ATF Solutions to Light Water-Cooled SMRs

该项目是美国和英国的大学、国家实验室和行业合作伙伴之间的合作成果。该项目旨在评估在各种小型模块化反应堆（SMR）设计中使用容错（或先进技术）燃料（atf）的好处和影响。ATFs具有显著提高反应堆安全性和经济性的潜力。他们提供的增加的安全边际可以转化为更直接和更短的许可过程，放松对安全设备的要求，或大幅度的功率提升，或两者兼而有之——所有这些最终都能节省成本。近年来提出了多种ATF概念，提供了一系列潜在的性能改进。然而，他们的技术准备水平也相差很大——从概念上的想法到已经向行业销售的接近商业化的产品。SMR的设计也同样多样化。尽管它们可能具有轻水反应堆技术的许多特征，但它们在尺寸、冷却剂循环驱动力（自然对流或强制对流）、一次冷却剂回路组件的布置（整体或回路）、反应性控制方法等方面存在很大差异。因此，在这些smr中使用atf所能提供的好处是不同的。该项目的主要目标是量化有前途的SMR-ATF组合子集的这些效益。英国政府已承诺为罗尔斯·罗伊斯公司提出的SMR技术的开发提供大量财政支持，作为其整体净零脱碳战略的一部分。此外，在核燃料制造和其他燃料循环服务方面的大量专业知识被认为是英国的战略资产。英国研究团队与劳斯莱斯和西屋斯普林菲尔德公司合作，为该项目做出贡献，将重点分析应用于英国劳斯莱斯SMR的ATF选项。我们将评估和比较ATF方案在正常运行、瞬态和事故条件下的堆芯中子和热水力性能，并比较它们对燃料循环后端的影响。该项目将有助于指导未来劳斯莱斯SMR和ATF在国内和国际上的发展工作。

This project is a collaborative effort between universities, a national laboratory, and industry partners across the US and UK. The project aims to assess the benefits and implications of using Accident-Tolerant (or Advanced Technology) Fuels, or ATFs, in a variety of Small Modular Reactor (SMR) designs. ATFs have the potential to significantly improve safety and economic performance of reactors. The increased safety margin that they offer can be translated into either more straightforward and short licencing process, and relaxation of requirements on safety equipment, or substantial power uprate, or both - all ultimately leading to cost savings. Multiple ATF concepts have been proposed in recent years, offering a range of potential performance improvements. Their technology readiness level, however, also varies widely - from conceptual ideas to nearly commercially available products already being marketed to the industry. SMR designs are equally diverse. Even though they may share many features of Light Water Reactor technology, they differ substantially in size, coolant circulation driving force (natural or forced convection), arrangement of primary coolant loop components (integral or loop), approach to reactivity control etc. Therefore, the benefits ATFs can offer if used in these SMRs will differ. The main objective of this project is to quantify these benefits for a subset of promising SMR-ATF combinations. UK Government have committed significant financial support to the development of SMR technology proposed by Rolls-Royce as part of its overall net-zero decarbonisation strategy. Furthermore, substantial expertise in nuclear fuel manufacturing and other fuel cycle services are considered strategic assets for the UK. The UK research team contributing to this project in partnership with Rolls-Royce and Westinghouse-Springfields will focus on the analysis of ATF options applied to the UK-based Rolls-Royce SMR. We will assess and compare the ATF options with respect to their in-core neutronic and thermal-hydraulic behaviour under normal operation, transients, and accident conditions, as well as compare their effects on the back end of the fuel cycle. This project will help to guide the future Rolls-Royce SMR and ATF development effort both nationally and internationally.