Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Method for automatically scramming a nuclear reactor

Patent ·
OSTI ID:1175596
An automatically scramming nuclear reactor system. One embodiment comprises a core having a coolant inlet end and a coolant outlet end. A cooling system operatively associated with the core provides coolant to the coolant inlet end and removes heated coolant from the coolant outlet end, thus maintaining a pressure differential therebetween during a normal operating condition of the nuclear reactor system. A guide tube is positioned within the core with a first end of the guide tube in fluid communication with the coolant inlet end of the core, and a second end of the guide tube in fluid communication with the coolant outlet end of the core. A control element is positioned within the guide tube and is movable therein between upper and lower positions, and automatically falls under the action of gravity to the lower position when the pressure differential drops below a safe pressure differential.
Research Organization:
Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC07-99ID13727
Assignee:
Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC (Idaho Falls, ID)
Patent Number(s):
6,980,619
Application Number:
10/801,220
OSTI ID:
1175596
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Automatically scramming nuclear reactor system
Patent · Tue Oct 12 00:00:00 EDT 2004 · OSTI ID:1245953

Reactor with natural convection backup cooling system
Patent · Tue Jul 26 00:00:00 EDT 1988 · OSTI ID:7119037

Nuclear reactor. [PWR]
Patent · Mon Feb 23 23:00:00 EST 1976 · OSTI ID:7355942