Sodium cesium vapor trap system and method
AssigneeTerraPower, LLC
InventorsMichael Anderson, Thomas M. Burke, Robert A. Corbin, Christopher M. Regan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Sodium-cesium trap systems and methods for the simultaneous removal of both sodium (Na) and cesium (Cs) in gas are provided. The trap system includes a contacting vessel having an inlet and an outlet with carrier gas channeled therethrough. A heating system maintains a temperature gradient across the contacting vessel between a first temperature at the inlet and a second temperature at the outlet such that sodium and cesium contained within the carrier gas are condensed into liquid and the carrier gas exiting the vessel is substantially free of sodium and cesium.
Claims23
A system for removing sodium and cesium from a carrier gas stream received from a sodium-cooled nuclear reactor comprising:
- a contacting vessel;
- an inlet at a first end of the contacting vessel adapted to receive the carrier gas stream at an inlet pressure of less than 10 atm, the received carrier gas stream containing at least some sodium and cesium;
- an outlet at a second end of the contacting vessel adapted to discharge carrier gas at an outlet pressure less than the inlet pressure;
- a heating system including at least one heating element and a controller adapted to maintain a temperature gradient across the contacting vessel between a first temperature at the first end of the vessel greater than an operating temperature of sodium coolant in the sodium-cooled nuclear reactor and a second temperature at the second end of the vessel less than 220° F.;
- and
- a tray within the contacting vessel between the inlet and the outlet, wherein the tray is located in the contacting vessel at a point where liquid cesium collects within the contacting vessel based on the first and second temperature.
A system for removing sodium and cesium from a carrier gas stream received from a sodium-cooled nuclear reactor comprising:
- a contacting vessel;
- an inlet at a first end of the contacting vessel adapted to receive the carrier gas stream at an inlet pressure of less than 10 atm, the received carrier gas stream containing at least some sodium and cesium;
- a first outlet at a second end of the contacting vessel adapted to discharge carrier gas at an outlet pressure less than the inlet pressure;
- a heating system including at least one heating element and a controller adapted to maintain a temperature gradient across the contacting vessel between a first temperature at the first end of the vessel greater than an operating temperature of sodium coolant in the sodium-cooled nuclear reactor and a second temperature at the second end of the vessel less than 220° F.;
- and
- a second outlet in the contacting vessel between the inlet and the first outlet, the second outlet located in the contacting vessel at a point where liquid cesium collects within the contacting vessel based on the first and second temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.