Conceptual Study of a Supercritical Reactor Plant for Merchant Ships

Abstract

Pressurized water-saturated steam nuclear power plants have been demonstrated to be reliable marine power plants. Capital and operating costs for these plants continue to be reduced by technology and design improvements. The question that remains to be answered is whether within the inherent limitations of the pressurized-water thermodynamic cycle sufficient further technology and design improvements can be made in order to make pressurized-water plants competitive for a broad number of marine applications. The supercritical plant described herein represents a step advance in the thermodynamic cycle. This advance is shown to result in a significant reduction in plant size, weight, and hopefully capital costs. The most desirable feature of load-following capability is retained. The major technical problems of a supercritical reactor plant are in the reactor and reactor-associated plant equipment. The balanced pressure reactor and fuel element proposed reduces mechanical stresses in materials under high radiation to acceptable values. Acceptable material corrosion behavior under supercritical conditions remains to be demonstrated.