DE1278616B - Atomic nuclear reactor in an integrated design - Google Patents

Description

FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY

GERMAN

PATENT OFFICE

EDITORIAL

Int. Cl .:

G 21 c

German class: 21g-21/22

Number: 1278 616

File number: P 12 78 616.2-33 (B 63723)

Filing date: August 21, 1961

Opening day: September 26, 1968

The invention relates to an atomic nuclear reactor in an integrated design, consisting of a in the vertical direction elongated pressure vessel in which a primary coolant leading to the rising Flow guide cylinder is arranged coaxially to the longitudinal axis of the pressure vessel, which with the The boiler wall forms an annular space that receives the primary coolant flowing downwards and in which Heat exchanger tube bundles are arranged, and one arranged at the lower end of the flow guide cylinder Reactor core, the upper limit of which is below the lower limit of the heat exchanger tube bundle comes to rest, in which the pressure vessel at the top has an opening with a removable Has closure whose diameter is so large that the heat exchanger tube bundle, the The reactor core and the flow guide cylinder can be inserted and removed through them.

With the exception of the so-called boiling reactors, all nuclear reactors are used to generate energy the so-called indirect cycle application, whereby the heat of the nuclear reactor is a transferring heat Primary coolant is fed, which it in turn on a vaporizable secondary liquid transmits. In this way, the vaporizable secondary liquid is only indirectly related to the heat generation point in connection.

Such systems are considered to be quite desirable as they ensure that the in general Steam used to generate energy is not radioactively contaminated and in most Cases of such contamination are not even exposed if the fuel assemblies break is. These indirect steam generators were previously built in such a way that the fissile material in a reactor pressure vessel and the steam generator in a separate heat exchanger, the connection between the two is established by lines that circulate continuously allow for the heat transferring primary coolant with the help of pumps. Farther in order to control the nuclear reactor and to be able to intervene immediately in emergencies, several Heat exchangers arranged in separate, parallel branches, so that there is always a plurality of such Heat exchangers are assigned to a single nuclear reactor. There are valves in the circuits switched on in order to be able to switch off during control work and in an emergency. From the point of view From the reliability it was realized that it would be desirable to keep the pumps for circulation turn off, as these pumps occasionally off-atomic nuclear reactor in an integrated design

Applicant:

The Babcock & Wilcox Company,

New York, N.Y. (V. St. A.)

Representative:

Dr. W. Andrejewski, patent attorney,

4300 Essen, Kettwiger Str. 36

Named as inventor:

Theodore Smith, Sprague, Hudson, Summit, Ohio; Johannes Herman Ammon,

Akron, Summit, Ohio (V. St. A.)

Claimed priority:

V. St. v. America August 22, 1960 (51 044)

fell, each time a shutdown of the system was required. Furthermore, it was found to be advantageous turn off the separately arranged heat exchanger by stopping the heat exchanger implementing elements arranged within the nuclear reactor.

For example, a nuclear reactor installation has become known (cf. German Auslegeschrift 1 084 845), which from a graphite-moderated, gas-cooled nuclear reactor operated with natural uranium, the works with a circulating gaseous primary coolant under overpressure and in one Reactor pressure vessel is arranged, the full pressure of the gaseous during normal operation of the plant Primary coolant is exposed. Furthermore, this system has a heat exchanger, which is a part a steam generator and devices for conveying the heated primary coolant from Nuclear reactor to the heat exchanger and the cooled primary coolant from the heat exchanger to the Nuclear reactor back, as well as fan devices, which are intended to convey the primary coolant, on. In this known plant are the nuclear reactor, the heat exchanger, the fan devices and the circulation system for the gaseous primary coolant all within the reactor pressure vessel arranged. Even if there are large gas ducts with complicated expansion joints and large

