Over the last 40 years, KEPCO E&C has been offering full scope engineering services in nuclear power business.
It was in the early 2010s that KEPCO E&C realized the future potential of the small modular reactor (SMR) and launched SMR development project in accordance with the global market and R&D trends. IAEA sees the global market value up to 350 billion US dollar with 1,000 more units deployed by the year 2050.
Among wide spectrum of SMR applications, KEPCO E&C has focused on the option for a marine floating nuclear power plant and set up associated business plan and R&D roadmap. Recently, a conceptual design of its own SMR, BANDI-60S, a pressurized water reactor (PWR) with 60 MWe power, has been proposed based on proven and mature technologies. Rather than competing with large land-based nuclear or fossil power plants that are optimized for centralized electrical grids, BANDI-60S would find its way in non-conventional nd/or niche applications: for instance, distributed electricity and heat supply, sea water desalination, nuclear-renewable hybrid energy systems, etc.
BANDI-60S is a so-called ‘block-type’ reactor in which steam generators (SGs) and the reactor vessel (RV) are directly connected ‘nozzle-to-nozzle’ eliminating large coolant pipes and their accidental break possibility. In addition, the reactor coolant pumps are directly mounted on the SG lower head and the pressurizer is integrated into the upper portion of the RV. The block-type arrangement would provide simpler design and manufacturing, easier surveillance and maintenance, and enhanced scalability.
The safety of BANDI-60S is ensured by utilizing full passive safety systems not requiring any safety grade power sources except batteries. BANDI-60S operates without soluble boron eliminating concerns of material corrosion and boron treatment facility in the conventional PWR plants. To cope with the control element assembly ejection accident and to prevent RV failure through the in-core instrumentation (ICI) nozzles at the RV bottom during severe accident, the control element drive mechanisms (CEDMs) are located inside the RV and the ICI nozzles are mounted on top of the RV head, respectively.
Reactor and RCS Configuration of BANDI-60S
- Key Design Features
- Reactor typePWR
- Thermal/electrical capacity (MWt/MWe)200/60
- Primary flow circulationForced
- Extended refuelling cycle of 4~5 years
- Soluble boron-free operation
- CEDM installed inside the RV (in-vessel CEDM)
- ICI nozzles mounted on the RV upper head (top-mounted ICI)
- Passive safety features for core cooling and residual heat removal
- Reactor coolant pump with leak-tight canned motor
- Pressurizer integrated into the RV upper region.