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

REACTOR UNLOADING

Patent ·
OSTI ID:4307535
This patent is related to gas cooled reactors wherein the fuel elements are disposed in vertical channels extending through the reactor core, the cooling gas passing through the channels from the bottom to the top of the core. The invention is a means for unloading the fuel elements from the core and comprises dump values in the form of flat cars mounted on wheels at the bottom of the core structure which support vertical stacks of fuel elements. When the flat cars are moved, either manually or automatically, for normal unloading purposes, or due to a rapid rise in the reproduction ratio within the core, the fuel elements are permtted to fall by gravity out of the core structure thereby reducing the reproduction ratio or stopping the reaction as desired.
Research Organization:
Originating Research Org. not identified
NSA Number:
NSA-12-010269
Assignee:
U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
Patent Number(s):
US 2824056
OSTI ID:
4307535
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English