A Stainless-Steel, Uranium-Dioxide, Potassium-Heatpipe-Cooled Surface Reactor

Amiri, Benjamin W.; Sims, Bryan T.; Poston, David I.; Kapernick, Richard J.

doi:10.1063/1.2169205

Cited by 9 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…Accident scenarios involving moderating or reflecting mediums should increase the multiplication factor of the unit yet still remain below a factor of 0.985, as presented for a comparable heatpipe reactor system modeled in accident conditions (Amiri et al, 2006). Accidents without the workings of heatpipes external to the core are considered ruptured, and their sodium metal replaced by material from the envirormient.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparison of KENO-VI and MCNP5 Criticality Analyses for a Lunar Regolith Clustered-Reactor System

Bess¹

2008

AIP Conference Proceedings

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The Lunar Regolith Clustered-Reactor System design has been presented as an alternative method for providing surface power to a lunar facility using a fast-fission, heatpipe-cooled nuclear reactor. The reactor system is divided into subcritical units that can be safely launched into orbit without risk of inadvertent criticality in the event of a launch accident. The reactor subunits are emplaced into the lunar surface to form a clustered-reactor system, utilizing the regolith as both radiation shielding and neutron-reflector material. Coordinated placement of multiple subunits can provision a critical reactor system proportional to localized lunar surface power demand. Reactor units assembled using proven and tested materials in radiation environments such as UO2 fuel, stainless-steel cladding and support, and compatible liquid-metal heatpipes promote safety and reliability, with ease of manufacture and testing. Reactor power levels of approximately 100 kWth per subunit significantly reduces the negative effects of elevated temperature and radiation environments associated with single nuclear power reactors operated at higher power levels. The analysis of subunit criticality in various accident scenarios differs by up to 4% (~$6 in reactivity) between results generated using conventional criticality analysis codes, MCNP5 and KENO-VI. A demonstrated trend exists between results of the two criticality codes as accident conditions approach a multiplication factor of one. Code comparison of a tri-cluster system on the lunar surface provides comparable results with calculated system reactivity within 0.5%. Iron concentration is confirmed as the dominant element in the lunar regolith influencing system reactivity.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%