Design and safety features of the AMPS nuclear electric plant

This paper describes the key design features of the Automous Marine Power Source (AMPS) plant with special emphasis on safety aspects. The AMPS plant, initially conceived for commercial submarine applications, utilizes a low pressure, low temperature reactor heat source coupled to a low temperature organic Rankin cycle engine generating electric power. The strategy employed in the design of AMPS has been to identify design features which are conducive to minimize design and operating complexity and enhancing safety and reliability. A number of innovations vital to meet the special demands of the AMPS application have been incorporated in its design. The Autonomous Marine Power Source plants have a number of intrinsic safety features designed to minimize the likelihood of fuel failures or core damage as a consequence of fuel overheating following postulated design basis accidents. The AMPS development programme which is underway since 1985 has also been described in this paper. (author)