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Patent US3607634A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3607634A
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US
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Pressurized nuclear reactor with simplified arrangement for distillation of primary fluid
Assignee: ANGLO BELGE VULCAIN SOC
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Filing: 1968-12-10
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Granted: 1971-09-21
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Expires: 1988-12-10
Abstract
Abstract A nuclear reactor of the type having a boiler therein for distillation of primary fluid, in which reactor the internal arrangements have been simplified and the distilling operation rendered more efficient by location of the boiler in the thermal shield.
Inventors
- 👤 Claude J O L Gerard
- 👤 Fernand A J L Lamproye
- 👤 Henri C G Piron
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 16:17
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21C; G21C1/00; G21C1/32; G21C1/322; G21C11/00; G21C11/08; G21C19/00; G21C19/28; G21C19/30; G21C7/00; G21C7/06; G21C7/22; G21D; G21D5/00; G21D5/04; G21D5/08; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E30/00; Y02E30/30; Y10; Y10S; Y10S203/00; Y10S203/17
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
32 words
A reactor in accordance with claim 1 wherein said thermal shield and the therein-defined boiler chamber are of annular cross section and are disposed in surrounding relationship to and alongside the core.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
17 words
A reactor in accordance with claim 1 wherein a heating means is mounted in said boiler chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A reactor in accordance with claim 3 wherein said heating means includes an electrical resistance element and means for conducting electricity thereto.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
A reactor in accordance with claim 3 wherein said heating means includes a neutron-absorbing member suspended in said boiler chamber for absorbing neutrons emitted by the core and for heating liquid primary fluid in said boiler chamber with heat generated by such absorption.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
A reactor in accordance with claim 1 wherein a pressurizer chamber, constituting a portion of said primary circuit, is located in said vessel above said core and said thermal shield, and said liquid and vapor transfer means communicate between the interiors of said pressurizer chamber and boiler chamber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
98 words
In a pressurized fluid-cooled reactor including a vessel, and having within that vessel a core, a thermal shield member located around said core, a primary circuit which passes through said core, and a pressurizer chamber included in said primary circuit and located above said core in said vessel, the improvement characterized in that a portion of the wall of said thermal shield includes a hollow closed structure defining a boiler chamber surrounding and alongside said core for distillation of said primary fluid, with vapor and liquid transfer pipes communicating between the interiors of said pressurizer and boiler chamber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
237 words
A pressurized water-cooled reactor including a vessel, radioactive fuel elements in said vessel, a thermal shield member closed to the reflector in said vessel, a portion of the walls of said thermal shield including a hollow, closed structure defining a boiler chamber surrounding and alongside said core for vaporizing liquid primary fluid from the lower portion of said boiler chamber into a boiler vapor space in the upper portion of said boiler chamber; a pressurizer chamber above said fuel elements and boiler chamber in said vessel having an upper portion constituting a vapor space and a lower portion for containing a body of liquid primary fluid, means for withdrawing primary fluid from the core and for atomizing the withdrawn primary fluid in the vapor space in the upper portion of said pressurizer; a first conduit means communicating between the lower portions of said pressurizer and boiler chambers for conveying liquid primary fluid from the lower portion of the pressurizer chamber to the lower portion of the boiler chamber; a second conduit means communicating between the vapor spaces of said pressurizer and boiler chambers for conveying vaporized primary fluid from the boiler chamber to the pressurizer chamber and for contacting the vaporized primary fluid with said atomized primary fluid in the pressurizer chamber vapor space; and conduit means communicating between the lower portion of the boiler chamber and the exterior of the vessel for purging said lower portion.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
226 words
A method of distilling primary coolant fluid containing impurities, in a pressurized, fluid-cooled nuclear reactor including a vessel, a core in said vessel, a primary coolant circuit providing for circulation of coolant through said core, a thermal shield member, a portion of the wall of which includes a hollow, closed structure defining a boiling chamber in said thermal shield member adjacent to and alongside at least a portion of said core for use in distilling and purifying said primary coolant, a pressurizer chamber which is located above said boiling chamber and said core and which is in communication with said primary circuit, and liquid and vapor transfer means extending between said boiling chamber and said pressurizer, said method comprising the following steps: conducting liquid primary coolant fluid downwardly from its position above said core in said pressurizer through said liquid transfer means to said boiling chamber adjacent and to and alongside said core; vaporizing said liquid in said boiling chamber at least in part with heat transferred from the core through the walls of said thermal shield defining said boiling chamber; conducting the resultant vapors upwardly from said boiling chamber through said vapor transfer means to said pressurizer chamber; condensing said vapors in said pressurizer chamber; returning the resultant purified condensate to the primary circuit of the reactor; and periodically purging said boiling chamber of impurities.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
54 words
In a method in accordance with claim 9 wherein said nuclear reactor includes a pressurizer chamber having means for atomizing liquid primary fluid in a vapor space in the upper portion of said pressurizer chamber, the step which comprises condensing said vapors by bringing them into contact with said atomized fluid in said pressurizer.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-09-20 | 1975-03-22 | 1975-09-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-09-20 | 1979-03-22 | 1979-09-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-09-20 | 1983-03-22 | 1983-09-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |