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

Title: Method and apparatus for enhancing reactor air-cooling system performance

Abstract

An enhanced decay heat removal system for removing heat from the inert gas-filled gap space between the reactor vessel and the containment vessel of a liquid metal-cooled nuclear reactor. Multiple cooling ducts in flow communication with the inert gas-filled gap space are incorporated to provide multiple flow paths for the inert gas to circulate to heat exchangers which remove heat from the inert gas, thereby introducing natural convection flows in the inert gas. The inert gas in turn absorbs heat directly from the reactor vessel by natural convection heat transfer.

Inventors:
 [1]
  1. Los Gatos, CA
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
General Electric Co., Boston, MA (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
870339
Patent Number(s):
5499277
Assignee:
General Electric Company (San Jose, 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:  
AC03-89SF17445
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
method; apparatus; enhancing; reactor; air-cooling; performance; enhanced; decay; heat; removal; removing; inert; gas-filled; gap; space; vessel; containment; liquid; metal-cooled; nuclear; multiple; cooling; ducts; flow; communication; incorporated; provide; paths; gas; circulate; exchangers; remove; introducing; natural; convection; flows; absorbs; directly; transfer; liquid metal-cooled; absorbs heat; natural convection; remove heat; decay heat; flow paths; containment vessel; reactor vessel; heat exchange; nuclear reactor; heat exchanger; liquid metal; heat transfer; inert gas; flow path; heat exchangers; flow communication; heat removal; cooled nuclear; removing heat; multiple cooling; provide multiple; metal-cooled nuclear; convection heat; gas-filled gap; cooling duct; multiple flow; reactor air; convection flow; /376/

Citation Formats

Hunsbedt, Anstein. Method and apparatus for enhancing reactor air-cooling system performance. United States: N. p., 1996. Web.
Hunsbedt, Anstein. Method and apparatus for enhancing reactor air-cooling system performance. United States.
Hunsbedt, Anstein. Mon . "Method and apparatus for enhancing reactor air-cooling system performance". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/870339.
@article{osti_870339,
title = {Method and apparatus for enhancing reactor air-cooling system performance},
author = {Hunsbedt, Anstein},
abstractNote = {An enhanced decay heat removal system for removing heat from the inert gas-filled gap space between the reactor vessel and the containment vessel of a liquid metal-cooled nuclear reactor. Multiple cooling ducts in flow communication with the inert gas-filled gap space are incorporated to provide multiple flow paths for the inert gas to circulate to heat exchangers which remove heat from the inert gas, thereby introducing natural convection flows in the inert gas. The inert gas in turn absorbs heat directly from the reactor vessel by natural convection heat transfer.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1996},
month = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1996}
}