The IRIS Spool-Type Reactor Coolant Pump

IRIS (International Reactor Innovative and Secure) is a light water cooled, 335 MWe power reactor which is being designed by an international consortium as part of the US DOE NERI Program. IRIS features an integral reactor vessel that contains all the major reactor coolant system components including the reactor core, the coolant pumps, the steam generators and the pressurizer. This integral design approach eliminates the large coolant loop piping, and thus eliminates large loss-of-coolant accidents (LOCAs) as well as the individual component pressure vessels and supports. In addition, IRIS is being designed with a long life core and enhanced safety to address the requirements defined by the US DOE for Generation IV reactors. One of the innovative features of the IRIS design is the adoption of a reactor coolant pump (called “spool” pump) which is completely contained inside the reactor vessel. Background, status and future developments of the IRIS spool pump are presented in this paper.