Conceptual design of small innovative helium-xenon cooled mobile nuclear power system

Small nuclear power systems exhibit strong adaptability, safety, and efficiency, which can play an important role in many fields such as transportation, military, and natural disaster rescue. Conventional power generation methods usually encounter several challenging problems such as low efficiency, fuel supply issues and safety risks. These problems can be solved by the implementation of small nuclear power system which show great potential for future applications. To meet the demand for land-based mobile nuclear reactor, this paper proposed a conceptual design of the Small Innovative helium-xenon cooled MObile Nuclear power System (SIMONS). A simple regenerative cycle was employed in the design of SIMONS, in which key components such as reactor core, compressor, turbine, recuperator, and precooler are included. To estimate and optimize the volume and mass of the system, a design methodology for a solid-state reactor core was presented integrating single channel model and Monte Carlo codes. For the recuperator and precooler, an optimization of volume and mass were carried out based on a sensitivity analysis of heat exchanger efficiency and pressure loss. Preliminary designs of compressor and turbine were also proposed using the one-dimensional mean-line method. A simple regenerative cycle was selected for the energy conversion system. The analysis models of all components, including heat exchangers, turbomachinery and reactor core, are integrated into an overall design framework. An optimization strategy is established to improve system design, evaluating and analyzing system performance and component dimensions at various power levels. The overall design of SIMONS, capable of outputting 8MWe was finally proposed.