Stationary liquid fuel fast reactor SLFFR – Part I: Core design

• Published in: Nuclear engineering and design Vol. 310; no. C; pp. 484 - 492
• Main Authors: Jing, T., Yang, G., Jung, Y.S., Yang, W.S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 15.12.2016; Elsevier BV; Elsevier
• Subjects: Burning; Chemical elements; Containers; Control systems; Conversion; Conversion ratio; Design; Fast nuclear reactors; Fast reactor; Feedback; Liquid fuels; Liquid metal fuel; Nuclear fuels; Reactors; Series & special reports; Sodium; Solid fuels; Spent nuclear fuels; Tantalum; Thermal design; Thermal expansion; TRU burning; Uranium; Zero conversion ratio; Fast reactor; TRU burning; Liquid metal fuel; Zero conversion ratio
• ISSN: 0029-5493; 1872-759X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2016.10.022

•An innovative fast reactor concept SLFFR based on liquid metal fuel is proposed for TRU burning.•A compact core design of 1000MWt SLFFR is developed to achieve a zero conversion ratio and passive safety.•The core size and the control requirement are significantly reduced compared to the conventional solid fuel reactor with same conversion ratio. For effective burning of hazardous transuranic (TRU) elements of used nuclear fuel, a transformational advanced reactor concept named the stationary liquid fuel fast reactor (SLFFR) has been proposed based on a stationary molten metallic fuel. A compact core design of a 1000MWt SLFFR has been developed using TRU-Ce-Co fuel, Ta-10W fuel container, and sodium coolant. Conservative design approaches have been adopted to stay within the current material performance database. Detailed neutronics and thermal-fluidic analyses have been performed to evaluate the steady-state performance characteristics. The analysis results indicate that the SLFFR of a zero TRU conversion ratio is feasible while satisfying the conservatively imposed thermal design constraints. A theoretical maximum TRU consumption rate of 1.01kg/day is achieved with uranium-free fuel. Compared to the solid fuel reactors with the same TRU conversion ratio, the core size and the reactivity control requirement are reduced significantly. The primary and secondary control systems provide sufficient shutdown margins, and the calculated reactivity feedback coefficients show that the prompt fuel expansion coefficient is sufficiently negative.