Reactor Pressure Vessel Cooling via Submersible Pump
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing reactor pressure vessel cooling systems are insufficient in maintaining the integrity and material stability of the reactor pressure vessel during accidents, such as core meltdowns, as they rely on natural convection which is inadequate for permanent heat dissipation.
Innovation Solution
A reactor pressure vessel cooling system with a pumping device immersed in the cooling medium, generating a forced cooling medium flow through nozzles that direct the cooling medium to the reactor pressure vessel surface, enhancing heat transport and using a cooling medium heat exchanger system to further increase cooling capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If natural convection cooling is used in the containment, then the cooling system is simple in structure, but the heat dissipation capacity is insufficient to maintain reactor pressure vessel integrity during severe accidents
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the natural convection cooling system with a forced circulation cooling system using a submersible pump and nozzle arrangement. The pump actively circulates cooling medium through nozzles that direct high-velocity jets onto the reactor pressure vessel surface, providing sufficient heat dissipation capacity to maintain vessel integrity during severe accidents like core meltdowns.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs hydraulic principles by using a submersible pump to force cooling water through a nozzle arrangement, creating high-velocity liquid jets that impinge on the reactor pressure vessel. This forced hydraulic circulation ensures adequate heat removal capacity that natural convection cannot provide during severe accident conditions.
2Reliability
If forced cooling medium flow is generated using a pumping device and nozzle arrangement, then the heat dissipation capacity is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The submersible pump is positioned directly in the cooling medium collection area at the bottom of the containment, allowing it to draw cooling water directly from the surrounding environment without requiring additional suction lines or complex piping. The nozzle arrangement is strategically positioned to maximize cooling efficiency while minimizing structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the pump and nozzle arrangement into an integrated forced circulation cooling system that merges the cooling medium collection area with the active cooling mechanism. The submersible pump and nozzles work as a unified system to generate forced flow that directly contacts the reactor pressure vessel, consolidating multiple functions into a single coordinated apparatus.
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 forced cooling system effectively maintains the reactor pressure vessel's integrity by efficiently dissipating heat, preventing temperature rises and material degradation, and sustaining cooling capacity for extended periods even during severe incidents like core meltdowns.
Implementation Method 1
the cooling medium nozzles are arranged such that the cooling medium flowing through the cooling medium nozzles generates a forced cooling medium flow in the cooling medium of the cooling medium collecting area
Implementation Method 2
the heat transfer and heat dissipation of heat from the reactor pressure vessel to the cooling water is improved
Implementation Method 3
a forced cooling medium flow in the cooling medium of the cooling medium collecting area, through which forced cooling medium flow a surface area of the reactor pressure vessel flows
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a reactor pressure vessel cooling system (10, 50, 60, 70) of a nuclear plant having a closed safety vessel (12), wherein a reactor pressure vessel (14) is arranged within the safety vessel (12). In addition, a cooling medium collection region (20) for receiving a cooling medium is arranged within the safety vessel (12), and there is so much cooling medium between the safety vessel (12) and the reactor pressure vessel (14) that the reactor pressure vessel (14) is surrounded at least in part by cooling medium. Furthermore, a pump apparatus (24) is arranged in the safety vessel (12), which pump apparatus is completely immersed in the cooling medium, and cooling medium is supplied to a nozzle apparatus by the pump apparatus (24). The nozzle apparatus has a number of cooling medium nozzles and the cooling medium nozzles are arranged such that a forced flow of cooling medium is produced in the cooling medium of the cooling medium collection region by the cooling medium flowing through the cooling medium nozzles, which forced flow of cooling medium flows against a surface region of the reactor pressure vessel.