ALFRED-burner: Core design, safety and performance

This study presents the core design, safety analysis, and performance evaluation of ALFRED-Burner, a high-plutonium variant of the Advanced Lead Fast Reactor European Demonstrator (ALFRED) developed under the European Horizon 2020 PuMMA project. The ALFRED-Burner design aims to efficiently manage MOX fuel with plutonium content up to 40 % while maintaining key safety and performance characteristics. The core configuration is optimized to enhance plutonium burning capabilities within established operational constraints. Neutronic analysis using SERPENT2 and ERANOS codes provides detailed data on linear heat rates, neutron spectra, and radiation damage. Thermal-hydraulic assessments using RELAP5 and TRANSURANUS ensure that coolant and cladding temperatures remain within design limits. Fuel performance analysis with TRANSURANUS examines critical parameters such as fuel temperatures, fission gas release, and mechanical interactions, with limited feedback from accidental scenarios as in small-scale flow blockages. A sensitivity analysis investigates the impact of manufacturing tolerances and material properties uncertainties. The results demonstrate the feasibility of the ALFRED-Burner concept as a Generation-IV lead-cooled fast reactor for enhanced plutonium burning, with fuel temperatures within safe operational limits even under small-scale flow blockage scenarios. This work contributes to sustainable plutonium management strategies and advances in Gen-IV reactor design.