Power Maximization of Fully Passive Lead-Bismuth Eutectic Cooled Small Modular Reactor

Although the current Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs) have significantly contributed to the global energy supply, PWRs have not been considered as a trustworthy energy solution owing to its several problems; spent nuclear fuels (SNFs), nuclear safety, and nuclear economy. In order to overcome these problems, lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) fully passive cooling Small Modular Reactor (SMR) system is suggested. It is possible to not only provide the solution of the problem of SNFs through the transmutation feature of LBE coolant, but also increase the safety and economy through the concepts of the natural circulation cooling SMRs. It is necessary to maximize the advantages (safety and economy) of this type of Nuclear Power Plants for several applications in future. Accordingly, objective of the study is to maximize the reactor core power while the limitations of shipping size, materials endurance, long-burning criticality as well as safety under Beyond Design Basis Events must be satisfied. Design limitations of natural circulating LBE-cooling SMRs are researched and power maximization method is developed based on obtained design limitations. It is expected that the results are contributed to reactor design stage with providing several insights to designers as well as the methods for design optimization of other type of SMRs.