Nuclear Reactor Cooling Tank Segmentation for Natural Circulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional safety injection tank systems in nuclear reactors face issues with heat mixing and internal circulation of cooling water when high-temperature and high-pressure steam is injected, leading to reduced density differences and impaired natural circulation of cooling water into the reactor.
Innovation Solution
A cooling water supply tank with an internal circulation prevention structure, featuring a non-corrosive metal cooling water guide that partitions the tank into multiple areas, preventing circulation and maintaining a stable temperature gradient, combined with a pressure equalizing pipe and control valve for equilibrium pressure management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If high-temperature and high-pressure steam is injected into the core makeup tank or hybrid safety injection tank, then emergency core cooling water is rapidly heated and temperature increases, but density difference between the tank and nuclear reactor becomes the same, making natural circulation injection impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The tank interior is divided into multiple regions using partition walls with specific configurations. These partitions segment the cooling water flow paths, preventing complete internal circulation while allowing controlled heat exchange, thereby maintaining density differences necessary for natural circulation injection
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions within the tank are designed with different thermal characteristics. The partition walls create zones with varying heat transfer rates, allowing local heat exchange while preventing global circulation, thus maintaining overall density difference for reliable injection
2Temperature
If internal circulation occurs in the core makeup tank or hybrid safety injection tank, then the entirety of emergency core cooling water is rapidly heated, but drive force for injection into the nuclear reactor is markedly reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Partition walls divide the tank into multiple compartments that restrict large-scale internal circulation. This segmentation prevents uniform heating of all cooling water while allowing localized heat exchange, preserving temperature differences that drive natural circulation injection
Solution Approach 2:
The partition walls extend vertically to different heights within the tank, creating multi-level flow restrictions. This three-dimensional arrangement prevents horizontal circulation while allowing vertical heat exchange, maintaining the density gradients necessary for injection drive force
3Temperature
If high-temperature steam contacts the free surface of makeup water, then heat transfer occurs and water temperature increases, but internal circulation causes entire cooling water volume to heat up, reducing density difference
Solution Approach 1:
The partition walls create multiple small compartments instead of one large open space. This segmentation limits the volume of water exposed to steam heating in each compartment, preventing complete mixing and circulation, thereby preserving overall density difference despite localized heating
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
The solution effectively prevents heat mixing and maintains a significant density difference, enhancing the drive force for cooling water injection into the nuclear reactor, ensuring improved emergency core cooling safety.
Implementation Method 1
emergency core cooling water circulates in the core makeup tank or the hybrid safety injection tank
Implementation Method 2
density between the core makeup tank or the hybrid safety injection tank and a nuclear reactor connected thereto becomes the same
Implementation Method 3
high-temperature and high-pressure steam compressed by a compressor
Implementation Method 4
pressure equalizing pipe provided between the compressor and the cooling water supply tank, the pressure equalizing pipe equalizing a pressure between the compressor and the cooling water supply tank
Data Source
AI summary
A passive high-pressure safety injection system includes a compressor which generates high-temperature and high-pressure steam, a cooling water supply tank which supplies cooling water using the compressed steam, a nuclear reactor which receives the cooling water so that the nuclear reactor is maintained in a cooled state, and an internal circulation prevention structure which is provided in the cooling water supply tank and prevents the cooling water from circulating in the cooling water supply tank.