Comparison of oxide- and metal-core behavior during CRBRP (Clinch River Breeder Reactor Plant) station blackout

Conference · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:5934119

Polkinghorne, S T; Atkinson, S A

A resurrected concept that could significantly improve the inherently safe response of Liquid-Metal cooled Reactors (LMRs) during severe undercooling transients is the use of metallic fuel. Analytical studies have been reported on for the transient behavior of metal-fuel cores in innovative, inherently safe LMR designs. This paper reports on an analysis done, instead, for the Clinch River Breeder Reactor Plant (CRBRP) design with the only innovative change being the incorporation of a metal-fuel core. The SSC-L code was used to simulate a protected station blackout accident in the CRBRP with a 943 MWt Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) metal-fuel core. The results, compared with those for the oxide-fueled CRBRP, show that the margin to boiling is greater for the IFR core. However, the cooldown transient is more severe due to the faster thermal response time of metallic fuel. Some additional calculations to assess possible LMR design improvements (reduced primary system pressure losses, extended flow coastdown) are also discussed. 8 refs., 13 figs., 2 tabs.

• Research Organization: EG and G Idaho, Inc., Idaho Falls (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-76ID01570
• OSTI ID: 5934119
• Report Number(s): EGG-M-01086; CONF-860906-28; ON: DE88001601
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
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22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220900* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Reactor Safety
ACCIDENTS
BLACKOUTS
BREEDER REACTORS
CLINCH RIVER BREEDER REACTOR
COMPUTER CODES
CONVECTION
DATA
ENERGY TRANSFER
EPITHERMAL REACTORS
FAST REACTORS
FBR TYPE REACTORS
FLUID MECHANICS
HEAT TRANSFER
HYDRAULICS
INFORMATION
LIQUID METAL COOLED REACTORS
LMFBR TYPE REACTORS
LOSS OF FLOW
MASS TRANSFER
MECHANICS
NATURAL CONVECTION
NUMERICAL DATA
POWER REACTORS
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR CORES
REACTOR SAFETY
REACTORS
S CODES
SAFETY
SODIUM COOLED REACTORS
THEORETICAL DATA
TRANSIENTS