Passive heat transfer means for nuclear reactors
Abstract
An improved passive cooling arrangement is disclosed for maintaining adjacent or related components of a nuclear reactor within specified temperature differences. Specifically, heat pipes are operatively interposed between the components, with the vaporizing section of the heat pipe proximate the hot component operable to cool it and the primary condensing section of the heat pipe proximate the other and cooler component operable to heat it. Each heat pipe further has a secondary condensing section that is located outwardly beyond the reactor confinement and in a secondary heat sink, such as air ambient the containment, that is cooler than the other reactor component. Means such as shrouding normally isolated the secondary condensing section from effective heat transfer with the heat sink, but a sensor responds to overheat conditions of the reactor to open the shrouding, which thereby increases the cooling capacity of the heat pipe. By having many such heat pipes, an emergency passive cooling system is defined that is operative without electrical power.
- Inventors:
- Publication Date:
- OSTI Identifier:
- 6056272
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4478784
- Assignee:
- The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: Filed date 10 Jun 1982; Other Information: PAT-APPL-387113
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS; RHR SYSTEMS; DESIGN; HEAT PIPES; HEAT RECOVERY; HEAT SINKS; HEAT TRANSFER; OPTIMIZATION; TEMPERATURE CONTROL; CONTROL; COOLING SYSTEMS; ENERGY RECOVERY; ENERGY SYSTEMS; ENERGY TRANSFER; REACTOR COMPONENTS; REACTOR COOLING SYSTEMS; RECOVERY; SINKS; 220200* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Components & Accessories
Citation Formats
Burelbach, J P. Passive heat transfer means for nuclear reactors. United States: N. p., 1984.
Web.
Burelbach, J P. Passive heat transfer means for nuclear reactors. United States.
Burelbach, J P. Tue .
"Passive heat transfer means for nuclear reactors". United States.
@article{osti_6056272,
title = {Passive heat transfer means for nuclear reactors},
author = {Burelbach, J P},
abstractNote = {An improved passive cooling arrangement is disclosed for maintaining adjacent or related components of a nuclear reactor within specified temperature differences. Specifically, heat pipes are operatively interposed between the components, with the vaporizing section of the heat pipe proximate the hot component operable to cool it and the primary condensing section of the heat pipe proximate the other and cooler component operable to heat it. Each heat pipe further has a secondary condensing section that is located outwardly beyond the reactor confinement and in a secondary heat sink, such as air ambient the containment, that is cooler than the other reactor component. Means such as shrouding normally isolated the secondary condensing section from effective heat transfer with the heat sink, but a sensor responds to overheat conditions of the reactor to open the shrouding, which thereby increases the cooling capacity of the heat pipe. By having many such heat pipes, an emergency passive cooling system is defined that is operative without electrical power.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6056272},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1984},
month = {10}
}