Integrated reactor-containment hyperbolic-cooling-tower system
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (United States)
A preliminary feasibility analysis has been conducted to evaluate placing a nuclear reactor containment building inside a large hyperbolic cooling tower, a concept previously suggested for fossil-fired units but for reasons other than those that motivate this evaluation. The geometry of the design, the amount of water available, and the shielding provided by the cooling tower are beneficial to the safety characteristics of the containment under accident conditions. Three means of decay heat management are employed: an initial water spray on the containment exterior, long-term air convection on side of the containment, and creation of a water pool inside the containment. A continuously spraying water tank on top of the containment allows for a completely passive decay heat removal system. An annular air chimney around the containment is effective in long-term removal of {approximately} 1O MW (thermal) through air convection. Five percent of the water inventory in the cooling-tower pond surrounding the containment is sufficient to flood the containment interior to a depth of 14.6 ft, thereby providing an internal containment heat sink. The packing and the height of the tower provide major scrubbing and dispersing sources for any uncontrolled radioactive leak. The cooling tower veil also protects the containment from external events such as lane crashes.
- OSTI ID:
- 89317
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-941102-; ISSN 0003-018X; TRN: 95:004215-0394
- Journal Information:
- Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Vol. 71; Conference: Winter meeting of the American Nuclear Society (ANS), Washington, DC (United States), 13-18 Nov 1994; Other Information: PBD: 1994
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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