# US 9,702,018 B2 · Quench tank and liquid metal loop

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- Number: US 9,702,018 B2
- Document ID: US9702018B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/779,072
- Filed: 2013-02-27
- Published: 2014-08-28
- Granted: 2017-07-11
- Earliest claimed: 2013-02-27
- Assignees: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Mechatronics Systems, Ltd.; Osaka University
- Applicants: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Mechatronics Systems, Ltd.; Osaka University
- Inventors: Syuhei Kuri; Izuru Matsushita; Hiroshi Horiike; Eiji Hoashi; Isao Murata; Sachiko Suzuki; Itsuro Kato
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9702018B2

## CPC

- C21D 1/64: with circulating liquids
- G21B 1/115: {Tritium recovery}
- G21K 5/08: Holders for targets or for other objects to be irradiated
- Y02E 30/10: Nuclear fusion reactors
- C21D: MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING (surface treatment of metallic material involving at least one process provided for in class C23 and at least one process covered by this subclass C23F17/00; unidirectional solidification of eutectic materials or unidirectional demixing of eutectoid materials C30B)
- G21B: FUSION REACTORS (uncontrolled reactors G21J)
- G21K: HANDLING OF PARTICLES OR IONISING RADIATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; IRRADIATION DEVICES; GAMMA RAY OR X-RAY MICROSCOPES
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

There is provided a quench tank which is disposed in a circulation path of a liquid metal loop and separates and cools liquid metal steam or a mixed gas in liquid metal introduced into a tank body. The tank body includes a separating area which forms a substantially horizontal flow of the liquid metal, and a separating plate is disposed inside the tank body so as to be inclined with respect to the vertical direction.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A quench tank which is disposed in a circulation path of a liquid metal loop
the quench tank comprising:
a tank body having a cylindrical shape, a hole at a lower side surface, and a tube at an upper side surface, the tank body configured to receive liquid metal from the tube and discharge liquid metal at the hole; and
a cylindrical body configured to receive the liquid metal at the hole, the cylindrical body being inclined so that a distal end of the cylindrical body is lower than a proximal end of the cylindrical body and configured to form a flow of the liquid metal in an axial direction of the cylindrical body, the cylindrical body being attached to the tank body at the proximal end and the distal end being oriented away from the tank body,
wherein separating plates are disposed inside the cylindrical body, the separating plates being arranged such that in a cross-sectional view of the cylindrical body from the axial direction of the cylindrical body, the separating plates are inclined relative to a vertical plane indicated by a vertical line in the cross-sectional view,
a plurality of first rectification plates extending toward a center portion of the tank body are radially provided on an inner surface of the tank body at a lower portion of the tank body with a space at the center portion of the tank body, and
a second rectification plate is provided at the hole.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A liquid metal loop comprising:
the quench tank according to claim 1.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A liquid metal loop comprising:
the quench tank according to claim 1; and
a target forming portion which forms a target by ejecting a liquid metal supplied from the quench tank to a proton beam irradiation space.