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AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.
InventorsAlexander W. Harkness, Michael G. Ball, Robert L. Keller
Estimating the term…
A head assembly of a reactor pressure vessel in an ice condenser plant is retrofitted to permit the assembly to be removed during a later refueling operation in reduced time and with reduced exposure to radiation by operating personnel. The portions of the ductwork ventilation system that originally provided cooling air to CRDMs are removed below the seismic support platform. The original CRDM cooling shroud that surrounds the lower portion of the CRDM assemblies is extended to the seismic support platform. A plenum is mounted on the seismic support platform and in air flow communication with interior portion of the extended CRDM cooling shroud. The plenum fits under the missile shield. Spool pieces are connected between the plenum and the portion of the ductwork adjacent to the seismic support platform. Later, during refueling operations, the RPV head assembly can be disconnected from and reconnected to the ductwork of the ventilation system without the need for scaffolding around the RPV head assembly and with reduced exposure to radiation by operating personnel.
In a pressurized water nuclear reactor having a containment building containing ice condenser compartments for absorbing heat in the event of a loss of coolant accident, a reactor pressure vessel (RPV) having a head assembly, a missile shield superposed over the head assembly and a ventilation system for directing cooling air from within the containment building toward the head assembly;
A pressurized water nuclear reactor comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.