Loss-of-coolant accident reactor cooling system

A passive reactor cooling system usable after a loss-of-coolant accident, the system comprising:

• a containment vessel in thermal communication with a heat sink;
• a reactor well disposed in the containment vessel;
• a reactor vessel disposed at least partially in the reactor well, the reactorvessel containing a nuclear fuel core and primary coolant heated by the fuel core;
• a steam generator disposed in the containment vessel in fluid communication with the reactor vessel, the primary coolant circulating between the reactor vessel and steam generator via a primary coolant flow loop;
• a water storage tank disposed in the containment vessel and in fluid communication with the reactor well, the tank containing an inventory of cooling water which is supplied directly to the reactor well;
• and
• a heat exchanger disposed in the containment vessel, the heat exchanger in fluid communication with the reactor well via an atmospheric pressure closed flow loop;
• wherein following a loss of primary coolant, the tank is configured to flood the reactor well with cooling water which contacts and cools the exterior of the reactor vessel;
• wherein the cooling water in the flooded reactor well is heated by the fuel core and converted into steam, the steam flows through the closed flow loop to the heat exchanger and condenses forming condensate, and the condensate flows via gravity back to the reactorwell;
• wherein the closed flow loop is fluidly isolated from the primary coolant;
• and further comprising:
• an insulating liner assembly disposed on an outside surface of the reactor vessel, the liner assembly comprising a plurality of spaced apart metal liners having air gaps formed between the liners;
• a top flow-hole nozzle disposed at the outside surface of reactor vessel which is in fluid communication with the air gaps formed between the liners and the reactorwell, the top flow-hole note being configured to evacuate steam produced within the liner assembly and discharge the steam to the reactor well;
• and
• a bottom flow-hole nozzle disposed at the outside surface of a bottom head of the reactor vessel which is in fluid communication with the air gaps formed between the liners and the reactor well, the bottom flow-hole nozzle being configured to admit cooling water in the reactor well into the liner assembly;
• wherein the cooling water enters the liner assembly through the bottom flow-hole node and is converted to steam by heat from the reactor fuel core, and the steam exits the liner assembly and flows into the reactor well through the top flow-hole nozzle.