Conceptual Mechanical Design for a Pressure-tube Type Supercritical Water-cooled Reactor

Abstract

This paper presents a conceptual mechanical design for a heavy-water-moderated pressure-tube supercritical water (SCW) reactor, which has evolved from the well-established CANDU^®1 nuclear reactor. As in the current designs, the pressure-tube SCW reactor uses a calandria vessel and, as a result, many of today’s technologies (such as the shutdown safety systems) can readily be adopted with small changes. Because the proposed concept uses a low-pressure moderator, it does not require a pressure vessel that is subject to the full SCW pressure and temperature conditions. The proposed design uses batch refueling and hence, the reactor core is orientated vertically. Significant simplifications result in the design with the elimination of on line fuelling systems, fuel channel end fittings and fuel channel closure seals and thus utilize the best features of Light Water Reactor (LWR) and Heavy Water Reactor (HWR) technologies. The safety goal is based on achieving a passive “no core melt” configuration for the channels and core, so the mechanical features and systems directly reflect this desired attribute.