S8G reactor
Encyclopedia
The S8G reactor is a naval reactor
used by the United States Navy
to provide electricity generation
and propulsion
on warship
s. The S8G designation stands for:
This nuclear reactor
utilizes natural circulation
which is capable of operating at a significant fraction of full power without reactor coolant
pump
s.
The S8G reactor was designed by General Electric for use on the Ohio class
(SSGN/SSBN-726 class) submarines. A land-based prototype of the reactor plant was built at Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory
's Kesselring Site in West Milton, NY
. The prototype was used for testing and crew training throughout the 1980s. In 1994, the core was replaced with an S6W reactor
, designed for the then-new Seawolf class submarine.
The prototype is equipped with a high speed reactor fill system that can flood the reactor compartment with borated water in the event of a loss of coolant accident.
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 S8G 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 - 8 = Eighth 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...
utilizes natural circulation
Natural circulation
Natural circulation refers to the ability of a fluid in a system to circulate continuously, with gravity and changes in heat energy being the only driving force. This force is known as "thermal head" or "thermal driving head."...
which is capable of operating at a significant fraction of full power without reactor coolant
Coolant
A coolant is a fluid which flows through a device to prevent its overheating, transferring the heat produced by the device to other devices that use or dissipate it. An ideal coolant has high thermal capacity, low viscosity, is low-cost, non-toxic, and chemically inert, neither causing nor...
pump
Pump
A pump is a device used to move fluids, such as liquids, gases or slurries.A pump displaces a volume by physical or mechanical action. Pumps fall into three major groups: direct lift, displacement, and gravity pumps...
s.
The S8G reactor was designed by General Electric for use on the Ohio class
Ohio class submarine
The Ohio class is a class of nuclear-powered submarines used by the United States Navy. The United States has 18 Ohio-class submarines:...
(SSGN/SSBN-726 class) submarines. A land-based prototype of the reactor plant was built 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, NY
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....
. The prototype was used for testing and crew training throughout the 1980s. In 1994, the core was replaced with an S6W reactor
S6W reactor
The S6W reactor is a naval reactor used by the United States Navy to provide electricity generation and propulsion on warships. The S6W designation stands for:* S = Submarine platform* 6 = Sixth generation core designed by the contractor...
, designed for the then-new Seawolf class submarine.
The prototype is equipped with a high speed reactor fill system that can flood the reactor compartment with borated water in the event of a loss of coolant accident.