Innovations in the ENHS reactor design and fuel cycle

Greenspan, E.; Lee, Ki Bog; Monti, L.; Okawa, Tsuyoshi; Susplugas, Arnaud; Fratoni, Massimiliano; Kim, Lance; Mattafirri, S.; Petroski, Robert

doi:10.1016/j.pnucene.2007.10.022

Cited by 17 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Specific concepts include SVBR‐100 by AKME Engineering, a 100 MW e LBE‐cooled LMFR with 50 to 60‐year design life and 8 year refueling interval 11 . The encapsulated nuclear heat source by the University of California at Berkeley is a once‐for‐life 125 MW th LBE‐cooled fast breeder core with a target 20 effective full‐power year (EFPY) design life 12 . Small secure transportable autonomous reactor (SSTAR) by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) is a 20 MWe lead‐cooled fast reactor designed for small‐grid applications with the reactor unit returned to the supplier after 30 years of operation 13 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

MicroURANUS : Core design for long‐cycle lead‐bismuth‐cooled fast reactor for marine applications

et al. 2021

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Summary A core design of MicroURANUS, a long‐cycle lead‐bismuth‐cooled fast nuclear reactor for marine applications, is presented. It aims to generate a power of 60MWth, which can be regulated during operation. MicroURANUS was designed to achieve a small burnup reactivity swing for 30 effective full‐power years of a lifetime without refueling. To attain these goals, a unit cell study with uranium oxide fuel was initiated to lay a solid foundation for core design, owing to size constraints. A reflector optimization was also performed to minimize neutron leakage. MicroURANUS adopts onion zoning constructed by two enrichment zones for flattening the power and lengthening the core lifetime. The coolant is driven by electromagnetic pumps to achieve inlet and outlet temperatures of 250°C and 350°C, respectively. MicroURANUS analyses were performed using the Argonne Reactor Computation suite and the Monte Carlo code MCS. Core performance features were analyzed for criticality, power profiles, fuel isotope mass inventory, reflector coefficients, reactivity feedback coefficients, and shutdown margin. Additional thermal‐hydraulic calculations were performed to confirm that the fuel and cladding temperatures were within the acceptable range. Furthermore, a load follow analysis using the quasi‐static reactivity balance method confirmed the feasibility of regulating power by adjusting the inlet coolant temperature.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

MicroURANUS : Core design for long‐cycle lead‐bismuth‐cooled fast reactor for marine applications

et al. 2021

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“…In the early 21st century, conceptual designs for several fast spectrum secure transportable autonomous reactors (STAR) were presented by the Argonne National Laboratory. Three designs concepts were included: the encapsulated nuclear heat source (ENHS) [26], STAR-LM [27], and STAR-H 2 [8]. The conceptual design of the ENHS reactor includes a LBE-cooled fast reactor of 125 MWth with 100% natural circulation, autonomous operation and a long core life of over 20 effective full power years (EFPY) of operation without refueling [26].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Three designs concepts were included: the encapsulated nuclear heat source (ENHS) [26], STAR-LM [27], and STAR-H 2 [8]. The conceptual design of the ENHS reactor includes a LBE-cooled fast reactor of 125 MWth with 100% natural circulation, autonomous operation and a long core life of over 20 effective full power years (EFPY) of operation without refueling [26]. STAR-LM is a 300-400 MWth LBE-cooled fast modular reactor that exhibits 100% natural circulation and uses nitride fuel cartridges, and generates electricity with almost autonomous operation for 15 years [27].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

SPARK-NC: A Lead-Bismuth-Cooled Small Modular Fast Reactor with Natural Circulation and Load Following Capabilities

et al. 2020

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In this study, a conceptual design was developed for a lead-bismuth-cooled small modular fast reactor SPARK-NC with natural circulation and load following capabilities. The nominal rated power was set to 10 MWe, and the power can be manipulated from 5 MWe to 10 MWe during the whole core lifetime. The core of the SPARK-NC can be operated for eight effective full power years (EFPYs) without refueling. The core neutronics and thermal-hydraulics design calculations were performed using the SARAX code and the natural circulation capability of the SPARK-NC was investigated by employing the energy conservation equation, pressure drop equation and quasi-static reactivity balance equation. In order to flatten the radial power distribution, three radial zones were constructed by employing different fuel enrichments and fuel pin diameters. To provide an adequate shutdown margin, two independent systems, i.e., a control system and a scram system, were introduced in the core. The control assemblies were further classified into two types: primary control assemblies used for reactivity control and power flattening and secondary control assemblies (with relatively smaller reactivity worth) used for power regulation. The load following capability of SPARK-NC was assessed using the quasi-static reactivity balance method. By comparing three possible approaches for adjusting the reactor power output, it was shown that the method of adjusting the coolant inlet temperature was viable, practically easy to implement and favored for the load following operation.

