THE CIVIL H.T.R. REFERENCE DESIGN STUDY. Project DRAGON.
- ed.
In a programme of work intended to establish the feasibility and costs of building a High Temperature Reactor (H.T.R.) power station, investigation has been made of a design based closely on 'Dragon'. The principle objectives in preparing the Reference Design were: (a) to determine the probable cost of power generated in a large station requiring the minimum development information beyond what was expected to become available from Dragon, (b) to examine the problems involved in scaling up this reactor type, and (c) to act as a basis against which the cost and performance of other H.T.R. designs could be judged. The principles of design are identical with those of Dragon although the embodiment of those principles has necessarily differed for many items due to the larger size of the plant. This report presents the results of the design work. The conclusions are as follows. The capital cost to be expected for a large power reactor based as closely as possible on the Dragon design is not sufficiently low for the system to offer a great attraction. Further study of safey requirements, leading to a revised containment design could lead to a saving up to British Pound 6/KW. The considerations involved are likely to be largely applicable to any H.T.R. using carbon based fuel elements. The fission product purge system, associated building work and equipment is roughly assessed to cost British Pound 10/KW. The possibility of developing a satisfactory fission product retaining fuel is therefore of importance. With a U/Th/U fuel cycle, there will be an optimum power density. Whilst the optimum value depends on the balance of costs in a particular concept, no justification is seen at present for striving for a design capable of power densities above 10 KW/litre; nor should a simple and cheap form of fuel element be rejected on account of limited power density, at least above say 5 KW/litre. In applying the Dragon concept to a power reactor problems would arise which will not necessarily be solved by the successful develpment of Dragon. These include particularly (i) assessment of the leakage of steam and water to be expected from steam generators, and of any special steps necessary in consequence; (ii) control elements and mechanisms suitable for the operation of control members within the core proper; (iii) design and manufacture of fuel elements, particularly the graphite components, suitable for a core of the required length; and (iv) active handling of large components. There is no reason to expect any of these to prove insuperable and some possible solutions have been incorporated in the reference design, but development work would be required. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, Risley (England). Reactor Group
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Atomic Energy Establishment, Winfrith (United Kingdom)
- NSA Number:
- NSA-24-038476
- OSTI ID:
- 4121350
- Report Number(s):
- DP-Report-135(Pt.1)
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: UNCL. Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-70
- Country of Publication:
- United Kingdom
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
HOMOGENEOUS REACTOR PROJECT QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT FOR PERIOD ENDING OCTOBER 31, 1955
Thermal Behavior of Advanced UO{sub 2} Fuel at High Burnup