Conceptual designs and characteristic of the fuel handling and transfer system for 150 MWe PGSFR and 1400 MWe SFR burner reactor

• Published in: Nuclear engineering and technology Vol. 54; no. 11; pp. 4125 - 4133
• Main Authors: Kang-Soo Kim, Jong-Bum Kim, Chang-Gyu Park
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Korean
• Published: 2022
• Subjects: PGSFR; Burner reactor; A-frame method; Fuel handling and transfer system; Vertical withdrawal method
• ISSN: 1738-5733; 2234-358X

KAERI (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) developed the conceptual design of PGSFR (Prototype Gen-IV Sodium Cooled Fast Reactor) and Burner Reactor. Since the reactor characteristics of the PGSFR and Burner Reactor are different, the shape, size and the arrangement of the main components in the reactors must be different. Therefore, the conceptual design for the fuel handling and transfer systems needs to be performed coinciding with the structure of the reactor. Especially, because a redan structure dividing hot and cold pool is installed in the reactor vessel, the conceptual design of the fuel handling and transfer system largely changes depending on the location of the redan structure. Various elements of the conceptual design and an integral arrangement for the fuel handling and transfer system were arranged according to the characteristics, sizes and shapes of the reactors. In this paper, the conceptual designs of the fuel handling and transfer system for PGSFR and Burner Reactor are described. Especially, an A-frame method is selected as the fuel handling and transfer system for the Burner Reactor, considering the layout of the internal structure. The tilt angle, diameter and length of A-frame is determined and the strength evaluation of the A-frame is performed.