Nuclear Reactor Vessel Calming Plate Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pressurized water nuclear reactors face inefficiencies in calming small vortices in the primary coolant, which can pass through without being broken, affecting the reactor's performance.
Innovation Solution
A calming device with a substantially perpendicular calming plate and multiple calming holes, arranged in a square-mesh grid, is introduced to effectively calm the primary coolant by passing it through the holes, optimizing dimensions and blade arrangements for improved efficiency and mechanical strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a cylindrical shell coaxial with the vessel centre axis is used as calming means, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but small vortexes in the primary coolant pass through without being broken
Solution Approach 1:
The calming device is segmented into multiple functional elements: a calming plate with multiple calming holes arranged in a specific pattern, rather than a single cylindrical shell. This segmentation allows the device to effectively break small vortexes while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through modular construction
Solution Approach 2:
The calming plate incorporates multiple calming holes that allow the primary coolant to pass through while disrupting vortex formation. The porous structure of the plate with distributed holes creates turbulence that breaks down small vortexes, improving calming efficiency compared to a solid cylindrical shell
2Reliability
If the calming device dimensions are increased to improve vortex breaking, then calming efficiency improves, but pressure drop increases
Solution Approach 1:
The calming holes are strategically positioned and sized to create local turbulence where needed for vortex breaking, while maintaining adequate flow areas to minimize overall pressure drop. The non-uniform distribution and varying sizes of calming holes optimize the balance between calming efficiency and pressure loss
Solution Approach 2:
The calming device parameters (hole diameter, hole spacing, plate thickness) are optimized to achieve effective vortex breaking at minimal pressure drop. By carefully selecting these parameters, the device breaks small vortexes while maintaining low pressure drop across the calming plate
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 calming device effectively breaks small vortices and maintains low pressure drop, ensuring uniform coolant distribution and efficient heat transfer to the nuclear fuel assemblies, enhancing reactor performance and reducing turbulence.
Implementation Method 1
the calming holes being provided in the calming plate and being capable of calming the primary coolant by passing it through the holes
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a pressurised water nuclear reactor vessel, comprising:an outer casing which comprises at least one cylindrical shell and a dished bottom head,a core support plate, a vessel bottom head space being delimited between the support plate and the dished bottom head, the support plate being perforated with holes for circulation of the primary coolant which place the vessel bottom head space in communication with the core,a calming device which is arranged in the vessel bottom head space,wherein the calming device comprises at least one calming plate which is substantially perpendicular relative to the centre axis of the vessel and a plurality of calming holes, the calming holes being provided in the calming plate and being capable of calming the primary coolant by passing the fluid through the holes.