Magnetic nuclear core restraint and control
Abstract
A lateral restraint and control system for a nuclear reactor core adaptable to provide an inherent decrease of core reactivity in response to abnormally high reactor coolant fluid temperatures. An electromagnet is associated with structure for radially compressing the core during normal reactor conditions. A portion of the structures forming a magnetic circuit are composed of ferromagnetic material having a curie temperature corresponding to a selected coolant fluid temperature. Upon a selected signal, or inherently upon a preselected rise in coolant temperature, the magnetic force is decreased a given amount sufficient to relieve the compression force so as to allow core radial expansion. The expanded core configuration provides a decreased reactivity, tending to shut down the nuclear reaction.
- Inventors:
-
- Monroeville, PA
- Issue Date:
- OSTI Identifier:
- 863245
- Patent Number(s):
- 4131510
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21C - NUCLEAR REACTORS
G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21D - NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
- DOE Contract Number:
- E(11-1)-3045
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- magnetic; nuclear; core; restraint; control; lateral; reactor; adaptable; provide; inherent; decrease; reactivity; response; abnormally; coolant; fluid; temperatures; electromagnet; associated; structure; radially; compressing; normal; conditions; portion; structures; forming; circuit; composed; ferromagnetic; material; curie; temperature; corresponding; selected; signal; inherently; preselected; rise; force; decreased; amount; sufficient; relieve; compression; allow; radial; expansion; expanded; configuration; provides; tending; shut; reaction; coolant temperature; magnetic force; configuration provides; nuclear core; curie temperature; reactor coolant; nuclear reactor; reactor core; magnetic material; amount sufficient; magnetic circuit; coolant fluid; normal reactor; nuclear reaction; ferromagnetic material; radial expansion; reactor conditions; temperature corresponding; structures forming; fluid temperature; core configuration; lateral restraint; compression force; core reactivity; fluid temperatures; inherent decrease; magnetic nuclear; core restraint; core adaptable; /376/976/
Citation Formats
Cooper, Martin H. Magnetic nuclear core restraint and control. United States: N. p., 1978.
Web.
Cooper, Martin H. Magnetic nuclear core restraint and control. United States.
Cooper, Martin H. Sun .
"Magnetic nuclear core restraint and control". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/863245.
@article{osti_863245,
title = {Magnetic nuclear core restraint and control},
author = {Cooper, Martin H},
abstractNote = {A lateral restraint and control system for a nuclear reactor core adaptable to provide an inherent decrease of core reactivity in response to abnormally high reactor coolant fluid temperatures. An electromagnet is associated with structure for radially compressing the core during normal reactor conditions. A portion of the structures forming a magnetic circuit are composed of ferromagnetic material having a curie temperature corresponding to a selected coolant fluid temperature. Upon a selected signal, or inherently upon a preselected rise in coolant temperature, the magnetic force is decreased a given amount sufficient to relieve the compression force so as to allow core radial expansion. The expanded core configuration provides a decreased reactivity, tending to shut down the nuclear reaction.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1978},
month = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1978}
}