Compact nuclear steam generator

Claim 1

A COMPACT NUCLEAR REACTOR PLANT COMPRISING: (A) A VERTICALLY ELONGATED PRESSURE VESSEL, (B) A BODY OF PRIMARY COOLANT CONTAINED WITHIN SAID PRESSURE VESSEL AND FORMING A LIQUJID LEVEL THEREIN, (C9 AN OPEN-ENDED VERTICALLY DISPOSED CYLINDER SPACED INWARDLY FROM SAID VESSEL AND HAVING ITS UPPER END LOCATED BELOW SAID LIQUID LEVEL, (D) A PLURALITY OF FUEL ELEMENTS ARRANGED IN A REGULAR LATTICE AND POSITIONED WITHIN THE LOWER END OF SAID CYLINDER, (E) A VERTICALLY DISPOSED SHROUD POSITIONED WITHIN SAID VESSEL AND SPACED FROM SAID ENCIRCLING SAID CYLINDER, SAID SHROUD SITUATED BELOW SAID LIQUID LEVEL AND COMBINING WITH SAID CYLINDER TO FORM AN ANNULAR FLOW SPACE, (F) A WALL SECTION EXTENDING BETWEEN AND ATTACHED TO UPPER ENDS OF SAID CYLINDER AND SHROUD AND FORMING A CLOSURE FOR THE UPPER END OF SAID FLOW SPACE SEALING IT AGAINST THE ADMISSION OF PRIMARY COOLANT FROM WITHIN SAID CYLINDER, (G) A BANK OF VERTICALLY EXTENDING VAPOR GENERATING TUBES DISPOSED IN SAID FLOW SPACE AND LOCATED ABOVE SAID CORE, (H) MEANS LOCATED BELOW SAID LIQUID LEVEL FOR SUPPLYING FEED FLUID TO AND FOR REMOVING VAPORIZED FLUID FROM SAID BANK OF TUBES, (I) PARTITIOMS IN COMBINATION WITH SAID WALL FORMING A CHAMBER LOCATED ABOVE SAID FLOW SPACE IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE BODY OF PRIMARY COOLANT WITHIN SAID CYLINDER, (J) BAFFLE MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID PARTITIONS AND COMBINING WITH THE UPPER END OF SAID CYLINDER TO FORM A PASSAGEWAY FOR FLOWING PRIMARY COOLANT INTO SAID CHAMBER FROM THE UPPER END OF SAID CYLINDER, (K) A PRIMARY COOLANT PUMP LOCATED EXTERIORLY OF AND MOUNTED ON THE UPPER END OF SAID PRESSURE VESSEL, (L) A VERTICALLY EXTENDING FIRST CONDUIT MEANS COMMUNICATING BETWEEN SAID CHAMBER AND THE INLET TO SAID PUMP FOR FLOWING PRIMARY COOLANT TO SAID PUMPS, AND (M) VERTICALLY EXTENDING SECOND CONDUIT MEANS COMMUNICATING BETWEEN THE OUTLET FROM SAID PUMPS AND THE UPPER END OF SAID FLOW SPACE FOR DELIVERING PRIMARY COOLANT INTO SAID FLOW SPACE.