The supercritical water-cooled reactor (SCWR) is one of the six reactor technologies selected for research and development under the Generation IV program. SCWRs are promising advanced nuclear systems because of their high thermal efficiency (i.e., about 45% versus about 33% efficiency for current Light Water Reactors [LWRs]) and considerable plant simplification. SCWRs are basically LWRs operating at higher pressure and temperatures with a direct once-through cycle. Operation above the critical pressure eliminates coolant boiling, so the coolant remains single-phase throughout the system. Thus, the need for a pressurizer, steam generators, steam separators, and dryers is eliminated. The main mission of the SCWR is generation of low-cost electricity. It is built upon two proven technologies: LWRs, which are the most commonly deployed power generating reactors in the world, and supercritical fossil-fired boilers, a large number of which are also in use around the world.The reference SCWR design for the U.S. program is a direct cycle system operating at 25.0 MPa, with core inlet and outlet temperatures of 280 and 500 C, respectively. The coolant density decreases from about 760 kg/m 3 at the core inlet to about 90 kg/m 3 at the core outlet. The inlet flow splits with about 10% of the inlet flow going down the space between the core barrel and the reactor pressure vessel (the downcomer) and about 90% of the inlet flow going to the plenum at the top of the rector pressure vessel, to then flow down through the core in special water rods to the inlet plenum. Here it mixes with the feedwater from the downcomer and flows upward to remove the heat in the fuel channels. This strategy is employed to provide good moderation at the top of the core. The coolant is heated to about 500 C and delivered to the turbine.The purpose of this NERI project was to assess the reference U.S. Generation IV SCWR design and explore alternatives to determine feasibility. The project was organized into three tasks:
Task 1. Fuel-cycle Neutronic Analysis and Reactor Core DesignMetallic and oxide fertile fuels in a fast-spectrum SCWR were investigated during Year 1 to evaluate the void and Doppler reactivity coefficients, actinide burn rate, and reactivity swing throughout the irradiation cycle. These results were reported in the 1 st Quarterly. A variety of other core arrangements and moderator types for a thermal-spectrum SCWR were also assessed during the 3 years of this project. Detailed results from the solid moderator studies were presented in the 3 rd and 4 th Quarterly Reports and in two papers by Buongiorno andMacDonald (2003a and2003b). Results from an analysis of an alternative thermal-spectrum SCWR design based on vertical power channels, hexagonal fuel assemblies, and water moderation between the fuel assemblies were reported in the 2 nd Annual Report. Also reported in the 2 nd Annual Report were the results of the steady-state thermal-hydraulic analyses for two other thermal spectrum SCWRs, one design with solid moderator rods, and...