LOSS-OF-COOLANT ACCIDENT REACTOR COOLING SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A passive reactor cooling system usable after a loss-of-coolant accident, the system comprising:
- a containment vessel in thermal communication with a heat sink;
a reactor well disposed in the containment vessel;
a reactor vessel disposed at least partially in the reactor well, the reactor vessel containing a nuclear fuel core which heats primary coolant in the reactor vessel;
a water storage tank disposed in the containment vessel and in fluid communication with the reactor well, the tank containing an inventory of cooling water; and
a heat exchanger disposed in the containment vessel, the heat exchanger in fluid communication with the reactor well via a closed flow loop in which the flow is driven via gravity;
wherein following a loss of primary coolant, the tank is configured and operable to flood the reactor well with cooling water which is converted into steam by heat from the fuel core and flows through the closed flow loop to the heat exchanger.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A nuclear reactor cooling system with passive cooling capabilities operable during a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) without available electric power. The system includes a reactor vessel with nuclear fuel core located in a reactor well. An in-containment water storage tank is fluidly coupled to the reactor well and holds an inventory of cooling water. During a LOCA event, the tank floods the reactor well with water. Eventually, the water heated by decay heat from the reactor vaporizes producing steam. The steam flows to an in-containment heat exchanger and condenses. The condensate is returned to the reactor well in a closed flow loop system in which flow may circulate solely via gravity from changes in phase and density of the water. In one embodiment, the heat exchanger may be an array of heat dissipater ducts mounted on the wall of the inner containment vessel surrounded by a heat sink.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A passive reactor cooling system usable after a loss-of-coolant accident, the system comprising:
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a containment vessel in thermal communication with a heat sink; a reactor well disposed in the containment vessel; a reactor vessel disposed at least partially in the reactor well, the reactor vessel containing a nuclear fuel core which heats primary coolant in the reactor vessel; a water storage tank disposed in the containment vessel and in fluid communication with the reactor well, the tank containing an inventory of cooling water; and a heat exchanger disposed in the containment vessel, the heat exchanger in fluid communication with the reactor well via a closed flow loop in which the flow is driven via gravity; wherein following a loss of primary coolant, the tank is configured and operable to flood the reactor well with cooling water which is converted into steam by heat from the fuel core and flows through the closed flow loop to the heat exchanger. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A passive reactor cooling system usable after a loss-of-coolant accident, the system comprising:
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a containment vessel in thermal communication with a heat sink; a reactor well disposed in the containment vessel; a reactor vessel disposed at least partially in the reactor well, the reactor vessel containing a nuclear fuel core and primary coolant heated by the fuel core; a water storage tank disposed in the containment vessel and in fluid communication with the reactor well, the tank containing an inventory of cooling water; and a heat exchanger disposed in the containment vessel, the heat exchanger in fluid communication with the reactor well via an atmospheric pressure closed flow loop; wherein following a loss of primary coolant, the tank is configured and operable to flood the reactor well with cooling water; wherein the cooling water in the flooded reactor well is heated by the fuel core and converted into steam, the steam flows through the closed flow loop to the heat exchanger and condenses forming condensate, and the condensate flows via gravity back to the reactor well. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for passively cooling a nuclear reactor after a loss-of-coolant accident, the method comprising:
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locating a reactor vessel containing a nuclear fuel core and primary coolant in a reactor well disposed inside a containment vessel; at least partially filling a water storage tank fluidly coupled to the reactor well with cooling water; releasing cooling water from the water storage tank into the reactor well; heating the cooling water with the fuel core; converting the cooling water at least partially into steam; accumulating the steam in the reactor well; flowing the steam through a heat exchanger; condensing the steam thrilling condensate in the heat exchanger; and returning the condensate to the reactor well; wherein the coolant steam and condensate circulates through a closed flow loop between the heat exchanger and reactor well. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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Specification