Ansaldo Nuclear of Italy has won a contract to design, install and operate two experimental facilities that will be part of Westinghouse Electric Company’ development programme for its lead-cooled fast reactor (LFR).
Ansaldo Nucleare said it will test prototypical high-priority components at the versatile lead loop facility (VLF) and will demonstrate and validate a passive heat removal system through a second, dedicated facility referred to as PHRF. Both the VLF and the PHRF will be designed and installed at Ansaldo Nuclear’s site in Wolverhampton, UK.
The Westinghouse LFR is one of three projects which progressed to phase two of the UK government’s advanced modular reactor feasibility and development project.
Ansaldo Nucleare said it will test prototypical high-priority components at the versatile lead loop facility (VLF) and will demonstrate and validate a passive heat removal system through a second, dedicated facility referred to as PHRF. Both the VLF and the PHRF will be designed and installed at Ansaldo Nuclear’s site in Wolverhampton, UK.
The Westinghouse LFR is one of three projects which progressed to phase two of the UK government’s advanced modular reactor feasibility and development project.
Following a £10m government investment, Westinghouse will now set out to demonstrate the feasibility of key LFR’s materials, systems and components.
The VLF will play a crucial role in the development of the Westinghouse LFR. Even though it will contain no actual nuclear material, the VLF will test a fuel pin bundle simulator, a compact heat exchanger and a coolant pump, resembling those that will be installed in the reactor coolant system.
The PHRF facility will characterise the passive decay heat removal system of the Westinghouse LFR, producing experimental data for the qualification of computer codes devoted to performance assessment.
