Systems and methods for maintaining cover gas in nuclear reactors

Abstract

Cover gas control systems include a reservoir and injection path for direct injection into fuel transfer machinery. If seals in the fuel handling machinery leak, cover gas is provided from the reservoir to flow to the leak without contamination from a reactor to which the fuel transfer machinery is joined. This providing cover gas may be passive or automatic in response to a detected low pressure level, detected ambient air ingress, low volume level of cover gas, or manually actuated through an operator. The cover gas may be injected from below the leak but above the reactor. A limitation in the injection path keeps cover gas injection at rates sufficient to allow operator reaction and sealing before the reservoir is depleted. A pressure pulse transmitter, blowout preventer, and transfer port plug are useable in the systems, which can be implemented in fuel handling machinery for reactors using a cover gas.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.