Minimizing or eliminating refueling of nuclear reactor

Patent · 31 December 1988

OSTI ID:867053

Doncals, Richard A ^[1]; Paik, Nam-Chin ^[2]; Andre, Sandra V ^[3]; Porter, Charles A ^[4]; Rathbun, Roy W ^[5]; Schwallie, Ambrose L ^[5]; Petras, Diane S ^[6]

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1. Washington, PA
2. Pittsburgh, PA
3. Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County, PA
4. Rostraver Township, Westmoreland County, PA
5. Greensburg, PA
6. Penn Township, Westmoreland County, PA

Demand for refueling of a liquid metal fast nuclear reactor having a life of 30 years is eliminated or reduced to intervals of at least 10 years by operating the reactor at a low linear-power density, typically 2.5 kw/ft of fuel rod, rather than 7.5 or 15 kw/ft, which is the prior art practice. So that power of the same magnitude as for prior art reactors is produced, the volume of the core is increased. In addition, the height of the core and it diameter are dimensioned so that the ratio of the height to the diameter approximates 1 to the extent practicable considering the requirement of control and that the pressure drop in the coolant shall not be excessive. The surface area of a cylinder of given volume is a minimum if the ratio of the height to the diameter is 1. By minimizing the surface area, the leakage of neutrons is reduced. By reducing the linear-power density, increasing core volume, reducing fissile enrichment and optimizing core geometry, internal-core breeding of fissionable fuel is substantially enhanced. As a result, core operational life, limited by control worth requirements and fuel burnup capability, is extended up to 30 years of continuous power operation.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Electric Corp
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-15-2395
• Assignee: Unites States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4851182
• OSTI ID: 867053
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/376/
10
15
30
addition
approximates
breeding
burnup
capability
considering
continuous
control
coolant
core
cylinder
demand
density
diameter
dimensioned
drop
eliminated
eliminating
enhanced
enrichment
excessive
extended
extent
fast
fast nuclear
fissile
fissionable
fissionable fuel
fuel
fuel rod
geometry
height
increased
increasing
internal-core
intervals
kw
leakage
life
limited
linear-power
liquid
liquid metal
magnitude
metal
metal fast
minimizing
minimum
neutrons
nuclear
nuclear reactor
operating
operation
operational
optimizing
power
power density
power operation
practicable
practice
pressure
pressure drop
prior
produced
ratio
reactor
reactors
reduced
reducing
refueling
requirement
requirements
result
rod
substantially
substantially enhanced
surface
typically
volume
worth