Underground Nuclear Reactor Blast Mitigation Chamber for Safe Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing nuclear power reactor systems lack a convenient means for removing the reactor from its confinement member for service or replacement, and they are incapable of effectively mitigating blasts or explosions.
Innovation Solution
An underground nuclear power reactor with a double containment system and a blast mitigation chamber, featuring a removable door and deflectors to redirect blast forces, allowing for safe removal and replacement of reactor components and mitigating explosion impacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the nuclear power reactor is placed in a fixed confinement member, then protection against air strikes and terrorism is improved, but the ability to remove the reactor for service or replacement is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The confinement member is divided into a first containment member and a second containment member, with the reactor vessel positioned between them. This segmentation allows the reactor to be isolated and removed from the confinement member for service or replacement while maintaining the protective enclosure when operational, thus resolving the contradiction between security protection and maintenance accessibility.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the nuclear power reactor is designed with blast mitigation capabilities, then protection against explosions is improved, but device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
A blast mitigation chamber is introduced as an intermediary component between the first and second containment members. This chamber includes deflectors that redirect blast forces away from the reactor vessel, providing explosion protection without requiring complex modifications to the reactor itself, thus resolving the contradiction between blast mitigation and system complexity.
3Strength
If a blast mitigation chamber is added to the reactor system, then explosion impact protection is improved, but device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The blast mitigation chamber incorporates deflectors with specific geometric configurations (angled surfaces) positioned at strategic locations within the containment member. These localized structural features provide blast redirection capabilities without requiring the entire containment system to be overly complex, thus resolving the contradiction between strength against blast forces and overall device complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
An underground nuclear power reactor having a hollow blast tunnel which extends from one end of a containment member which houses a nuclear reactor, heat exchanger, generator, etc. A hollow blast tunnel extends from one end of the containment member with a normally closed door positioned therebetween. The blast tunnel defines a blast chamber having a plurality of spaced-apart debris deflectors positioned therein. The blast chamber has an upper wall with a roof opening formed therein which is selectively closed by a roof portion. If the reactor needs to be repaired or replaced, the door is opened so that the reactor will pass therethrough into the blast chamber and outwardly through the roof opening. If the reactor explodes, the blast therefrom drives the debris therefrom through the door and into the blast chamber where the deflectors reduce the blast force as the debris passes through the blast chamber.