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The High Performance Light Water Reactor (HPLWR), how the European Supercritical Water Cooled Reactor is called, is a pressure vessel type reactor operated with supercritical water at 25 MPa feedwater pressure and 500 degrees C average core outlet temperature. It is designed and analyzed by a European consortium of 10 partners and 3 active supporters from 8 Euratom member states in the second phase of the HPLWR project. Most emphasis has been laid on a core with a thermal neutron spectrum, consisting of small fuel assemblies in boxes with 40 fuel pins each and a central water box to improve the neutron moderation despite the low coolant density. Peak cladding temperatures of the fuel rods have been minimized by heating up the coolant in three steps with intermediate coolant mixing. The containment design with its safety and residual heat removal systems is based on the latest boiling water reactor concept, but with different passive high pressure coolant injection systems to cause a forced convection through the core. The design concept of the steam cycle is indicating the envisaged efficiency increase to around 44%. Moreover, it provides the constraints to design the components of the balance of the plant. The project is accompanied by numerical studies of heat transfer of supercritical water in fuel assemblies and by material tests of candidate cladding alloys, performed by the consortium and supported by additional tests of the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission. Besides the scientific and technical progress, the HPLWR project turned out to be most successful in training the young generation of nuclear engineers in the technologies of light water reactors. More than 20 bachelor or master theses and more than 10 doctoral theses on HPLWR technologies have been submitted at partner organizations of this consortium since the start of this project., QC 20111115

The High Performance Light Water Reactor (HPLWR) is a Light Water Reactor (LWR) operating at supercritical pressure (p>22.1 MPa). In Europe, investigations on the HPLWR have been integrated into a joint research project, called High Performance Light Water Reactor Phase 2 (HPLWR Phase 2), which is co-funded by the European Commission. Within the second year of the project, the design of the reactor core, the pressure vessel and its internals have been analysed in detail by means of advanced codes and methods. The mechanical design has been assessed and shows that stresses inside components and possible deformations keep within acceptable limits. The neutronics and the flow inside the core have been investigated. The addition of a water layer in the reflector helps to flatten the radial power profile. The moderator flow path must be changed because of possible reverse flow in the gaps between the assemblies (downward flow). First calculations of transients showed an acceptable behaviour of the cladding temperatures. Material oxidation experiments were successfully performed. The auxiliary loop of the Supercritical Water Loop has been constructed. Heat transfer has been investigated numerically analysing heat transfer deterioration (HTD) and flow around fuel pins with wire wrap spacers., QC 20150420

The High Performance Light Water Reactor (HPLWR) is a Light Water Reactor (LWR) operating at supercritical pressure (25MPa). It belongs to the six reactors currently being investigated under the framework of the Generation IV International Forum. In Europe, investigations on the HPLWR have been integrated into a joint research project, called High Performance Light Water Reactor Phase 2 (HPLWR Phase 2), which is co-funded by the European Commission. Within 42 months, ten partners from eight European countries working on critical scientific issues shall show the feasibility of the HPLWR concept. The final goal is to assess the future potential of this reactor in the electricity market. Within the first year of the project, mainly design tasks of the reactor core, the pressure vessel and its internals have been carried out and codes were adapted for supercritical fluid. Material oxidation experiments were performed and heat transfer was investigated numerically., QC 20141024

The High Performance Light Water Reactor (HPLWR) is a Light Water Reactor (LWR) operating at supercritical pressure (25MPa). It belongs to the six reactors currently being investigated under the framework of the Generation IV International Forum. The most visible advantage of the HPLWR shall be the low construction costs in the order of1000€/kWe, because of size reduction of components and buildings compared to current LWR, and the low electricity production costs which are targeted at 3-4cents/kWh. In Europe, investigations on the HPLWR have been integrated into a joint research project, called High Performance Light Water Reactor Phase 2 (HPLWR Phase 2), which is co-funded by the European Commission. Within 42 months, ten partners from eight European countries working on critical scientific issues shall show the feasibility of the HPLWR concept. The final goal is to assess the future potential of this reactor in the electricity market., QC 20141020