Approaches for achieving very high core outlet temperatures in prismatic modular helium reactors
- General Atomics, 3550 General Atomics Court, San Diego, CA 92121-1122 (United States)
High Temperature Gas Reactors (HTGRs) cooled by helium have the capability to develop high core outlet temperatures. The upper temperature bound of HTGRs designed and operated to-date is approximately 950 deg. C. But, the goal for the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) is a mixed mean core outlet temperature of 1000 deg. C. The most limiting core design criteria governing core outlet temperature in HTGRs is diffusive fission product release from the fuel. For the reference TRISO coated particle fuel used by HTGRs, the rule of thumb for maintaining fission product releases low enough to meet regulatory limits, is a maximum peak fuel temperature for normal operation of about 1250 deg. C. The Gas-Turbine Modular Helium Reactor (GT-MHR), which employs a prismatic core design, has a design mixed mean core outlet temperature of 850 deg. C. Initial evaluations have been made for a core of the type employed by the GT-MHR to determine the feasibility of increasing the core outlet temperature to 1000 deg. C. The conclusion has been reached that design approaches are available for making the 1000 deg. C temperature potentially achievable, while still meeting peak fuel temperature limits albeit with reduced design margin. These potential design approaches and their effects for achieving a 1000 deg. C core outlet temperature in a prismatic core design are described. (authors)
- Research Organization:
- American Nuclear Society, 555 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, IL 60526 (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 21160783
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: ICAPP'04: 2004 international congress on advances in nuclear power plants, Pittsburgh, PA (United States), 13-17 Jun 2004; Other Information: Country of input: France; 1 ref; Related Information: In: Proceedings of the 2004 international congress on advances in nuclear power plants - ICAPP'04, 2338 pages.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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