US3847735A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Nuclear reactor safety system
Assignee: Babcock International Ltd
•
Filing: 1972-12-12
•
Granted: 1974-11-12
•
Expires: 1992-12-12
Abstract
Abstract An improvement in the method and apparatus for suppressing vapor pressure buildup within a nuclear reactor containment structure housing a pressurized water nuclear reactor and steam generating equipment during a loss of coolant accident resulting from a rupture of the primary coolant system. The improved method comprises continually maintaining the temperature of the primary coolant within the primary coolant system below the saturation temperature of the primary coolant corresponding to the pressure then prevailing within the primary system during the accident. The novel apparatus provided for practicing the method includes a source of an emergency coolant and equipment for serially injecting separate portions of the emergency coolant from the source into the primary coolant system, each portion being injected in response to a separate corresponding predetermined value of a characteristic of the primary coolant system.
Inventors
- 👤 D Schluderberg
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 12:29
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21C; G21C15/00; G21C15/18; G21C9/00; G21C9/004; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E30/00; Y02E30/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
295 words
In combination with a nuclear reactor, a pressurized primary coolant system comprised of a plurality of primary coolant loops operatively connecting the reactor to heat exchanger means, a containment structure houSing said reactor, heat exchanger and coolant system, the improvement comprising an apparatus located within the containment structure for suppressing the buildup of vapor pressure therein including a plurality of tanks, a header operatively associated with the tanks, a cooling fluid being stored in said header and tanks, the header being disposed in open fluid communication with one of said tanks and in fluid receiving relation with the remaining tanks, each of the tanks containing a gas at superatmospheric pressure for pressurizing the fluid stored therein and in said header, the fulid pressure being different in each of the tanks and lower than the primary coolant operating pressure, the fluid pressure in said one tank and header being higher than that of the remaining tanks, a separate connector flow connecting each of the tanks to said header, a first check valve disposed in each of the connectors associated with the remaining tanks, said first check valve being normally closed by the fluid pressure in the header, a plurality of conduits flow connecting the header with said primary coolant loops, each of said conduits entering the system at a different location, a second check valve disposed in each of the conduits, said second check valve being normally closed by the primary coolant operating pressure, said second check valve becoming open when the primary coolant pressure decreases to the level corresponding to the fluid pressure in said one tank and header, and said first check valve becoming open when the primary coolant pressure decreases to the level corresponding to the fluid pressure in the tank associated therewith.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
295 words
In combination with a nuclear reactor, a pressurized primary coolant system comprised of a plurality of primary coolant loops operatively connecting the reactor to heat exchanger means, a containment structure houSing said reactor, heat exchanger and coolant system, the improvement comprising an apparatus located within the containment structure for suppressing the buildup of vapor pressure therein including a plurality of tanks, a header operatively associated with the tanks, a cooling fluid being stored in said header and tanks, the header being disposed in open fluid communication with one of said tanks and in fluid receiving relation with the remaining tanks, each of the tanks containing a gas at superatmospheric pressure for pressurizing the fluid stored therein and in said header, the fulid pressure being different in each of the tanks and lower than the primary coolant operating pressure, the fluid pressure in said one tank and header being higher than that of the remaining tanks, a separate connector flow connecting each of the tanks to said header, a first check valve disposed in each of the connectors associated with the remaining tanks, said first check valve being normally closed by the fluid pressure in the header, a plurality of conduits flow connecting the header with said primary coolant loops, each of said conduits entering the system at a different location, a second check valve disposed in each of the conduits, said second check valve being normally closed by the primary coolant operating pressure, said second check valve becoming open when the primary coolant pressure decreases to the level corresponding to the fluid pressure in said one tank and header, and said first check valve becoming open when the primary coolant pressure decreases to the level corresponding to the fluid pressure in the tank associated therewith.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
267 words
A method for suppressing vapor pressure build-up in the event of a primary coolant system failure within a nuclear reactor containment structure including a plurality of tanks, said primary coolant system comprised of a plurality of primary coolant loops, a header disposed in open fluid communication with one of said tanks and in fluid receiving relation with the remaining tanks, a separate connector flow connecting each of the tanks to said header, a first check valve disposed in each of the connectors associated with the remaining tanks, said first check valve being normally closed by the fluid pressure in the header, a plurality of conduits flow connecting the header with said primary coolant loops, a second check valve disposed in each of the conduits, said second check valve being normally closed by the primary coolant operating pressure, and comprising the steps of: storing a cooling fluid in said header and tanks under a gas at superatmospheric pressure, which pressure is lower than the primary coolant operating pressure, said gas pressure being different in each of the tanks and being highest in said one tank and header, injecting the cooling fluid from said one tank and header into the primary coolant system by way of the second check valve which opens when the primary coolant pressure decreases to a level corresponding to the fluid pressure in said one tank and header, sequentially injecting the cooling fluid from the remaining tanks by way of the first check valve which opens when the primary coolant pressure decreases to a level corresponding to the fluid pressure in the tank associated therewith.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
267 words
A method for suppressing vapor pressure build-up in the event of a primary coolant system failure within a nuclear reactor containment structure including a plurality of tanks, said primary coolant system comprised of a plurality of primary coolant loops, a header disposed in open fluid communication with one of said tanks and in fluid receiving relation with the remaining tanks, a separate connector flow connecting each of the tanks to said header, a first check valve disposed in each of the connectors associated with the remaining tanks, said first check valve being normally closed by the fluid pressure in the header, a plurality of conduits flow connecting the header with said primary coolant loops, a second check valve disposed in each of the conduits, said second check valve being normally closed by the primary coolant operating pressure, and comprising the steps of: storing a cooling fluid in said header and tanks under a gas at superatmospheric pressure, which pressure is lower than the primary coolant operating pressure, said gas pressure being different in each of the tanks and being highest in said one tank and header, injecting the cooling fluid from said one tank and header into the primary coolant system by way of the second check valve which opens when the primary coolant pressure decreases to a level corresponding to the fluid pressure in said one tank and header, sequentially injecting the cooling fluid from the remaining tanks by way of the first check valve which opens when the primary coolant pressure decreases to a level corresponding to the fluid pressure in the tank associated therewith.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3115450A
Cited
US3528884A
Cited
FR1589740A
Cited
US3580806A
Cited
US3666616A
Cited
US3718539A
Cited
US3926127A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-11-11 | 1978-05-13 | 1978-11-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-11-11 | 1982-05-13 | 1982-11-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-11-11 | 1986-05-13 | 1986-11-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |