Author: D. H. Lennox

Publisher:

Published: 1961

Total Pages: 78

ISBN-13:

Various reactor concepts were compared for use as a separate superheater which could be added on to an advanced 300-Mwe reactor producing saturated steam. Fossil steam plant superheat temperatures were used as a criterion for selecting nuclear superheat temperatures. Therefore, the performance specified for the superheater was a minimum exit steam temperature of 566 deg C (1050 deg F) when supplied with saturated steam at either 71 atm (1050 psia) or 167 atm (2450 psia). A preliminary screening of ten different reactor concepts resulted in the selection of two for a detailed evaluation. These are a direct-cycle, water-moderated reactor, and an indirect-cycle, sodium-cooled reactor. The steam- cooled, water-moderated system is judged to have the best chance for initially reaching 566 deg C (l050 deg F), whereas, the indirect-cycle, sodium-cooled system is considered best for subsequent advances to exploit the more efficient, high- pressure steam reheat cycles. A design concept was selected for each of the reactors to establish a basis for the detailed evaluations and comparisons.