A reactor core cooling system

Abstract

The application provides a circulating device based on a reactor core coolant, relates to the technical field of reactor core coolant circulation, and comprises a container shell, a reactor core, a heat exchange channel, a pushing mechanism and a heat exchange mechanism. The reactor core is located at the bottom of the container shell, a top cover is connected to the top of the container shell, the container shell is internally provided with a coolant, the heat exchange channel is connected between the reactor core and the top cover, the heat exchange mechanism is arranged outside the heat exchange channel, and heat exchange holes are formed in the barrel wall of the heat exchange channel. Compared with the external loop mode of the reactor vessel-coolant loop circulation in the prior art, the pushing mechanism, the heat exchange channel and the heat exchange mechanism are integrally arranged inside the pool-type container in the application, thereby forming an internal built-in closed circulation path, simplifying the system structure and reducing the design and manufacturing difficulty, reducing external pipeline and shaft sealing components, reducing the leakage risk of the coolant, facilitating installation and maintenance, improving the circulation efficiency, and being suitable for the reactor core coolant circulation demand of a small-sized lead-based reactor.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of reactor core coolant circulation technology, and more specifically, to a circulation device based on reactor core coolant. Background Technology

[0002] The reactor coolant system (RCP), also known as the primary loop system, is a crucial process for removing heat from the reactor core during nuclear reactor operation. It achieves thermal energy conversion through coolant circulation. The core components of this system include the reactor pressure vessel, the circulation unit, the steam generator, and the pressurizer. The circulation unit is the core equipment in the nuclear power system's primary loop, operating continuously at high speed. Its function is to force the reactor coolant to circulate within the primary loop, continuously transferring the heat generated in the reactor core to the steam generator.

[0003] The existing primary loop circulation method in nuclear power systems is: reactor vessel-coolant loop circulation. The circulation unit is located between the nuclear reactor and the steam generator. The main components of the circulation unit include shaft seals, flywheels, impellers and guide vanes, pump casings, shafts, and motors. Because the above-mentioned circulation unit is a pump circulation system that requires a pipeline loop outside the reactor vessel, this structure leads to the following problems: First, the main pump, pipelines, and other components require real-time maintenance, making long-term unattended operation difficult; second, there is a risk of coolant leakage from the external pipelines; third, the design and manufacture of components such as shaft seals and flywheels are difficult; and fourth, the overall circulation efficiency is relatively low.

[0004] For micro-lead-based reactors, the aforementioned external loop circulation method is even more difficult to apply. This type of reactor adopts a pool-type vessel structure and uses liquid lead-bismuth alloy as a coolant. Traditional external loop circulation methods cannot be directly arranged inside the pool-type vessel, resulting in a lack of suitable coolant circulation solutions in the existing technology.

[0005] Therefore, there is an urgent need to propose a circulation device based on the reactor core coolant. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In order to overcome the above-mentioned technical problems, the purpose of this invention is to provide a circulation device based on core coolant.

[0007] The objective of this invention can be achieved through the following technical solutions: A core coolant-based circulation device includes: The container shell, core, heat exchange channels, pushing mechanism, and heat exchange mechanism; The reactor core is located at the bottom of the container shell, the top of the container shell is connected to a top cover, the container shell contains coolant, the heat exchange channel is connected between the reactor core and the top cover, the heat exchange mechanism is located on the outside of the heat exchange channel, and the cylinder wall of the heat exchange channel has heat exchange holes. The pushing mechanism includes a driving component, a cone-shaped body and a guide paddle disposed in the heat exchange channel. The cone-shaped body is connected to the movable end of the driving component. The guide paddle is disposed at the lower part of the cone-shaped body and above the core. The guide paddle is used to drive the coolant from the top of the core to above the guide paddle so that the coolant enters the heat exchange mechanism through the heat exchange holes.

[0008] As a further aspect of the present invention: the bottom surface of the heat exchange channel is sealed to the top surface of the core, the upper part of the cone is sleeved inside the heat exchange channel, and the upper outer wall of the cone rotates and seals against the inner wall of the heat exchange channel.

[0009] As a further aspect of the present invention: the driving component is a motor, and the cone is driven by the motor to drive the guide vane to rotate synchronously. The guide vane includes at least two blades, and the guide vane is disposed on the inclined surface of the cone. The blades of the guide vane are inclined, and there is a gap between the outer edge of the blades of the guide vane and the inner wall of the heat exchange channel. The outer edge of the blades is disposed close to the inner wall of the heat exchange channel.

