DOE Patents title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

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

Abstract

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 can be discharged from the reactor core. The invention provides a porous bed of 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.

Inventors:
; ; ;
OSTI Identifier:
5323279
Application Number:
ON: DE84006194
Assignee:
EDB-84-036024
DOE Contract Number:  
W-31-109-ENG-38
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS; 21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS; CORE CATCHERS; DESIGN; LMFBR TYPE REACTORS; CORIUM; DRYOUT; REACTOR ACCIDENTS; REACTOR CORE DISRUPTION; VAPORS; ACCIDENTS; BREEDER REACTORS; EPITHERMAL REACTORS; FAST REACTORS; FBR TYPE REACTORS; FLUIDS; GASES; LIQUID METAL COOLED REACTORS; REACTOR COMPONENTS; REACTORS; 220900* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Reactor Safety; 210500 - Power Reactors, Breeding

Citation Formats

Gabor, J D, Cassulo, J C, Pedersen, D R, and Baker, L Jr. Safety apparatus for nuclear reactor to prevent structural damage from overheating by core debris. United States: N. p., Web.
Gabor, J D, Cassulo, J C, Pedersen, D R, & Baker, L Jr. Safety apparatus for nuclear reactor to prevent structural damage from overheating by core debris. United States.
Gabor, J D, Cassulo, J C, Pedersen, D R, and Baker, L Jr. . "Safety apparatus for nuclear reactor to prevent structural damage from overheating by core debris". United States.
@article{osti_5323279,
title = {Safety apparatus for nuclear reactor to prevent structural damage from overheating by core debris},
author = {Gabor, J D and Cassulo, J C and Pedersen, D R and Baker, L Jr},
abstractNote = {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 can be discharged from the reactor core. The invention provides a porous bed of 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.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {},
month = {}
}

Patent:
Search for the full text at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Note: You will be redirected to the USPTO site, which may require a pop-up blocker to be deactivated to view the patent. If so, you will need to manually turn off your browser's pop-up blocker, typically found within the browser settings. (See DOE Patents FAQs for more information.)

Save / Share: