Passive containment cooling system

Patent · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:867990

Conway, Lawrence E ^[1]; Stewart, William A ^[2]

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1. Robinson Township, Allegheny County, PA
2. Penn Hills Township, Allegheny County, PA

A containment cooling system utilizes a naturally induced air flow and a gravity flow of water over the containment shell which encloses a reactor core to cool reactor core decay heat in two stages. When core decay heat is greatest, the water and air flow combine to provide adequate evaporative cooling as heat from within the containment is transferred to the water flowing over the same. The water is heated by heat transfer and then evaporated and removed by the air flow. After an initial period of about three to four days when core decay heat is greatest, air flow alone is sufficient to cool the containment.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-86SF16038
• Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp. (Pittsburgh, PA)
• Patent Number(s): US 5049353
• OSTI ID: 867990
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

passive
containment
cooling
utilizes
naturally
induced
air
flow
gravity
water
shell
encloses
reactor
core
cool
decay
heat
stages
combine
provide
adequate
evaporative
transferred
flowing
heated
transfer
evaporated
removed
initial
period
days
sufficient
water flow
decay heat
heat transfer
reactor core
air flow
containment cooling
containment shell
passive containment
water flowing
gravity flow
core decay
evaporative cooling
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