[0010] As a further aspect of the present invention: the heat exchange channel is a cone-shaped structure that is narrower at the top and wider at the bottom, and the cone-shaped body is coaxially arranged with the heat exchange channel.

[0011] As a further aspect of the present invention: the heat exchange mechanism employs a heat exchanger, which is arranged in a ring around and attached to the outer wall of the heat exchange channel.

[0012] As a further aspect of the present invention: the plurality of heat exchange holes are distributed only on the radially inner side of the heat exchange mechanism, and the outlet of the heat exchange holes faces the inner wall of the heat exchange mechanism.

[0013] As a further aspect of the present invention: a support lug is fixedly connected to the upper side of the core, and the support lug is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the container shell.

[0014] As a further aspect of the present invention: the support ear plate is disc-shaped, the inner ring of the support ear plate is connected to the upper side wall of the core, the outer ring of the support ear plate is connected to the inner wall of the container shell, and the support ear plate is provided with a plurality of through holes distributed in a ring.

[0015] As a further embodiment of the present invention: a support frame is provided on the top cover, and the driving component is fixedly installed on the support frame.

[0016] As a further aspect of the present invention: the container shell includes an outer shell and an inner shell disposed inside the outer shell, and an inert gas is filled between the outer shell and the inner shell.

[0017] The beneficial effects of this invention include, but are not limited to: compared with the external loop method of reactor vessel-coolant loop circulation in the prior art, this invention integrates the pushing mechanism, heat exchange channel and heat exchange mechanism inside the pool-type vessel to form an internal closed circulation path, which simplifies the system structure, reduces the design and manufacturing difficulty, reduces external pipelines and shaft seals and other components, reduces the risk of coolant leakage, improves the safety and reliability of system operation, facilitates installation and maintenance, improves circulation efficiency, and is suitable for the core coolant circulation requirements of micro-small lead-based reactors. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a front view of the heat exchange channel of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a top view of the support lug of the present invention.

[0019] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Container shell; 2. Core; 3. Heat exchange channel; 4. Pushing mechanism; 5. Heat exchange mechanism; 11. Top cover; 31. Heat exchange hole; 41. Driving component; 42. Conical body; 43. Guide vane; 6. Support lug; 61. Through hole; 12. Support frame; 13. Outer shell; 14. Inner shell; 7. Voltage stabilization and acquisition unit; 8. Control unit. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, specific embodiments of this application are described clearly and completely below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments described in this application without creative effort will fall within the scope of protection of this application.

[0021] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this application have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the terminology used in the specification of this application is for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and is not intended to limit this application; the terms "comprising," "including," "having," "containing," "comprise," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are open-ended terms, indicating that a method comprises one or more steps, or an apparatus comprises one or more elements, but do not exclude the inclusion of other steps or elements. The terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, or accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish different objects, not to describe a specific order or primary / secondary relationship. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0022] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "front", "rear", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0023] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "attachment" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances. In this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. Additionally, in this application, the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0024] See Figures 1-3An embodiment of the present invention provides a circulation device based on coolant in reactor core 2, comprising: a container shell 1, a reactor core 2, a heat exchange channel 3, a pushing mechanism 4, and a heat exchange mechanism 5; the container shell 1 is a pool-type container structure, the reactor core 2 is located at the bottom of the container shell 1, and a top cover 11 is connected to the top of the container shell 1; the container shell 1 contains coolant, which can be liquid lead-bismuth alloy coolant, other metal coolant, or non-metal coolant; the heat exchange channel 3 connects the reactor core 2 and the top cover 11. The heat exchange mechanism 5 is located on the outside of the heat exchange channel 3, and the cylinder wall of the heat exchange channel 3 is provided with heat exchange holes 31. The pushing mechanism 4 includes a driving member 41 and a cone 42 and a guide vane 43 disposed in the heat exchange channel 3. The cone 42 is inverted and connected to the movable end of the driving member 41. The guide vane 43 is disposed at the lower part of the cone 42 and located above the core 2. The guide vane 43 is used to drive the coolant from the top of the core 2 to the top of the guide vane 43 so that the coolant enters the heat exchange mechanism 5 through the heat exchange holes 31.

