Lead Coolant Test Facility—Design concept and requirements

The Idaho National Laboratory prepared a preliminary technical and functional requirements (T&FR), thermal hydraulic design and cost estimate for a Lead Coolant Test Facility. The purpose of this small scale facility is to simulate lead coolant fast reactor (LFR) coolant flow in an open lattice geometry core using seven electrical rods and liquid lead or lead–bismuth eutectic. Based on review of current world lead or lead–bismuth test facilities and research need listed in the Generation IV Roadmap, five broad areas of requirements are identified in this paper:
• Develop and demonstrate feasibility of submerged heat exchanger
• Develop and demonstrate open-lattice flow in electrically heated core
• Develop and demonstrate chemistry control
• Demonstrate safe operation
• Provision for future testingAcross these five broad areas are supported by twenty-one specific requirements. The purpose of this facility is to focus the lead fast reactor community domestically on the requirements for the next unique state of the art test facility. The facility thermal hydraulic design is based on the maximum simulated core power using seven electrical heater rods of 420 kW; average linear heat generation rate of 300 W/cm. The core inlet temperature for liquid lead or Pb/Bi eutectic is 420 °C. The design includes approximately seventy-five data measurements such as pressure, temperature, and flow rates. The preliminary estimated cost of construction of the facility is $3.7 M (in 2006 $). It is also estimated that the facility will require two years to be constructed and ready for operation.

► Conceptual design of Lead Coolant Test Facility.
► Technical and functional requirements for open-lattice flow geometry.
► Open lattice geometry similar to GEN IV lead cooled reactor.
► Total power 420 kW; average linear heat generation rate of 300 W/cm.
► Primary coolant lead (420–565 °C) and secondary fluid gas carbon dioxide (402 °C).