Natural circulation heat removal system for a nuclear reactor with pile structure

A nuclear plant, comprising:

• a nuclear reactor;
• a natural circulation air cooling system defining an air inlet opening, an air outlet opening, and one or more conduits extending in thermal communication with the nuclear reactor between the air inlet opening and the air outlet opening, such that the natural circulation air cooling system is configured to
• circulate ambient air from an ambient environment, through the air inlet opening, and into the one or more conduits, and
• circulate the ambient air from the one or more conduits, through the air outlet opening, and into the ambient environment, based on the ambient air in the one or more conduits absorbing heat rejected from the nuclear reactor such that a density of the ambient air absorbing the heat in the one or more conduits is reduced in relation to ambient air circulated into the one or more conduits from the ambient environment;
• and
• a pile structure covering at least one opening of the air inlet opening or the air outlet opening, the pile structure including a pile of packing objects covering the at least one opening, such that the at least one opening is obscured from direct exposure to the ambient environment by the pile of the packing objects,
• the pile structure including
• a first pile structure covering the air inlet opening, the first pile structure including a first pile of first packing objects covering the air inlet opening, such that the air inlet opening is obscured from direct exposure to the ambient environment by the first pile of the first packing objects;
• and
• a second pile structure covering the air outlet opening, the second pile structure including a second pile of second packing objects covering the air outlet opening, such that the air outlet opening is obscured from direct exposure to the ambient environment by the second pile of the second packing objects,
• the pile structure being one of the first pile structure or the second pile structure, such that the pile of the packing objects is one of the first pile of the first packing objects or the second pile of the second packing objects.

A nuclear plant, comprising:

• a nuclear reactor;
• a natural circulation air cooling system defining an air inlet opening, an air outlet opening, and one or more conduits extending in thermal communication with the nuclear reactor between the air inlet opening and the air outlet opening, such that the natural circulation air cooling system is configured to
• circulate ambient air from an ambient environment, through the air inlet opening, and into the one or more conduits, and
• circulate the ambient air from the one or more conduits, through the air outlet opening, and into the ambient environment, based on the ambient air in the one or more conduits absorbing heat rejected from the nuclear reactor such that a density of the ambient air absorbing the heat in the one or more conduits is reduced in relation to ambient air circulated into the one or more conduits from the ambient environment;
• and
• a pile structure covering at least one opening of the air inlet opening or the air outlet opening, the pile structure including a pile of packing objects covering the at least one opening, such that the at least one opening is obscured from direct exposure to the ambient environment by the pile of the packing objects, the pile structure covering both the air inlet opening and the air outlet opening, such that both the air inlet opening and the air outlet opening are obscured from direct exposure to the ambient environment by the pile of packing objects
• the pile structure including a wall structure, the wall structure at least partially located within the pile of the packing objects and at least partially obscured from direct exposure to the ambient environment by the packing objects, the wall structure located laterally between the air inlet opening and the air outlet opening such that opposite sidewalls of the wall structure are proximate to separate, respective openings of the air inlet opening or the air outlet opening.

A system, comprising:

• a heat source and/or structure located at least partially below a local ground surface elevation, the heat source and/or structure configured to generate heat at a location that is below the local ground surface elevation;
• an air cooling system defining an air inlet opening, an air outlet opening, and one or more conduits extending in thermal communication with the heat source and/or structure, at the location that is below the local ground surface elevation where the heat is generated, between the air inlet opening and the air outlet opening, such that the air cooling system is configured to
• circulate ambient air from an ambient environment, through the air inlet opening, and into the one or more conduits, and
• circulate the ambient air from the one or more conduits, through the air outlet opening, and into the ambient environment, based on the ambient air in the one or more conduits absorbing heat rejected from the heat source and/or structure;
• and
• a pile structure covering at least one opening of the air inlet opening or the air outlet opening, the pile structure including a pile of packing objects covering the at least one opening, such that the at least one opening is obscured from direct exposure to the ambient environment by the pile of the packing objects, the pile structure including
• a first pile structure covering the air inlet opening, the first pile structure including a first pile of first packing objects covering the air inlet opening, such that the air inlet opening is obscured from direct exposure to the ambient environment by the first pile of the first packing objects;
• and
• a second pile structure covering the air outlet opening, the second pile structure including a second pile of second packing objects covering the air outlet opening, such that the air outlet opening is obscured from direct exposure to the ambient environment by the second pile of the second packing objects,
• the pile structure being one of the first pile structure or the second pile structure, such that the pile of the packing objects is one of the first pile of the first packing objects or the second pile of the second packing objects.