Pressure tube neutronic reactor and coolant control means therefor

Claim 1

IN A NEUTRONIC REACTOR, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING A VESSEL, A MODERATOR STRUCTURE SPACEDLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID VESSEL, SAID VESSEL HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN COEXTENSIVE WITH A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE ADJACENT SURFACE OF SAID MODERATOR STRUCTURE, A STAYED TUBE SHEET CLOSURE MEMBER CLOSING SAID OPENING, SAID CLOSURE MEMBER INCLUDING A PAIR OF OPPOSING SPACED SHEET MEMBERS JOINED AND SEALED TOGETHER AT THEIR PERIPHERAL EDGES TO ENCLOSE A VOLUME THEREBETWEEN, A PLURALITY OF STAY TUBES PASSING THROUGH OPPOSED PAIRS OF APERTURES FORMED RESPECTIVELY IN SAID SHEET MEMBERS, SAID STAY TUBES BEING JOINED AND SEALED TO SAID SHEET MEMBERS AT POINTS OF THEIR PASSAGE THERETHROUGH, SAID MODERATOR STRUCTURE HAVING A PLURALITY OF COOLANT FLOW PASSAGES EXTENDING THERETHROUGH, CONDUIT MEANS FOR COUPLING SAID STAY TUBES TO SAID PASSAGES RESPECTIVELY, AT LEAST ONE FUEL ASSEMBLY MOUNTED IN EACH OF SAID PASSAGES, A PLURALITY OF HEAT EXCHANGING CONDUITS DISPOSED IN THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID MODERATOR STRUCTURE AND THE INNER WALL OF SAID VESSEL AND COUPLED FOR COMMUNICATION AT THEIR OUTLET ENDS WITH SAID CLOSURE MEMBER, SAID CONDUITS BEING DISPOSED IN HEAT TRANSFER RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID MODERATOR STRUCTURE, AT LEAST ONE FLOW OPENING IN EACH OF SAID STAY TUBES AND COMMUNICATING WITH THE VOLUME ENCLOSED WITHIN SAID CLOSURE MEMBER, AND MEANS FOR CIRCULATING A FUEL ASSEMBLY COOLING FLUID THROUGH SAID HEAT EXCHANGING CONDUITS, SAID CLOSURE MEMBER, AND SAID MODERATOR PASSAGES.