Phénix

Phénix (nuclear reactor)

Aerial view of the Marcoule Nuclear Site, where Phénix is located.

The Phénix was a sodium-cooled fast breeder reactor located at the Marcoule Nuclear Site in France. It was a prototype reactor designed to demonstrate the feasibility of fast breeder technology, which aims to generate more fissile material than it consumes.

Design and Construction

The Phénix reactor was constructed in the late 1960s and became operational in 1973. It was designed to use plutonium as its primary fuel and sodium as a coolant. The reactor had a thermal power output of 563 MW and an electrical output of 250 MW.

Operation

Phénix operated successfully for several decades, contributing to research in fast breeder technology and providing valuable data on the operation of sodium-cooled reactors. It was used to test various nuclear fuel types and configurations.

Decommissioning

The reactor was shut down in 2009 after 36 years of operation. The decommissioning process involves dismantling the reactor and safely managing the radioactive materials.

Related pages

• Nuclear reactor
• Fast breeder reactor
• Sodium-cooled reactor
• Marcoule Nuclear Site