S3G reactor
Encyclopedia
The S3G reactor is a naval reactor
used by the United States Navy
to provide electricity generation
and propulsion
on warship
s. The S3G designation stands for:
This nuclear reactor
generates 78 MW. It consists of a highly enriched uranium
core with a 2-loop pressurized water reactor
. This design, designated as S4G, was used for the two reactors on the USS Triton (SSRN-586)
; no other ships used this reactor plant. The plant had unique design features such as horizontal steam generator U-tubes, and it was one of the only submarine plants with a deareating feed tank
(DFT).
A prototype reactor was built ashore at Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory
's Kesselring Site in West Milton, New York
in 1958 to test the reactor design. Once the design was proven, the prototype continued operation to train students and test new systems and materials. This prototype training reactor was taken off line in 1992 and subsequently decommissioned.
Although the design of the entire S3G reactor plant (core, piping, pumps, etc.) saw only limited use, a design version of the reactor core ("S3G3" or "S3G core 3") was later used for replacement cores for the Navy's 100 S5W reactor
plants when refueled. Another unique feature of the S3G core 3 was the use of "Y" shaped control rods versus the standard cruciform
control rods used in the S5W core. The core also utilized a rod configuration called "skewed divergent". Think of a bunch of pencils in a bundle twisted at a plane. This allowed more rods to be used in the allotted space.
United States Naval reactor
United States Naval reactor refers to nuclear reactors used by the United States Navy aboard certain ships to produce power for propulsion, electric power, catapulting airplanes in aircraft carriers, and a few more minor uses. Such Naval nuclear reactors have a complete power plant associated with...
used by the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
to provide electricity generation
Electricity generation
Electricity generation is the process of generating electric energy from other forms of energy.The fundamental principles of electricity generation were discovered during the 1820s and early 1830s by the British scientist Michael Faraday...
and propulsion
Nuclear marine propulsion
Nuclear marine propulsion is propulsion of a ship by a nuclear reactor. Naval nuclear propulsion is propulsion that specifically refers to naval warships...
on warship
Warship
A warship is a ship that is built and primarily intended for combat. Warships are usually built in a completely different way from merchant ships. As well as being armed, warships are designed to withstand damage and are usually faster and more maneuvrable than merchant ships...
s. The S3G designation stands for:
- S = SubmarineSubmarineA submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
platform - 3 = Third generation coreNuclear reactor coreA nuclear reactor core is the portion of a nuclear reactor containing the nuclear fuel components where the nuclear reactions take place.- Description :...
designed by the contractor - G = General ElectricGeneral ElectricGeneral Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
was the contracted designer
This nuclear reactor
Nuclear reactor
A nuclear reactor is a device to initiate and control a sustained nuclear chain reaction. Most commonly they are used for generating electricity and for the propulsion of ships. Usually heat from nuclear fission is passed to a working fluid , which runs through turbines that power either ship's...
generates 78 MW. It consists of a highly enriched uranium
Enriched uranium
Enriched uranium is a kind of uranium in which the percent composition of uranium-235 has been increased through the process of isotope separation. Natural uranium is 99.284% 238U isotope, with 235U only constituting about 0.711% of its weight...
core with a 2-loop pressurized water reactor
Pressurized water reactor
Pressurized water reactors constitute a large majority of all western nuclear power plants and are one of three types of light water reactor , the other types being boiling water reactors and supercritical water reactors...
. This design, designated as S4G, was used for the two reactors on the USS Triton (SSRN-586)
USS Triton (SSRN-586)
USS Triton , a United States Navy nuclear-powered radar picket submarine, was the first vessel to execute a submerged circumnavigation of the Earth , doing so in early 1960. Triton accomplished this objective during her shakedown cruise while under the command of Captain Edward L. "Ned" Beach, Jr...
; no other ships used this reactor plant. The plant had unique design features such as horizontal steam generator U-tubes, and it was one of the only submarine plants with a deareating feed tank
Deareating feed tank
A Deaerating Feed Tank , often found in steam plants that propel ships, is located after the main condensate pump and before the main feed booster pump....
(DFT).
A prototype reactor was built ashore at Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory
Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory
Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory is a research and development facility dedicated to the support of the US Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. KAPL is a government-owned, contractor operated laboratory run by Bechtel Marine Propulsion Corporation for the United States Department of Energy. KAPL is...
's Kesselring Site in West Milton, New York
Milton (town), New York
Milton is a town in Saratoga County, New York, USA. The population was 17,103 at the 2000 census. Some believe that the town was named after the poet, John Milton, while other sources state that it is a shortening of "Mill-town" for the early mill activity....
in 1958 to test the reactor design. Once the design was proven, the prototype continued operation to train students and test new systems and materials. This prototype training reactor was taken off line in 1992 and subsequently decommissioned.
Although the design of the entire S3G reactor plant (core, piping, pumps, etc.) saw only limited use, a design version of the reactor core ("S3G3" or "S3G core 3") was later used for replacement cores for the Navy's 100 S5W reactor
S5W reactor
The S5W reactor is a nuclear reactor used by the United States Navy to provide electricity generation and propulsion on warships. The S5W designation stands for:* S = Submarine platform* 5 = Fifth generation core designed by the contractor...
plants when refueled. Another unique feature of the S3G core 3 was the use of "Y" shaped control rods versus the standard cruciform
Cruciform
Cruciform means having the shape of a cross or Christian cross.- Cruciform architectural plan :This is a common description of Christian churches. In Early Christian, Byzantine and other Eastern Orthodox forms of church architecture this is more likely to mean a tetraconch plan, a Greek cross,...
control rods used in the S5W core. The core also utilized a rod configuration called "skewed divergent". Think of a bunch of pencils in a bundle twisted at a plane. This allowed more rods to be used in the allotted space.