Natural-circulation cooling of loop-type LMFBR

The provision of adequate cooling of the core of the LMFBR reactor in the unlikely event of a failure on the forced coolant system is considered. Attention is drawn to the fact that natural circulation cooling capability depends on thermal-hydraulic design requirements which can be achieved in both loop and pool configurations. The cooling system of the Church River reactor, which operates by forced circulation of sodium through a three-loop heat transport system is examined, and the natural circulation capacity which the loop-type design is expected to exhibit under postulated emergency conditions is described. (U.K.)