S6W reactor

USS Connecticut (SSN-22)

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
• W, Westinghouse was the contracted designer

History

This pressurized water reactor was prototyped in the land-based S8G plant at Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory's Kesselring Site in West Milton, NY starting in March 1994.

The three ships of the Seawolf-class submarine USS Seawolf (SSN-21), USS Connecticut (SSN-22), and USS Jimmy Carter (SSN-23) submarines were built with S6W reactors.

Design

The S6W has a thermal power output of 220 MW (300,000 hp) and a shaft power output of 43 MW (57,000 shp) through 2 steam turbines.[1][2] It is believed to be able to utilize natural circulation at a large fraction of its full power without coolant pumps,[2] which greatly reduces noise.[3]

References

1. Hanson, Brendan Patrick. "Validation of the Use of Low Enriched Uranium as a Replacement for Highly Enriched Uranium in US Submarine Reactors" (PDF). p. 32. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
2. "S6W Advanced Fleet Reactor". www.globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
3. "Evolution of Naval Reactor Design". large.stanford.edu. S5G - Natural Circulation. Retrieved 23 January 2023.