Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120294737 | AUTONOMOUS SELF-POWERED SYSTEM FOR REMOVING THERMAL ENERGY FROM POOLS OF LIQUID HEATED BY RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS, AND METHOD OF THE SAME - 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. | 11-22-2012 |
20140150994 | AIR-COOLED HEAT EXCHANGER AND SYSTEM AND METHOD OF USING THE SAME TO REMOVE WASTE THERMAL ENERGY FROM RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS - A system for removing thermal energy generated by radioactive materials is provided. The system comprises an air-cooled shell-and- tube heat exchanger, comprising a shell and plurality of heat exchange tubes arranged in a substantially vertical orientation within the shell, the heat exchange tubes comprising interior cavities that collectively form a tube-side fluid path, the shell forming a shell-side fluid path that extends from an air inlet of the shell to an air outlet of the shell, the air inlet at a lower elevation than the air outlet; a heat rejection closed-loop fluid circuit comprising the tube-side fluid path, a coolant fluid flowing through the heat rejection closed-loop fluid circuit, the heat rejection closed-loop fluid circuit thermally coupled to the radioactive materials; and the air-cooled shell-and-tube heat exchanger transferring thermal energy from the coolant fluid flowing through the tube-side fluid path to air flowing through the shell-side fluid path. | 06-05-2014 |
20140321596 | PASSIVE REACTOR COOLING SYSTEM - A nuclear reactor cooling system with passive cooling capabilities operable during a reactor shutdown event without available electric power. In one embodiment, the system includes a reactor vessel with nuclear fuel core and a steam generator fluidly coupled thereto. Primary coolant circulates in a flow loop between the reactor vessel and steam generator to heat secondary coolant in the steam generator producing steam. The steam flows to a heat exchanger containing an inventory of cooling water in which a submerged tube bundle is immersed. The steam is condensed in the heat exchanger and returned to the steam generator forming a closed flow loop in which the secondary coolant flow is driven by natural gravity via changes in density from the heating and cooling cycles. In other embodiments, the cooling system is configured to extract and cool the primary coolant directly using the submerged tube bundle heat exchanger. | 10-30-2014 |
20140321597 | LOSS-OF-COOLANT ACCIDENT REACTOR COOLING SYSTEM - A nuclear reactor cooling system with passive cooling capabilities operable during a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) without available electric power. The system includes a reactor vessel with nuclear fuel core located in a reactor well. An in-containment water storage tank is fluidly coupled to the reactor well and holds an inventory of cooling water. During a LOCA event, the tank floods the reactor well with water. Eventually, the water heated by decay heat from the reactor vaporizes producing steam. The steam flows to an in-containment heat exchanger and condenses. The condensate is returned to the reactor well in a closed flow loop system in which flow may circulate solely via gravity from changes in phase and density of the water. In one embodiment, the heat exchanger may be an array of heat dissipater ducts mounted on the wall of the inner containment vessel surrounded by a heat sink. | 10-30-2014 |
20150085965 | SPACE SAVER FLANGED JOINT FOR A NUCLEAR REACTOR VESSEL - A nuclear steam supply system includes an elongated reactor vessel having an internal cavity with a central axis, a reactor core having nuclear fuel disposed within the internal cavity, and a steam generating vessel having at least one heat exchanger section, the steam generating vessel being fluidicly coupled to the reactor vessel. The reactor vessel includes a shell having an upper flange portion and a head having a head flange portion. The upper flange portion is coupled to the head flange portion, wherein the upper flange portion extends into the internal cavity, and the head flange portion extends outward from the internal cavity. | 03-26-2015 |
20150110236 | NUCLEAR STEAM SUPPLY SYSTEM - A nuclear steam supply system utilizing gravity-driven natural circulation for primary coolant flow through a fluidly interconnected reactor vessel and a steam generating vessel. In one embodiment, the steam generating vessel includes a plurality of vertically stacked heat exchangers operable to convert a secondary coolant from a saturated liquid to superheated steam by utilizing heat gained by the primary coolant from a nuclear fuel core in the reactor vessel. The secondary coolant may be working fluid associated with a Rankine power cycle turbine-generator set in some embodiments. The steam generating vessel and reactor vessel may each be comprised of vertically elongated shells, which in one embodiment are arranged in lateral adjacent relationship. In one embodiment, the reactor vessel and steam generating vessel are physically discrete self-supporting structures which may be physically located in the same containment vessel. | 04-23-2015 |
20150243385 | PASSIVELY-COOLED SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL POOL SYSTEM AND METHOD THEREFOR - A passively-cooled spent nuclear fuel pool system and method therefor. In one embodiment, the invention can be a passively-cooled spent nuclear fuel pool system comprising: a spent nuclear fuel pool comprising a body of liquid water having a surface level, at least one spent nuclear fuel rod submerged in the body of liquid water that heats the body of liquid water; a lid covering the spent nuclear fuel pool to create a hermetically sealed vapor space between the surface level of the body of liquid water and the lid; and a passive heat exchange sub-system fluidly coupled to the vapor space, the passive heat exchange sub-system configured to: (1) receive water vapor from the vapor space; (2) remove thermal energy from the received water vapor, thereby condensing the water vapor to form a condensed water vapor; and (3) return the condensed water vapor to the body of liquid water. | 08-27-2015 |
20150243388 | NUCLEAR STEAM SUPPLY SYSTEM - A nuclear steam supply system having a start-up sub-system for heating a primary coolant. In one embodiment, the invention can be a nuclear steam supply system comprising: a reactor vessel having an internal cavity, a reactor core comprising nuclear fuel disposed within the internal cavity; a steam generating vessel fluidly coupled to the reactor vessel; a primary coolant loop formed within the reactor vessel and the steam generating vessel, a primary coolant in the primary coolant loop; and a start-up sub-system fluidly coupled to the primary coolant loop, the start-up sub-system configured to: (1) receive a portion of the primary coolant from the primary coolant loop; (2) heat the portion of the primary coolant to form a heated portion of the primary coolant; and (3) inject the heated portion of the primary coolant into the primary coolant loop. | 08-27-2015 |