Heat exchanger bellows seal assembly and methods of use
AssigneeNatura Resources LLC
InventorsAlton Reich, Thomas Provencher
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Modern molten salt reactors are configured with all salt bearing equipment within a thermal insulation layer defining a thermal region to ensure the equipment is at a sufficient temperature to maintain a molten phase of the salt. While this allows all salt bearing equipment to be collectively elevated to operational temperature, any components breaching the thermal region may cause undue stress on components affixed thereto. A bellows seal assembly may be employed on such breaching components to accommodate thermal growth of the thermal region. The bellows seal assembly may include attachment means to affix the breaching component to an inner and outer layer and a flexible member to accommodate movement caused by thermal growth.
Claims20
A system comprising:
- a reactor enclosure comprising a thermal insulation layer and an outer layer;
- the thermal insulation layer contained within the outer layer and defining a thermal region;
- the outer layer defining a pressure boundary;
- a molten salt reactor vessel including a reactor core configured to facilitate fission reaction disposed within the thermal region;
- a primary heat exchanger comprising a shell defining a shell volume and a coolant tube assembly comprising an internal coolant pipe section fluidly coupled to an external coolant pipe section;
- wherein the shell is disposed within the thermal region;
- wherein the tube assembly is disposed, relative to the shell, with the internal coolant pipe section within the shell volume and the external coolant pipe section extending therefrom, exterior to the thermal insulation region and through the pressure boundary;
- a bellows seal assembly disposed about the external coolant pipe section of the primary heat exchanger and connected to each of the thermal insulation layer and the outer layer;
- and
- wherein the bellows seal is configured to accommodate thermal expansion of the thermal insulation layer by compressing toward the outer layer while maintaining the connection between the thermal insulation layer and the outer layer.
A system comprising:
- a primary heat exchanger comprising a shell defining a shell volume and a tube assembly comprising an internal coolant pipe section fluidly coupled to an external coolant pipe section;
- wherein the shell is fluidly coupled to a fuel salt loop of a nuclear reactor system;
- a bellows seal assembly disposed about the external coolant pipe section such that a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet are surrounded by the bellows seal;
- wherein the bellows seal assembly is at least partially interposed between a thermal insulation layer and an outer layer of a reactor enclosure of the nuclear reactor system;
- wherein the insulation layer is disposed within the outer layer;
- wherein the insulation layer defines a thermal region;
- wherein the outer layer defines a pressure boundary;
- and
- the bellows seal assembly operable to accommodate thermal expansion of the thermal insulation layer via compression of the bellows seal thereby enabling horizontal translation of the primary heat exchanger.
A method of operating a bellows seal assembly of a primary heat exchanger comprising:
- operating a molten salt reactor system enclosed within a reactor enclosure comprising a thermal insulation layer and an outer layer thereby causing a temperature of a fuel salt to increase;
- wherein the molten salt reactor system comprises a molten salt loop coupled to a primary heat exchanger;
- wherein the primary heat exchanger comprises a shell affixed to the thermal insulation layer fluidly coupled to external secondary salt piping affixed to the outer layer;
- wherein the bellows seal assembly is disposed about the external secondary salt piping;
- circulating the fuel salt through the molten salt loop to the primary heat exchanger;
- extracting heat from the fuel salt to a secondary salt by the primary heat exchanger;
- permitting expansion of the thermal insulation layer upon operation of the molten salt reactor system while maintaining connection between the shell and the thermal insulation layer via compression of the bellows seal assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.