Michele Kearney's Nuclear Wire

Major Energy and Environmental News and Commentary affecting the Nuclear Industry.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

ORNL has recently published a 125 page report detailing a SMR (small reactor) called Small modular Advanced High-Temperature Reactor (smAHTR) based on the liquid salt graphite moderated reactor design.

ORNL has recently published a 125 page report detailing a SMR (small reactor) called Small modular Advanced High-Temperature Reactor (smAHTR) based on the liquid salt graphite moderated reactor design.


SmAHTR is a 125 MWt, integral primary system FHR concept . . . The design goals for SmAHTR are to deliver safe, affordable, and reliable high-temperature process heat and electricity from a small plant that can be easily transported to and assembled at remote sites. The initial SmAHTR concept is designed to operate with a core outlet temperature of 700°C, but with a system architecture and overall design approach that can be adapted to much higher temperatures as higher-temperature structural materials become available. The SmAHTR reactor vessel is transportable via standard tractor-trailer vehicles to its deployment location . . . .



SmAHTR reactor vessel can be transported via tractor-trailer.

Reactor power, MW(t)                               125
Core volumetric power density, MW(t)/m3            9.4
Primary coolant salt                               FLiBe
Fuel type                                          TRISO, low enriched uranium
TRISO packing fraction, vol. %                     50
Fuel enrichment, wt %                              19.75
Core uranium loading at BOL,a kg                   1600–2020b
Core life, years                                   4.19
Fuel configuration                                 Annular pins
Fuel pin diameters (inside, outside), cm           2.2, 6.5
Fuel surface coating thickness, cm                 0.3
Moderator material                                 Graphite
Moderator configuration                            Pins and blocks
Moderator pin diameter, cm                         6.16
Number of total fuel assemblies/blocks             19
Number of core assembly rings                      3
Number of fuel pins/assembly                       15
Number of graphite pins/assembly                   4
Core height, meters                                4
Core effective diameter, meters                    about 2.2
Reflector configuration and material               Radial, graphite blocks
Reflector diameter, effective inside, outside, m   About 2.2, 3
Vessel height, meters                              9
Vessel diameter, meters                            3.5
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