SPARK-LS: A novel design of a compact liquid chloride salt cooled fast reactor based on tube-in-duct fuel concept

Zhou, Shengcheng; Cao, Liangzhi; Wu, Hongchun; Bai, Bofeng; Chi, Lei; Zhang, Yifan

doi:10.1016/j.anucene.2019.01.020

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…A flexible conversion ratio for a fast reactor using molten chloride salt as coolant was proposed due to its low moderating capacity at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) [10]. Later, a compact liquid chloride salt-cooled fast reactor (SPARK-LS) was also suggested in Xi'an Jiaotong University [11]. Compared to liquid fluoride salt, chloride salts are preferable in realizing a high conversion ratio and achieving a long core lifetime for small modular reactors.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Feasibility of an innovative long-life molten chloride-cooled reactor

2020

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Molten salt-cooled reactor is one of the six Gen-IV reactors with promising characteristics including safety, reliability, proliferation resistance, physical protection, economics, and sustainability. In this paper, a small innovative molten chloride-cooled fast reactor (MCCFR) with 30-year core and a target 120-MWt thermal power was presented. For its feasible study, neutronics, thermal-hydraulics, and radiation damage analysis were performed. The key design properties including kinetics parameters, reactivity swing, reactivity feedback coefficients, maximum accumulated displacement per atom (DPA) of reactor pressure vessel (RPV) and fuel cladding, and maximum coolant, cladding, and fuel temperatures were evaluated. The results showed the MCCFR could operate without refueling for 30 years with overall negative reactivity feedback coefficients up the end of its life. During its 30-year life, the excess reactivity was well managed by constantly pulling out the control rods. The maximum accumulated DPA on RPV and fuel cladding were 8.92 dpa and 197.03 dpa, respectively, which are both below the design limits. Similarly, the maximum coolant, cladding and fuel center temperatures were all below the design limits during its entire lifetime. According to these results, the MCCFR core design with long life is feasible.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Feasibility of an innovative long-life molten chloride-cooled reactor

2020

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“…A global market assessment has predicted that the magnitude of the potential market for SMRs is about 65-85 GWe by the year 2035, provided the economics are competitive [2]. The SMR design concepts that have been proposed can be classified into numerous types such as the pressurized water reactor (PWR) [3][4][5], the boiling water reactor (BWR) [6], the liquid metal cooled fast reactor (LMFR) [7][8][9][10][11][12][13], the gas cooled fast reactor (GFR) [14,15] and the molten salt reactor (MSR) technologies [16,17]. Among these concepts, the liquid metal type lead or lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) is generally chosen as the coolant for SMRs owing to its superior properties including a low melting point, high boiling point and chemical inertness with air and water.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Two conceptual designs of small modular portable reactors, SPARK and SPARK-LS, which are characterized by forced circulation of lead bismuth and chloride salt, respectively, were proposed in a previous study [12,17]. The study was mainly focused on developing a compact and small core design that can be conveniently transported by truck or barge.…”

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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