The AMPS-1000 - An Advanced Reactor Design for Marine Propulsion

Abstract

It has long been recognized that a key determinant of the worth of a submarine is the extent to which it can undertake submerged operations with long endurance. Considerable progress has been made in the development of the family of low power nuclear reactor-based systems known as the Autonomous Marine Power Source (AMPS). The AMPS is being developed for installation in a wide range of submarines, both civilian and military, to provide them with very long endurance atmosphere-independent power. The AMPS technology adapts advanced design principles of process-inherent reactor safety to the submarine environment. This permits significant plant simplification and minimum reliance on operator action for safe and effective operation. The AMPS 1000 version is designed expressly for integration in a range of modern 2000-tonne class diesel-electric naval submarines. The plant is rated to supply in excess of 1000 kWe to the submarine batteries, at seawater temperatures of up to 30 degrees C, in order to propel the submarine at speeds of up to 12 knots while supplying all ship service loads. The submarine would possess virtually unlimited submerged endurance at these speeds and, by maintaining its batteries fully charged, would retain the high-speed sprint capability of the baseline diesel-electric submarine.