809 618/415

3 4

Gate valves are largely avoided and one that the reactor core is removed or in its certain security against the exit of the irradiated position must be changed. The invention also gives Cooling gas is achieved so access to the reactor is a teaching on how the inlet chambers and exhaust core are to be designed advantageously without prior intervention in the heating chambers. Thereafter Exchanger tube bundle not possible. Like 5, the inlet and outlet chambers have a tube disadvantage also has a known gas-cooled, hete sheet, which is a unit with a hemispherical Nuclear reactor, in which the above the ligen head forms, with the tubular sheet in an open reactor core arranged in a riser chamber voltage of the reactor pressure vessel can intervene to Tube bundle divided into a multitude of groups to form a removable seal for the opening are each of which, separately, form one through the wall of the io. To solve the sealing problem on this Reactor pressure vessel guided connection device point is zwifür in a further embodiment of the invention has the secondary liquid. see the reactor pressure vessel and the pipe sheet Another nuclear reactor plant is known (cf. a fixed, elastic membrane arranged, the German Auslegeschrift 1021515), which consists of one which forms a seal between the two. To vertically arranged, elongated reactor pressure * 5 further advantageous teaching of the invention is that boiler consists of an opening at the upper end with an opening at the upper end of the reactor pressure vessel Has closure and inside a through this by a bowl-shaped lid, the vaulted opening shows removable, upright flow in the reactor pressure vessel, closed, contains guide cylinder, which between itself and the wall continue to go through the lowest part of this the reactor pressure vessel has a ring-shaped case-shell-shaped cover ducts through it, chamber and inside a central riser The advantage of running a nuclear reactor Chamber forms which with the annular fall chamber according to the invention over the previously known The upper and lower end of the flow guide cylinder embodiments are particularly to be included therein ders is related, in which a liquid primary see that both the reactor core and the coolant up through the reactor core and the 25 heat exchanger tube bundles, each separately central riser chamber and down through the ring-shaped removed from the reactor pressure vessel Falling chamber in which the heat exchanger tube bundles can without the other part in each case del are arranged, flows, and disturbs in the lower, so can remain in its place of installation. Part of the reactor pressure vessel is a reactor core, which means that the new nuclear reactor system can be counter-ordered whose upper limit is below the 3 <> over the known embodiments very much lower limit of the heat exchanger tube bundle monitored, maintained or repaired comes to rest. On the one hand, this is a disadvantage.

known reactor system that the reactor core just- In the following the invention is based on a

as in the case of the aforementioned embodiments, a drawing showing an embodiment

not explained in more detail without intervention in the heat exchanger tube bundle 35. It shows

can be removed. On the other hand, the fig. 1 shows the nuclear reactor according to the invention of

knew reactor plant also a construction, seen from the side,

the reactor core without interfering with the F i g. 2 seen the reactor from above, with a

Heat exchanger tube bundle can be removed when the drum has been cut open to reveal its interior

however, the heat exchanger tube bundle in turn 4 < > show

not revealed without removing the reactor core. 3 a vertical section through the reactor

can be assumed because the reactor core is attached to the pressure vessel,

same support structure as the heat exchanger pipe- F i g. 4 shows a section through the object

bundle is connected. Therefore, if the heat- F i g. 3 along line 4-4,

exchanger tube bundle from the reactor pressure vessel. 5 another section through the opposite

farther away, the reactor core will inevitably also stand according to FIG. 3 along line 5-5 and

with taken out. F i g. 6 is a section on an enlarged scale

The invention has for its object to provide a through an inlet or outlet chamber.

Atomic nuclear reactor of the type described at the outset as shown in FIG. 1 and 2 is a reactor pressure vessel 10

represented by simple structural measures to gestal- 5 °, which is arranged vertically and at the top

th, that the operating, maintenance and repair possible edge offset by 90 ° four drums 12 to

opportunities are improved. This is carried out in accordance with the invention- separating the vapor from the liquid. Every

according to achieved in that one of the secondary of the drums 12 is arranged so that it is connected to two

heat exchanger tube bundle through which liquid flows parallel, steam-generating heat exchanger

from the circumference of the flow guide cylinder in radial 55 tube bundles 58 is in communication. Consequently

Are offset towards the outside and that, as can be seen from the figures, each drum

smallest outer diameter of the heat exchanger tube 12 has two downpipes 14, which are at the lower end

Bundle is larger than the diameter of the reactor, each with an inlet chamber 16 and at the upper end

core. A preferred embodiment is connected to the bottom of the drum 12

in that in each case a number of heat exchangers- ^6o two outlet chambers 18 at the upper part of the reactor

Tube bundle over on the reactor pressure vessel upstream tordruckkessels 10 stand with the upper part of the

Seen inlet chambers and outlet chambers with drum 12 through riser pipes 20 in connection. Every

a number outside the reactor pressure vessel on drum 12 has a steam outlet 22 through

brought drums in communication, so that the upper inner part of the drum 12

take a corresponding number of parallel, steam-generating ⁶ 5 steam and through the drum 12 Mn-

gender cycles emerge. After further preferring through down and out at the bottom to a no

Embodiment, the heat exchanger tube bundle shown consumer point to lead allows

individually removable from the reactor vessel without being.

5 6

In the F i g. 3, 4 and 5 are vertically upright or outlet chambers 16 and 18 are completely equally elongated reactor pressure vessels 10 with im we- artig and are further below under Substantial uniform cross-section shown. With reference to FIG. 6 described in more detail. Of the Centrally in the lowest part of the reactor pressure vessel 10 cross section of the heat exchanger tube bundle 58 is in a reactor core 24 is arranged, which is essentially constant from a 5, but decreases to the A plurality of fuel assemblies 26 is made. Thereby inlet and outlet chambers 16 and 18 respectively. Zwi control rods 28 arranged so that the focal points see the edges of the heat exchanger tube bundle elements 26 surrounding individual control bars 28. 58 are flow wedges 64 and 66 with a triangular shape

At the upper end of the reactor pressure vessel 10, cross section is inserted. As a result, the intermediate should be a circular opening formed by a ¹⁰ space between the heat exchanger tube bundles 58 flange 30, the diameter of which is somewhat filled so that the primary coolant is two larger than the diameter of the reactor core 24. See the heat exchanger tubes 59 flowing through this flange 30 is an inwardly absorbed must.

