Heat dissipating nuclear reactor

Patent · Wed Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:866147

Hunsbedt, Anstein ^[1]; Lazarus, Jonathan D ^[2]

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1. Los Gatos, CA
2. Sunnyvale, CA

Disclosed is a nuclear reactor containment adapted to retain and cool core debris in the unlikely event of a core meltdown and subsequent breach in the reactor vessel. The reactor vessel is seated in a cavity which has a thick metal sidewall that is integral with a thick metal basemat at the bottom of the cavity. The basemat extends beyond the perimeter of the cavity sidewall. Underneath the basemat is a porous bed with water pipes and steam pipes running into it. Water is introduced into the bed and converted into steam which is vented to the atmosphere. A plurality of metal pilings in the form of H-beams extends from the metal base plate downwardly and outwardly into the earth.

• Research Organization: GENERAL ELECTRIC CO
• DOE Contract Number: AT03-76SF71032
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4643870
• OSTI ID: 866147
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/376/976/
adapted
atmosphere
base
base plate
basemat
bed
bottom
breach
cavity
containment
converted
cool
core
core debris
core meltdown
debris
disclosed
dissipating
dissipating nuclear
downwardly
earth
event
extends
form
h-beams
heat
heat dissipating
integral
introduced
meltdown
metal
metal base
metal sidewall
nuclear
nuclear reactor
outwardly
perimeter
pilings
pipes
plate
plurality
porous
porous bed
reactor
reactor containment
reactor vessel
retain
running
seated
sidewall
steam
subsequent
thick
underneath
unlikely
unlikely event
vented
vessel
water