US 5,345,481 A · Nuclear reactor plant with containment depressurization

Abstract

A boiling-water reactor plant employs a baffle that parallels the interior surface of a thermally-conductive containment wall, defining an intermediate condensate channel. When the plant turbine becomes isolated from the boiling-water reactor, the reactor is shut down and steam is released from the reactor pressure vessel to the containment. Steam rises through an opening at the top of the baffle, allowing some of the steam to condense on the interior surface of the containment. Condensate then flows into the channel, which is dimensioned so that noncondensable gases are dragged into the channel along with the condensate. This minimizes thermal insulation due to the noncondensables and enhances the transfer of heat from the containment. Furthermore, the noncondensable gases are dragged at a sufficient velocity to induce turbulence. The resulting mixing of condensate flow layers further improves heat transfer to the containment wall.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A reactor plant comprising:

a reactor including a reactor pressure vessel and its internals;
a containment having an interior in which said reactor is located, said containment isolating said reactor from an exterior environment, said containment comprising a thermally conductive wall;
a heat sink located in said exterior environment and in contact with said thermally conductive wall, said thermally conductive wall forming an interface between said containment interior and said heat sink;
baffle means arranged inside said containment interior and spaced from said thermally conductive wall to form a channel therebetween, the top of said baffle means being disposed below a predetermined upper volume of said containment interior, said top of said baffle means and an opposing portion of said thermally conductive wall forming an inlet through which fluids in said predetermined upper volume can enter said channel, said baffle means being configured to confine said fluids to a generally downward flow path away from said predetermined upper volume.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Nuclear reactor plant with containment depressurization

Life of this patent

Nuclear reactor plant with containment depressurization

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15