Abstract
Early cycle activities under the Transformational Challenge Reactor (TCR) program focused on analyzing and maturing four reactor core design concepts: two fast-spectrum systems and two thermal-spectrum systems. A rapid, iterative approach has been implemented through which designs can be modified and analyzed and subcomponents can be manufactured in parallel over time frames of weeks rather than months or years. To meet key program initiatives (e.g., timeline, material use), several constraints—including fissile material availability (less than 250 kg of HALEU), component availabilities, materials compatibility, and additive manufacturing capabilities—were factored into the design effort, yielding small (less than one cubic meter in volume) cores with near-term viability. The fast-spectrum designs did not meet the fissile material constraint, so the thermal-spectrum systems became the primary design focus. Since significant progress has been made on advanced moderator materials (YHx) under the TCR program, gas-cooled thermal-spectrum systems using less than 250 kg of HALEU that occupy less than 1 m3 are now feasible. The designs for two of these systems have been evolved and matured. In both thermal-spectrum design concepts, bidirectional coolant flow is used. Coolant flows down through YHx moderator elements and is reversed in a bottom manifold and core support structure, and then flows up though or around the fuel elements. The main difference between the two thermal-spectrum design concepts is the fuel elements—one uses traditional UO2 ceramic fuel, and the other uses UN-bearing TRISO fuel particles embedded inside a SiC matrix. Core neutronics and thermal performance for these systems are assessed and summarized herein.
Highlights
The Transformational Challenge Reactor (TCR) core design process follows a rapid iterative approach (Figure 1) that is orThe TCR core design process follows a rapid iterative approach (Figure 1) that is ganized as design sprints loosely modeled after the agile software development paradigm
Neither the TRISO/SiC nor the UO2 fast-spectrum core designs met the basic requirement of using less than 250 kg of high-assay low enriched uranium (HALEU), so efforts for optimization and additional analysis were minimized for these designs
Design analysis thrust to to demonstrate rapid, iterative approach toprogram core design in and which designs are was modidemonstrate a rapid, iterative approach are to core design in which designs aretime modified fied and analyzed and subcomponents manufactured in parallel over framesand of analyzed and subcomponents are manufactured in parallel over time(e.g., frames of weeks inweeks instead of months or years
Summary
Continued developments in advanced manufacturing technologies are fundamentally altering the way components are designed and manufactured Applying these advanced manufacturing technologies (e.g., leveraging advanced materials, data science, and rapid testing and deployment to decrease costs and development times) to nuclear reactor core design could yield the most benefit and improve future commercial viability [1]. Core design activities under the design and analysis thrust of the TCR program are design approach. Core activities with under the design andprototyping analysis thrust the TCR program area near-term deployment. Fromdesigns an initial set of design constraints, two fast-spectrum and two thermal-spectrum spectrum were developed and analyzed. These analyses included neutronics evaldesigns were developed and analyzed.
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