Apparatus for controlling molten core debris

Patent · Tue Jul 19 00:00:00 EDT 1977

OSTI ID:862886

Golden, Martin P. ^[1]; Tilbrook, Roger W. ^[2]; Heylmun, Neal F. ^[3]

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1. Trafford, PA
2. Monroeville, PA
3. Pittsburgh, PA

Apparatus for containing, cooling, diluting, dispersing and maintaining subcritical the molten core debris assumed to melt through the bottom of a nuclear reactor pressure vessel in the unlikely event of a core meltdown. The apparatus is basically a sacrificial bed system which includes an inverted conical funnel, a core debris receptacle including a spherical dome, a spherically layered bed of primarily magnesia bricks, a cooling system of zig-zag piping in graphite blocks about and below the bed and a cylindrical liner surrounding the graphite blocks including a steel shell surrounded by firebrick. Tantalum absorber rods are used in the receptacle and bed.

• Sponsoring Organization: US - Atomic Energy Commission
• Assignee: Energy Research and Development Administration
• Patent Number(s): 4,036,688
• OSTI ID: 862886
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
apparatus
controlling
molten
core
debris
containing
cooling
diluting
dispersing
maintaining
subcritical
assumed
melt
bottom
nuclear
reactor
pressure
vessel
unlikely
event
meltdown
basically
sacrificial
bed
inverted
conical
funnel
receptacle
including
spherical
dome
spherically
layered
primarily
magnesia
bricks
zig-zag
piping
graphite
blocks
below
cylindrical
liner
surrounding
steel
shell
surrounded
firebrick
tantalum
absorber
rods
absorber rods
unlikely event
molten core
reactor pressure
pressure vessel
nuclear reactor
core debris
graphite blocks
core meltdown
blocks including
debris assumed
cylindrical liner
CORE CATCHERS
DESIGN
LMFBR TYPE REACTORS
BREEDER REACTORS
EPITHERMAL REACTORS
FAST REACTORS
FBR TYPE REACTORS
LIQUID METAL COOLED REACTORS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTORS
/376/976/