Design concepts of supercritical water-cooled reactor (SCWR) and nuclear marine vessel: A review

Supercritical Water-Cooled Reactors (SCWRs) conception has been developing as promising advanced nuclear systems in recent decades around the globe because of its many desirable features. It has many potential advantages include high thermal efficiency (~45% in comparison to ~33% efficiency of present Light Water Reactors), relative simplicity in plant construction with high power density, which eventually would decrease the investment expenses so that the reactor economy will be improved. SCWR is the only direct upgrade version of the Generation III water-cooled reactor using water as a coolant material amongst the six reactor types being studied by the GEN-IV International Forum (GIF). Generally, SCWR design is broadly categorized as (i) pressure-vessel type and (ii) pressure-tube type. Japan first suggested the pressure-vessel type concept and then by the Euratom partnership. The pressure tube idea was proposed by Canada first, and therefore it is named Canadian SCWR. These two concepts have several similar characteristics; outer pressure and temperatures, selection of steam cycle, features of materials, and heat transfer. In the present work, a critical analysis of existing SCWR conceptual designs was performed. An assessment of these land-based designs and a review of current models of nuclear submarine and ship were conducted. Also, considering the operating conditions and performance requirements of performance for ships, an optimal design of SCWR for ships was proposed. So far, pressurized water-saturated steam nuclear power plants have been demonstrated to be reliable marine power plants. Further technology and design improvements have been made to make LWR plants competitive for a large number of marine applications. The conceptual design of SCWR for ship application, which is preliminarily discussed in this paper, could represent potential progress in marine life technology. This advancement is supposed to result from a significant reduction in plant size, weight, and hopefully, capital and operating costs. The confirmation of this design necessitates extensive analysis and experiments. •Summarized the conceptual designs of SCWR with particular focus on the Japanese, European and Canadian reactors.•Surveyed literature on the existing designs of nuclear ship and submarine.•A possible use of SCWR in marine vessels for propulsion is discussed.•The literature on the application of SCWR in nuclear ship and submarine is very limited.•Additional resear