DEVICE FOR PREVENTING THE BLOW OUT OF FUEL ELEMENTS FROM A NUCLEAR REACTOR CHANNEL
Some nuclear reactors have vertical channels provided in the moderator structure wherein the fuel elements are disposed and through which passes a gaseous coolant flow in upwards direction. During the discharging of such a channel it may happen that the pressure loss along the channel drops to such an extent that the resulting increased coolant flow forces the lower fuel elements out of the channel. Designs may be modified so that each channel is provided with auxiliary channels communicating at their lower ends with the channel entrance and at their upper ends with the channel at different levels corresponding respectively to the levels of the lower fuel elements. if any of these latter fuel elements facing the upper end of such an auxiliary channel is discharged, the by-pass flow through the auxiliary channel increases and creates unsupplementary pressure loss in the region of the reactor channel, which is already free from fuel elements, which results in a drop of the pressure loss along the remaining fuel elements and thus diminishes the hydrodynamic forces exerted on said fuel elements. (IIB)
- Research Organization:
- Originating Research Org. not identified
- NSA Number:
- NSA-18-019326
- OSTI ID:
- 4028191
- Report Number(s):
- FR 1313263
- Country of Publication:
- France
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Blow out preventer
MEANS FOR PREVENTING THE BLOWING OUT OF FUEL ELEMENTS DURING THE REFUELLING OPERATION OF A NUCLEAR REACTOR COOLED BY PRESSURIZED GAS