Fast shutdown system and process for fast shutdown of a nuclear reactor

Abstract

A fast shutdown system and a process for the fast shutdown of a nuclear reactor, include a reactor core and a plurality of control rods which are disposed side by side and can be inserted into and withdrawn from the reactor core. The plurality of control rods has a number of operating groups into which the control rods are categorized or fitted for regulating the power of the nuclear reactor, as well as a number of shutdown groups into which the control rods are categorized or fitted for the fast shutdown of the nuclear reactor. The control rods of at least two operating groups are allocated to each shutdown group or the control rods of at least two shutdown groups are allocated to each operating group. Due to such an allocation of the control rods among shutdown groups and operating groups, it is assured that even upon startup of the nuclear reactor, when not all of the control rods have yet been withdrawn, at least some of the already withdrawn control rods will be reinserted into the reactor core during a fast shutdown involving failure of the insertion of the control rods of one shutdown group. Preferably, two shutdown groups are provided, and each shutdown group is assigned to a single hydraulic insertion system.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.