S6G reactor
{{Short description|Naval nuclear reactor used by US Navy}}
{{More citations needed|date=December 2016}}
The S6G reactor is a naval reactor used by the United States Navy to provide electricity generation and propulsion on {{sclass|Los Angeles|submarine|0}} attack submarines. The S6G designation stands for:
- S = Submarine platform
- 6 = Sixth generation core designed by the contractor
- G = General Electric was the contracted designer
Design
The S6G reactor was designed by Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory under a contract with General Electric for use on the {{sclass|Los Angeles|submarine|0}} attack submarines. The S6G reactor plant consists of the reactor coolant, steam generation, and other support systems that supply steam to the engine room. The S6G is a 165 megawatt (MW) reactor driving two 26 MW steam turbines.[http://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/non-power-nuclear-applications/transport/nuclear-powered-ships.aspx World-nuclear.org]- Retrieved 2018-05-13
The Los Angeles-class engine room also contains the steam turbines that generate electricity and drive the propeller shaft.[http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ship/eng/reactor.html Nuclear Propulsion] While exact specifications are classified, the S6G reactor can propel a Los Angeles-class submarine at over {{convert|15|kn|km/h|lk=in}} when surfaced and over {{convert|25|kn|km/h}} while submerged.
The S6G reactor plant was originally designed to use the D1G-2 core, similar to the D2G reactor used on the {{sclass|Bainbridge|cruiser|0}} guided missile cruiser. All Los Angeles-class submarines from {{USS|Providence|SSN-719}} on were built with a D2W core. The D1G-2 cores are being replaced with D2W cores when the boats are refueled.