by Dr. Robert Schleicher of General Atomics
Link To Presentation
ABSTRACT
The principal design objectives for EM2 are to achieve an economically
competitive power source that improves resource utilization, reduces waste
and meets a self-imposed high standard of safety. In order to meet this
challenge, EM2 departs from traditional nuclear technologies and embraces
technical advances in materials, physics design, power conversion, control
and passive safety methods.
EM2 is a modular helium-cooled fast reactor with a 265MWe net output.
It uses a combined Brayton-Rankine cycle to achieve a net conversion
efficiency of 53%. The core is designed for a 30 year fuel life without
refueling or reshuffling. The convert-and-burn neutronics design reduces
the rate of once-through high-level waste production by 80% relative to an LWR.
It also enables the core to be multi-fuel capable including LEU, natural
and depleted U, Th and spent LWR fuel. The base fuel is in the form of UC
pellets with SiC composite cladding. These materials allow a high power
density and a core outlet temperature of 850 deg C for high efficiency.
General Atomics (GA) has a bench-scale fuel fabrication facility for making
both EM2 fuel pellets and cladding.
GA cladding materials have been irradiated in ORNL’s HFIR to demonstrate
the desired irradiation saturation behavior. The design is highly
modularized not only reduce cost but also the risks associated with
construction cost and schedule.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Dr. Schleicher is senior scientist at General Atomics, where he has been
an employee for 40 years. During this time, he has been a contributor in
the fission, magnetic and inertial fusion and high energy laser fields.
At present, he is the project manager, co-inventor and technical leader for
the EM2 nuclear reactor, an advanced helium-cooled, convert & burn, fast
reactor.
He has recently returned to the fission community after 20-years in other
fields. He spent 10 years developing innovative solid-state lasers and
is the co-inventor of the HELLADS, high power military laser. Prior to
that time he worked in the Fusion Division and was appointed to the ITER
Joint Central Team where he was responsible for tokamak electrical
systems.
Now he is working to cross-fertilize technologies and materials from other
fields with nuclear fission. The outcome of this effort is the EM2 nuclear
plant that uses new materials to produce energy from nuclear waste. He has
a Ph.D. from Cornell University in Applied Physics. He is the author or
co-author of over 40 articles and papers on advanced energy production
technologies.
Election of Officers for July 2014 - June 2015
We will also hold election of our officers for the term
July 2014 - June 2015. A separate notice will follow for SDS-ANS members
with information about this election.
We will be at our usual venue:
The Hungry Hunter Steakhouse
1221 Vista Way (intersection of I-5 and Highway 78)
Oceanside, CA 92054-6452 (760) 433-2633
The restaurant offers 4 choices for dinner: beef - salmon - chicken - vegetarian
Please indicate your choice in your RSVP
Please RSVP by Wednesday, July 16, 2014.
Reply via email to sandiegoans@yahoo.com
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