Conduit assembly for use in a nuclear reactor

In a pool-type nuclear reactor, a metal duct assembly for interconnecting the discharge duct of the pump and the inlet coolant duct of a reactor core in a pool-type nuclear reactor, said duct assembly comprising:

• an upper first tubular section adapted for connection to the discharge duct of said pump,
• means adjacent an upper end of said first tubular section for supporting said conduit assembly during operation of said reactor,
• a lower second tubular section adapted for connetion with the coolant inlet duct of said reactor core,
• a third intermediate tubular section for interconnecting the other two sections,
• first and second joint means for respectively connecting one end of the intermediate section with an adjoining end of the upper section, and an opposite end of the intermedite section with an adjoining end of the lower section, each of said joint means comprising a male portion on one of said sections having a ridge adjacent an end thereof, a circumferential groove located in the ridge, the other adjacent section having a female portion adjacent its end with an inside diameter greater than that of said ridge for receiving said male portion, and
• a first seal means located in each circumferential groove, said seal means being radial compressible and having an unrestrained outside diameter greater than that of the inside diameter of the female portion such that it is maintained in contact therewith, said seal means comprising a split cylindrical ring having overlapping ends.