Design of a 25-kWe Surface Reactor System Based on SNAP Reactor Technologies

Journal Article · Fri Jan 20 00:00:00 EST 2006 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2169275· OSTI ID:20798027

Dixon, David D ^[1]; Hiatt, Matthew T ^[1]; Poston, David I; Kapernick, Richard J ^[1]

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1. Nuclear Systems Design Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States)

A Hastelloy-X clad, sodium-potassium (NaK-78) cooled, moderated spectrum reactor using uranium zirconium hydride (UZrH) fuel based on the SNAP program reactors is a promising design for use in surface power systems. This paper presents a 98 kWth reactor for a power system the uses multiple Stirling engines to produce 25 kWe-net for 5 years. The design utilizes a pin type geometry containing UZrHx fuel clad with Hastelloy-X and NaK-78 flowing around the pins as coolant. A compelling feature of this design is its use of 49.9% enriched U, allowing it to be classified as a category III-D attractiveness and reducing facility costs relative to highly-enriched space reactor concepts. Presented below are both the design and an analysis of this reactor's criticality under various safety and operations scenarios.

• OSTI ID: 20798027
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 813, Issue 1; Conference: 10. conference on thermophysics applications in microgravity; 23. symposium on space nuclear power and propulsion; 4. conference on human/robotic technology and the national vision for space exploration; 4. symposium on space colonization; 3. symposium on new frontiers and future concepts, Albuquerque, NM (United States), 12-16 Feb 2006; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2169275; (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
COOLANTS
COST
CRITICALITY
DESIGN
HASTELLOY X
LIQUID METAL COOLED REACTORS
NUCLEAR FUELS
POTASSIUM
POTASSIUM ALLOYS
POWER GENERATION
POWER SYSTEMS
SNAP REACTORS
SODIUM
SODIUM ALLOYS
SPACE VEHICLES
STIRLING ENGINES
URANIUM
ZIRCONIUM HYDRIDES
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems