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US 2020/0090823 A1Published application
Reactor vessel reflector with integrated flow-through
AssigneeNuScale Power, LLC
InventorEric Paul Young
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A nuclear reactor module includes a reactor core and a reactor housing that surrounds the reactor core about its sides, wherein the reactor housing is configured to direct coolant through the reactor core. A neutron reflector is located between the reactor core and the reactor housing, wherein the neutron reflector has a plurality of inlet ports facing the reactor core. The neutron reflector also has a plurality of outlet ports fluidly connected to the inlet ports to direct a portion of the coolant through the neutron reflector.
Claims21
1-16. (canceled)
A method comprising:
- circulating a primary coolant into a reactor housing;
- partitioning the primary coolant into a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion passes entirely through a reactor core located in the reactor housing, and wherein the second portion passes partially through the reactor core before entering an inlet of a neutron reflector, wherein the inlet is located in a side wall of the neutron reflector, and wherein the side wall faces the reactor core;
- and
- directing the second portion of the primary coolant through the neutron reflector.
1 more element
(canceled)
A method for operating a nuclear reactor, comprising:
- communicating a primary coolant through a reactor housing that encloses a reactor core having axial and radial surfaces;
- communicating the primary coolant in an annulus between a reflector and the reactor housing, the reflector at least partitioning partially surrounding the radial surfaces of the reactor core;
- communicating the primary coolant from the annulus to an inlet of the reactor core;
- communicating a first portion of the primary coolant from the inlet of the reactor core through the reactor core and to an outlet of the reactor core;
- communicating a second portion of the primary coolant from the inlet of the reactor core, through a portion of the reactor core, and through one or more openings in the radial surfaces of the reactor core;
- communicating the second portion of the primary coolant from the one or more openings to inlets of fluid pathways in the reflector, through the fluid pathways, and to outlets of the fluid pathways;
- and
- communicating the first portion from the outlet of the reactor core and the second portion from the outlets of the fluid pathways together through a riser conduit enclosed in the reactor housing.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.