Nuclear reactor with heating elements housed in their entirety in an integrated pressurizer
AssigneeSociete Technique Pour L'energie Atomique
InventorMichel Brun
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Abstract
A nuclear reactor has a pressurizer housed in a vessel. Heating elements are completely housed in the pressurizer. The nuclear reactor has electrical conductors that are the only feature leaving the vessel through electrical penetrations. The nuclear reactor can be operated to produce energy. The production of energy can be stopped, and the vessel of the reactor can be opened for performing maintenance operations on elements of the pressurizer and other components of the reactor, including fuel assembly replacement. After performing maintenance operations, the vessel of the reactor can be closed and energy production resumed.
Claims17
An integrated pressurizer nuclear reactor, the nuclear reactor comprising:
- a vessel comprising a central axis;
- a pressurizer housed in the vessel the pressurizer comprising a lower zone filled with a primary liquid and an upper zone filled with steam;
- a plurality of nuclear fuel assemblies, forming a core arranged in the vessel;
- a plurality of heating elements provided to heat the primary liquid filling the lower zone of the pressurizer;
- at least one current source;
- electrical conductors connecting each heating element to the at least one current source;
- a plurality of electrical penetrations, defining sealed passages through the vessel,
- wherein the heating elements are completely housed in the pressurizer, each heating element being connected to one of the conductors via an electrical connection point placed inside the pressurizer, and only the electrical conductors leave the vessel through the electrical penetrations.
An integrated pressurizer nuclear reactor, the nuclear reactor comprising:
- a vessel comprising a central axis;
- a pressurizer housed in the vessel the pressurizer comprising a lower zone filled with a primary liquid and an upper zone filled with steam;
- a plurality of nuclear fuel assemblies, forming a core arranged in the vessel;
- a plurality of heating elements provided to heat the primary liquid filling the lower zone of the pressurizer;
- at least one current source;
- electrical conductors connecting each heating element to the at least one current source;
- a plurality of electrical penetrations, defining sealed passages through the vessel,
- wherein the heating elements are completely housed in the pressurizer, each heating element being connected to one of the conductors via an electrical connection point placed inside the pressurizer, and in that only the electrical conductors leave the vessel through the electrical penetrations,
- wherein the vessel comprises a dome, the plurality of electrical penetrations traversing a part of the dome defining the upper zone of the pressurizer, and
- wherein the plurality of electrical penetrations traverse said part of the dome in a direction of penetration that is substantially parallel to the central axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.