Preliminary Research on Design of Traveling Wave Reactor

An engineering feasible conceptual core design of large scale（e.g. 1000 MWe output） TWR is proposed with investigation and qualitative optimization on the proper design of fuel element structure, fuel pellet, liquid metal filling gap, fuel assembly structure, core reflector and shielding and shutdown control rods. The optimized design presents a flatten radial neutron flux with a better equivalent state distribution, which means the long term burning state could be defined by initial core design and further corrected by the travelling wave progress. The optimized fuel structure improves the flow distribution between the central, parallel and corner channels. Furthermore, the power control of TWR could be implemented by the adjusting of coolant pump rotation speed as the change of coolant flow. Though the load rejection and power control between 15% to 100% nominal power could not be fulfilled by flow control without the participation of bank A control rods.