Sealer-Am, a Small Lead-Cooled Generation IV Reactor

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J. Wallenius

Abstract

The first condition that a Generation IV reactor should meet is to minimise waste. Most small reactors that are under consideration for deployment in Canada are designed for use with enriched uranium without recycle of their spent fuel, and are therefore not meeting this criterion, including the SEALER design of LeadCold. In this contribution, a passively safe minor actinide burning version of SEALER is presented. SEALER-Am is an 8 MWe lead-cooled reactor capable of burning 25 kg of minor actinides per TWh thermal power. Moreover, it functions as an iso-breeder and produces a plutonium unsuitable for weapons production. It is shown to be passively safe and minimises costs for fuel management, decay heat removal and steel inventory. Hence, it attempts to meet all conditions defined by GIF for being a true Generation IV reactor.

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