Passive heat removal from nuclear reactor containment

Patent · Tue Jan 21 04:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:5335243

Sawyer, C D

This patent describes a nuclear system of a type including a containment having a nuclear reactor therein. It comprises a heat exchanger; a pool of water surrounding the heat exchanger; means for venting the pool of water to the environment outside the containment; an open entry conduit within the containment and communicating with the heat exchanger, heated fluid present in the containment flowing into the heat exchanger through the conduit and being cooled in the heat exchanger; a suppression pool in the containment, the suppression pool including a supply of water therein; a non-blockable conduit connected at an end thereof with a heat exchanger outlet for returning cooled fluid from the heat exchanger to the suppression pool, an opposite cooled fluid return conduit end being disposed at a location submerged a distance below a normal water level in the suppression pool, the system further comprising a condensate/non-condensable gas collector means disposed in the cooled fluid return conduit, condensate passing from the collector means to the cooled fluid return conduit opposite end, the non-condensable gasses passing from the collector means to a vent pipe means connected at one end with the collector means, the pipe means having another end outletting in the suppression pool.

• Assignee: General Electric Co., San Jose, CA (United States)
• Patent Number(s): US 5082619; A
• Application Number: PPN: US 7-432246
• OSTI ID: 5335243
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220200* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Components & Accessories
CONDENSATES
CONTAINMENT
COOLING
ENERGY TRANSFER
FLUID FLOW
FLUIDS
GAS CONDENSATES
GAS FLOW
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HEAT TRANSFER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LIQUIDS
NATURAL GAS LIQUIDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PIPES
REACTORS
WATER