One pass core design of a super fast reactor
- Cooperative Major in Nuclear Energy, Waseda University, Tokyo 169-8555 (Japan)
One pass core design for Supercritical-pressure light water-cooled fast reactor (Super FR) is proposed. The whole core is cooled with upward flow in one through flow pattern like PWR. Compared with the previous two pass core design; this new flow pattern can significantly simplify the core concept. Upper core structure, coolant flow scheme as well as refueling procedure are as simple as in PWR. In one pass core design, supercritical-pressure water is at approximately 25.0 MPa and enters the core at 280 C. degrees and is heated up in one through flow pattern upwardly to the average outlet temperature of 500 C. degrees. Great density change in vertical direction can cause significant axial power offset during the cycle. Meanwhile, Pu accumulated in the UO{sub 2} fuel blanket assemblies also introduces great power increase during cycle, which requires large amount of flow for heat removal and makes the outlet temperature of blanket low at the beginning of equilibrium cycle (BOEC). To deal with these issues, some MOX fuel is applied in the bottom region of the blanket assembly. This can help to mitigate the power change in blanket due to Pu accumulation and to increase the outlet temperature of the blanket during cycle. Neutron transport and thermohydraulics coupled calculation shows that this design can satisfy the requirement in the Super FR principle for both 500 C. degrees outlet temperature and negative coolant void reactivity. (authors)
- Research Organization:
- American Nuclear Society, 555 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, IL 60526 (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 22264107
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: GLOBAL 2013: International Nuclear Fuel Cycle Conference - Nuclear Energy at a Crossroads, Salt Lake City, UT (United States), 29 Sep - 3 Oct 2013; Other Information: Country of input: France; 9 refs.; Related Information: In: Proceedings of GLOBAL 2013: International Nuclear Fuel Cycle Conference - Nuclear Energy at a Crossroads| 1633 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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