# US 2014/0192947 A1 · Submerged electricity production module > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0192947 A1 - Document ID: US20140192947A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/824,917 - Filed: 2013-01-18 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2012-01-18 - Assignees: Dcns - Applicants: Dcns - Inventors: Geoffrey Haratyk - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140192947A1 ## CPC - G21C 1/32: Integral reactors, i.e. reactors wherein parts functionally associated with the reactor but not essential to the reaction, e.g. heat exchangers, are disposed inside the enclosure with the core (G21C1/02 - G21C1/30 take precedence) - B63G 8/00: Underwater vessels, e.g. submarines; {Equipment specially adapted therefor}(submarine hulls B63B3/13; diving chambers with mechanical link, e.g. cable, to a base B63C11/34; divers' sleds B63C11/46; torpedoes F42B19/00) - B63G 8/001: {Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations (self-propelled or direction controlled diving chambers with mechanical link to a base B63C11/42)} - G21C 9/004: Pressure suppression - G21C 9/016: Core catchers - G21C 11/04: on waterborne craft - G21C 15/18: Emergency cooling arrangements; Removing shut-down heat - G21D 3/06: responsive to faults within the plant (in the reactor G21C9/00) - B63B 2035/4446: {for converting nuclear energy into electric energy} - Y02E 30/00: Energy generation of nuclear origin - Y02E 30/30: Nuclear fission reactors - G21C: NUCLEAR REACTORS (fusion reactors, hybrid fission-fusion reactors G21B; nuclear explosives G21J) - B63G: OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS ON VESSELS; MINE-LAYING; MINE-SWEEPING; SUBMARINES; AIRCRAFT CARRIERS (means of attack or defence in general, e.g. turrets F41H) - G21D: NUCLEAR POWER PLANT - B63B: SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING (arrangements of vessel ventilation, heating, cooling, or air-conditioning B63J2/00; floating substructures as supports of dredgers or soil-shifting machines E02F9/06) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract The underwater electricity production module according to the invention includes means in the form of an elongated cylindrical box (12) in which means are integrated forming an electricity production unit including means forming a nuclear boiler (30), associated with electricity production means (37) connected to an external electricity distribution station (7) by electrical cables (6), is characterized in that the nuclear boiler-forming means (30) include a secondary circuit (36) associated with the electricity production means (37) and a secondary backup circuit (60) in parallel on that secondary circuit and including at least one secondary passive heat exchanger (61) placed outside the underwater module (12) in the marine environment. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An underwater electricity production module, of the type including means in the form of an elongated cylindrical box in which means forming an electricity production unit are integrated, the means forming an electricity production unit including means forming a nuclear boiler, associated with electricity production means connected to an external electricity distribution station by electrical cables, wherein the nuclear boiler-forming means include a secondary circuit associated with the electricity production means and a secondary backup circuit in parallel on that secondary circuit and including at least one secondary passive heat exchanger placed outside the underwater module in the marine environment. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The underwater electricity production module according to claim 1, wherein the nuclear boiler-forming means are placed in a dry chamber of a reactor compartment associated with the chamber forming a safety water storage reservoir of the reactor whereof at least the radial wall is in a heat exchange relationship with the marine environment. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The underwater electricity production module according to claim 2, wherein the nuclear boiler means include a primary circuit comprising at least one reactor container, a pressurizer, a steam generator and a primary pump and a primary backup circuit in parallel on that primary circuit and including at least one primary passive heat exchanger placed in the safety water storage reservoir chamber of the reactor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The underwater electricity production module according to claim 3, wherein the primary passive heat exchanger placed in the safety water storage reservoir chamber of the reactor is placed at a higher level than that of the reactor container. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The underwater electricity production module according to claim 4, wherein each branch of the primary backup circuit includes valve-forming means. ### Claim 6 (canceled) ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The underwater electricity production module according to claim 3, wherein the primary backup circuit is connected to the primary circuit upstream from the primary pump and wherein it includes means for short-circuiting that primary pump. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The underwater electricity production module according to claim 1, wherein the secondary passive heat exchanger placed outside the underwater module in the marine environment is placed at a higher level than that of the steam generator. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The underwater electricity production module according to claim 7, wherein each branch of the secondary backup circuit includes valve-forming means. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The underwater electricity production module according to claim 7, wherein the secondary circuit includes isolating valve-forming means and wherein the secondary backup circuit is connected between said isolating valve means. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The underwater electricity production module according to claim 7, wherein the secondary circuit extends partially in a compartment receiving the electricity production means and wherein the secondary backup circuit passes through the radial wall of the compartment and is connected to the secondary passive heat exchanger placed outside said compartment. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The underwater electricity production module according to claim 1, wherein the dry chamber of the reactor compartment is connected to the safety water storage reservoir chamber of the reactor by depressurizing means including means forming a depressurizing valve placed in the upper portion of the dry chamber (19) and connected to the bubbler-forming means placed in the lower portion of the reservoir-forming chamber and wherein excess flow check means are provided between the upper portion of said reservoir-forming chamber and the dry chamber. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The underwater electricity production module according to claim 1, wherein the nuclear boiler means include a reactor container, placed in a reactor pit whereof the lower portion is connected to the lower portion of the safety water storage reservoir chamber of the reactor through means forming a water intake conduit placed along the radial wall of the module and whereof the upper portion is connected to a corresponding portion of the storage reservoir chamber through means forming a water return conduit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The underwater electricity production module according to claim 13, valve means are placed in the means forming intake and return ducts. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The underwater electricity production module according to claim 13, wherein an enclosure made from a thermally insulating material is placed around the portion of the reactor container housed in the reactor pit, at a distance from the wall of that container, so as to define an interstice forming a thermal barrier between said enclosure and said container. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The underwater electricity production module according to claim 15, wherein during normal operation, the interstice between the enclosure and the container is filled with a gaseous material and wherein the enclosure includes, in the lower portion thereof, at least one water inlet opening. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The underwater electricity production module according to claim 13, wherein during normal operation, the water placed in the reactor pit is borated water. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The underwater electricity production module according to claim 13, wherein the end of the water inlet duct connected to the water storage reservoir chamber is associated with a filtering screen. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The underwater electricity production module according to claim 1, wherein the nuclear boiler means include a pressurizer connected by the depressurizing means to the safety water storage reservoir chamber of the reactor. ### Claim 20 (canceled) ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The underwater electricity production module according to claim 1, characterized in that the dry chamber of the reactor compartment is associated with a compartment for receiving electricity production means and wherein the latter includes means for introducing quenching water from the dry chamber receiving the reactor, placed in its lower portion and including a seawater inlet formed in the radial wall of the module at that compartment for receiving electricity producing means, a conduit between said seawater inlet and the dry chamber of the reactor compartment and means forming a quenching valve for that chamber. ### Claim at position 22 22-24. (canceled) ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The underwater electricity production module according claim 1, wherein it includes valve means for connecting the safety water storage reservoir chamber of the reactor to the reactor container.