System design study of small lead-bismuth cooled reactor

In phase II of the feasibility study of JNC, we will make a concept of a dispersion power source reactor with various requirements, such as economical competitiveness and safety. In the study of a small lead-bismuth cooled reactor, a concept whose features are long life core, inherent safety, natural convection of cooling system and steam generators in the reactor vessel has been designed since 2000. The investigations which have been done in 2002 are shown as follows; Safety analysis of UTOP considering uncertainty of reactivity. Possibility of reduction of number of control rods. Estimation of construction cost. Transient analyses of UTOP have been done in considering uncertainty of reactivity in order to show the inherent safety in the probabilistic method. And the inherent safety in UTOP is realized under the condition of considering uncertainty. Transient analyses of UTOP with various numbers of control rods have been done and it is suggested that there is possibility of reduction of the number of control rods considering accident managements. The method of cost estimation is a little modified. The cost of reactor vessel is estimated from that of medium sized lead-bismuth cooled reactor and the estimation of a purity control system is by coolant volume flow rate. The construction cost is estimated 850,000yen/kWe. (author)