Safety apparatus for nuclear reactor to prevent structural damage from overheating by core debris

Patent · 01 January 1986

OSTI ID:875269

Gabor, John D. ^[1]; Cassulo, John C. ^[2]; Pedersen, Dean R. ^[3]; Baker, Jr., Louis

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1. Western Springs, IL
2. Stickney, IL
3. Naperville, IL

The invention teaches safety apparatus that can be included in a nuclear reactor, either when newly fabricated or as a retrofit add-on, that will minimize proliferation of structural damage to the reactor in the event the reactor is experiencing an overheating malfunction whereby radioactive nuclear debris might break away from and be discharged from the reactor core. The invention provides a porous bed or sublayer on the lower surface of the reactor containment vessel so that the debris falls on and piles up on the bed. Vapor release elements upstand from the bed in some laterally spaced array. Thus should the high heat flux of the debris interior vaporize the coolant at that location, the vaporized coolant can be vented downwardly to and laterally through the bed to the vapor release elements and in turn via the release elements upwardly through the debris. This minimizes the pressure buildup in the debris and allows for continuing infiltration of the liquid coolant into the debris interior.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): H000091
• Application Number: 06/777875
• OSTI ID: 875269
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/376/
add-on
allows
apparatus
array
bed
break
buildup
containment
containment vessel
continuing
coolant
core
core debris
damage
debris
discharged
downwardly
elements
event
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flux
heat
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included
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interior
laterally
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liquid
liquid coolant
location
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minimize
minimizes
newly
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nuclear reactor
overheating
piles
porous
porous bed
pressure
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prevent
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proliferation
provides
radioactive
radioactive nuclear
reactor
reactor containment
reactor core
release
retrofit
safety
safety apparatus
spaced
spaced array
statutory invention registration
structural
structural damage
sublayer
surface
teaches
upstand
upwardly
vapor
vaporize
vaporized
vented
vessel
via
whereby