DESIGN AND SAFETY ANALYSIS OF A NAVAL REACTOR FOR NUCLEAR POWERED SHIP

Abstract

The development of alternate sources of propulsion power is necessary because of the increasing demand for electricity, environmental concerns, the strain on fossil fuels, as well as pollution prevention and carbon emission control. Hence, in order to optimize propulsion power, it is decided in this study aims to present a nuclear naval small modular reactor in an existing merchant ship. The main idea is to reconsider whether nuclear propulsion is appropriate for merchant ships. Finally, the operational economics of nuclear ships have been compared to those of diesel ships. After a comparison of the available nuclear reactors, the KLT-40S small modular reactor is chosen due to its smaller size, lower power, and higher safety standards. Criticality analysis of the MONK simulation findings indicates that the KLT-40S reactor core is capable of operating for a 10-year period without refueling. The crews' necessary safety needs have been the subject of safety analysis, and additional safety measures for the marine nuclear environment have been recommended. Based on Rad Pro simulations, a plausible shield's safety design is proposed. In this study, it is found that a reactor shield made of 100 cm of polyethylene and 30 cm of lead worked better than steel at limiting radiation rates to 1 mSv/h. A performance evaluation tools model, which permits comparison of the nuclear commercial ship to a ship fueled by diesel, is used to examine the economic viability of the vessel. Finally, it can be concluded that, even with conservative assumptions about a high fuel price and capital cost, a nuclearpowered ship is a workable substitute for a diesel ship throughout the course of the ship's lifetime.