Magnetic latch trigger for inherent shutdown assembly

Patent · 31 December 1975

OSTI ID:862618

Sowa, Edmund S ^[1]

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1. Lisle, IL

An inherent shutdown assembly for a nuclear reactor is provided. A neutron absorber is held ready to be inserted into the reactor core by a magnetic latch. The latch includes a magnet whose lines of force are linked by a yoke of material whose Curie point is at the critical temperature of the reactor at which the neutron absorber is to be inserted into the reactor core. The yoke is in contact with the core coolant or fissionable material so that when the coolant or the fissionable material increase in temperature above the Curie point the yoke loses its magnetic susceptibility and the magnetic link is broken, thereby causing the absorber to be released into the reactor core.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States Energy (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 3976540
• OSTI ID: 862618
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/376/976/
absorber
assembly
broken
causing
contact
coolant
core
core coolant
critical
critical temperature
curie
fissionable
fissionable material
force
held
increase
inherent
inherent shutdown
inserted
latch
lines
link
linked
loses
magnet
magnetic
magnetic latch
material
neutron
neutron absorber
nuclear
nuclear reactor
provided
reactor
reactor core
released
shutdown
shutdown assembly
susceptibility
temperature
trigger
yoke