SMART is an integral-type small reactor containing major components such as pressurizer, steam generators, and reactor coolant pumps in a single reactor pressure vessel. This integrated arrangement of the reactor vessel assembly enables the large bore pipe connections to be removed, resulting in an inherent elimination of large break loss of coolant accidents (LB-LOCAs).

Eight once-through steam generators consist of helically coiled tubes to produce 30℃ superheated steam under normal operating conditions. A small inventory of secondary side water at the steam generator reduces possibility of a post-trip recriticality during main steam line break accident. Four reactor coolant pumps with a canned motor, which has no pump seals, inherently prevent a loss of coolant associated with a pump seal failure. Four channel control rod position indicators contribute to the simplification of the core protection system and to the enhancement of the system reliability. The in-vessel pressurizer is designed to control the system pressure at a nearly constant level over entire normal operation conditions.