Autonomous Corium Reactor for Terrestrial Applications

Current reactors utilize complex systems for safety and operation. The proposed design concept employs metal fuel in a molten state, within a silicon carbide crucible. It takes advantage of physics features to ensure safe reactor operation without human intervention. This molten fuel concept provides large thermal feedback in the fuel due to strong temperature dependent thermophysical properties. Fuel boiling phenomena potentially allows for fuel mass relocation/removal to isolated condensation regions to ensure a critical geometry throughout life. The strong tendency for natural circulation in liquid metals suggests a lead-based coolant to provide load following capability. A reactor meltdown becomes a normal operational state ensuring that core damage is minimized. Preliminary calculations show favorable reactor behavior and control at 100MWt; however, material compatibility and alloy integrity have not been studied. The reactor concept minimizes the need for human involvement in reactor operation, reduces the complexity of supporting systems, and can be deployed remotely for terrestrial thermal power and battery needs for periods greater than 25 years.