Cooling Air Amount Adjustment Device of Concrete Cask and Concrete Cask

• US 20170125132A1
• Filed: 10/27/2016
• Published: 05/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry
• Original Assignee: Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry
• Inventors: Takeda, Hirofumi
• Granted Patent: US 11,081,246 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G21C 19/04 Means for controlling flow of coolant over objects being handled; Means for controlling flow of coolant through channel being serviced , e.g. for preventing "blow-out"
• CPC Class Codes: G21C 19/06 Magazines for holding fuel elements or control elements
• CPC Class Codes: G21F 5/10 Heat-removal systems, e.g. using circulating fluid or cooling fins
• CPC Class Codes: G21F 9/34 Disposal of solid waste
• CPC Class Codes: G21F 9/36 by packaging; by baling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 30/30 Nuclear fission reactors

Abstract

A cooling air amount adjustment device of a concrete cask is provided. The device includes at least one of an air outlet port opening level adjustment mechanism and an air inlet port opening level adjustment mechanism which are adapted to automatically perform adjustment to reduce a flow rate of a cooling air when a temperature of the cooling air at an air outlet port is lower than an adjustment reference temperature, and adjustment to increase the flow rate of the cooling air so as to restore the flow rate of the cooling air when the temperature of the cooling air at the air outlet port is higher than the adjustment reference temperature.

Claims

1. A cooling air amount adjustment device of a concrete cask, configured to:

naturally convect external air as cooling air from an air inlet port provided at a lower portion of a concrete container to an air outlet port provided at an upper portion thereof; and

store and simultaneously cool a canister sealing spent nuclear fuel, the device comprising

at least one of an air outlet port opening level adjustment mechanism and an air inlet port opening level adjustment mechanism which are configured to automatically perform;

adjustment to reduce a flow rate of the cooling air when a temperature of the cooling air at the air outlet port is lower than an adjustment reference temperature, and

adjustment to increase the flow rate of the cooling air so as to restore the flow rate of the cooling air when the temperature of the cooling air at the air outlet port is higher than the adjustment reference temperature.

2. The cooling air amount adjustment device of a concrete cask according to claim 1, wherein the air outlet port opening level adjustment mechanism includes a member or a portion provided at the air outlet port and having a shape or a phase autonomously changed at the adjustment reference temperature as a boundary.

3. The cooling air amount adjustment device of a concrete cask according to claim 1, wherein the air inlet port opening level adjustment mechanism includes a member or a portion provided at the air outlet port and having a shape or a phase autonomously changed at the adjustment reference temperature as a boundary.

4. The cooling air amount adjustment device of a concrete cask according to claim 1, wherein the air outlet port opening level adjustment mechanism includes a temperature-sensitive member configured to change a shape and adjust an opening level of the air outlet port at the adjustment reference temperature as a boundary.

5. The cooling air amount adjustment device of a concrete cask according to claim 1, wherein the air outlet port opening level adjustment mechanism includes an air outlet port opening level adjustment member and a temperature-sensitive actuator configured to actuate the air outlet port opening level adjustment member so as to adjust the opening level of the air outlet port at the adjustment reference temperature as a boundary.

6. The cooling air amount adjustment device of a concrete cask according to claim 1, wherein the air outlet port opening level adjustment mechanism includes:

a power source;

an air outlet port opening level adjustment unit;

a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the cooling air at the air outlet port; and

a control unit configured to actuate the air outlet port opening level adjustment unit so as to reduce the opening level of the air outlet port when the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is lower than the adjustment reference temperature and furthermore so as to restore the opening level of the air outlet port when the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is higher than the adjustment reference temperature.

7. The cooling air amount adjustment device of a concrete cask according to claim 1, wherein the air inlet port opening level adjustment mechanism includes:

a power source;

an air inlet port opening level adjustment unit;

a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the cooling air at the air outlet port; and

a control unit configured to actuate the air inlet port opening level adjustment unit so as to reduce the opening level of the air inlet port when the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is lower than the adjustment reference temperature and furthermore so as to restore the opening level of the air inlet port when the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is higher than the adjustment reference temperature.

8. The cooling air amount adjustment device of a concrete cask according to claim 6, wherein an apparatus configured to generate power by a temperature difference between the cooling air heated by heat generation from the canister and external air is provided instead of the power source or together with the power source.

9. The cooling air amount adjustment device of a concrete cask according to claim 7, wherein an apparatus configured to generate power by a temperature difference between the cooling air heated by heat generation from the canister and external air is provided instead of the power source or together with the power source.

10. A concrete cask comprising the cooling air adjustment device of a concrete cask according to claim 1.