Lid 32 is arranged by an upper The control rods 28 are by mechanisms

Flange 34 actuated by means of screw ¹ S arranged in a circle, which are seated in openings in cover 32

bolt 36 is held. Across from the reac bushings are housed. In this way

gate pressure vessel 10, the cover 32 is covered by an elastic, the control rods 28 are guided by guides 67

cal packing 38 sealed. In this way, leads and can vertically into the reactor core 24

the lid 32 has a removable closure for being brought in and out again,

an opening through which the reactor core 24 and ²⁰ The entire unit is supported on a support

the control rods 28 are removed as a whole from bell 68, which itself is based on appropriate fundamentals

can. ments 69 rests (Fig. 1).

The interior of the reactor pressure vessel 10 is through the individual heat exchanger tube bundle 58 köneinen Strömungsleitzylinder 40 in a riser chamber individually nen and easily from the reactor pressure vessel 48 and an annular trap chamber 50 is divided, ^a are taken out 5 10 after the lid 32, and ste top bottom interconnected - and the flow guide cylinder 40 has been removed. The flow guide cylinder 40 is suspended by means of a are. The reactor pressure vessel 10 has, as shown in the overlapping flange 42 at the upper end in FIG. 6 has been shown in detail, an opening flange 30 of the reactor pressure vessel 10 and extends 70 with an outer lip 70 A with a smaller diameter practically to the bottom of the reactor pressure 3 <> diameter, so that a regular flange kesseis 10, where it over the The bottom of the reactor core is created. The inlet chamber 16 has a tubular sheet 24 protrudes and is bent inward, so that 16 A, which sits in a hemispherical head 16 B , a protective grille 44 is created, which the individual This tubular sheet 16 A has a plurality of Lö-fuel elements 26 and the Guide tubes 67 for the brazen to receive the heat exchanger tubes 59, control rods 28 can hold. This grid contains 35 which are inserted tightly there. The tube sheet 16 A has a multiplicity of openings through which an outer lip 16 C, which lies against the insert of the fuel assemblies 26, the primary coolant outer lip 70 A of the flange 70 and through the pressure flowing upwards through the reactor core 24 inside of the reactor pressure vessel 10 can anmen, namely is pressed out of the space directly below. That of the flow guide cylinder 40 is held flawlessly. At the upper end of the 4 ° whole by appropriately arranged screw flow guide cylinders 40 there is a multitude of exits 72. The screws 72 are closed off by holes 26 for the primary coolant. an elastic membrane 74. In the ring-shaped drop chamber 50 and around it, there is also a hand hole 76, the cover of which is welded around the reactor core 24, but with any control panels 52, 54, 56 concentrically at certain intervals can be removed,
arranged from each other. Between the heat protection plates 52, 54, 56 intermediate pieces are seen, the individual heat exchanger tube bundles are set so that they are absolutely concentric to one another and are held independently of one another and by external means, whereby they are somewhat mutually independent higher than the connections with the drums 12, in which the fuel assemblies extend and a number of vertical 50 vapor is separated from the liquid, forming continuous, annular flow channels. At least four drums 12 are provided, the heat shield plate 54 has at the lower end of each of which is parallel with two, dampferzeugenein cup-shaped part 54 A on which in the heat exchanger tube bundles is connected 58th Has an opening 54 B in the middle in the lowest part. Such a nuclear reactor system can be very effective, above which a spacer plate 54 C is located, so that the inlet at the lowest end of the reactor protected by the use of pressurized water inside the reactor pressure vessel 10 as a cooling gate pressure vessel 10 arises. work medium. The pressure of the coolant should be like this

Be high in the upper part of the ring-shaped case chamber 50 so that the heat emission and steam generation

Above the reactor core 24, a number of times is optimally achieved. Printing of

Heat exchanger tube bundles 58 with heat exchanger 6o about 140kp / cm ² , with a coolant temperature

tubes 59 provided. In the illustrated execution of about 290 ° C is maintained,

There are eight heat exchanger tube bundles of the same type.The working principle is as follows:

del 58 arranged so that they practically the transverse By moving the control rods 28 takes place in the

Fill in the section of the annular fall chamber 50. Reactor core 24 a chain reaction, which