[0025] In this embodiment, the heat exchange channel 3 is suspended between the top cover 11 and the core 2, forming an upward channel for coolant to flow from the top of the core 2 upwards. The core 2 is located at the lower part of the container shell 1. The top of the core 2 is provided with a coolant outflow channel, allowing coolant to flow back into the core 2 from the core body. The heat generated by the coolant in the core 2 is transferred to the coolant. The heat exchange mechanism 5 is located outside the heat exchange channel 3 and is used to receive the high-temperature coolant flowing out from the heat exchange hole 31 of the heat exchange channel 3 and perform heat exchange. The initial height of the coolant is located near the lower part of the heat exchange mechanism 5. The guide vane 43 is always located inside the coolant. The guide vane 43 is configured to use it to drive the coolant from the top of the core 2 to above the guide vane 43 and fill the internal cavity of the heat exchange channel 3 so that the coolant diffuses radially in all directions under the squeezing action of the inclined conical surface of the inverted cone 42 and enters the heat exchange mechanism 5 through the heat exchange hole 31.

[0026] When the device is working, the drive unit 41 starts and drives the cone 42 and the guide vane 43 to rotate synchronously. The guide vane 43 is located above the core 2, and its blades are in direct contact with the coolant above the top of the core 2. The guide vane 43 rotates continuously, generating an upward thrust on the coolant, which drives the high-temperature coolant above the top of the core 2 upward. The coolant is lifted from the lower part of the cooling channel to the cavity between the cone 42 and the heat exchange channel 3 until it is full. Under the squeezing action of the inverted conical surface of the cone 42, it diffuses radially in all directions and flows out through the heat exchange holes 31 on the wall of the heat exchange channel 3. It enters the outer heat exchange mechanism 5, transfers the heat energy of the core 2 to the heat exchange mechanism 5, and exchanges heat with the heat exchange mechanism 5. The coolant temperature decreases and flows out from the outer wall of the heat exchange mechanism 5, flows downward to the lower part of the container shell 1, and re-enters the core 2 to absorb the heat generated by the nuclear reaction in the core 2 again.

[0027] Compared to the external loop method of reactor vessel-coolant loop circulation in the existing technology, this device integrates the pushing mechanism 4, heat exchange channel 3 and heat exchange mechanism 5 inside the pool-type vessel to form an internal closed circulation path. This simplifies the system structure, reduces the design and manufacturing difficulty, reduces external pipelines and shaft seals and other components, reduces the risk of coolant leakage, improves the safety and reliability of system operation, facilitates installation and maintenance, and improves circulation efficiency. It is suitable for the coolant circulation requirements of core 2 of micro-lead-based reactors.

[0028] See Figure 2 Optionally, the bottom surface of the heat exchange channel 3 is sealed to the top surface of the core 2, the upper part of the cone 42 is fitted inside the heat exchange channel 3, and the upper outer wall of the cone 42 is rotatably fitted and sealed to the inner wall of the heat exchange channel 3.

[0029] In this embodiment, the sealed connection between the bottom surface of the flow channel and the top surface of the core 2 prevents the coolant from leaking from the gap between the bottom of the flow channel and the core 2, ensuring that the coolant can only flow upward along the flow channel and finally enter the heat exchange mechanism 5 through the heat exchange hole 31. The upper outer wall of the cone 42 and the inner wall of the flow channel form a rotating fit sealing structure, which allows the cone 42 to rotate relative to the flow channel under the drive of the drive member 41, and prevents the coolant from leaking upward from the gap between the cone 42 and the flow channel. This double sealing design ensures the effective accumulation and directional flow of the coolant in the flow channel, avoids short-circuit circulation and ineffective leakage of the coolant, and improves circulation efficiency and system reliability.

[0030] See Figure 2 Optionally, the driving component 41 is a motor, and the cone 42 is driven by the motor to drive the guide vane 43 to rotate synchronously. The guide vane 43 includes at least two blades and is disposed on the inclined surface of the cone 42. The blades of the guide vane 43 are inclined, and there is a gap between the outer edge of the blades of the guide vane 43 and the inner wall of the heat exchange channel 3. The outer edge of the blades is close to the inner wall of the heat exchange channel 3. While ensuring that the blades can rotate freely and avoiding mechanical friction with the inner wall of the guide channel, the backflow space between the blades and the inner wall of the guide channel is minimized to prevent the coolant from flowing back down from the gap between the outer edge of the blades and the inner wall of the guide channel.

[0031] In this embodiment, multiple blades can be configured. The motor is mounted on the support frame 12 above the top cover 11. The output shaft of the motor extends downward and is fixedly connected to the top of the cone 42. After the motor starts, the output shaft drives the cone 42 to rotate, and the cone 42 in turn drives the guide blade 43 mounted on its lower part to rotate synchronously. The blades of the guide blade 43 are inclined. When the guide blade 43 rotates, the inclined blades generate an upward thrust and a circumferential disturbance force on the coolant, causing the coolant to move upward.

