Hallam Nuclear Power Facility Prototype for Advanced Sodium-Cooled Power Stations

The sodium-cooled graphitemoderated nuclear reactor concept is described. The Hallam Nuclear Power Facility (HNPF) for producing superheated steam to generate 75 electrical megawatts (mwe) net power represents a significant step toward the ultimate capabilities of this concept. A larger plant design, capable of 360-mwe gross output, is also presented. The advanced design is expected to produce steam thermodynamically comparable to modern steam plants economically competitive with fossil fueled stations in many areas of the United States. Two important characteristics of the sodium-cooled reactor concept are the excellent heat ransfer properties of liquid sodium and the inherent safety of a low-pressure reactor system. These characteristics are utilized extensively in this concept to minimize total power cost.