Nuclear containment vessel and method of making same

Claim 2

A nuclear containment vessel supporting and containing a nuclear reactor and auxiliary equipment therewithin, said containment vessel comprising a plurality of superposed, prefabricated annular rings welded together at adjacent edges, said rings comprising a plurality of concavo-convex steel plates welded together at adjacent edges, said welded together rings defining a concavo-convex vessel having a horizontal dimension of at least about 140 feet and a vertical dimension of at least about 200 feet, the ratio of the horizontal dimension to the vertical dimension being at least less than about 0.85 and the vessel having substantially the shape of a prolate spheroid and being substantially symmetrical about its center, the concavoconvex configuration of the containment vessel resulting in the thickness of the steel plates at least at the edges of the rings being not greater than the thickness at which post weld heat treatment is required by applicable codes in such a containment vessel, while at the same time the above structure results in the containment vessel having sufficient strength and size to withstand forces imposed thereon due to malfunction of the nuclear reactor or auxiliary equipment supported and confined therewithin, thus resulting in a substantial savings in material and time and cost of construction of the nuclear containment vessel, and resulting in the containment vessel occupying a smaller horizontal area than prior art nuclear containment vessels of a predetermined comparable volumetric capacity, a concrete biological shield building surrounding the containment vessel in spaced relationship thereto to prevent escape of radiation, and said vessel supported at a lower end portion thereof on a concrete foundation, said concrete foundation contacting and contoured to conform to the shape of the lower end portion of the vessel.

Claim 3

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 1, wherein the horizontal dimension of the vessel is about 169 feet and the vertical dimension of the vessel is about 212 feet.

Claim 4

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 1, wherein the upper and lower halves of said vessel each compRise at least three portions having different curvatures and different wall thickness and welded together at adjacent edges thereof.

Claim 5

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 3, wherein said vessel includes a first portion at each end of the vessel having a first curvature and a first wall thickness, a second portion at a mid-portion of said vessel having a second curvature and a second wall thickness and a third portion intermediate said first and second portions and having a third curvature and a third wall thickness, said first curvature being greater than said third curvature and said third curvature being greater than said second curvature, the first wall thickness being less than the third wall thickness and the third wall thickness being less than the second wall thickness, each of said wall thicknesses at least at the welded together adjacent edges of said portions being not greater than the thickness at which post weld heat treatment is required.

Claim 6

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 4, wherein the thickness of the plates at least at the edges of said portions is approximately 1 1/2 inches.

Claim 7

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 4, wherein a crane rail is supported on an inside surface of said vessel above the vertical mid-portion thereof in said second portion, and a polar crane is supported on said crane rail.

Claim 8

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 6, wherein an access hatch is in one side of said vessel below the vertical mid-portion thereof and in said second portion.

Claim 9

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 3, wherein the said at least three portions of the upper half of the vessel are substantially identical to the said at least three portions of the lower half of the vessel, said upper and lower halves being mirror images of each other.

Claim 10

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 8, wherein said portions each comprise segments of different ellipsoids of revolution.

Claim 11

A nuclear containment vessel supporting and containing a nuclear reactor, a turbine and other auxiliary equipment therewithin, said containment vessel comprising a plurality of superposed, prefabricated annular rings welded together at adjacent edges, said rings comprising a plurality of concavo-convex steel plates welded together at adjacent edges, said welded together rings defining a concavo-convex vessel having a horizontal dimension of at least about 140 feet and a vertical dimension of at least about 200 feet, the ratio of the horizontal dimension to the vertical dimension being at least less than about 0.85 and the vessel being substantially an egg shape with an upper end and a lower end, the upper end having a shorter radius of curvature than the lower end, the concavo-convex configuration of the containment vessel resulting in the thickness of the steel plates at least at the edges of the rings being not greater than the thickness at which post weld heat treatment is required by applicable codes in such a containment vessel, while at the same time the above structure results in the containment vessel having sufficient strength and size to withstand forces imposed thereon due to malfunction of the nuclear reactor or auxiliary equipment supported and confined therewithin, thus resulting in a substantial savings in material and time and cost of construction of the nuclear containment vessel, and resulting in the containment vessel occupying a smaller horizontal area than prior art nuclear containment vessels of a predetermined comparable volumetric capacity, a concrete biological shield building surrounding the containment vessel in spaced relationship thereto to prevent escape of radiation, and said vessel supported at a lower end portion thereof on a concrete foundation, said concrete foundation contacting and contoured to conform to the shape of the lower end portion of the vessel.

