Design of a 25-kWe Surface Reactor System Based on SNAP Reactor Technologies

A Hastelloy-X clad, sodium-potassium (NaK-78) cooled, moderated spectrum reactor using uranium zirconium hydride (UZrH) fuel based on the SNAP program reactors is a promising design for use in surface power systems. This paper presents a 98 kWth reactor for a power system the uses multiple Stirling...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Dixon, David D, Hiatt, Matthew T, Poston, David I, Kapernick, Richard J
Format: Conference Proceeding
Language:English
Subjects:
COOLANTS
COST
CRITICALITY
DESIGN
HASTELLOY X
LIQUID METAL COOLED REACTORS
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
NUCLEAR FUELS
PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
POTASSIUM
POTASSIUM ALLOYS
POWER GENERATION
POWER SYSTEMS
SNAP REACTORS
SODIUM
SODIUM ALLOYS
SPACE VEHICLES
SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
STIRLING ENGINES
URANIUM
ZIRCONIUM HYDRIDES
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Summary:A Hastelloy-X clad, sodium-potassium (NaK-78) cooled, moderated spectrum reactor using uranium zirconium hydride (UZrH) fuel based on the SNAP program reactors is a promising design for use in surface power systems. This paper presents a 98 kWth reactor for a power system the uses multiple Stirling engines to produce 25 kWe-net for 5 years. The design utilizes a pin type geometry containing UZrHx fuel clad with Hastelloy-X and NaK-78 flowing around the pins as coolant. A compelling feature of this design is its use of 49.9% enriched U, allowing it to be classified as a category III-D attractiveness and reducing facility costs relative to highly-enriched space reactor concepts. Presented below are both the design and an analysis of this reactor's criticality under various safety and operations scenarios.
ISSN:0094-243X
1551-7616
DOI:10.1063/1.2169275