Tribology of hydrostatic bearings of coolant pumps of fast neutron reactors with lead coolant

The paper describes the results of developing substantiated designs of hydrostatic bearings for coolant pumps of new-model fast neutron reactors with lead coolant. Analytical assessments of the properties of the high-temperature (450–550°C) lead coolant, which affect the serviceability of sliding bearings of submerged pumps of reactor circuits, are made. The choice of the hydrostatic bearing as the basic variant in the BREST-300 reactor is shown to be well founded. Experimental and calculation-theoretical studies are carried out for water and liquid heavy metal coolants to determine hydrodynamic and other characteristics of various members of the hydrostatic bearing. The results of the full-scale experiment are compared with the data calculated by the known methods. Two basic optimal variants of the design of the hydrostatic bearing are studied experimentally in water and high-temperature lead melt. The results of the experimental and calculation-theoretical studies are used to refine the available method for the calculation of hydrostatic bearings and develop recommendations for the optimal design schemes of such bearings as applied to conditions of reactors with the lead coolant.