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共同努力的成果。该项目旨在评估在各种小型模块化反应堆(SMR)设计中使用事故容忍(或先进技术)燃料或ATF的好处和影响。ATF有可能显著提高反应堆的安全和经济性能。它们提供的更高的安全裕度可以转化为更直接和更短的许可过程，以及放宽对安全设备的要求，或者大幅提高功率，或者两者兼而有之--所有这些最终都会带来成本节约。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，它们的技术准备水平也存在很大差异--从概念性想法到几乎可以商业化的产品，这些产品已经在向该行业销售。SMR的设计也同样多样化。尽管它们可能共享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(自然或强制对流)、一次冷却剂回路部件的布置(整体或回路)、反应性控制方法等方面存在很大差异。因此，如果将ATF用于这些SMR，所能提供的好处将有所不同。该项目的主要目标是量化SMR-ATF组合的这些益处。英国政府承诺为劳斯莱斯提出的SMR技术开发提供大量财政支持，这是其整体净零脱碳战略的一部分。此外，核燃料制造和其他燃料循环服务方面的丰富专业知识被视为英国的战略资产。与劳斯莱斯和西屋斯普林菲尔德合作为该项目做出贡献的英国研究团队将重点分析适用于英国劳斯莱斯SMR的ATF选项。我们将评估和比较ATF方案在正常运行、瞬变和事故条件下的堆芯内中子流和热工水力行为，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在国内和国际上的开发工作。

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.