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:

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. 1 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.
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