Method and apparatus for reactor safety control

• US 2,987,455 A
• Filed: 08/07/1956
• Issued: 06/06/1961
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/1956
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Clifford W. Wheelock, Norman E. Huston, Rodney G. Hoff
• Original Assignee: Clifford W. Wheelock, Norman E. Huston, Rodney G. Hoff
• Inventors: Huston, Norman E., Hoff, Rodney G., Wheelock, Clifford W.
• Application Number:
  US03/602,641
• Time in Patent Office: 1,764 Days
• US Class Current: 376/335
• CPC Class Codes: G21C 7/06 by application of neutron-absorbing material, i.e. material with absorption cross-section very much in excess of reflection cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: G21C 9/022 Reactor fuses
• CPC Class Codes: G21C 9/024 Rupture diaphragms
• CPC Class Codes: G21C 9/033 by an absorbent fluid
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 30/30 Nuclear fission reactors

Claims

1. IN A METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A NUCLEAR REACTOR IN THE EVENT OF AN EXCESS REACTIVITY EXCURSION, THE STEPS COMPRISING DISPOSING A COMPACT QUANTITY OF A NEUTRON ABSORBER IN A LOW NEUTRON ABSORPTION CONFIGURATION IN THE NEUTRON FLUX OF THE CORE REGION OF SAID REACTOR, PROVIDING MEANS FOR DISPERSING SAID ABSORBER INTO AN EXPANDED CONFIGURATION OF HIGH NEUTRON ABSORPTION CHARACTERISTIC SAID MEANS BEING IN PROXIMITY CLOSE TO SAID ABSORBER, RESTRAINING SAID DISPERSING MEANS BY MEANS OF A FUSIBLE TRIGGER LINK, AND MELTING SAID LINK BY HEAT PROVIDED IN A FISSIONABLE MATERIAL HEATING ELEMENT BY THE RISE OF THE NEUTRON FLUX ABOVE A PREDETERMINED SAFE LEVEL AND COOLING SAID HEATING ELEMENT BY COUPLING ACROSS A HEAT TRANSFER RESISTANCE WHICH IN TURN TRANSFERS THE HEAT TO THE REACTOR COOLANT TO ACTUATE SAID DISPERSING MEANS THEREBY DISPOSING THE NEUTRON ABSORBER INTO AN EXPANDED CONFIGURATION OF HIGH NEUTRON ABSORPTION CHARACTERISTIC.