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“…TerraPower, LLC has developed the traveling wave reactor (TWR) that aims at 40‐year core life by allowing fuel shuffling every 495 effective full power days (EFPDs) . More recently, a once‐for‐life fast breeder core encapsulated nuclear heat source (ENHS) has been designed by the University of California at Berkeley with 125 MW (thermal) power, a lead or lead‐bismuth coolant, and nearly zero burnup reactivity swing throughout 20 years of full‐power operations . Another lead‐bismuth fast reactor is SVBR‐100 developed by AKME Engineering, Russian Federation, which can achieve 7 to 8 years of fuel cycle .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…8 More recently, a once-for-life fast breeder core encapsulated nuclear heat source (ENHS) has been designed by the University of California at Berkeley with 125 MW (thermal) power, a lead or lead-bismuth coolant, and nearly zero burnup reactivity swing throughout 20 years of full-power operations. 9 Another lead-bismuth fast reactor is SVBR-100 developed by AKME Engineering, Russian Federation, which can achieve 7 to 8 years of fuel cycle. 10 When comparing small modular liquid-metal fast reactor (SMLFR) to those reactors, the SMLFR has a smaller thermal power of 37.5 MW, leading to a cycle length of a possible maximum of 30 years-up to 10 years longer than other reactors.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Core design of long‐cycle small modular lead‐cooled fast reactor

et al. 2018

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Summary A core design of small modular liquid‐metal fast reactor (SMLFR) cooled by lead‐bismuth eutectic (LBE) was developed for power reactors. The main design constraint on this reactor is a size constraint: The core needs to be small enough so that (1) it can be transported in a spent nuclear fuel (SNF) cask to meet the electricity demands in remote areas and off‐grid locations or so that (2) it can be used as a power source on board of nuclear icebreaker ships. To satisfy this design requirement, the active core of the reactor is 1 m in height and 1.45 m in diameter. The reactor is fueled with natural and 13.86% low‐enriched uranium nitride (UN), as determined through an optimization study. The reactor was designed to achieve a thermal power of 37.5 MW with an assumption of 40% thermal efficiency by employing an advanced energy conversion system based on supercritical carbon dioxide (S‐CO2) as working fluid, in which the Brayton cycle can achieve higher conversion efficiencies and lower costs compared to the Rankine cycle. The outer region of the core with low‐enriched uranium (LEU) performs the function of core ignition. The center region plays the role of a breeding blanket to increase the core lifetime for long cycle operation. The core working fluid inlet and outlet temperatures are 300°C and 422°C, respectively. The primary coolant circulation is driven by an electromagnetic pump. Core performance characteristics were analyzed for isotopic inventory, criticality, radial and axial power profiles, shutdown margins (SDM), reactivity feedback coefficients, and integral reactivity parameters of the quasi‐static reactivity balance. It is confirmed through depletion calculations with the fast reactor analysis code system Argonne Reactor Computation (ARC) that the designed reactor can be operated for 30 years without refueling. Preliminary thermal‐hydraulic analysis at normal operation is also performed and confirms that the fuel and cladding temperatures are within normal operation range. The safety analysis performed with the ARC code system and the UNIST Monte Carlo code MCS shows that the conceptual core is favorable in terms of self‐controllability, which is the first step towards inherent safety.

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Innovations in the ENHS reactor design and fuel cycle

Cited by 17 publications

References 4 publications

MicroURANUS : Core design for long‐cycle lead‐bismuth‐cooled fast reactor for marine applications

MicroURANUS : Core design for long‐cycle lead‐bismuth‐cooled fast reactor for marine applications

SPARK-NC: A Lead-Bismuth-Cooled Small Modular Fast Reactor with Natural Circulation and Load Following Capabilities

Core design of long‐cycle small modular lead‐cooled fast reactor

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