Nuclear reactor with low-level core coolant intake
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsRoy C. Challberg, Harold E. Townsend
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A natural-circulation boiling-water reactor has skirts extending downward from control rod guide tubes to about 10 centimeters from the reactor vessel bottom. The skirts define annular channels about control rod drive housings that extend through the reactor vessel bottom. Recirculating water is forced in through the low-level entrances to these channels, sweeping bottom water into the channels in the process. The sweeping action prevents cooler water from accumulating at the bottom. This in turn minimizes thermal shock to bottom-dwelling components as would occur when accumulated cool water is swept away and suddenly replaced by warmer water.
Claims5
A reactor comprising:
- a reactor vessel having a bottom, a sidewall, and a top;
- a core within said reactor vessel;
- control rod guide tubes for guiding vertical movement of controls rods relative to said core;
- control rod drive housings extending between said vessel bottom and respective ones of said control rod guide tubes;
- and
- channel means for defining annular channels about said control rod drive housings, said channels having entrances within 25 centimeters of said vessel bottom and having exits providing for fluid communication with said control rod guide tubes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.