Retrofittable nuclear reactor core catcher

Patent · Tue Apr 10 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:6374650

Latter, A L; Dooley, J L; Hammond, R Ph

A passive ''core catcher'' is provided for preventing the escape of radiation in the unlikely event of a major failure of a nuclear reactor by melt-down of the core. The ''core-catcher'' structure includes a narrow vertically downwardly extending isolation tube, and aligned narrow heat-exchange structure forming a chilled wall crucible in which the molten uranium oxide forms a container for itself including a ''frozen'' or solid layer of uranium oxide adjacent the heat exchanger wall. A passive cooling system may include a water tower adjacent the above-ground reactor structure, which dissipates heat from the core-catcher heat exchanger, and from within the above-ground reactor structure by a second local heat exchanger.

• Assignee: R and D Associates
• Patent Number(s): US 4442065
• OSTI ID: 6374650
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220200* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Components & Accessories
ACCIDENTS
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
COOLING SYSTEMS
CORE CATCHERS
DESIGN
ENERGY SYSTEMS
HEAT EXCHANGERS
MELTDOWN
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POWER REACTORS
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR COOLING SYSTEMS
REACTOR CORES
REACTORS
RETROFITTING
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM OXIDES