Nuclear reactor coolant pump with internal self-cooling arrangement

Patent · Tue Jun 02 00:00:00 EDT 1992

OSTI ID:7239255

Raymond, J R; Thompson, C I

This patent describes a nuclear reactor coolant pump for pumping reactor coolant fluid in a reactor coolant system. It comprises a casing having an end defining a central inlet nozzle for receiving a reactor coolant fluid, a peripheral outlet nozzle, for discharging the reactor coolant fluid, and an annular passage interconnecting the inlet nozzle and the outlet nozzle; a central rotor extending axially through the casing and having opposite ends; first and second bearings rotatably mounting the rotor adjacent the opposite ends thereof to the casing; a motor disposed about the rotor and between the first and second bearings; an impeller mounted to the one end of the central rotor in communication with the annular passage and rotatable with the rotor; a self-cooling arrangement defining a fluid flow loop in flow communication with the annular passage and in heat transfer relationship with the first and second bearings and the motor and being operable for diverting only a small fraction of the reactor coolant fluid from and back to the main stream through the annular passage to cool the bearings and motor.

• Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (United States)
• Patent Number(s): US 5118466; A
• Application Number: PPN: US 7-491927
• OSTI ID: 7239255
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220200* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Components & Accessories
42 ENGINEERING
420400 -- Engineering-- Heat Transfer & Fluid Flow
AFTER-HEAT REMOVAL
CONTAINERS
COOLANT LOOPS
COOLING SYSTEMS
DESIGN
ENERGY TRANSFER
FLUID FLOW
HEAT TRANSFER
NOZZLES
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR COOLING SYSTEMS
REACTOR VESSELS
REMOVAL