Status of Development of the Small Secure Transportable Autonomous Reactor (SSTAR) for Worldwide Sustainable Nuclear Energy Supply

摘要

The STAR is a viable concept for a small fast reactor converter for international deployment in partner states providing proliferation resistance, fissile self-sufficiency, autonomous load following, simplicity of operation andreliability, transportability, as well as a high level of passive safety. SSTAR combines primary circuit natural circulation heat transport, lead (Pb) primary coolant, and transuranic nitride fuel in a pool vessel configuration inside of a small shippable reactor vessel. Conversion of the core thermal energy into electricity is accomplished with a supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle power converter; a goal has been to operate at peak cladding temperatures as high as 650 deg C at which the core outlet temperature is 567 deg C and the net plant efficiency is 44 percent to take advantage of the efficiency benefits of the supercritical CO_(2) Brayton cycle with increasing turbine inlet temperature.