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 be discharged from the reactor core. The invention provides a porous bed or 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:
-
- Western Springs, IL
- Stickney, IL
- Naperville, IL
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 875269
- Patent Number(s):
- H000091
- Application Number:
- 06/777875
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31109-ENG-38
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: 1985 Sep 20
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- statutory invention registration; safety; apparatus; nuclear; reactor; prevent; structural; damage; overheating; core; debris; teaches; included; newly; fabricated; retrofit; add-on; minimize; proliferation; event; experiencing; malfunction; whereby; radioactive; break; discharged; provides; porous; bed; sublayer; surface; containment; vessel; falls; piles; vapor; release; elements; upstand; laterally; spaced; array; heat; flux; interior; vaporize; coolant; location; vaporized; vented; downwardly; via; upwardly; minimizes; pressure; buildup; allows; continuing; infiltration; liquid; porous bed; laterally spaced; radioactive nuclear; reactor containment; liquid coolant; heat flux; containment vessel; nuclear reactor; reactor core; core debris; structural damage; spaced array; safety apparatus; pressure buildup; prevent structural; /376/
Citation Formats
Gabor, John D., Cassulo, John C., Pedersen, Dean R., and Baker, Jr., Louis. Safety apparatus for nuclear reactor to prevent structural damage from overheating by core debris. United States: N. p., 1986.
Web.
Gabor, John D., Cassulo, John C., Pedersen, Dean R., & Baker, Jr., Louis. Safety apparatus for nuclear reactor to prevent structural damage from overheating by core debris. United States.
Gabor, John D., Cassulo, John C., Pedersen, Dean R., and Baker, Jr., Louis. Wed .
"Safety apparatus for nuclear reactor to prevent structural damage from overheating by core debris". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/875269.
@article{osti_875269,
title = {Safety apparatus for nuclear reactor to prevent structural damage from overheating by core debris},
author = {Gabor, John D. and Cassulo, John C. and Pedersen, Dean R. and Baker, Jr., Louis},
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 be discharged from the reactor core. The invention provides a porous bed or 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 = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1986},
month = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1986}
}