Multiple lead seal assembly for a liquid-metal-cooled fast-breeder nuclear reactor
Abstract
A reusable multiple lead seal assembly provides leak-free passage of stainless-steel-clad instrument leads through the cover on the primary tank of a liquid-metal-cooled fast-breeder nuclear reactor. The seal isolates radioactive argon cover gas and sodium vapor within the primary tank from the exterior atmosphere and permits reuse of the assembly and the stainless-steel-clad instrument leads. Leads are placed in flutes in a seal body, and a seal shell is then placed around the seal body. Circumferential channels in the body and inner surface of the shell are contiguous and together form a conduit which intersects each of the flutes, placing them in communication with a port through the wall of the seal shell. Liquid silicone rubber sealant is injected into the flutes through the port and conduit; the sealant fills the space in the flutes not occupied by the leads themselves and dries to a rubbery hardness. A nut, threaded onto a portion of the seal body not covered by the seal shell, jacks the body out of the shell and shears the sealant without damage to the body, shell, or leads. The leads may then be removed from the body. The sheared sealant is cleaned from the body, leads,more »
- Inventors:
-
- Wilmette, IL
- Brookfield, IL
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 862789
- Patent Number(s):
- 4012282
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States Energy (Washington, DC)
- 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
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- multiple; lead; seal; assembly; liquid-metal-cooled; fast-breeder; nuclear; reactor; reusable; provides; leak-free; passage; stainless-steel-clad; instrument; leads; cover; primary; tank; isolates; radioactive; argon; gas; sodium; vapor; exterior; atmosphere; permits; reuse; placed; flutes; shell; circumferential; channels; inner; surface; contiguous; form; conduit; intersects; placing; communication; wall; liquid; silicone; rubber; sealant; injected; fills; space; occupied; dries; rubbery; hardness; nut; threaded; portion; covered; jacks; shears; damage; removed; sheared; cleaned; reused; liquid-metal-cooled fast-breeder; assembly provides; seal assembly; nuclear reactor; inner surface; cover gas; silicone rubber; sodium vapor; instrument lead; rubber seal; multiple lead; fast-breeder nuclear; cooled fast; free passage; exterior atmosphere; metal-cooled fast; breeder nuclear; liquid-metal-cooled fast; lead seal; /376/174/976/
Citation Formats
Hutter, Ernest, and Pardini, John A. Multiple lead seal assembly for a liquid-metal-cooled fast-breeder nuclear reactor. United States: N. p., 1977.
Web.
Hutter, Ernest, & Pardini, John A. Multiple lead seal assembly for a liquid-metal-cooled fast-breeder nuclear reactor. United States.
Hutter, Ernest, and Pardini, John A. Tue .
"Multiple lead seal assembly for a liquid-metal-cooled fast-breeder nuclear reactor". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/862789.
@article{osti_862789,
title = {Multiple lead seal assembly for a liquid-metal-cooled fast-breeder nuclear reactor},
author = {Hutter, Ernest and Pardini, John A},
abstractNote = {A reusable multiple lead seal assembly provides leak-free passage of stainless-steel-clad instrument leads through the cover on the primary tank of a liquid-metal-cooled fast-breeder nuclear reactor. The seal isolates radioactive argon cover gas and sodium vapor within the primary tank from the exterior atmosphere and permits reuse of the assembly and the stainless-steel-clad instrument leads. Leads are placed in flutes in a seal body, and a seal shell is then placed around the seal body. Circumferential channels in the body and inner surface of the shell are contiguous and together form a conduit which intersects each of the flutes, placing them in communication with a port through the wall of the seal shell. Liquid silicone rubber sealant is injected into the flutes through the port and conduit; the sealant fills the space in the flutes not occupied by the leads themselves and dries to a rubbery hardness. A nut, threaded onto a portion of the seal body not covered by the seal shell, jacks the body out of the shell and shears the sealant without damage to the body, shell, or leads. The leads may then be removed from the body. The sheared sealant is cleaned from the body, leads, and shell and the assembly may then be reused with the same or different leads.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Mar 15 00:00:00 EST 1977},
month = {Tue Mar 15 00:00:00 EST 1977}
}