[0032] See Figure 2 and Figure 3 Optionally, the heat exchange channel 3 is a cone shape that is narrow at the top and wide at the bottom. The cone 42 is coaxially arranged with the heat exchange channel 3. The heat exchange channel 3 is sealed to the bottom enlarged section of the core 2. The bottom end of the cone 42 extends downward to the vicinity of the bottom enlarged section of the heat exchange channel 3, so that the guide vane 43 is close to the top of the core 2.

[0033] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 Optionally, the heat exchange mechanism 5 adopts a heat exchanger, which is arranged in a ring around and attached to the outer wall of the heat exchange channel 3, so as to maximize the heat exchange area of ​​the heat exchange mechanism 5 and thereby improve the heat transfer efficiency between the heat exchange channel 3 and the heat exchange mechanism 5.

[0034] See Figure 2 and Figure 3 Optionally, the multiple heat exchange holes 31 are distributed only on the radial inner side of the heat exchange mechanism 5 to ensure that the coolant flowing out from the heat exchange holes 31 can directly enter the heat exchanger for heat exchange, and the outlet of the heat exchange holes 31 faces the inner wall of the heat exchange mechanism 5, so that the coolant flows out from the guide channel and directly impacts the inner surface of the heat exchanger, thereby enhancing the convective heat transfer effect.

[0035] In this embodiment, the heat exchange holes 31 are distributed in a ring on the cylinder wall of the heat exchange channel 3, and the heat exchange holes 31 are arranged in a multi-ring array along the axial direction of the cylinder wall of the heat exchange channel 3. Since the heat exchange holes 31 are distributed throughout the entire stroke range of the guide channel, by adjusting the hole size of the heat exchange holes 31 at different heights and the speed of the motor, the coolant can enter the heat exchanger at different heights with a more uniform flow rate, making the heat exchanger more uniformly heated from bottom to top, thereby improving the overall heat transfer efficiency.

[0036] See Figure 3 and Figure 4 Optionally, a support lug 6 is fixedly connected to the upper side of the core 2. The support lug 6 is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the container shell 1. The support lug is used to provide support for the core 2.

[0037] See Figure 3 and Figure 4Optionally, the support lug 6 is disc-shaped, with the inner ring of the support lug 6 connected to the upper sidewall of the reactor core 2 and the outer ring of the support lug 6 connected to the inner wall of the container shell 1, thereby stably supporting or suspending the reactor core 2 in the lower space of the container shell 1, keeping the installation position of the reactor core 2 fixed, effectively bearing the weight of the reactor core 2 itself and the load during operation, and preventing the reactor core 2 from shifting, shaking or sinking due to coolant flow impact or device vibration. The support lug 6 is provided with multiple through holes 61 distributed in a ring.

[0038] In this embodiment, the cryogenic coolant, after heat exchange by the heat exchange mechanism 5, flows out from the outer wall of the heat exchange mechanism 5 and flows downward. It then flows back to the lower space of the container shell 1 through the through holes 61 on the support lug 6, and re-enters the bottom of the core 2. It absorbs the heat generated by the nuclear reaction in the core 2 again, forming a complete closed-loop circulation path for the coolant. The multiple through holes 61 are evenly distributed in a ring, making the flow rate distribution more uniform during coolant recirculation. This avoids excessively high or low local flow velocities, ensuring the uniformity of coolant supply to each area of ​​the core 2, thereby ensuring uniform temperature distribution in the core 2 and improving the safety and stability of reactor operation.

[0039] Furthermore, the diameter and number of through holes 61 can be designed and optimized according to the power level and coolant flow requirements of the core 2. In the radial direction of the support lug 6, the through holes 61 can be set to be distributed in multiple rings to adapt to the coolant return requirements under different operating conditions.

[0040] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 Optionally, a support frame 12 is provided on the top cover 11, and the drive component 41 is fixedly installed on the support frame 12. In this embodiment, the motor is installed on the support frame 12 by bolts or other fixing methods. A suspended layout is adopted, and the drive component 41 and the pushing mechanism 4 are suspended and installed on the top cover 11 as a whole, so that the structure is evenly stressed, the installation is simple, and it is easy to disassemble and maintain.

[0041] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 Optionally, the container shell 1 includes an outer shell 13 and an inner shell 14 disposed inside the outer shell 13. An inert gas is filled between the outer shell 13 and the inner shell 14 to reduce the heat loss of the container shell 1 to the outside. The double-layer container structure improves the structural strength and safety of the container shell 1.

