Thermal hydraulic research and development needs for lead fast reactors

Lead-cooled fast reactors (LFRs) have the potential to meet the future needs of developed and developing nations for proliferation resistant, passively safe, autonomous, modular battery plants that provide electricity or hydrogen and potable water. The Secure Transportable Autonomous Reactor (STAR) project at Argonne National Laboratory has developed 400 MWt reactor concepts cooled by molten lead. In the course of work on the concepts, extensive research and development needs have been identified. Thermal hydraulic R and D needs have been identified in the areas of: Pb temperatures and velocities in large open-lattice cores; stability of autonomous power-driven natural circulation; flow stratification and other 3-D effects with natural circulation during operational transients and postulated accidents; transient void and coolant dynamics and interactions following heat exchanger (HX) tube rupture, startup strategy and 3-D thermal hydraulic conditions during startup; HX thermal hydraulics; removal of reactor afterheat; fundament heat transfer tests; and supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle power conversion. (author)