Progress on a Preconceptual Supercritical Water-Cooled Small Modular Reactor

Abstract

The supercritical water-cooled reactor (SCWR) is one of the six concepts selected by the generation-IV international forum (GIF) for future research. This technology is a natural evolutionary step of the current water-cooled reactors. Canada is a participant of the GIF, and under this international endeavor developed the Canadian SCWR, which is a 1200 MWe concept. However, due to high capital cost associated with building large units, the nuclear industry rekindled an old concept: Small reactors (SRs), and now small modular reactors (SMRs). These reactors are poised to reduce the financial risks associated with large units, and also potentially offer more flexibility as modules can be prefabricated and transported to the construction site for assembly. As a result, numerous domestic and international programs were established to support the development and deployment of SMRs. The ECC-SMART project was proposed to develop a supercritical water-cooled SMR. Canada joined this collaboration, and under this project alongside the GIF SCWR and IAEA CRP platforms, a new Canadian supercritical water-cooled small modular reactor (SCW-SMR) was proposed and developed. This concept is based on the experience and lessons learned during the development of the Canadian SCWR. An overview of a multidisciplinary approach that led to the concept is presented in this paper, consisting of a market study, thermodynamics and energy conversion, reactor physics, thermal hydraulics, materials and chemistry, and safety assessments.