Nuclear reactor power plant structural support system

Claim 2

In a nuclear reactor power plant utilizing a pressurized coolant system and having at least one primary coolant loop including a steam generator and a coolant circulating pump connected by a piping system to the reactor vessel, and wherein the reactor vessel is contained within a primary shield wall and the steam generator and coolant circulating pump are mounted between the reactor shield wall and a secondary shield wall, structural support means for the steam generator of said at least one primary coolant loop, including: lower frame support means and upper ring support means, said lower frame support means including linear slide mounting means permitting limited motion in a horizontal direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the primary coolant piping extending between said reactor vessel and said steam generator but resisting applied forces occurring in a direction normal to the direction of limited horizontal motion, and said upper ring support means including first hydraulic snubber cylinder means permitting limited slow motion in at least one horizontal direction but resisting suddenly applied forces in said at least one horizontal direction.

Claim 3

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said structural support means includes second hydraulic snubber cylinder means extending laterally between the reactor shield wall and said steam generator lower frame support means, thereby permitting limited slow horizontal motion between said steam generator frame support means and said reactor shield wall but transmitting suddenly applied horizontal forces between said steam generator frame support means and said reactor shield wall to the reactor shield wall.

Claim 4

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including frame support means for said reactor coolant circulating pump, said circulating pump frame support means including pivotal mounting means permitting free horizontal movement of said circulating pump frame support means; and third hydraulic snubber cylinder means extending laterally between the steam generator lower frame support means and said coolant circulating pump frame support means, thereby permitting limited slow horizontal motion between said steam generator and said circulating pump frame support means but resisting suddenly applied horizontal forces therebetween.

Claim 5

Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, including fourth hydraulic snubber cylinder means extending laterally between the reactor shield wall and said coolant circulating pump frame support means, thereby permitting limited slow horizontal motion between said circulating pump frame support means and said reactor shield wall but transmitting suddenly applied horizontal forces between said circulating pump frame support means and said reactor shield wall.

Claim 6

ApparatUs as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first hydraulic snubber cylinder means permits limited slow motion in four mutually perpendicular horizontal directions but resists suddenly applied forces in any of said four mutually perpendicular horizontal directions.

Claim 7

A structural support system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said steam generator lower frame support means includes a plurality of vertical corner post members, a plurality of horizontal beam members joined between each adjacent pair of said vertical post members at a plurality of spaced horizontal planes so as to form a frame structure having a plurality of sides, truss means extending between each of said horizontal beam members and adjacent pairs of corner post members providing additional horizontal and vertical support to said frame structure, and corner brace means on at least one horizontal plane extending between the adjacent end portions of each pair of horizontal beam members joined to a vertical post member therebetween, providing additional horizontal support for said horizontal beam members and serving to transmit forces from the steam generator to the lower support frame.

Claim 8

In a nuclear reactor power plant utilizing a pressurized coolant system and having at least one primary coolant loop including a steam generator and a coolant circulating pump connected by a piping system to the reactor vessel, and wherein the reactor vessel is contained within a primary shield wall and the steam generator and coolant circulating pump are mounted between the reactor shield wall and a secondary shield wall, a structural support system for the steam generator and coolant circulating pump of said at least one primary coolant loop, including: lower frame support means and upper ring support means for said steam generator, said lower frame support means including linear slide mounting means permitting limited motion in a horizontal direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the primary coolant piping extending between said reactor vessel and said steam generator but resisting applied forces occurring in a direction normal to the direction of limited horizontal motion, and said upper ring support means including first hydraulic snubber cylinder means permitting limited slow motion in four mutually perpendicular horizontal directions but resisting suddenly applied forces in any of said horizontal directions; frame support means for said reactor coolant circulating pump, said circulating pump frame support means including pivotal mounting means permitting free horizontal movement of said circulating pump frame support means; second hydraulic snubber cylinder means extending laterally between the reactor shield wall and said steam generator lower frame support means, thereby permitting limited slow horizontal motion between said steam generator frame support means and said reactor shield wall but transmitting suddenly applied horizontal forces between said steam generator frame support means and said reactor shield wall to the reactor shield wall; third hydraulic snubber cylinder means extending laterally between the steam generator lower frame support means and said coolant circulating pump frame support means, thereby permitting limited slow horizontal motion between said steam generator and said circulating pump frame support means but resisting suddenly applied horizontal forces therebetween; and fourth hydraulic snubber cylinder means extending laterally between the reactor shield wall and said coolant circulating pump frame support means, thereby permitting limited slow horizontal motion between said circulating pump frame support means and said reactor shield wall but transmitting suddenly applied horizontal forces between said circulating pump frame support means and said reactor shield wall to the reactor shield wall.

Claim 9

In a nuclear reactor power plant utilizing a pressurized coolant system and having at least one primary coolant loop including a steam generator and a coolant circulating pump connected by a piping system to the reactor vessel, and wherein the reactor vessel is contained within a primary shield wall and the steam generator and coolant circulating pump are mounted between the reactor shield wall and a secondary shield wall, a structural support system for the steam generator and coolant circulating pump of said at least one primary coolant loop, including: lower frame support means and upper ring support means for said steam generator, said lower frame support means including linear slide mounting means permitting limited motion in a horizontal direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the primary coolant piping extending between said reactor vessel and said steam generator but resisting applied forces occurring in a direction normal to the direction of limited horizontal motion, and said upper ring support means including first hydraulic snubber cylinder means permitting limited slow motion in four mutually perpendicular horizontal directions but resisting suddenly applied forces in any of said horizontal directions; frame support means for said reactor coolant circulating pump, said circulating pump frame support means including pivotal mounting means permitting free horizontal movement of said circulating pump frame support means; second hydraulic snubber cylinder means extending laterally between the reactor shield wall and said steam generator lower frame support means, thereby permitting limited slow horizontal motion between said steam generator frame support means and said reactor shield wall but transmitting suddenly applied horizontal forces between said steam generator frame support means and said reactor shield wall to the reactor shield wall; third hydraulic snubber cylinder means extending laterally between the steam generator lower frame support means and said coolant circulating pump frame support means, thereby permitting limited slow horizontal motion between said steam generator and said circulating pump frame support means but resisting suddenly applied horizontal forces therebetween; and fourth hydraulic snubber cylinder means extending laterally between the reactor shield wall and said coolant circulating pump frame support means, thereby permitting limited slow horizontal motion between said circulating pump frame support means and said reactor shield wall but transmitting suddenly applied horizontal forces between said circulating pump frame support means and said reactor shield wall to the reactor shield wall.

Claim 10

A structural support system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said linear slide mounting means for said stEam generator lower frame support means is mounted to an intermediate, horizontal reinforced concrete floor, and said first snubber cylinder means of said upper support ring means is mounted to an upper horizontal reinforced concrete floor, each of said intermediate and upper horizontal reinforced concrete floors being secured to and extending between said reactor shield wall and said secondary shield wall, whereby vertical and horizontal forces applied to said intermediate and upper horizontal reinforced concrete floors are transmitted to both the reactor shield wall and the secondary shield wall and thereafter directed downwardly to the plant foundation.

Claim 11

A structural support system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said upper ring support means includes a pair of vertically spaced annular flange members extending circumferentially about the steam generator vessel, and clevis means pivotally mounted to said flange members at equi-spaced, 90* intervals; and wherein said first hydraulic snubber cylinder means includes hydraulic snubber cylinder units mounted at one end to the free end of each of said claims means and mounted at the other end to said upper horizontal reinforced concrete floor.