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Title: Systems and methods for enhancing isolation of high-temperature reactor containments

Abstract

A high-temperature containment-isolation system for transferring heat from a nuclear reactor containment to a high-pressure heat exchanger is presented. The system uses a high-temperature, low-volatility liquid coolant such as a molten salt or a liquid metal, where the coolant flow path provides liquid free surfaces a short distance from the containment penetrations for the reactor hot-leg and the cold-leg, where these liquid free surfaces have a cover gas maintained at a nearly constant pressure and thus prevent high-pressures from being transmitted into the reactor containment, and where the reactor vessel is suspended within a reactor cavity with a plurality of refractory insulator blocks disposed between an actively cooled inner cavity liner and the reactor vessel.

Inventors:
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1860127
Patent Number(s):
11189384
Application Number:
15/684,062
Assignee:
The Regents of the University of California (Oakland, CA)
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:  
AC07-05ID14517
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 08/23/2017
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Citation Formats

Peterson, Per F. Systems and methods for enhancing isolation of high-temperature reactor containments. United States: N. p., 2021. Web.
Peterson, Per F. Systems and methods for enhancing isolation of high-temperature reactor containments. United States.
Peterson, Per F. Tue . "Systems and methods for enhancing isolation of high-temperature reactor containments". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1860127.
@article{osti_1860127,
title = {Systems and methods for enhancing isolation of high-temperature reactor containments},
author = {Peterson, Per F.},
abstractNote = {A high-temperature containment-isolation system for transferring heat from a nuclear reactor containment to a high-pressure heat exchanger is presented. The system uses a high-temperature, low-volatility liquid coolant such as a molten salt or a liquid metal, where the coolant flow path provides liquid free surfaces a short distance from the containment penetrations for the reactor hot-leg and the cold-leg, where these liquid free surfaces have a cover gas maintained at a nearly constant pressure and thus prevent high-pressures from being transmitted into the reactor containment, and where the reactor vessel is suspended within a reactor cavity with a plurality of refractory insulator blocks disposed between an actively cooled inner cavity liner and the reactor vessel.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {2021},
month = {11}
}

Works referenced in this record:

Integral Steam Generator and Nuclear Reactor Combination
patent, September 1968


High Power Density Liquid-Cooled Pebble-Channel Nuclear Reactor
patent-application, November 2010


Nuclear reactor coolant transport system
patent, November 1980


Roof support for liquid metal cooled fast breeder nuclear reactor
patent, August 1986


Liquid Cooled Nuclear Reactor
patent, February 1974


LMFBR with booster pump in pumping loop
patent, October 1975


Heat insulation for dome-shaped bottom and/or cover region of a pressure vessel
patent, January 1984


Nuclear reactor coolant and cover gas system
patent, April 1976


Nozzle seal
patent, December 1977


Pressurized water-cooled reactor system
patent, July 1977