Claim 12

A nuclear containment vessel supporting and containing a nuclear reactor, a turbine and other auxiliary equipment therewithin, said containment vessel comprising a plurality of superposed, prefabricated annular rings welded together at adjacent edges, said rings comprising a plurality of concavo-convex steel plates welded together at adjacent edges, said welded together rings defining a concavo-convex vessel having a horizontal dimension of at least about 140 feet and a vertical dimension of at least about 200 feet, the ratio of the horizontal dimension to the vertical dimension being at least less than about 0.85 and the vessel being substantially an egg shape with an upper end and a lower end, the upper end having a shorter radius of curvature than the lower end, the concavo-convex configuration of the containment vessel resulting in the thickness of the steel plates at least at the edges of the rings being not greater than the thickness at which post weld heat treatment is required by applicable codes in such a containment vessel, while at the same time the above structure results in the containment vessel having sufficient strength and size to withstand forces imposed thereon due to malfunction of the nuclear reactor or auxiliary equipment supported and confined therewithin, thus resulting in a substantial savings in material and time and cost of construction of the nuclear containment vessel, and resulting in the containment vessel occupying a smaller horizontal area than prior art nuclear containment vessels of a predetermined comparable volumetric capacity, a concrete biological shield building surrounding the containment vessel in spaced relationship thereto to prevent escape of radiation, and said vessel supported at a lower end portion thereof on a concrete foundation, said concrete foundation contacting and contoured to conform to the shape of the lower end portion of the vessel.

Claim 13

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 3, wherein the upper and lower halves of said vessel each comprise at least three pOrtions having different curvatures and different wall thicknesses and said portions welded together at adjacent edges thereof.

Claim 14

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 11, wherein said vessel includes a first portion at the upper end of said vessel having a first curvature and a first wall thickness, a second portion at the midportion of said vessel having a second curvature and a second wall thickness, a third portion intermediate said first and second portions and having a third curvature and a third wall thickness, and a fourth portion at the bottom end of said vessel having a fourth curvature and a fourth wall thickness, said first curvature being greater than said third curvature and said third curvature being greater than said second curvature, said first wall thickness being less than the third wall thickness and the third wall thickness being less than the second wall thickness, said fourth curvature being greater than the second curvature and the fourth wall thickness being approximately equal to said second wall thickness, each of said wall thicknesses at least at the adjacent welded together edges of the portions being not greater than the thickness at which post weld heat treatment is required.

Claim 15

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 12, wherein a crane rail is supported on the inside surface of said vessel above the vertical mid-portion thereof in said second portion and a polar crane is supported on said crane rail.

Claim 16

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 13, wherein an access hatch is in one side of said vessel below the vertical mid-portion thereof and in said second portion.

Claim 17

A nuclear containment vessel supporting and containing a nuclear reactor and auxiliary equipment therein, said containment vessel comprising a plurality of superposed, prefabricated annular rings welded together at adjacent edges, said rings comprising a plurality of concavo-convex steel plates welded together at adjacent edges, said welded together rings defining a concavo-convex vessel having a horizontal dimension of at least about 140 feet and a vertical dimension of at least about 200 feet, the ratio of the horizontal dimension to the vertical dimension being at least less than about 0.85, said vessel comprising an upper concavo-convex main shell section and a lower concavo-convex main shell section, and an annular reinforcing band of less horizontal dimension than the upper and lower main shell sections between the adjacent ends of said upper and lower main shell sections joining said upper and lower main shell sections together, the concavo-convex configuration of the containment vessel resulting in the thickness of the steel plates at least at the edges of the rings being not greater than the thickness at which post weld heat treatment is required by applicable codes in such a containment vessel, while at the same time the above structure results in the containment vessel having sufficient strength and size to withstand forces imposed thereon due to malfunction of the nuclear reactor or auxiliary equipment supported and confined therewithin, thus resulting in a substantial savings in material and time and cost of construction of the nuclear containment vessel, and resulting in the containment vessel occupying a smaller horizontal area than prior art nuclear containment vessels of a predetermined comparable volumetric capacity, a concrete biological shield building surrounding the containment vessel in spaced relationship thereto to prevent escape of radiation, and said vessel supported at a lower end portion thereof on a concrete foundation, said concrete foundation contacting and contoured to conform to the shape of the lower end portion of the vessel.

