DEEP POOL REACTORS FOR NUCLEAR DISTRICT-HEATING

New Deep Pool Reactors (DPRs) for nuclear district heating have been d esigned. The reactor core is put in a large and deep pool, utilizing s tatic water pressure to allow an outlet temperature of the core high e nough to meet the requirements of the heating system. In this design t he unpressurized reactor pool allows the high ratio of coolant volume to thermal power and the design of simple safety features. This is sup ported by the preference of passive over active components. These simp le structure and feasible technology ensure lower capital investment a nd lower cost of heat for power levels of 120 MW (thermal) or 200 MW ( thermal) commercial scale. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd.