactor technology development of china, the purpose is establishing equipments, making experiments, mastering techniques, and cultivating talents..