Physics characteristics of a large, passive, pressure tube light water reactor with voided calandria
- Massachusetts Inst. of Technology, Cambridge, MA (United States). Dept. of Nuclear Engineering
A light water cooled and moderated pressure tube reactor concept has been developed that can survive loss-of-coolant accidents (LOCAs) without scram and without replenishing primary coolant inventory, while maintaining safe temperature limits on the fuel and pressure tube. The reactor employs a solid SiC-coated graphite fuel matrix in the pressure tubes and a calandria tank containing a low-pressure gas, surrounded by a graphite reflector. This normally voided calandria is connected to a light water heat sink. The cover gas displaces light water from the calandria during normal operation, while during LOCAs it allows passive calandria flooding. It is shown that such a system, with high void fraction in the core region, exhibits a high degree of neutron thermalization and a large prompt neutron lifetime, similar to D{sub 2}O moderated cores, although light water is used as both coolant and moderator. Moreover, the extremely large neutron migration length results in a strongly coupled core with a flat thermal flux profile and inherent stability against xenon spatial oscillations. The heterogeneous arrangement of the fuel and moderator ensures a negative void coefficient under all circumstances. Flooding of the calandria space with light water results in redundant reactor shutdown. Use of particle fuel allows attainment of high burnups.
- OSTI ID:
- 163183
- Journal Information:
- Nuclear Science and Engineering, Journal Name: Nuclear Science and Engineering Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 121; ISSN NSENAO; ISSN 0029-5639
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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