Passive infinite cooling structure for nuclear reactor and method of operating the same

A passive infinite cooling system for a nuclear reactor, the system comprising:

• an energy release space within which is a reactor vessel, in which a reactor core is accommodated;
• an energy absorbing space in which cooling water is accommodated while being separated from the energy release space and to which a pressure in the energy release space is transferred;
• an energy transfer space, provided above the energy absorbing space, absorbing and cooling heat transferred from the reactor vessel, and discharging the absorbed heat to the outside through an outer wall thereof;
• a cooling space configured to separate the energy absorbing space and the energy transfer space from the energy release space;
• a first cooling flow path through which the heat in the reactor vessel is transferred to the energy transfer space;
• a pressure balance pipe through which the pressure in the energy release space is transferred to the energy absorbing space;
• and
• a coolant spray pipe through which the cooling water in the energy absorbing space pressurized by the pressure balance pipe is transferred to the energy transfer space;
• wherein the energy transfer space includes a saturated vapor pressure cooling chamber, which is formed to be connected to an inner side of an upper outer wall of the cooling space, and in which cooling water is accommodated, a heat exchanger of the first cooling flow path is located, and a spray-side end of the coolant spray pipe is located;
• and
• a reference atmospheric pressure chamber, provided below the saturated vapor pressure cooling chamber and communicating with the saturated vapor pressure cooling chamber, the reference atmospheric pressure chamber being filled with air so as to achieve a pressure balance with the cooling water in the saturated vapor pressure cooling chamber, and in which a water level thereof varies according to a pressure in the saturated vapor pressure cooling chamber.