Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

A computer program to determine the specific power of prismatic-core reactors

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6129635· OSTI ID:6129635
A computer program has been developed to determine the maximum specific power for prismatic-core reactors as a function of maximum allowable fuel temperature, core pressure drop, and coolant velocity. The prismatic-core reactors consist of hexagonally shaped fuel elements grouped together to form a cylindrically shaped core. A gas coolant flows axially through circular channels within the elements, and the fuel is dispersed within the solid element material either as a composite or in the form of coated pellets. Different coolant, fuel, coating, and element materials can be selected to represent different prismatic-core concepts. The computer program allows the user to divide the core into any arbitrary number of axial levels to account for different axial power shapes. An option in the program allows the automatic determination of the core height that results in the maximum specific power. The results of parametric specific power calculations using this program are presented for various reactor concepts.
Research Organization:
Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-76DP00789
OSTI ID:
6129635
Report Number(s):
SAND-87-0735; ON: DE87012513
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English