Evaluation of Launch Accident Safety Options for Low-Power Surface Reactors

Safety options for surface reactors of less than 800 kW (thermal power) are analyzed. The concepts under consideration are heat pipe cooled reactors fueled with either uranium nitride or uranium dioxide. This study investigates the impact of launch accident criteria on the system mass, while ensuring the mechanical integrity and reliability of the system through launch accident scenarios. The four criticality scenarios analyzed for shutdown determination are dry sand surround with reflectors stripped, water submersion on concrete, water submersion with all control drums in, and the nominal shutdown reactor condition. Additionally the following two operational criteria are analyzed: reactor is warm and swelled, and reactor is warm and swelled with one drum in (where swelled includes both thermal mechanical expansion and irradiation induced swelling of the fuel).