A competitive integral fast reactor with enhanced diversion resistance (S-PRISM)
- Nuclear Energy Division, 175 Curtner Avenue, San Jose, CA 95125-1088 (United States)
Based on the success of previous DOE sponsored Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor (ALMR) program GE has continued to develop and assess the technical viability and economic potential of a modular concept called Super PRISM (S-PRISM). The follow-on GE financed S-PRISM work is confirming earlier assessments that indicated that the modular Fast Reactor (FR) would be more than competitive with other electrical generating systems. Specifically, by utilizing the ALMR cost estimating data base and adjusting for commodity differences the estimated NOAK capital cost of a S-PRISM plant has been reduced to 1560 $/kWe for a two power block plant rated at 1520 MWe and 1300 $/kWe for a three block plant rated at 2280 MWe (net). Passive features that have been utilized to simplify the design and reduce its capital and operating cost include passive reactor shutdown, passive shutdown heat removal, and passive reactor cavity cooling. In addition, the complete independence of each of the NSSS's improves the capacity factor and reduces the need for the utility to maintain a large spinning reserve. With six completely independent 380 MWe NSSS's, the S-PRISM plant is an extremely flexible electrical generating system. Using the same failure rates and repair times for similar equipment, the average S-PRISM plant capacity factor is about 8 points higher than for a large monolithic plant (93 versus 85%) assuming that the large plant has the ability to operate with one loop out of service. Operational independence between each of the NSSS's allows the S-PRISM plant to provide at least 50% of rated output more than 99% of the time. This characteristic of high plant availability significantly reduces the need for spinning reserve while also increasing the MW-hours that can be generated each year. The diversion resistance of the fuel cycle is maximized by co-locating the Spent Fuel Reprocessing Facility (SFRF) and by utilizing a dry processing system which does not separate the plutonium from the minor actinides. Public safety is also enhanced by the fact that the elements with long half lives (Pu and minor actinides) are recycled and burned while the short half life FP's are placed in highly leach resistant ceramic form whose radiological toxicity will decay to the level of natural uranium in less than 300 years.
- Research Organization:
- American Nuclear Society - ANS, 555 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, IL 60526 (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 23142273
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Global'99: International Conference on Future Nuclear Systems - Nuclear Technology - Bridging the Millennia, Las Vegas, NV (United States), 29 Aug - 3 Sep 1999; Other Information: Country of input: France; available from American Nuclear Society - ANS, 555 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, IL 60526 (US)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES, AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
CAPITALIZED COST
CERAMICS
COOLING
DESIGN
FAST REACTORS
FUEL CYCLE
HALF-LIFE
HEAT
LIQUID METAL COOLED REACTORS
NATURAL URANIUM
NUCLEAR DECAY
OPERATING COST
PLUTONIUM
REACTOR SHUTDOWN
SPENT FUELS