Heat exchanger configuration for nuclear reactor

A plate heat exchanger for a nuclear reactor, comprising:

• a plurality of plates encased within an enclosure to inhibit a leak within the heat exchanger from escaping to a location outside the enclosure, the plurality of plates and the enclosure together forming a heat exchanger core having a longitudinal axis;
• a first fluid inlet plenum and a first fluid outlet plenum and a first fluid pathway communicating therebetween, the first fluid pathway formed as guide channels in each of the plurality of plates, wherein the first fluid inlet plenum is in fluid communication with each of the guide channels and the first fluid outlet plenum is in fluid communication with each of the guide channels;
• a second fluid inlet plenum and a second fluid outlet plenum and a second fluid pathway communicating therebetween, the second fluid pathway formed as second guide channels in each of the plurality of plates and the second fluid inlet plenum and the second fluid outlet plenum are in fluid communication with each of the second guide channels, the second fluid pathway fluidically separated from the first fluid pathway;
• a sliding labyrinth seal coupled to the plate exchanger, the sliding labyrinth seal configured to allow the plate heat exchanger to be reduced in length along the longitudinal axis in order to install the plate heat exchanger into a fixed space that is shorter in length than an overall length of the plate heat exchanger when fully expanded;
• a first fluid inlet pipe coupled to the first fluid inlet plenum;
• a first fluid outlet pipe coupled to the first fluid outlet plenum;
• a second fluid inlet pipe coupled to the second fluid inlet plenum;
• and
• a second fluid outlet pipe coupled to the second fluid outlet plenum.