Hot Leg Piping Materials Issues

Technical Report · Wed Jul 19 00:00:00 EDT 2006

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/884668· OSTI ID:884668

Munne, V

With Naval Reactors (NR) approval of the Naval Reactors Prime Contractor Team (NRPCT) recommendation to develop a gas cooled reactor directly coupled to a Brayton power conversion system as the space nuclear power plant (SNPP) for Project Prometheus (References a and b) the reactor outlet piping was recognized to require a design that utilizes internal insulation (Reference c). The initial pipe design suggested ceramic fiber blanket as the insulation material based on requirements associated with service temperature capability within the expected range, very low thermal conductivity, and low density. Nevertheless, it was not considered to be well suited for internal insulation use because its very high surface area and proclivity for holding adsorbed gases, especially water, would make outgassing a source of contaminant gases in the He-Xe working fluid. Additionally, ceramic fiber blanket insulating materials become very friable after relatively short service periods at working temperatures and small pieces of fiber could be dislodged and contaminate the system. Consequently, alternative insulation materials were sought that would have comparable thermal properties and density but superior structural integrity and greatly reduced outgassing. This letter provides technical information regarding insulation and materials issues for the Hot Leg Piping preconceptual design developed for the Project Prometheus space nuclear power plant (SNPP).

• Research Organization: Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory (BAPL), West Mifflin, PA
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: DE-AC12-00SN39357
• OSTI ID: 884668
• Report Number(s): B-MT(SPME)-24; TRN: US0604268
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
42 ENGINEERING
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
CERAMICS
CONTRACTORS
DEGASSING
DESIGN
FIBERS
GAS COOLED REACTORS
GASES
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
RECOMMENDATIONS
SHIP PROPULSION REACTORS
SURFACE AREA
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
WATER
WORKING FLUIDS
NRPCT