Design evaluation of the 40-cm (16-inch) primary burner system

An evaluation is given of the design of the existing 40-cm (16-in.) engineering-scale primary burner system in the HTGR reprocessing cold pilot plant at General Atomic Co. The purpose of this evaluation is to assess the suitability of the existing design as a prototype of the HTGR Recycle Demonstration Facility (HRDF) primary burner system and to recommend alternatives where the existing design is thought to be unsuitable as a prototype. This evaluation has led to recommendations for the parallel development of two integrated design concepts for a prototype primary burner system. One concept utilizes the existing burner heating and cooling sub-systems in order to minimize development risk, but simplifies a number of other features associated with remote maintenance and burner operation. The other concept, which offers maximum cost reduction, utilizes direct contact hot gas heating and internal gas cooling of the burner, but requires considerable development to reduce the risk to acceptable limits. These concepts, as well as other design alternatives, are described and evaluated.