Conceptual design of multi-purpose heat reactor "nuclear heat generator"

Small heat reactors can apply to on site demand such as district heat and a ir conditioning, industrial process heat, greenhouse, and seawater desalina tion in urban and rural areas. The purpose of this paper is to design conce ptually a multipurpose reactor named "Nuclear Heat Generator (NHG)" which c ould be installed in energy consuming area. The reactor of 1MWt output is d esigned without any needs for fuel exchange and decommissioning on site. Th is cassette typed reactor vessel with sealing is transported to specified f uel fabrication shop every 3 to 4 years in order to exchange used fuels. St eam generators are involved in the self-pressurized integrated reactor with natural circulation. Generated steam pressure from heating reactor is 0.88 MPa (saturated) which is so less than that of current water reactors. Unde r low steam pressure it is considerably easy to make design of containment vessel and safety device. For economic competition overcoming scale demerit it will be necessary for the cassette type reactor to optimize its system design for the multi-production effect as well as modular construction and recycling system. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.