Nuclear Steam Supply System Startup Heating Subsystem
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current nuclear steam supply systems face challenges such as complex heat exchange equipment integration within the reactor pressure vessel, increased radiation risks for maintenance, reliance on pumps for cooling, and vulnerability to power outages, leading to inefficiencies and safety concerns in nuclear power generation.
Innovation Solution
A nuclear steam supply system with a reactor vessel and steam generating vessel configured for natural gravity-driven coolant circulation, featuring a start-up sub-system that heats the primary coolant and a passive cooling system for spent fuel pools, utilizing a containment vessel with an annular water reservoir for heat dissipation, and a shell-less heat exchanger to reduce reliance on pumps and enhance safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If heat exchange equipment is integrated within the reactor pressure vessel, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but device complexity and maintenance difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heat exchange equipment from the reactor pressure vessel and places it in a separate containment structure. This separation reduces the complexity of integrating heat exchange equipment within the pressure vessel while maintaining effective heat transfer between the primary coolant and secondary coolant through dedicated heat exchangers.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is divided into distinct functional segments: the reactor pressure vessel containing the primary coolant loop, separate heat exchangers for thermal energy transfer, and a containment structure housing the secondary coolant system. This segmentation simplifies each component's design and maintenance while preserving overall heat transfer efficiency.
2Volume of moving object
If heat exchange equipment is located within the reactor pressure vessel, then compactness is achieved, but radiation exposure risk for maintenance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchange equipment is extracted from the high-radiation environment of the reactor pressure vessel and relocated to a separate containment structure. This physical separation maintains system compactness through optimized spatial arrangement while dramatically reducing radiation exposure risk during maintenance operations.
3Reliability
If pumps are used for primary coolant circulation, then cooling reliability is improved, but vulnerability to power outages increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs natural circulation principles where density differences between heated and cooled primary coolant automatically drive flow through the reactor core and heat exchangers. This self-service mechanism eliminates dependence on powered pumps, maintaining cooling reliability during power outages while reducing mechanical complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical pump system with a natural circulation system driven by thermal buoyancy forces. This substitution maintains adequate cooling reliability through passive thermodynamic principles while eliminating the vulnerability associated with powered mechanical circulation systems during power outages.
4Temperature
If complex heat exchange equipment is integrated in the reactor vessel, then heat transfer performance is improved, but ease of repair deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchange equipment is extracted from the reactor pressure vessel and installed in an accessible containment structure. This separation maintains high heat transfer performance through dedicated heat exchanger design while dramatically improving ease of repair by providing accessible locations for maintenance personnel to service the equipment.
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 system achieves efficient and safe nuclear steam supply with reduced radiation exposure, improved maintenance accessibility, and passive cooling capabilities that function without external power, enhancing the resilience of nuclear power generation against accidents and outages.
Implementation Method 1
heating the primary coolant to a no load operating temperature
Implementation Method 2
steam generating vessel...configured for natural gravity-driven coolant circulation
Implementation Method 3
produce steam which may be working fluid for a Rankine power generation cycle
Implementation Method 4
steam which may be working fluid for a Rankine power generation cycle
Data Source
AI summary
A method for heating primary coolant in a nuclear reactor system during system start-up. A primary coolant loop fluidly couples together a reactor vessel and a steam generating vessel. The primary coolant loop is filled with primary coolant. A portion of the primary coolant is taken from the primary coolant loop and placed into a start-up sub-system. The portion is heated while in the sub-system to form a heated portion of the primary coolant. The heated portion is returned into the primary coolant loop. The method allows for the primary coolant to be heated to a no-load operating temperature.