ACR-1000® Plant Layout

Abstract

Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) has established a successful, internationally recognized line of CANDU® reactors that use heavy water moderator and pressure tubes; in particular the medium-sized CANDU-6 reactor. AECL has consistently adopted an evolutionary approach to the enhancement of CANDU nuclear power plant designs over the last 30 years. This approach has been extended further in the development of the ACR-1000®. The ACR-1000 design has evolved from AECL’s in-depth knowledge of CANDU structures, systems, components and materials, as well as the experience and feedback received from builders, owners and operators of CANDU plants. While retaining the proven strengths and features of CANDU reactors, the ACR design incorporates innovations and state-of-the-art technologies where appropriate. Part of this innovation is to develop an efficient and optimized plant layout that includes diverse features and requirements from many engineering disciplines. The ACR-1000 plant layout satisfies safety requirements and regulations and includes input from construction, operations and maintenance feedback from existing stations/utilities, while maintaining the process functional configuration for the overall layout of the plant, building and systems. This paper discusses a number of key aspects in developing the ACR-1000 plant layout design using representative sketches and 3D CADDS illustrations.

Review of Generation‐III/III+ Fission Reactors

“…The coolant of the ACR will be light water instead of heavy water, which will be retained only as moderator. The new design will simplify the complex system of cooling pipes running through a more compact core [141] and will use new alloys for the piping in order to guarantee a lifetime of 60 years [142]. Two versions were developed, the ACR-700 with thermal output of 1980 MW and gross electric output of 731 MW e [143], and the ACR-1000 with thermal output of 3180 MW and gross electric output of 1165 MW e [139].…”