Fluoride-Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor (FHR) Using British Advanced Gas-Cooled Reactor (AGR) Refueling Technology and Decay Heat Removal Systems That Prevent Salt Freezing
The FHR uses graphite-matrix coated-particle fuel (same as high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs)) and a clean liquid salt coolant. It delivers heat to industry or the power cycle at temperatures between 600 and 700°C with higher average heat delivery temperatures than other reactors. The liquid- salt-coolant melting point is above 450°C. The high minimum temperatures present refueling challenges and require special features to control temperatures—avoiding excessively high temperatures and freezing of the coolant that could impact decay heat cooling systems. We describe herein a pre-conceptual FHR design that addresses many of these challenges by adopting features from the British AGR and alternative decay heat cooling systems. The basis for specific design choices are described.
The AGRs are carbon-dioxide cooled and graphite-moderated reactors that use cylindrical fuel subassemblies with vertical refueling at 650°C—meeting FHR high-temperature refueling requirements. The 14 AGRs have operated for many decades. The AGR uses 8 cylindrical fuel sub-assemblies each a meter tall coupled axially together by a metal stringer to create a long fuel assembly. The stringer assemblies are in vertical channels in a graphite core that provides neutron moderation. This geometric core design is compatible with an FHR using graphite-matrix coated-particle fuel. The FHR uses a once- through fuel cycle. The design minimizes used nuclear fuel volumes relative to other FHR and HTGR designs. The primary system is inside a secondary liquid-salt-filled tank that (1) provides an added heat sink for decay heat, (2) helps ensure no freezing of primary system salt, and (3) helps ensure no major fuel failures in a beyond-design-basis accident. The refueling standpipes above each stringer fuel assembly in the AGR core with modifications can be used in an FHR for refueling and provide efficient heat transfer between the primary system and the secondary liquid-salt-filled tank. The passive decay heat removal system uses heat-pipes that turn on and off at a preset temperature to avoid overheating the core in a reactor accident and avoid freezing the salt coolant as decay heat decreases after reactor shutdown