Water-cooled nuclear reactor with loss-of-coolant protection. [PWR]

Patent · Tue Aug 23 04:00:00 EDT 1977

OSTI ID:7280041

Irion, L; Tautz, J; Ulrych, G

A pressurized-water reactor pressure vessel has a plurality of inlet openings through which coolant is introduced from the cold legs of a plurality of main coolant loops, into an annular descent space of restricted radial extent and formed between the inside of the vessel's side wall and the outside of a core barrel on the inside of the vessel. To prevent outward loss of coolant from the vessel in the event of a break in any of the cold legs, the vessel is internally provided with a check valve assembly for each of the inlet openings, and to avoid restriction of the normal inlet coolant flow rate, each assembly comprises a plurality or series of flap valves which are each individually of small dimensions so that they can be fitted into the descent space. Therefore, these flap valves are normally held open by the inlet coolant flow but can snap shut to outward coolant flow. 6 claims, 5 figures.

• Assignee: Kraftwerk Union AG
• Patent Number(s): US 4043868
• OSTI ID: 7280041
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210200* -- Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Nonboiling Water Cooled
CONFIGURATION
CONTROL EQUIPMENT
COOLING SYSTEMS
ENGINEERED SAFETY SYSTEMS
FLOW REGULATORS
PRIMARY COOLANT CIRCUITS
PWR TYPE REACTORS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR COOLING SYSTEMS
REACTORS
VALVES
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS