Scaling challenges in small modular reactor

Abstract

The small modular reactor (SMR) has become a popular reactor design concept in recent years. Many regulatory authorities are evaluating a plethora of license applications related to SMRs. One important step of the reactor design is the prototype computer model assessment, and scaling is indispensable toward developing meaningful assessment data. In SMR scaling, new challenges may rise due to compact layout and unique thermal hydraulic phenomena. These phenomena may be greatly distorted or may not even be reproducible at all in the test facility. Therefore, investigation of these phenomena is needed to ensure figures of merit are adequately preserved with minimum distortion. In this paper, some phenomena were highlighted to understand the complexity. An early SMR design - the Multi-Application Small Light Water Reactor (MASLWR) is used to illustrate the scaling of these phenomena.