Fundamental demonstration of natural circulation feasibility for an HLMC reactor
Concepts are being developed and evaluated at Argonne National Laboratory for a smaller nuclear steam supply system with proliferation-resistant features targeted for export to developing countries. Specific features of interest here include low reactor power [300 MW(thermal)]; utilization of inert heavy-liquid-metal coolant (HLMC), namely, lead-bismuth eutectic (T{sub mp} = 125 C), eliminating concerns over metal-water reactions; 15-yr core lifetime, enabling access to fissile materials to be restricted by design; and reliance on purely natural-circulation coolant heat transport, eliminating primary system coolant pumps. Evaluation of this concept is being carried out in stages. The stage 1 investigations to which the results presented in this paper belong are directed at establishing the basic feasibility of the concept through the application of first-principles analyses. This approach is warranted while detailed aspects of the core design are yet to be determined. The objective of the present work is to demonstrate at a fundamental level the feasibility of utilizing natural-circulation coolant heat transport with the HLMC.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab., IL (US)
- OSTI ID:
- 20005841
- Journal Information:
- Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society Vol. 81; ISSN 0003-018X; ISSN TANSAO
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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