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Over the past two decades, small modular reactors (SMRs) have emerged as a transformative innovation in nuclear power, providing enhanced safety, scalability, and flexibility compared to traditional reactors [1]. A promising feature of these reactors is the indefinite decay heat removal. This paper presents the design methodology for designing an isolation condenser (IC) of boiling water-based small modular reactors (BWR-SMRs). As a critical safety component of the Passive Decay Heat Removal System (PDHRS), the main objective is to design an isolation condenser that can remove decay heat for an infinite duration during shutdown or accident scenarios, using the atmosphere as the ultimate heat sink. The methodology developed focuses on leveraging natural circulation [2] and gravity, which are fundamental principles of passive safety systems, to maintain safe reactor operation while minimizing core damage and radioactive release risks during shutdown and accidents [4]. Parametric modeling of the IC, which includes a heat exchanger immersed in a pool of water, was performed to evaluate key design parameters under varying operating conditions. Calculations were formulated using experimentally validated correlations and iterative optimization to determine these design parameters. This paper also discusses the BWR-SMR design, normal operational processes, and behavior during a Station Blackout, along with a detailed discussion of the IC’s function, operational characteristics, various components constituting a single IC heat exchange unit, and investigating key parameters influencing the IC’s design to obtain the design parameters for the isolation condensers using the proposed methodology. The obtained results demonstrate that the designed isolation condenser can effectively manage decay heat removal across different operating conditions, providing a blueprint for extending the application of passive safety systems in small modular reactors. The developed methodology offers a foundation for designing similar systems, ensuring heat removal for prolonged/infinite duration.

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Design of Isolation Condenser Systems (ICS) for Boiling Water Reactor-Based Small Modular Reactor (BWR-SMR)

  • 会议论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年

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  • Chetan Sharma,
  • Alok Kumar Vishnoi

摘要

Over the past two decades, small modular reactors (SMRs) have emerged as a transformative innovation in nuclear power, providing enhanced safety, scalability, and flexibility compared to traditional reactors [1]. A promising feature of these reactors is the indefinite decay heat removal. This paper presents the design methodology for designing an isolation condenser (IC) of boiling water-based small modular reactors (BWR-SMRs). As a critical safety component of the Passive Decay Heat Removal System (PDHRS), the main objective is to design an isolation condenser that can remove decay heat for an infinite duration during shutdown or accident scenarios, using the atmosphere as the ultimate heat sink. The methodology developed focuses on leveraging natural circulation [2] and gravity, which are fundamental principles of passive safety systems, to maintain safe reactor operation while minimizing core damage and radioactive release risks during shutdown and accidents [4]. Parametric modeling of the IC, which includes a heat exchanger immersed in a pool of water, was performed to evaluate key design parameters under varying operating conditions. Calculations were formulated using experimentally validated correlations and iterative optimization to determine these design parameters. This paper also discusses the BWR-SMR design, normal operational processes, and behavior during a Station Blackout, along with a detailed discussion of the IC’s function, operational characteristics, various components constituting a single IC heat exchange unit, and investigating key parameters influencing the IC’s design to obtain the design parameters for the isolation condensers using the proposed methodology. The obtained results demonstrate that the designed isolation condenser can effectively manage decay heat removal across different operating conditions, providing a blueprint for extending the application of passive safety systems in small modular reactors. The developed methodology offers a foundation for designing similar systems, ensuring heat removal for prolonged/infinite duration.