Progression of the Physics Conceptual Design for the Canadian Supercritical Water Reactor

Abstract

The Canadian Supercritical Water Reactor (SCWR) is a GEN-IV reactor concept with features that support enhanced safety, clean energy, sustainability, economics and non-proliferation. Development of the lattice and core physics concepts for the SCWR has therefore focused on these features, with particular emphasis on safety and sustainability. Recently, a new two-ring fuel concept was adopted in combination with a central flow tube in the fuel channel. The combination of these two features leads to an approximately 40% increase in exit burnup and guarantees negative coolant void reactivity throughout the operating cycle. The progression from earlier concepts to the present physics concept are discussed and reviewed in this paper.