SUPERCRITICAL-PRESSURE WATER NUCLEAR REACTORS

摘要

The concepts concerning a nuclear reactor cooled by water at supercritical pressure (25 MPa) are presented. The system has one loop. Superheating the coolant to 530℃ makes it possible to obtain ～44% efficiency. On the basis of the neutron spectrum, the reactor is a fast resonance reactor. The tight array of fuel elements and the lower water density make it possible to obtain plutonium fuel breeding ratios ～0.94. The problems which must be solved to build such a reactor are discussed.