Title:
NUCLEAR REACTOR LIQUID METAL COOLANT BACKFLOW CONTROL
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2017/116596
Kind Code:
A3
Abstract:
A liquid metal-cooled nuclear reactor includes, within a reactor pressure vessel, a primary electromagnetic pump (EMP) circulating liquid metal coolant through the reactor core and a backflow EMP. The nuclear reactor may be configured to at least partially mitigate liquid metal coolant backflow in response to a primary EMP failure. The backflow EMP is coupled in series with the primary EMP within the reactor pressure vessel. The backflow EMP may be selectively activated in response to failure of the primary EMP to mitigate liquid metal backflow through the primary EMP. The primary EMP and backflow EMP may receive power from separate power sources. Multiple backflow EMPs may be coupled in parallel to the primary EMP via parallel liquid metal coolant lines. A nuclear reactor may include multiple primary EMPs and multiple sets of backflow EMPs, where each separate set of backflow EMPs is coupled to a separate primary EMP.
Inventors:
LOEWEN ERIC PAUL (US)
STREGE SETH RYAN PAUL (US)
ONEILL NICHOLAS FRANCIS (US)
OCONNOR COLIN CHRISTOPHER (US)
CURTIN CHELSEA ANN (US)
WU EDWIN (US)
STREGE SETH RYAN PAUL (US)
ONEILL NICHOLAS FRANCIS (US)
OCONNOR COLIN CHRISTOPHER (US)
CURTIN CHELSEA ANN (US)
WU EDWIN (US)
Application Number:
PCT/US2016/064112
Publication Date:
October 19, 2017
Filing Date:
November 30, 2016
Export Citation:
Assignee:
GE HITACHI NUCLEAR ENERGY AMERICAS LLC (US)
International Classes:
G21C15/247; H02K44/00
Foreign References:
| GB2104710A | 1983-03-09 | |||
| US4765948A | 1988-08-23 | |||
| US3951738A | 1976-04-20 |
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
TOPPIN, Catherine J. et al. (US)
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