Scoping Studies for a Small Modular Lead-Cooled Fast Reactor

A scoping design study has been carried out of the feasibility of a small, 25 MWt (∼10 MWe), modular lead-cooled fast reactor coupled to an advanced power converter consisting of a gas turbine Brayton cycle that utilizes supercritical carbon dioxide as the working fluid. Major constraints of the study are an ultralong 20 year core lifetime, near zero reactivity burnup swing over the core lifetime, Pb primary coolant natural circulation heat transport, road transportability of plant modular assemblies including the reactor and guard vessels, and high Brayton cycle power conversion efficiency. It is found that the goal of a near zero reactivity burnup swing implies a low core power density that results in an unacceptably low discharge burnup.Copyright © 2004 by ASME