Process for carrying away the decay heat of radioactive substances
AssigneeHoechst Aktiengesellschaft
InventorsHans Hesky, Armin Wunderer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In this process, the decay heat of radioactive substances is carried away by circulating liquid coolant. Some of the liquid coolant is vaporized by the decay heat. The circulation of liquid in the circuit is driven by pressure from the vapor. After exceeding a static pressure head corresponding to the pressure drop in the circuit, the vapor is separated from the liquid and condensed, and the condensate is combined with the liquid returning for repeated partial vaporization.
Claims15
Process for carrying away decay heat of a radioactive substance contained in a storage container by means of a circulating liquid in a closed loop comprising
- absorbing said decay heat by heat exchanger means in thermal communication with said radioactive substance;
- vaporizing a portion of said liquid into a vapor;
- receiving said liquid and said vapor and separating the same into respective phases in separator means including a chamber in which the separated liquid reposes at a liquid level, said liquid and vapor entering the chamber through an adjustable vertical riser conduit coupled with said heat exchanger means and extending an adjustable distance within said chamber for an adjustable height difference above said liquid level, the heat exchanger and riser conduit acting in concert to drive the circulation of said liquid and vapor by percolator pump action, with the height difference corresponding to the pressure drop in the closed loop;
- receiving in condenser means the separated vapor from said separator means;
- condensing said vapor to liquid phas by removal of heat therefrom;
- combining in return conduit means the separated liquid from said separator means and the condensation liquid from said condenser means;
- and
- returning the combined liquid to said heat exchanger means.
Cooling arrangement for carrying away decay heat of a radioactive substance stored in a container, where the container is partitioned such that an inner part thereof in which the radioactive substance is stored is at one temperature and an outer part thereof in contact with walls of the container is at a lower temperature, comprising first heat exchanger means in thermal communication with said inner part for carrying said decay heat therefrom;
- separator pump means including a stripping column containing a mixture of liquid components of different boiling points and a pump pipe within said column rising to a height difference above a liquid level in said column, said first heat exchanger means having a portion disposed within said column for heating said mixture, to cause vaporization of a part of the liquid component having the lower boiling point, the pipe pumping the liquid mixture and the separated vapor into said column;
- a condenser coupled to said column to cool and condense said separated vapor;
- a vaporizer to receiver the condensation liquid from the condenser;
- second heat exchanger means in thermal communication with said outer part and with said vaporizer to transfer heat from the outer part to the condensation liquid from the condenser;
- and an absorber column following said vaporizer having liquid inlets to receive separated liquid from said stripping column and to receive condensation liquid from said vaporizer, a gas inlet to receive vapor from said vaporizer, and an outlet to recycle the combined liquid mixture to said stripping column.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.