Master plan and current status for feasibility study on thermal/hydraulic performance of reduced-moderation water reactor

Onuki, Akira; Takase, Kazuyuki; Kureta, Masatoshi*; Yoshida, Hiroyuki  ; Tamai, Hidesada; Liu, W.; Nakatsuka, Toru  ; Misawa, Takeharu; Akimoto, Hajime

R&D project to investigate thermal-hydraulic performance in tight-lattice rod bundles for Reduced-Moderation Water Reactor (RMWR) is started at Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute in collaboration with power company, reactor vendors, universities since 2002. The RMWR can attain the favorable characteristics such as effective utilization of uranium resources, multiple recycling of plutonium, high burn-up and long operation cycle, based on matured LWR technologies. The confirmation of thermal-hydraulic feasibility is one of the most important R&D items for the RMWR because of the tight-lattice configuration. In this paper, we will show the R&D plan and describe some advances on experimental and analytical studies. Steady-state and transient critical power experiments have been conducted with two 37-rod bundle test facilities (Gap width between rods: 1.3mm and 1.0mm) and the experimental data reveal the feasibility of RMWR.