US4061534A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Nuclear reactors
Assignee: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
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Filing: 1971-10-06
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Granted: 1977-12-06
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Expires: 1991-10-06
Abstract
Abstract A nuclear reactor cooled by a freezable liquid has a vessel for containing said liquid and comprising a structure shaped as a container, and cooling means in the region of the surface of said structure for effecting freezing of said liquid coolant at and for a finite distance from said surface for providing a layer of frozen coolant on and supported by said surface for containing said liquid coolant. In a specific example, where the reactor is sodium-cooled, the said structure is a metal-lined concrete vault, cooling is effected by closed cooling loops containing NaK, the loops extending over the lined surface of the concrete vault with outward and reverse pipe runs of each loop separated by thermal insulation, and air is flowed through cooling pipes embedded in the concrete behind the metal lining.
Inventors
- 👤 George Oliver Jackson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 23:37
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21C; G21C13/00; G21C13/08; G21C13/087; G21C13/0875; G21C15/00; G21C15/02; G21C15/12; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E30/00; Y02E30/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
138 words
A nuclear reactor comprising a concrete shielding vessel with a steel lining, containing a freezable liquid metal coolant comprising the element sodium, a solid nuclear reactor core, a primary heat exchanger and a pump means all submerged in the coolant, the pump means being provided for circulating the coolant liquid within the vessel, cooling pipes within the vessel adjacent the inner surface of said vessel for effecting the freezing of the liquid coolant at the inner surface of the vessel, said cooling pipes containing a liquid metal cooling fluid, an interior wall adjacent the said inner surface, said interior wall comprising a frozen layer of the liquid coolant on and supported by the cooling pipes and the inner surface of the vessel, the said frozen layer interior wall being thin relative to the overall cross-section of the vessel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
138 words
A nuclear reactor comprising a concrete shielding vessel with a steel lining, containing a freezable liquid metal coolant comprising the element sodium, a solid nuclear reactor core, a primary heat exchanger and a pump means all submerged in the coolant, the pump means being provided for circulating the coolant liquid within the vessel, cooling pipes within the vessel adjacent the inner surface of said vessel for effecting the freezing of the liquid coolant at the inner surface of the vessel, said cooling pipes containing a liquid metal cooling fluid, an interior wall adjacent the said inner surface, said interior wall comprising a frozen layer of the liquid coolant on and supported by the cooling pipes and the inner surface of the vessel, the said frozen layer interior wall being thin relative to the overall cross-section of the vessel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
A nuclear reactor according to claim 1, in which the pipes extending over the surface are closed loops, each loop including a cooler externally of the concrete and steel vessel, and a forced air cooling system for cooling the said liquid metal coolant in the closed loops at the cooler.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
A nuclear reactor according to claim 1, including additional cooling pipes embedded in the concrete in proximity to the lining.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
A nuclear reactor according to claim 3, including thermal insulation spaced from said surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A nuclear reactor according to claim 4, wherein said thermal insulation is located with runs of said cooling pipes disposed on both sides thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
A nuclear reactor according to claim 1, wherein the liquid coolant is sodium and the cooling fluid within the closed loops contains sodium-potassium alloy, and including further pipes embedded in the concrete and means for passing forced air therethrough.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
A nuclear reactor according to claim 1, said interior wall being of sufficient thickness such that when the temperature of the liquid coolant inside is 400° C, the temperature at the outer surface of the interior wall is approximately 50° C.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
FR1224251A
Cited
GB946114A
Cited
US3494829A
Cited
US3175958A
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US3421977A
Cited
US3372092A
Cited
US3454080A
Cited
US3398050A
Cited
US3446703A
Cited
US3497421A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-12-05 | 1981-06-06 | 1981-12-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-12-05 | 1985-06-06 | 1985-12-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-12-05 | 1989-06-06 | 1989-12-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |