A nuclear reactor is designed to couple the load path of control elements with the reactor core, thus reducing opportunity for differential movement between the control elements and the reactor core. A core barrel can be fabricated in a manufacturing facility to include the reactor core, control element supports, and control element drive system. The core barrel can be mounted to a reactor vessel head. Movement, such as through seismic forces, transmits an equal direction and magnitude to the control elements and the reactor core, thus inhibiting the opportunity for differential movement.

An autonomous self-powered system for cooling radioactive materials comprising: a pool of liquid; a closed-loop fluid circuit comprising a working fluid having a boiling temperature that is less than a boiling temperature of the liquid of the pool, the closed-loop fluid circuit comprising, in operable fluid coupling, an evaporative heat exchanger at least partially immersed in the liquid of the pool, a turbogenerator, and a condenser; one or more forced flow units operably coupled to the closed-loop fluid circuit to induce flow of the working fluid through the closed-loop fluid circuit; and the closed-loop fluid circuit converting thermal energy extracted from the liquid of the pool into electrical energy in accordance with the Rankine Cycle, the electrical energy powering the one or more forced flow units.

A method and apparatus of limiting power of a boiling water nuclear reactor system includes a reactor pressure vessel, a reactor core disposed in the reactor pressure vessel, a core shroud surrounding the reactor core, a downcomer region disposed between an inner surface of the reactor pressure vessel and the core shroud, a steam line connected to an upper end of the reactor pressure vessel and a condenser system that receives steam from the reactor pressure vessel. A portion of the condenser system condensate is returned to the reactor pressure vessel of the boiling water reactor inside the core barrel above the core rather than into the downcomer. Returning the condensate in this way increases the effectiveness of an isolation condenser system or if the condensate is a portion of the feedwater from the main condenser it provides an effective means to regulate core flow and core power.

The present invention relates to a nuclear power plant having improved cooling performance and a method for operating the same. The nuclear power plant having improved cooling performance according to the present invention comprises: a reactor vessel including a reactor core; a hot-leg and a cold-leg extending from the reactor vessel; a hybrid safety injection tank which contains coolant, is connected to the cold-leg and the reactor vessel, and is positioned higher than the reactor core; a coolant tank connected to the reactor vessel and positioned higher than the reactor core; and a pressure reducing valve connected to the hot-leg.

A generator is installed on and provides electrical power from a turbine by converting the turbine's mechanical energy to electricity. The generated electrical power is used to power controls of the turbine so that the turbine can remain in use through its own energy. The turbine can be a safety-related turbine in a nuclear power plant, such that, through the generator, loss of plant power will not result in loss of use of the turbine and safety-related functions powered by the same. Appropriate circuitry and electrical connections condition the generator to work in tandem with any other power sources present, while providing electrical power with properties required to safely power the controls.

A nuclear reactor incorporating a DHR system that simultaneously guarantees removal of decay heat as soon as the reactor is shut down; removal of heat through the primary vessel and then behind the secondary vessel; improved and entirely passive (Seebeck effect) heat removal by thermal conduction through fins distributed around the primary vessel in the guard gap and which, when pivoted into their deployed position, form a kind of thermal bridge between the primary and secondary vessels.

The present invention discloses a nuclear reactor coolant pump that does not rely on an electric motor, but is operated by means of driving force generated inside a nuclear power plant, so a to be capable of maintaining the safety of the nuclear reactor when the nuclear reactor is operating normally and also in the event of an accident in the nuclear reactor. The nuclear reactor coolant pump comprises: a pump impeller rotatably installed in a first fluid passage of a nuclear reactor coolant system to circulate a first fluid inside the nuclear reactor coolant system; a drive unit receiving steam from a steam generator to generate driving force to rotate the pump impeller, and rotating about the same rotating shaft as the pump impeller to transfer the generated driving force to the pump impeller; and a steam supplying unit forming a passage between the steam generator and the drive unit to supply at least a portion of the steam released from the steam generator to the drive unit.

A containment cooling apparatus includes a cooling water tank disposed above a containment; a spray header connected to the cooling water tank via a first communicating pipe, wherein the spray header is disposed on an outside of the containment for spraying cooling water to an outer wall of the containment; a bell shaped shield covering the containment, wherein the cooling water tank is disposed on a top portion of the shield; a space formed between an inner wall of the shield and the outer wall of the containment, wherein the spray header is disposed in the space; an exhaust hole disposed on the top portion of the shield; and a water separator disposed in the exhaust hole and/or the space. The containment cooling apparatus has higher utilization of coolant.

An emergency spent nuclear fuel pool cooling system that requires no external electrical power source and relies on the expansion of a cryogenic fluid through an evaporator/heat exchanger submerged within the spent fuel pool, to power various components used to cool the spent fuel pool and adjacent areas and provide makeup water to the spent fuel pool. Other than the evaporator/heat exchanger to which the cryogenic fluid is connected, the remaining components employed to cool the pool and the surrounding area and provide makeup water can be contained in a relatively small, readily transportable skid.

The present invention provides passive safety equipment, comprising: a cooling part formed to cool a first fluid, which is emitted from a reactor coolant system or a steam generator, and a second fluid in a housing; and a circulation induction sprayer which is formed to spray the first fluid emitted from the reactor coolant system or the steam generator into the cooling part, has at least part thereof open to the inside of the housing such that the second fluid flows thereinto according to a drop in pressure caused by the spraying of the first fluid, and sprays the second fluid with the inflown first fluid.