Novel passive approach to protecting the primary containment barrier formed by the intermediate heat exchanger from the effects of an uncontrolled sodium water reaction

Patent · Tue Jan 08 04:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:5080826

Boardman, C E; Maurer, J P

This patent describes, in a steam generator utilized with a liquid sodium cooled nuclear reactor, provision is made to vent the violent sodium water reaction emanating from a tube rupture casualty. The steam generator includes a sodium plenum at the bottom thereof containing a conventional rupture disk for venting sodium, steam, and reaction products including hydrogen immediately upon a tube rupture casualty. The invention includes providing an alternative concentric flow path interior to the steam generator and parallel to the tube bundle. This alternative concentric flow path extends from the upper portion of the steam generator down into the lower head or plenum adjacent to the pressure relief diaphragm. This alternate path is partially filled with sodium during normal reactor operation. In the event of a tube bundle break, the alternative flow path dumps its sodium through the conventional rupture disk and then provides an immediate alternate pressure release path in parallel with the tube bundle for steam and water flow from the tube rupture site to the rupture disk. This parallel flow path reduces the pressure differential from the water/steam flow through the tube bundle such that water/steam does not flow back through the intermediate heat transport system to the intermediate heat exchanger (IHX) where it would react with residual sodium and potentially damage the IHX tube bundle which is part of the reactor primary containment barrier.

• Assignee: General Electric Co., San Jose, CA (USA)
• Patent Number(s): A; US 4983353
• Application Number: PPN: US 7-322481
• OSTI ID: 5080826
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210500 -- Power Reactors
Breeding
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220900* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Reactor Safety
42 ENGINEERING
420400 -- Engineering-- Heat Transfer & Fluid Flow
ACCIDENTS
BOILERS
CONTROL EQUIPMENT
ENERGY TRANSFER
EQUIPMENT
FAILURES
FLOW REGULATORS
FUEL-CLADDING INTERACTIONS
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HEAT TRANSFER
LIQUID METAL COOLED REACTORS
RADIATION PROTECTION
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
REACTOR SAFETY
REACTORS
RELIEF VALVES
RUPTURES
SAFETY
SODIUM COOLED REACTORS
STEAM GENERATORS
TUBES
VALVES
VAPOR GENERATORS