STAR: The Secure Transportable Autonomous Reactor System - Encapsulated Fission Heat Source

Abstract

OAK-B135 The Encapsulated Nuclear Heat Source (ENHS) is a novel 125 MWth fast spectrum reactor concept that was selected by the 1999 DOE NERI program as a candidate ''Generation-IV'' reactor. It uses Pb-Bi or other liquid-metal coolant and is intended to be factory manufactured in large numbers to be economically competitive. It is anticipated to be most useful to developing countries. The US team studying the feasibility of the ENHS reactor concept consisted of the University of California, Berkeley, Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and Westinghouse. Collaborating with the US team were three Korean organizations: Korean Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), Korean Advanced Institute for Science and Technology (KAIST) and the University of Seoul, as well as the Central Research Institute of the Electrical Power Industry (CRIEPI) of Japan. Unique features of the ENHS include at least 20 years of operation without refueling; no fuel handling in the host country; no pumps and valves; excess reactivity does not exceed 1$; fully passive removal of the decay heat; very small probability of core damaging accidents; autonomous operation and capability of load-following over a wide range; very long plant life. In addition it offers a close match between demand and supply, large tolerance to human errors, is likely to get public acceptance via demonstration of superb safety, lack of need for offsite response, and very good proliferation resistance. The ENHS reactor is designed to meet the requirements of Generation IV reactors including sustainable energy supply, low waste, high level of proliferation resistance, high level of safety and reliability, acceptable risk to capital and, hopefully, also competitive busbar cost of electricity.