Decay heat removal by natural convection: The RVACS system
The most recent US advanced liquid-metal reactor (LMR) designs, the advanced AP600 pressurized water reactor (PWR) design, and the advanced simplified boiling water reactor have all given prominence to shutdown heat removal by passive safety systems that rely on natural convection. This improves safety by making the availability of shutdown heat removal independent of power availability. The potential advantages of liquid lead or lead-bismuth as a coolant have recently renewed the interest in liquid-metal-cooled systems, including reactors and accelerator-driven reactors. In PRISM, the most recent US advanced LMR design, decay heat was removed passively by the safety-grade reactor vessel auxiliary cooling system (RVACS). During operation of the RVACS, heat is transferred by natural convection from the liquid-metal pool to the pool-tank wall. From the pool-tank it is transferred by radiation (mainly), and natural circulation of the argon gas in the gap between the pool-tank and the containment, to the containment. Finally, it is transferred to the atmosphere by the air flowing in the gap between the containment wall and a collector shell. This work presents an analysis of the potential and limitations of the RVACS for decay heat removal in an LMR system.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab., IL (US)
- OSTI ID:
- 20005842
- 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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