Each heat exchanger tube bundle 58 consists of a 65 through heat in the heterogeneous fuel assemblies 26

Variety of C-shaped bent heat exchanger tubes affects. The water takes over this heat and

59, which at its ends with the inlet and outlet rises as a result in the riser chamber 48 upwards,

chambers 16 and 18 are connected. This inlet- that flows upwards out of the reactor core-

Mending water is replaced by water flowing in from below, which in the fall chamber 50 flows downwards. The coolant is therefore circulated within the reactor pressure vessel 10. Within the heat exchanger tubes 59 of the heat exchanger tube bundle 58 there is one at one Temperature below that of the primary coolant evaporating secondary liquid, so that by the Heat exchange is generated with the primary coolant steam. This creates a very good circulation ensures that the heat exchanger tubes 59 in the annular fall chamber 50 above the core are arranged, while care is taken to ensure that the lowest possible pressure drop within the Heat exchanger tube bundle 58 takes place. The secondary fluid, which is under low pressure, flows in the Downpipe 14 down into the inlet chamber 16, flows within the reactor pressure vessel 10 through the Heat exchanger tubes 59, in which steam is generated, and then flows mixed with steam in the riser pipe 20 upwards and outwards. Each of the drums 12 separates this mixture into its constituent parts and releases the steam through the steam outlet 22 and the water through the downcomers 14 to again Run through the system. The evaporated water is returned to each drum by fresh water replaced. As shown, there are four separate drums 12 which are parallel and the Feed steam to a common line or, if desired, release the steam separately can. One of the features of the arrangement is that some drums are turned off can, if a pipe burst occurs or this should be desired for other reasons, without therefore the entire nuclear reactor must be shut down. Each of the heat exchanger tube bundles 58 can be controlled by itself, which makes the elastic and from the point of view of the operator superior arrangement results.

The fixed arrangement of the drums 12 directly on the reactor pressure vessel 10 results in a compact unit, while separate heat exchangers and pumps, as in previous designs, are avoided. This outstanding compactness of the whole system is a particular advantage, because it is the indispensable Shielding the system is greatly simplified.

Claims (7)

Patent claims: 1. Atomic nuclear reactor in an integrated design, consisting of an elongated in the vertical direction Pressure vessel in which a flow control cylinder that carries the ascending primary coolant is arranged coaxially to the longitudinal axis of the pressure vessel with the vessel wall forms an annular space receiving the downward flowing primary coolant, in which Heat exchanger tube bundles are arranged, and one at the lower end of the flow guide cylinder arranged reactor core, the upper limit of which comes to lie below the lower limit of the heat exchanger tube bundle, in which the pressure vessel at the upper end has an opening with a removable closure, whose diameter is so large that the heat exchanger tube bundle, the reactor core and the flow guide cylinder can be inserted and removed through them, characterized in that that the heat exchanger tube bundle through which a secondary liquid flows from the circumference of the flow guide cylinder in are offset radially outward and that the smallest outer diameter of the heat exchanger tube bundle is larger than the diameter of the reactor core. 2. Nuclear reactor plant according to claim 1, characterized in that in each case a number the heat exchanger tube bundle (58) via inlet chambers provided on the reactor pressure vessel (10) (16) and outlet chambers (18) with a number of drums (12) mounted outside the reactor pressure vessel (10) stands, so that a corresponding number of parallel, steam-generating circuits is created. 3. Nuclear reactor plant according to claim 1 and 2, characterized in that the heat exchanger tube bundle (58) can be individually removed from the reactor pressure vessel (10) without the reactor core (24) having to be removed or its position changed. 4. Nuclear reactor plant according to claim 1 to 3, characterized in that the inlet and outlet chambers (16 or 18) have a tubular plate (16 ^ 4 or 18A) which is a unit with a hemispherical head (165 or 18 B) forms, wherein the tubular plate (16 A or 18 ^ 4) can engage in an opening (70) of the reactor pressure vessel (10) and forms a removable seal for the opening. 5. Nuclear reactor plant according to claim 1 to 4, characterized in that a tight , elastic membrane (74) is arranged between the reactor pressure vessel (10) and the tubular plate (16A or 18A) , which forms a seal between the two. 6. Nuclear reactor plant according to claim 1 to 5, characterized in that the opening on upper end of the reactor pressure vessel through a bowl-shaped cover (32), the curvature of which into the reactor pressure vessel (10) is closed. 7. Nuclear reactor plant according to claim 1 to 6, characterized in that through the lowest Part of this bowl-shaped cover (32) pass through openings (65). Considered publications:
German publication no. 1021515, 683, 1,084,845;
British Patent No. 763,231;
Riezler, Walcher, "Kerntechnik", 1958, p. 649 to 651. For this purpose 2 sheets of drawings 809 618/415 9.68 © Bundesdruckerei Berlin