Modular assembly for supporting, straining, and directing flow to a core in a nuclear reactor
Abstract
A reactor core support arrangement for supporting, straining, and providing fluid flow to the core and periphery of a nuclear reactor during normal operation. A plurality of removable inlet modular units are contained within permanent liners in the lower supporting plate of the reactor vessel lower internals. During normal operation (1) each inlet modular unit directs main coolant flow to a plurality of core assemblies, the latter being removably supported in receptacles in the upper portion of the modular unit and (2) each inlet modular unit may direct bypass flow to a low pressure annular region of the reactor vessel. Each inlet modular unit may include special fluid seals interposed between mating surfaces of the inlet modular units and the core assemblies and between the inlet modular units and the liners, to minimize leakage and achieve an hydraulic balance. Utilizing the hydraulic balance, the modular units are held in the liners and the assemblies are held in the modular unit receptacles by their own respective weight. Included as part of the permanent liners below the horizontal support plate are generally hexagonal axial debris barriers. The axial debris barriers collectively form a bottom boundary of a secondary high pressure plenum, themore »
- Inventors:
-
- Greensburg, PA
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Westinghouse Electric Corp., Madison, Pa. (USA)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 862938
- Patent Number(s):
- 4053358
- 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
- DOE Contract Number:
- AT(11-1)-2395
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- modular; assembly; supporting; straining; directing; flow; core; nuclear; reactor; support; arrangement; providing; fluid; periphery; normal; operation; plurality; removable; inlet; units; contained; permanent; liners; plate; vessel; internals; unit; directs; main; coolant; assemblies; latter; removably; supported; receptacles; upper; portion; direct; bypass; pressure; annular; region; special; seals; interposed; mating; surfaces; minimize; leakage; achieve; hydraulic; balance; utilizing; held; respective; weight; included; below; horizontal; hexagonal; axial; debris; barriers; collectively; form; bottom; boundary; secondary; plenum; surface; peripheral; radial; barrier; entry; radially; primary; openings; liner; pass; amount; provide; alternative; paths; unlikely; event; blockage; characteristics; limit; potential; entering; inlets; blocking; inside; mating surface; unlikely event; flow paths; normal operation; reactor vessel; nuclear reactor; reactor core; fluid flow; flow path; upper portion; coolant flow; primary coolant; bottom surface; annular region; support plate; support arrangement; inlet modular; coolant inlet; core support; modular units; modular unit; core assemblies; removably supported; modular assembly; collectively form; mating surfaces; providing fluid; minimize leakage; inlet flow; movably supported; pass flow; /376/976/
Citation Formats
Pennell, William E. Modular assembly for supporting, straining, and directing flow to a core in a nuclear reactor. United States: N. p., 1977.
Web.
Pennell, William E. Modular assembly for supporting, straining, and directing flow to a core in a nuclear reactor. United States.
Pennell, William E. Sat .
"Modular assembly for supporting, straining, and directing flow to a core in a nuclear reactor". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/862938.
@article{osti_862938,
title = {Modular assembly for supporting, straining, and directing flow to a core in a nuclear reactor},
author = {Pennell, William E},
abstractNote = {A reactor core support arrangement for supporting, straining, and providing fluid flow to the core and periphery of a nuclear reactor during normal operation. A plurality of removable inlet modular units are contained within permanent liners in the lower supporting plate of the reactor vessel lower internals. During normal operation (1) each inlet modular unit directs main coolant flow to a plurality of core assemblies, the latter being removably supported in receptacles in the upper portion of the modular unit and (2) each inlet modular unit may direct bypass flow to a low pressure annular region of the reactor vessel. Each inlet modular unit may include special fluid seals interposed between mating surfaces of the inlet modular units and the core assemblies and between the inlet modular units and the liners, to minimize leakage and achieve an hydraulic balance. Utilizing the hydraulic balance, the modular units are held in the liners and the assemblies are held in the modular unit receptacles by their own respective weight. Included as part of the permanent liners below the horizontal support plate are generally hexagonal axial debris barriers. The axial debris barriers collectively form a bottom boundary of a secondary high pressure plenum, the upper boundary of which is the bottom surface of the horizontal support plate. Peripheral liners include radial debris barriers which collectively form a barrier against debris entry radially. During normal operation primary coolant inlet openings in the liner, below the axial debris barriers, pass a large amount of coolant into the inlet modular units, and secondary coolant inlet openings in the portion of the liners within the secondary plenum pass a small amount of coolant into the inlet modular units. The secondary coolant inlet openings also provide alternative coolant inlet flow paths in the unlikely event of blockage of the primary inlet openings. The primary inlet openings have characteristics which limit the entry of debris and minimize the potential for debris entering the primary inlets blocking the secondary inlets from inside the modular unit.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1977},
month = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1977}
}