Conformal core cooling and containment structure
Abstract
A nuclear reactor includes a pressure vessel and a nuclear reactor core comprising fissile material disposed inside the pressure vessel at the bottom of the pressure vessel. A secondary core containment structure includes a containment basket comprising insulation with a maximum stable temperature of at least 2200K cladded by steel. The bottom of the pressure vessel and the nuclear reactor core are disposed inside the containment basket with the containment basket spaced apart from the bottom of the pressure vessel by a clearance gap. The containment basket may comprise zirconia insulation cladded by steel. In some embodiments the clearance gap between the containment basket and the bottom of the pressure vessel is no larger than one meter. The secondary core containment structure may further comprise conduits arranged to inject water into the clearance gap between the containment basket and the bottom of the pressure vessel.
- Inventors:
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- BWXT mPower, Inc., Charlotte, NC (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1496221
- Patent Number(s):
- 10147506
- Application Number:
- 14/244,222
- Assignee:
- BWXT mPower, Inc. (Charlotte, NC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21C - NUCLEAR REACTORS
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- DOE Contract Number:
- 0000583
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: 2014 Apr 03
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
Citation Formats
Malloy, III, John D., Edwards, Michael J., and Edwards, Tyler A.. Conformal core cooling and containment structure. United States: N. p., 2018.
Web.
Malloy, III, John D., Edwards, Michael J., & Edwards, Tyler A.. Conformal core cooling and containment structure. United States.
Malloy, III, John D., Edwards, Michael J., and Edwards, Tyler A.. Tue .
"Conformal core cooling and containment structure". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1496221.
@article{osti_1496221,
title = {Conformal core cooling and containment structure},
author = {Malloy, III, John D. and Edwards, Michael J. and Edwards, Tyler A.},
abstractNote = {A nuclear reactor includes a pressure vessel and a nuclear reactor core comprising fissile material disposed inside the pressure vessel at the bottom of the pressure vessel. A secondary core containment structure includes a containment basket comprising insulation with a maximum stable temperature of at least 2200K cladded by steel. The bottom of the pressure vessel and the nuclear reactor core are disposed inside the containment basket with the containment basket spaced apart from the bottom of the pressure vessel by a clearance gap. The containment basket may comprise zirconia insulation cladded by steel. In some embodiments the clearance gap between the containment basket and the bottom of the pressure vessel is no larger than one meter. The secondary core containment structure may further comprise conduits arranged to inject water into the clearance gap between the containment basket and the bottom of the pressure vessel.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {2018},
month = {12}
}
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