Nuclear reactor shroud
First Claim
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1. A nuclear reactor vessel comprising:
- an elongated cylindrical body defining an internal cavity containing primary coolant water;
a nuclear fuel core disposed in the internal cavity;
an elongated cylindrical shroud disposed in the internal cavity, the shroud comprising an inner shell, an outer shell, and a plurality of intermediate shells disposed between the inner and outer shells;
a plurality of annular cavities formed between the inner and outer shells by the intermediate shells, the annular cavities each being filled with the primary coolant water;
the shroud being comprised of a plurality of vertically-stacked shroud segments each including an annular top closure plate and an annular bottom closure plate, wherein the inner, outer, and intermediate shells of each shroud segment is seal welded to their respective top and bottom closure plates collectively forming a self-supporting shroud segment structure; and
each shroud segment detachably coupled to an adjoining shroud segment.
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Abstract
A nuclear reactor in one embodiment includes a cylindrical, body having an internal cavity, a nuclear fuel core, and a shroud disposed in the cavity. The shroud comprises an inner shell, an outer shell and a plurality of intermediate shells disposed between the inner and outer shells. Pluralities of annular cavities are formed between the inner and outer shells which are filled with primary coolant such as demineralized water. The coolant-filled annular cavities may be sealed at the top and bottom and provide an insulating effect to the shroud. In one embodiment, the shroud may comprise a plurality of vertically-stacked self-supported shroud segments which are coupled together.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A nuclear reactor vessel comprising:
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an elongated cylindrical body defining an internal cavity containing primary coolant water; a nuclear fuel core disposed in the internal cavity; an elongated cylindrical shroud disposed in the internal cavity, the shroud comprising an inner shell, an outer shell, and a plurality of intermediate shells disposed between the inner and outer shells; a plurality of annular cavities formed between the inner and outer shells by the intermediate shells, the annular cavities each being filled with the primary coolant water; the shroud being comprised of a plurality of vertically-stacked shroud segments each including an annular top closure plate and an annular bottom closure plate, wherein the inner, outer, and intermediate shells of each shroud segment is seal welded to their respective top and bottom closure plates collectively forming a self-supporting shroud segment structure; and each shroud segment detachably coupled to an adjoining shroud segment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A nuclear reactor vessel comprising:
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an elongated cylindrical body defining an internal cavity containing primary coolant water; a nuclear fuel core disposed in the internal cavity; an elongated cylindrical shroud disposed in the internal cavity, the shroud comprising a plurality of vertically-stacked shroud segments each including an annular top closure plate, an annular bottom closure plate, an inner shell, an outer shell, and a plurality of radially spaced apart intermediate shells disposed between the inner and outer shells; an outer annular cavity formed between the intermediate shells and the outer shell; an inner annular cavity formed between the intermediate shells and the inner shell; a plurality of intermediate annular cavities formed between the intermediate shells; and a plurality of drain holes formed through the outer shell and each intermediate shell, the drain holes in the outer shell spaced longitudinally apart along a length of the outer shell, and the drain holes in the intermediate shells being spaced longitudinally apart along a respective length of each intermediate shell, the drain holes operable to fluidly interconnect the outer, inner, and intermediate annular cavities; wherein the inner, outer, and intermediate shells of each shroud segment is seal welded to their respective top and bottom closure plates collectively forming a self-supporting shroud segment structure, each shroud segment detachably coupled to an adjoining shroud segment; wherein the outer, inner, and intermediate annular cavities are each filled with the primary coolant water.
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Specification