This book therefore presents safety as an embryo science by outlining the analytical tools which are available to the safety engineer, by present­ing the experience which has been obtained using fast reactors to date, and finally by posing the questions which remain unanswered. This is done within the framework of designing a fast reactor power plant and of taking it through the regulatory process.

Chapter 1 presents the methods of safety evaluation, Chapter 2 outlines possible disturbances to the system and their interactions. Chapters 3-6 take the reader through the design and licensing process, from the establish­ment of safety criteria, through special fast reactor considerations in safety, the barrier concept of safety, and the final presentation of the plant safety to the regulatory bodies and the public. For a detailed discussion of fast reactor technology, overall reactor safety, and a review of current safety practices, the reader is recommended to use the general references listed at the end of this chapter to supplement the present text.