NUCLEAR REACTOR

Patent · Mon Dec 12 04:00:00 EST 1960

OSTI ID:4804306

A boiling water reactor is described in which heavy water is used both as moderator and as coolant. In order to make the reactor self-regulating and to provide a reactor core system across which only a small pressure drop is set up, the fuel elements immersed in the heavy water are distributed over the core space in such a manner that individual fuel zones alternate with moderator zones, so that the heavy water passing through a predetermined fuel zone comes into a zone occupied only by heavy water, and the developed steam bubbles become dispersed in this zone during their passage through it. In this manner, only a small part of the steam bubbles enters the succeeding fuel zone, so that all the fuel elements are in good contact with the liquid phase. Suitably, each fuel zone is occupied by a fuel element assembly comprising a number of ball-shaped fuel elements, these balls being freely disposed in a perforated supporting box. According to another embodiment, the said fuel element assemblies are each composed of a plurality oi fuel rods assembled at their extreimities, succeeding elements constituting the links of a chain. For dispersing the steam bubbles, a baffle plate is provided between two adjacent links. (NPO)

• Research Organization: Originating Research Org. not identified
• NSA Number: NSA-16-006208
• OSTI ID: 4804306
• Report Number(s): FR 1251708
• Country of Publication: France
• Language: English

Related Subjects

BOILING
BUBBLES
CONFIGURATION
CONTROL
CONTROL ELEMENTS
FUEL ELEMENTS
HEAT TRANSFER
HEAVY WATER COOLANT
HEAVY WATER MODERATOR
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
MODERATORS
NEUTRON FLUX
PATENT
PLANNING
PLATES
POWER PLANTS
PRESSURE
REACTIVITY
REACTOR CORE
REACTOR TECHNOLOGY
REMOTE CONTROL
RODS
SERVOMECHANISMS
SLOWDOWN
STEAM
VARIATIONS
ZONES