Compact nuclear steam generator

Claim 1

A COMPACT NUCLEAR REACTOR ARRANGED FOR FORCED CIRCULATION OF THE PRIMARY COOLANT THERETHROUGH COMPRISING: (A) A VERTICALLY ARRANGED PRESSURE VESSEL, (B) A BODY OF PRIMARY COOLANT CONTAINED WITHIN SAID PRESSURE VESSEL AND FORMING A LIQUID LEVEL LOCATED IN UPPER PORTION OF THE VESSEL, (C) A VERTICALLY EXTENDING CYLINDER DISPOSED WITHIN AND SPACED FROM SAID VESSEL SITUATED BELOW SAID LIQUID LEVEL, SAID CYLINDER HAVING OPENINGS IN ITS UPPER AND LOWER ENDS FOR CIRCULATING PRIMARY COOLANT THERETHROUGH, (D) A PLURALITY OF FUEL ELEMENTS ARRANGED IN A REGUALR LATTICE TO FORM A CORE AND LOCATED WITHIN THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID CYLINDER BELOW ITS UPPER END, (E) CONTROL RODS VERTICALLY POSITIONED WITHIN SAID CORE, (F) HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED CONTROL ROD DRIVES MOUNTED ON THE EXTERIOR SIDE WALL OF SAID VESEL, SAID DRIVES EXTENDING INTERIORLY OF THE VESSEL AND ATTAC HED TO SAID CONTROL RODS BELOW SAID CORE, (G) A CYLINDRICALLY SHAPED SHROUD SITUATED WITHIN SAID VESSEL BELOW SAID LIQUID LEVEL AND CONCENTRICALLY ARRANGED ABOUT SAID CYLINDER, SAID SHROUD AND CYLINDER COMBINING TO FORM AN ANNULAR FLOW SPACE, (H) A PLATE SECTION EXTENDING ACROSS THE UPPER ENDS OF SAID SHROUD AND CYLINDER AND FORMING A CLOSURE FOR THE UPPER END OF SAID FLOW SPACE, (I) A BANK OF VERTICALLY EXTENDING VAPOR GENERATING AND SUPERHEATING TUBES DISPOSED IN SAID FLOW SPACE, SAID BANK OF TUBES BEING LATERALLY COEXTENSIVE WITH AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY BELOW SAID CORE. (J) INLET MEANS EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROMT HE UPPER END OF SAID VESSEL FOR SUPPLYING FEED FLUID TO THE LOWER ENDS OF SAID BANK OF TUBES, (K) OUTLET MEANS EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM THE UPPER END OF SAID VESSEL FOR REMOVING SUPERHEATED VAPOR FROM THE UPPER ENDS OF SAID BANK OF TUBES, (L) PARTITIONS IN COMBINATION WITH SAID PLATE SECTION FORMING AN ANNULAR PLENUM CHAMBER LOCATED ABOVE SAID FLOW SPACE AND BELOW SAID LIQUID LEVEL, SAID PARTITIONS HAVING OPENINGS THERETHROUGH FOR ADMITTING PRIMARY COOLANT FROM WITHIN SAID CYLINDER INTO SAID PLENUM CHAMBER, (M) A PUMP MOUNTED ON THE UPPER END OF SAID PRESSURE VESSEL ABOVE SAID LIQUID LEVEL, (N) A CONCENTRICALLY ARRANGED DOUBLE CONDUIT CONNECTING THE INTAKE OF SAID PUMP WITH SAID PLENUM CHAMBER AND THE DISCHARGE FROM SAID PUMP WITH SAID FLOW SPACE, THEREBY PROVIDING A FLOW PATH FOR THE FORCED CIRCULATION OF PRIMARY COOLANT THROUGH SAID REACTOR WHEREBY COOLANT FLOWS UPWARDLY WITHIN SAID CYLINDER THROUGH THE CORE THEN INTO THE PLENUM CHAMBER AND IN A CLOSED PATH FROM THE PLENUM CHAMBER INTO THE PUMP AND THEN DOWNWARDLY OVER THE BANK OF TUBES IN THE FLOW SPACE FINALLY PASSING INTO THE LOWER END OF SAID CYLINDER FOR RECIRCULATION UP THROUGH SAID CORE.