Evaluation of accident mitigation capability of passive core and containment cooling systems of i-SMR under representative LOCA and non-LOCA conditions

IF 2.6 3区工程技术 Q1 NUCLEAR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Nuclear Engineering and Technology Pub Date : 2025-02-22 DOI:10.1016/j.net.2025.103556

Chang Hyun Song , JinHo Song , Sung Joong Kim

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

The global climate crisis has accelerated efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions in the energy sector. While renewable energy faces limits in capacity and high costs, nuclear power offers a low-carbon, reliable baseload alternative and has been included in the EU Green Taxonomy since 2023 as a top option for achieving net-zero targets. Meeting heightened safety standards in nuclear power plants (NPPs) and rising electricity demand driven by AI has spurred strong interest in small modular reactors (SMRs) equipped with advanced passive safety systems. A standout example is Korea's innovative SMR (i-SMR), which delivers 170 MWe and is engineered to enhance safety by over 1000 times compared to traditional NPPs, with core damage frequency and early release frequency below 1.0E-09 and 1.0E-10 per module-year, respectively. Using the MELCOR code, this study evaluates the i-SMR's passive cooling systems under LOCA and non-LOCA conditions. The results confirm these systems can maintain reactor core and fuel integrity for 72 h post-accident without operator intervention, showcasing the high efficacy of the i-SMR's passive safety systems.

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来源期刊

Nuclear Engineering and Technology 工程技术-核科学技术

CiteScore

4.80

自引率

7.40%

发文量

431

审稿时长

3.5 months

期刊介绍： Nuclear Engineering and Technology (NET), an international journal of the Korean Nuclear Society (KNS), publishes peer-reviewed papers on original research, ideas and developments in all areas of the field of nuclear science and technology. NET bimonthly publishes original articles, reviews, and technical notes. The journal is listed in the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) of Thomson Reuters. NET covers all fields for peaceful utilization of nuclear energy and radiation as follows: 1) Reactor Physics 2) Thermal Hydraulics 3) Nuclear Safety 4) Nuclear I&C 5) Nuclear Physics, Fusion, and Laser Technology 6) Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Radioactive Waste Management 7) Nuclear Fuel and Reactor Materials 8) Radiation Application 9) Radiation Protection 10) Nuclear Structural Analysis and Plant Management & Maintenance 11) Nuclear Policy, Economics, and Human Resource Development