Autonomous Marine Power Source (AMPS)

[Voltzz]

I found short article in MILTECH on the AMPS, a Canadian project for a small scale nuclear reactor for use as air-independent-propulsion in submarines.
Further research turned up a couple of interesting studies, which i attached to this post.
THE AMPS 1000: AN ADVANCED REACTOR DESIGN FOR MARINE PROPULSION:

It has long been recognized that a key determinant of the worth of a submarine is the extent to which it can undertake submerged operations with long endurance. Considerable progress has been made in the development of the family of low power nuclear reactor-based systems known as the Autonomous Marine Power Source (AMPS). The AMPS is being developed for installation in a wide range of submarines, both civilian and military, to provide them with very long endurance atmosphere-independent power. The AMPS technology adapts advanced design principles of process-inherent reactor safety to the submarine environment. This permits significant plant simplification and minimum reliance on operator action for safe and effective operation. The AMPS 1000 version is designed expressly for integration in a range of modern 2000-tonne class diesel-electric naval submarines. The plant is rated to supply in excess of 1000 kWe to the submarine batteries, at seawater temperatures of up to 30 degrees celsius, in order to propel the submarine at speeds of up to 12 knots while supplying all ship service loads. The submarine would possess virtually unlimited submerged endurance at these speeds and, by maintaining its batteries fully charged, would retain the high-speed sprint capability of the baseline diesel-electric submarine.

THE AMPS 1.5 MW LOW-PRESSURE COMPACT REACTOR:

The 1.5-MWt reactor of the Autonomous Marine Power Source (AMPS) is designed to meet the unusual requirements of its
first application, namely, to provide for a net output of 100 kWe on board an air-independent, manned, submarine vehicle, in
a safe and reliable manner, in the absence of continuous operator surveillance. The reactor, designed to conform to space and
weight limits on the order of 30 cubic metres and 70 tonnes, delivers its thermal output to Freon Rankine-cycle engines at
thermodynamically useful temperatures, without either the benefit or the safety implications of a pressurized heat transport
medium. The AMPS reactor embraces several inherent safety features conditioned on the marine environment, both mobile
and work station.

 

[Scott Kenny]

30 cubic meters has got to include shielding...

A 100kWe generator should cover the service electrical load, so you can just lurk on the bottom creeping along.