Claim 18

A nuclear containment vessel supporting and containing a nuclear reactor and auxiliary equipment therein, said containment vessel comprising a plurality of superposed, prefabricated annular rings welded together at adjacent edges, said rings comprising a plurality of concavo-convex steel plates welded together at adjacent edges, said welded together rings defining a concavo-convex vessel having a horizontal dimension of at least about 140 feet and a vertical dimension of at least about 200 feet, the ratio of the horizontal dimension to the vertical dimension being at least less than about 0.85, said vessel comprising an upper concavo-convex main shell section and a lower concavo-convex main shell section, and an annular reinforcing band of less horizontal dimension than the upper and lower main shell sections between the adjacent ends of said upper and lower main shell sections joining said upper and lower main shell sections together, the concavo-convex configuration of the containment vessel resulting in the thickness of the steel plates at least at the edges of the rings being not greater than the thickness at which post weld heat treatment is required by applicable codes in such a containment vessel, while at the same time the above structure results in the containment vessel having sufficient strength and size to withstand forces imposed thereon due to malfunction of the nuclear reactor or auxiliary equipment supported and confined therewithin, thus resulting in a substantial savings in material and time and cost of construction of the nuclear containment vessel, and resulting in the containment vessel occupying a smaller horizontal area than prior art nuclear containment vessels of a predetermined comparable volumetric capacity, a concrete biological shield building surrounding the containment vessel in spaced relationship thereto to prevent escape of radiation, and said vessel supported at a lower end portion thereof on a concrete foundation, said concrete foundation contacting and contoured to conform to the shape of the lower end portion of the vessel.

Claim 19

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 15, wherein the upper main shell section comprises two portions having a first radius of curvature and a first wall thickness, said lower main shell section comprises four portions having different radii of curvature and different wall thicknesses, and said reinforcing band comprises a portion having a different radius of curvature than the adjacent portions of the upper and lower main shell sections.

Claim 20

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 16, wherein the upper main shell section comprises a hemispherical portion and a spherical zone portion, said portions having the same radius of curvature and the same wall thickness.

Claim 21

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 17, wherein said wall thickness of the upper main shell section is approximately 1 inch and the radius of curvature is approximately 75 feet.

Claim 22

A nuclear containment vessel as in class 18, wherein said lower main shell section comprises a first portion having the shape of two truncated ogives with a common base between them, said portion merged into a second portion having the shape of a truncated non-standard ogive, and said second portion merged into a third portion having the shape of a spherical segment.

Claim 23

A nuclear containment vessel as in class 18, wherein said lower main shell section comprises a first portion having the shape of two truncated ogives with a common base between them, said portion merged into a second portion having the shape of a truncated non-standard ogive, and said second portion merged into a third portion having the shape of a spherical segment.

Claim 24

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 19, wherein said first portion has a first radius of curvature and a first wall thickness, said second portion has a second radius of curvature less than said first radius of curvature and a second wall thickness less than said first wall thickness, and said third portion has a third radius of curvature greater than the second radius of curvature and a third wall thickness.

Claim 25

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 20, wherein said reinforcing band portion has a wall thickness greater than the wall thickness of the upper and lower main shell sections.

Claim 26

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 21, wherein the reinforcing band portion has a wall thickness of approximately 3 inches.

