G21C19/307

COOLANT CLEANUP AND HEAT-SINKING SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF OPERATING THE SAME
20210090753 · 2021-03-25 ·

Combined cleanup and heat sink systems work with nuclear reactor coolant loops. Combined systems may join hotter and colder sections of the coolant loops in parallel with any steam generator or other extractor and provide optional heat removal between the same. Combined systems also remove impurities or debris from a fluid coolant without significant heat loss from the coolant. A cooler in the combined system may increase in capacity or be augmented in number to move between purifying cooling and major heat removal from the coolant, potentially as an emergency cooler. The cooler may be joined to the hotter and colder sections through valved flow paths depending on desired functionality. Sections of the coolant loops may be fully above the cooler, which may be above the reactor, to drive flow by gravity and enhance isolation of sections of the coolant loop.

Injecting reactant into a spent fuel pool to react with radioactive effluent released into the pool from a nuclear reactor containment

A method of releasing an atmospheric effluent within a nuclear containment to an atmosphere surrounding the nuclear containment is disclosed. The nuclear containment is adjacent to an associated spent fuel pool that is located outside the nuclear containment, the method comprises sensing a pressure buildup within the nuclear containment, routing a portion of the atmospheric effluent through the spent fuel pool when a pressure buildup within the nuclear containment reaches a preselected value, and releasing a chemical into the spent fuel pool, based on the routing, to facilitate a reaction with the atmospheric effluent to substantially neuter any deleterious environmental impact of the atmospheric effluent.

Dual fluid reactor

The present invention describes a nuclear reactor with a loop for liquid nuclear fuel, which, contrary to similar systems like the Molten-Salt Reactor of the Generation-IV canon, does not use the fuel loop for the heat transport at the same time. Instead, cooling is provided by an additional coolant loop, which is intensively coupled to the nuclear fuel duct for heat transport. That way, the advantages of liquid fuel can be utilized while optimizing the coolant loop performance, so the complexity of safety systems can be reduced significantly. This reactor design further includes an optimized neutron economy and is able to deactivate long-lived fission products generated by its own, so only short-lived radiotoxic waste has to be stored. With the neutron surplus it is also possible to deactivate long-lived radiotoxic waste from used fuel of today's light water reactors or to produce medical radioisotopes.

Dual fluid reactor

The present invention describes a nuclear reactor with a loop for liquid nuclear fuel, which, contrary to similar systems like the Molten-Salt Reactor of the Generation-IV canon, does not use the fuel loop for the heat transport at the same time. Instead, cooling is provided by an additional coolant loop, which is intensively coupled to the nuclear fuel duct for heat transport. That way, the advantages of liquid fuel can be utilized while optimizing the coolant loop performance, so the complexity of safety systems can be reduced significantly. This reactor design further includes an optimized neutron economy and is able to deactivate long-lived fission products generated by its own, so only short-lived radiotoxic waste has to be stored. With the neutron surplus it is also possible to deactivate long-lived radiotoxic waste from used fuel of today's light water reactors or to produce medical radioisotopes.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FILTERING FLUID IN NUCLEAR POWER GENERATION
20200330905 · 2020-10-22 ·

A filtering apparatus for a fluid intake of a nuclear power generation facility comprise primary and secondary frames. The primary frame defines an enclosed volume having least one inlet opening, and at least one outlet opening in fluid communication with the fluid intake. A primary filter is supported on the primary frame and covers the inlet opening such that fluid passes into the enclosed volume through the primary filter. The secondary frame is located within the volume enclosed by the primary frame. A secondary filter is supported on the secondary frame and defines an enclosed flow passage in communication with the outlet opening, such that fluid passes into the at least one outlet opening through the secondary filter and the enclosed flow passage.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FILTERING FLUID IN NUCLEAR POWER GENERATION
20200330905 · 2020-10-22 ·

A filtering apparatus for a fluid intake of a nuclear power generation facility comprise primary and secondary frames. The primary frame defines an enclosed volume having least one inlet opening, and at least one outlet opening in fluid communication with the fluid intake. A primary filter is supported on the primary frame and covers the inlet opening such that fluid passes into the enclosed volume through the primary filter. The secondary frame is located within the volume enclosed by the primary frame. A secondary filter is supported on the secondary frame and defines an enclosed flow passage in communication with the outlet opening, such that fluid passes into the at least one outlet opening through the secondary filter and the enclosed flow passage.

