Seismic isolation development for the US advanced liquid-metal reactor program

Abstract

GE Nuclear Energy, in association with a US Industrial Team and support from the US National Laboratories and Universities, is developing a modular liquid-metal reactor concept for the US Department of Energy (DOE). The objective of this development is to provide, by the turn of the century, a reactor concept with optimized passive safety features that is economically competitive with other domestic energy sources, licensable, and ready for commercial deployment. One of the unique features of the concept is the seismic isolation of the reactor modules which decouples the reactors and their safety systems from potentially damaging ground motions and significantly enhances the structural resistance to high energy, as well as long-duration earthquakes. Seismic isolation is accomplished with high-damping natural-rubber bearings. The reactors are located in individual silos below grade level and are supported by the isolator bearings at approximately their center of gravity. This application of seismic isolation is the first for a US nuclear power plant. A development program has been established to assure the full benefits from the utilization of this new approach and to provide adequate system characterization and qualification for licensing certification. The development program, which is supported by the US Department of Energy (DOE), Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC), the University of California at Berkeley (UC-Berkeley), General Electric (GE), and Bechtel National, Inc. (BNI), is described in this paper and selected results are presented. The initial testing indicated excellent performance of high-damping natural-rubber bearings. The development of seismic isolation guidelines is in progress as a joint activity between ENEA of Italy and the GE Team.