[0042] Optionally, a pressure stabilization and acquisition unit 7 is provided inside the container shell 1. The pressure stabilization and acquisition unit 7 is electrically connected to the control unit 8, and the control unit 8 is electrically connected to the drive component 41. The pressure stabilization and acquisition unit 7 includes a temperature sensor and a pressure sensor, which are respectively arranged in the core 2 region and the cavity of the flow channel, and are used to collect the temperature of the coolant in the core 2 and the pressure of the coolant in the flow channel in real time.

[0043] See Figure 1 Optionally, the pressure stabilization acquisition unit 7 transmits the acquired temperature and pressure signals to the control unit 8. The control unit 8 analyzes and processes the acquired signals according to the preset pressure threshold and temperature range. When the temperature or pressure fluctuation exceeds the set range, the control unit 8 sends an adjustment command to the drive unit 41 to adjust the speed of the motor, thereby changing the rotation speed of the guide vane 43 and the amount of coolant added, so that the system temperature and pressure return to a stable working state.

[0044] While the present invention has been disclosed above, its scope of protection is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and all such changes and modifications will fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A circulation device based on core (2) coolant, characterized in that, include: The container shell (1), the core (2), the heat exchange channel (3), the pushing mechanism (4), and the heat exchange mechanism (5); The reactor core (2) is located at the bottom of the container shell (1), and the top of the container shell (1) is connected to the top cover (11). The container shell (1) contains coolant. The heat exchange channel (3) is connected between the reactor core (2) and the top cover (11). The heat exchange mechanism (5) is located on the outside of the heat exchange channel (3). The heat exchange channel (3) has heat exchange holes (31) on its cylindrical wall. The pushing mechanism (4) includes a driving member (41) and a cone (42) and a guide vane (43) disposed in the heat exchange channel (3). The cone (42) is connected to the movable end of the driving member (41). The guide vane (43) is disposed at the lower part of the cone (42) and above the core (2). The guide vane (43) is used to drive the coolant from the top of the core (2) to the top of the guide vane (43) so that the coolant enters the heat exchange mechanism (5) through the heat exchange hole (31).

2. The circulation device based on the core (2) coolant according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom surface of the heat exchange channel (3) is sealed to the top surface of the core (2), the upper part of the cone (42) is fitted inside the heat exchange channel (3), and the upper outer wall of the cone (42) rotates and seals against the inner wall of the heat exchange channel (3).

3. The circulation device based on the core (2) coolant according to claim 2, characterized in that, The driving component (41) is a motor. The cone (42) is driven by the motor to drive the guide vane (43) to rotate synchronously. The guide vane (43) includes at least two blades. The guide vane (43) is disposed on the inclined surface of the cone (42). The blades of the guide vane (43) are inclined. There is a gap between the outer edge of the blades of the guide vane (43) and the inner wall of the heat exchange channel (3). The outer edge of the blades is disposed close to the inner wall of the heat exchange channel (3).

4. The circulation device based on the core (2) coolant according to claim 3, characterized in that, The heat exchange channel (3) is a cone-shaped structure that is narrow at the top and wide at the bottom, and the cone-shaped body (42) is coaxially arranged with the heat exchange channel (3).

5. The circulation device based on the core (2) coolant according to claim 4, characterized in that, The heat exchange mechanism (5) uses a heat exchanger, which is arranged in a ring around and attached to the outer wall of the heat exchange channel (3).

6. The circulation device based on the core (2) coolant according to claim 5, characterized in that, The plurality of heat exchange holes (31) are distributed only on the radial inner side of the heat exchange mechanism (5), and the outlet of the heat exchange holes (31) faces the inner wall of the heat exchange mechanism (5).

7. The circulation device based on the core (2) coolant according to claim 1 or 6, characterized in that, The core (2) is fixedly connected to a support lug (6), which is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the container shell (1).

8. The circulation device based on the core (2) coolant according to claim 7, characterized in that, The support ear plate (6) is disc-shaped. The inner ring of the support ear plate (6) is connected to the upper side wall of the core (2), and the outer ring of the support ear plate (6) is connected to the inner wall of the container shell (1). The support ear plate (6) has multiple through holes (61) arranged in a ring.

9. The circulation device based on the core (2) coolant according to claim 1, characterized in that, A support frame (12) is provided on the top cover (11), and the driving component (41) is fixedly installed on the support frame (12).

10. The circulation device based on the core (2) coolant according to claim 1, characterized in that, The container shell (1) includes an outer shell (13) and an inner shell (14) disposed inside the outer shell (13), and an inert gas is filled between the outer shell (13) and the inner shell (14).

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