Claim 27

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 22, wherein the first radius of curvature is about 135 feet, the first wall thickness is about 1.43 inches, the second wall thickness is about 1.17 inches, the second radius of curvature is about 45 feet, the third wall thickness is about 1.17 inches, and the third radius of curvature is about 90 feet.

Claim 28

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 20, wherein a crane rail is supported on said reinforcing band and a polar crane is supported on said crane rail for servicing nuclear equipment and associated auxiliary equipment in the lower portion of said vessel.

Claim 29

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 34, wherein the crane rail and reinforcing band are above the vertical mid-portion of the vessel.

Claim 30

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 15, wherein a plurality of circumferentially extending, vertically spaced, annular plates are welded to said reinforcing band adjacent the upper and lower edges thereof and inside said vessel.

Claim 31

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 26, wherein said annular reinforcing band further includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced, radially extending diaphragm plates welded to said annular reinforcing band and to said spaced annular reinforcing plates.

Claim 32

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 27, wherein a crane rail is supported from the reinforcing band.

Claim 33

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 15, wherein said annular reinforcing band comprises a cylindrical portion welded between the adjacent ends of said main shell sections, and a pair of vertically spaced, annular T-section reinforcing means welded to said cylindrical portion adjacent the upper and lower edges thereof.

Claim 34

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 29, wherein said annular, T-section reinforcing means are on the inside surface of said reinforcing band.

Claim 35

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 29, wherein said annular, T-section reinforcing means are on the outside surface of said reinforcing band.

Claim 36

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 15, wherein said annular reinforcing band comprises a doubly curved annular ring welded between adjacent edges of said main shell sections and having a concave side and a convex siDe, with the concave side facing outwardly of said vessel.

Claim 37

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 15, wherein the horizontal dimension of the vessel is about 154 feet and the vertical dimension of the vessel is about 223 feet.

Claim 38

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 15, wherein at least one annular reinforcing means is attached to at least one of the main shell sections near to said adjacent edges.

Claim 39

A nuclear containment vessel supporting and containing a nuclear reactor and auxiliary equipment therewitin, said containment vessel comprising a plurality of superposed, prefabricated annular rings welded together at adjacent edges, said rings comprising a plurality of concavo-convex steel plates welded together at adjacent edges, said welded together rings defining a concavo-convex container having a horizontal dimension of at least about 140 feet and a vertical dimension of at least about 200 feet, the ratio of the horizontal dimension to the vertical dimension being at least less than about 0.85, said vessel comprising an upper main shell section, a lower main shell section, and an intermediate main shell section, said main shell sections being joined together at adjacent ends by a pair of vertically spaced, annular reinforcing bands of less horizontal dimension than the main shell sections, the concavo-convex configuration of the containment vessel resulting in the thickness of the steel plates at least at the edges of the rings being not greater than the thickness at which post weld heat treatment is required by applicable codes in such a containment vessel, while at the same time the above structure results in the containment vessel having sufficient strength and size to withstand forces imposed thereon due to malfunction of the nuclear reactor or auxiliary equipment supported and confined therewithin, thus resulting in a substantial savings in material and time and cost of construction of the nuclear containment vessel, and resulting in the containment vessel occupying a smaller horizontal area than prior art nuclear containment vessels of a predetermined comparable volumetric capacity, a concrete biological shield building surrounding the containment vessel in spaced relationship thereto to prevent escape of radiation, and said vessel supported at a lower end portion thereof on a concrete foundation, said concrete foundation contacting and contoured to conform to the shape of the lower end portion of the vessel.

