Lead-cooled Fast Reactor R&D 

In 2011, the Chinese Academy of Sciences rolled out a strategic research project on an ADS transmutation system to explore advanced nuclear fission solutions for the future, with a special focus on lead-cooled fast reactor (LFR) technology. In implementing the project, a series of world-class engineering validation platforms for lead-cooled reactors have been built, namely, the large-scale lead alloy-cooled liquid metal loop facility, the reactor physics experimental facility, the reactor engineering verification experimental facility and the digital simulation experimental reactor, laying the groundwork for the implementation of LFR projects. 

On October 9, 2019, China's first lead-bismuth cooled zero-power reactor "Qi Ming Xing III" reached criticality for the first time at CIAE, and physical experiments on nuclear properties of lead-bismuth cooled reactor cores were officially launched, marking a substantial step forward in R&D of this technology. 

鉛基快堆研發 

2011年，中國科學院設立了“未來先進核裂變能——ADS嬗變系統”戰略性先導科技專項，進行鉛基反應堆技術的系統性研究。在相關研究中，已建成性能和參數國際領先的大型鉛合金液態金屬回路裝置群、鉛基堆物理實驗裝置、鉛基堆工程驗證實驗裝置、數字仿真實驗反應堆等鉛基堆工程驗證平臺，為鉛基堆工程化實施提供了支持。 

2019年10月9日，中國首座鉛鉍合金零功率反應堆“啟明星Ⅲ號”，在中國原子能科學研究院實現首次臨界，正式啟動我國鉛鉍堆芯核特性物理實驗，這標志著中國在鉛鉍快堆領域的研發跨出實質性一步。