Comparison of oxide- and metal-core behavior during CRBRP (Clinch River Breeder Reactor Plant) station blackout
A resurrected concept that could significantly improve the inherently safe response of Liquid-Metal cooled Reactors (LMRs) during severe undercooling transients is the use of metallic fuel. Analytical studies have been reported on for the transient behavior of metal-fuel cores in innovative, inherently safe LMR designs. This paper reports on an analysis done, instead, for the Clinch River Breeder Reactor Plant (CRBRP) design with the only innovative change being the incorporation of a metal-fuel core. The SSC-L code was used to simulate a protected station blackout accident in the CRBRP with a 943 MWt Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) metal-fuel core. The results, compared with those for the oxide-fueled CRBRP, show that the margin to boiling is greater for the IFR core. However, the cooldown transient is more severe due to the faster thermal response time of metallic fuel. Some additional calculations to assess possible LMR design improvements (reduced primary system pressure losses, extended flow coastdown) are also discussed. 8 refs., 13 figs., 2 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- EG and G Idaho, Inc., Idaho Falls (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC07-76ID01570
- OSTI ID:
- 5934119
- Report Number(s):
- EGG-M-01086; CONF-860906-28; ON: DE88001601
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Advances in reactor physics and safety meeting, Saratoga Springs, NY, USA, 17 Sep 1986; Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
CLINCH RIVER BREEDER REACTOR
BLACKOUTS
LOSS OF FLOW
REACTOR CORES
REACTOR SAFETY
HEAT TRANSFER
HYDRAULICS
NATURAL CONVECTION
S CODES
THEORETICAL DATA
TRANSIENTS
ACCIDENTS
BREEDER REACTORS
COMPUTER CODES
CONVECTION
DATA
ENERGY TRANSFER
EPITHERMAL REACTORS
FAST REACTORS
FBR TYPE REACTORS
FLUID MECHANICS
INFORMATION
LIQUID METAL COOLED REACTORS
LMFBR TYPE REACTORS
MASS TRANSFER
MECHANICS
NUMERICAL DATA
POWER REACTORS
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTORS
SAFETY
SODIUM COOLED REACTORS
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