Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactors

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Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactors
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History

• Authorized study by the AEC in 1963
• Conceptual design by Westinghouse
• 2500 Mwth (1000 Mwe)

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Requirements

• Safe design
• Must use (Pu,U) C fuel
• High breeding ratio (1.2) and a short doubling
  time
• Low fuel cost
• Primary Sodium outlet temperature of 1200?F or as
  high as possible

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Reactor Vessel

• Non-pressurized
• Sodium cooled
• Modular core design
• Stainless Steal
• Argon cover gas
• Variable orifice flow control inlet
• 14ft diameter
• 11ft assembly length

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Core Design

• Seven identical modules
• Controlled Expansion (CEX) assemblies
• Graphite isolation barrels
• 6.25ft active core height
• 28 control rods, top
  inserted

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CEX Design

• Hexagonal shape
• Vented fuel
• 8.5ft high, 4.5ft flat to flat
• 22.2 PuC fuel
• Depleted Uranium Oxide radial blanket (1ft thick)
• Depleted Uranium Carbide axial blanket (1ft
  thick)
• Stainless Steal Cladding

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Primary Loop
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Secondary Systems
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Secondary Systems

• Second Sodium loop (non-radioactive)
• Steam loop
• Steam generator
• 1000?C steam outlet 3500psia

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Safety

• Negative core reactivity
• Each module is sub-critical, relies on flux from
  other modules to attain criticality
• Secondary sodium isolation loop
• Does not induce increased reactivity upon LOCA
• Failure of one module causes reactor shutdown
  (loss of criticality)