Claim 40

A nuclear containment vessel supporting and containing a nuclear reactor and auxiliary equipment therewitin, said containment vessel comprising a plurality of superposed, prefabricated annular rings welded together at adjacent edges, said rings comprising a plurality of concavo-convex steel plates welded together at adjacent edges, said welded together rings defining a concavo-convex container having a horizontal dimension of at least about 140 feet and a vertical dimension of at least about 200 feet, the ratio of the horizontal dimension to the vertical dimension being at least less than about 0.85, said vessel comprising an upper main shell section, a lower main shell section, and an intermediate main shell section, said main shell sections being joined together at adjacent ends by a pair of vertically spaced, annular reinforcing bands of less horizontal dimension than the main shell sections, the concavo-convex configuration of the containment vessel resulting in the thickness of the steel plates at least at the edges of the rings being not greater than the thickness at which post weld heat treatment is required by applicable codes in such a containment vessel, while at the same time the above structure results in the containment vessel having sufficient strength and size to withstand forces imposed thereon due to malfunction of the nuclear reactor or auxiliary equipment supported and confined therewithin, thus resulting in a substantial savings in material and time and cost of construction of the nuclear containment vessel, and resulting in the containment vessel occupying a smaller horizontal area than prior art nuclear containment vessels of a predetermined comparable volumetric capacity, a concrete biological shield building surrounding the containment vessel in spaced relationship thereto to prevent escape of radiation, and said vessel supported at a lower end portion thereof on a concrete foundation, said concrete foundation contacting and contoured to conform to the shape of the lower end portion of the vessel.

Claim 41

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 35, wherein the upper main shell section comprises two portions, said two portions comprising a hemispherical portion merged into a spherical zone portion, and said spherical zone portion merged into one of said spaced reinforcing bands, said reinforcing band comprising a third portion.

Claim 42

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 36, wherein said two portions have a first radius of curvature and a first wall thickness, and said third portion has a second radius of curvature and a second wall thickness, said second radius of curvature being different than said first radius of curvature and said second wall thickness being different than said first wall thickness.

Claim 43

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 37, wherein said second radius of curvature is less than said first radius of curvature, and said second wall thickness is greater than said first wall thickness.

Claim 44

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 37, wherein said intermediate main shell section comprises a fourth portion in the shape of two truncated ogives with a common base and having a third radius of curvature and a third wall thickness, said third radius of curvature being greater than said first radius of curvature and said third wall thickness being greater than said first wall thickness.

Claim 45

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 39, wherein said intermediate main shell section is merged into the other of said reinforcing bands, said other reinforcing band comprising a fifth portion having a fourth radius of curvature and a fourth wall thickness, said fourth radius of curvature being different than said first radius of curvature, and said fourth wall thickness being approximately equal to the second wall thickness.

Claim 46

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 40, wherein the lower main shell section comprises a plurality of portions including a sixth portion having the shape of two truncated ogives with a common base and joined to said fifth portion at the upper end thereof, and having a fifth radius of curvature and a fifth wall thickness, said fifth radius of curvature being approximately equal to said third radius of curvature and said fifth wall thickness being approximately equal to said third wall thickness, said sixth portion merging at its lower end into a seventh portion having the shape of a non-standard truncated ogive and a sixth radius of curvature and a sixth wall thickness, said sixth radius of curvature being less than said first radius of curvature and said sixth wall thickness being greater than said first wall thickness, and said seventh portion merging into an eighth portion having the shape of a spherical zone and having a seventh radius of curvature and a seventh wall thickness, said seventh radius of curvature being greater than said frist radius of curvature and less than said fifth radius of curvature and said seventh wall thickness being greater than said first wall thickness.

Claim 47

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 41, wherein said first radius of curvature is approximately 75 feet, said second radius of curvature is approximately 57 feet, said third radius of curvature is approximately 150 feet, said fourth radius of curvature is approximately 62 feet, said fifth radius of curvature is approximately 150 feet, said sixth radius of curvature is approximately 45 feet, and said seventh radius of curvature is approximately 90 feet.

Claim 48

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 42, wherein a crane rail is supported on the inside surface of said vessel at said upper annular reinforcing band, and an access hatch is in the side of said vessel at the lower annular reinforcing band.

Claim 49

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 40, wherein said fourth radius of curvature is greater than said second radius of curvature but less than said first radius of curvature.

Claim 50

A nuclear containment vessel as in claim 35, wherein the horizontal dimension of the vessel is about 150 feet and the vertical dimension of the vessel is about 223 feet.