Earth covered in-the-ground nuclear reactor facility
A clay layer of low permeability and of a thickness of about 2 meters, depending somewhat upon the permeability, immediately covers and laterally surrounds the external concrete wall and roof structure of the nuclear reactor building, this layer extending at least down to a ground water draining or leading ground layer. Above it is a layer of gravel, sand or porous stone of relatively high permeability, typically somewhat less than a meter thick, and on top thereof an earth fill layer of less permeability than the intermediate layer is provided, which is typically 8 meters thick. The clay layer, which could also be a loam layer, prevents the emergence of radioactive materials in the event of cracking of the concrete structure by an accidental malfunction and absorbs aerosols and water-soluble fission products. The gravel layer converts the convective mass flow of the emerging materials into a diffusion flow and prevents the spreading of cracks in the covering layers. In the thick earth fill layer on top, any radioactive materials still spreading are transported only by a process of diffusion. If protection is to be provided against the strongest external effects, a concrete paving can be put on top of the earth fill.
- Assignee:
- Kernforschungsanlage Julich Gmbh (Germany, Federal Republic Of)
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4244153
- OSTI ID:
- 6164988
- Resource Relation:
- Patent Priority Date: Priority date 29 Mar 1977, German, Federal Republic of (F.R. Germany)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
42 ENGINEERING
UNDERGROUND NUCLEAR STATIONS
DESIGN
BIOLOGICAL SHIELDING
CLAYS
CONCRETES
PERMEABILITY
SAND
SHIELDING MATERIALS
BUILDING MATERIALS
MATERIALS
MINERALS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
POWER PLANTS
SHIELDING
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
220900* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Reactor Safety
422000 - Engineering- Mining & Underground Engineering- (1980-)