Vehicle-Mounted Molten Salt Reactor Residual Heat Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Molten salt reactors pose a risk during accidents, such as vehicle overturning, due to residual heat buildup and potential nuclear fuel leakage, which complicates normal operation and safety.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus with a reactor cooler system comprising a first cooling unit and a second cooling unit, capable of exchanging heat with a reactor vessel and dissipating heat through water coolant, ensuring effective residual heat removal in both normal and abnormal vehicle positions, including when the vehicle is overturned.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a molten salt reactor is installed in a vehicle to reduce leakage risk, then safety against fuel leakage is improved, but the reactor cannot operate normally during accidents such as vehicle overturning
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is designed to dynamically adapt to different vehicle orientations. The second cooling unit is configured to receive water coolant and cool it through an external fluid, with the cooled water coolant flowing into the first cooling unit in both normal position and abnormal position (inclined to be perpendicular to normal position). This dynamic adaptability allows continuous operation during accidents.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system serves multiple functions: it cools the reactor vessel during normal operation and continues to cool during abnormal positions such as vehicle overturning. The dual cooling unit configuration provides universal cooling capability across different operational states, ensuring the reactor can operate safely in various conditions.
2Temperature
If residual heat is not removed during accidents, then temperature and pressure in containment building increase, but removing residual heat requires complex positioning systems
Solution Approach 1:
The second cooling unit acts as an intermediary between the external fluid and the water coolant in the first cooling unit. It receives water coolant discharged from the first cooling unit and cools it through an external fluid, then returns the cooled water coolant to the first cooling unit. This intermediary configuration simplifies the overall system while maintaining effective temperature control.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is designed to be self-regulating through the interaction between the first and second cooling units. The water coolant circulates automatically between the units based on temperature differences and flow dynamics, with the second cooling unit self-adjusting to cool the water coolant through external fluid without requiring complex control mechanisms.
3Device complexity
If the cooling system is designed for normal position only, then system simplicity is maintained, but cooling effectiveness is lost during vehicle overturning
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system incorporates dynamic flow paths that adapt to vehicle orientation. The second cooling unit is specifically configured to handle water coolant flow in both normal position and abnormal position (inclined to be perpendicular to normal position), allowing the system to maintain cooling effectiveness without requiring complex reconfigurable components.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is divided into two functional segments: the first cooling unit that directly cools the reactor vessel, and the second cooling unit that cools the water coolant through external fluid. This segmentation allows each unit to be optimized for its specific function while working together to provide reliable cooling in various positions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables continuous and effective removal of residual heat from the reactor vessel, maintaining safety and normal operation even during accidents like vehicle overturning, by ensuring consistent cooling performance regardless of the vehicle's orientation.
Implementation Method 1
a first cooling unit including a heat medium that exchanges heat with the reactor vessel
Implementation Method 2
one or more heat dissipation pipes providing passages through which water coolant flows
Implementation Method 3
a second cooling unit configured to receive the water coolant discharged from the first cooling unit and cool the water coolant through an external fluid
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for eliminating residual heat of a nuclear reactor for vehicle mounting include: a reactor vessel in which molten salt flows; and a reactor cooler for cooling the reactor vessel. The reactor cooler includes: a first cooling unit including a heat medium that exchanges heat with the reactor vessel, and one or more heat dissipation pipes providing passages through which water coolant flows; and a second cooling unit configured to receive the water coolant discharged from the first cooling unit and cool the water coolant through an external fluid. The second cooling unit is configured such that the cooled water coolant flows into the first cooling unit in a normal position and in an abnormal position inclined to be perpendicular to the normal position.