General Electric developed the concept of liquid-metal cooled reactors.[1] Liquid metal reactors are more power dense and compact than pressurized water reactors.[2] Liquid reactors run the risk of the coolant solidifying if the temperature drops too low.[2] In LMRs the coolant is radioactive.[2]
[[Seawolf Class Submarine]] – used a liquid sodium-cooled reactor
S1G Reactor – sodium-cooled
[[Poseidon Torpedo]] – will use an 8MW LMR
Pressurized Water Reactors – LMR reactors have a higher power density and is more
[[Lead-Bismuth Fast Reactors]]
[[K-377]] – coolant solidified in 1972
[[Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactors]]
[[Radionuclide Inventory]] – formed by the reaction of the neutron moderators with the coolant
Sources
- [1] M. Ragheb, “Nuclear Naval Propulsion,” in Nuclear Power – Deployment, Operation and Sustainability, P. Tsvetkov, Ed., InTech, 2011. doi: 10.5772/19007.
- [2] S. Høibråten et al., ENVIRONMENTAL RISK ASSESSMENT FOR NON-DEFUELLED, DECOMMISSIONED NUCLEAR SUBMARINES. 2007. doi: 10.13140/RG.2.1.1660.7124.
Backlinks
[[General Electric]]
Submarine Reactors