System for removing foreign objects from nuclear reactor vessel

A system with function of bending and elongation is used for discharging foreign matters from nuclear reactor vessel. The system includes an operating rod which includes a suction pipe, a bendable rod section connected to the suction pipe, and an expandable rod section connected to the bendable rod section; and a drainage pipe. A suction opening is disposed at the suction pipe and an electric valve is disposed at a connection of the suction opening and the suction pipe. A filter mesh is disposed in the suction pipe; a suction pump is disposed in the suction pipe; a touch switch is disposed on the filter mesh. A water inlet of the suction pump is connected to the suction opening, a water outlet of the suction pump is connected to the outside space of the suction pipe though the drainage pipe, and the electric valve is controlled by the touch switch.

Corrosion Mitigation Method for Carbon Steel Pipe

To provide a corrosion mitigation method for carbon steel pipe that can further reduce corrosion of the carbon steel pipe. In a BWR plant, oxygen is injected from an oxygen injection device 30 into a clean up system pipe 18 which is constituted by a Cr-containing carbon steel pipe containing Cr in a range of larger than 0.052 wt % and less than 0.4 wt % and being in communication with a RPV 3, and reactor water of 150 C. having a dissolved oxygen concentration of 30 g/L is generated. The reactor water is brought into contact with an inner surface of the clean up system pipe 18 to perform an oxidizing treatment on the inner surface, and an oxide film containing Cr is formed on the inner surface. Thus, after the oxide film is formed, hydrogen is injected into the reactor water in the RPV 3 through a water supply pipe 11 in communication with to the RPV 3, and even when the dissolved oxygen concentration in the reactor water in contact with the inner surface of the clean up system pipe 18 is reduced to 2 g/L, corrosion of the clean up system pipe 18 is remarkably mitigated.

Corrosion Mitigation Method for Carbon Steel Pipe

To provide a corrosion mitigation method for carbon steel pipe that can further reduce corrosion of the carbon steel pipe. In a BWR plant, oxygen is injected from an oxygen injection device 30 into a clean up system pipe 18 which is constituted by a Cr-containing carbon steel pipe containing Cr in a range of larger than 0.052 wt % and less than 0.4 wt % and being in communication with a RPV 3, and reactor water of 150 C. having a dissolved oxygen concentration of 30 g/L is generated. The reactor water is brought into contact with an inner surface of the clean up system pipe 18 to perform an oxidizing treatment on the inner surface, and an oxide film containing Cr is formed on the inner surface. Thus, after the oxide film is formed, hydrogen is injected into the reactor water in the RPV 3 through a water supply pipe 11 in communication with to the RPV 3, and even when the dissolved oxygen concentration in the reactor water in contact with the inner surface of the clean up system pipe 18 is reduced to 2 g/L, corrosion of the clean up system pipe 18 is remarkably mitigated.

Device for removing foreign objects from nuclear reactor vessel

A device for removing foreign objects from nuclear reactor vessel includes a suction pipe; a suction opening structure disposed at a lower end of the suction pipe, an electric valve disposed at a connection of the suction pipe and the suction opening structure, a filter mesh and a suction pump sequentially located in the suction pipe and above the electric valve. The suction opening structure has a suction opening thereon, a water inlet of the suction pump is communicated with the suction opening, and a water outlet of the suction pump is communicated with the outside space of the suction pipe though a drainage pipe. The device further includes a touch switch disposed on the filter mesh which is in operative connection with the electric valve. A foreign object impact force to the filter mesh triggers the touch switch to close which causes the electric valve to close.