Primary Inventor: Krishna P. Singh
Contributing Inventor(s): Joseph Rajkumar
Date of Publication: Jul. 21, 2020
Status: Granted
Jurisdiction: US
Assignee: SMR Inventec, LLC
Equipment Type: Fuel Rack
Docket Number: HOL-081
Patent Number: US 10,720,249 B2
Application Number: 15/419,227
European Patent No. EP 2 842 135 B1, EP 3 005 373 B1
Dated:聽 Nov. 7, 2018
Japanese Patent No.: 6442489
Prior Publication Data: US 2017/0200515 A1, Jul. 13, 2017
Related U.S. Publication Data:
- Division of application No. 14/289,525, filed on May 28, 2014, and now Pat. No. US 9,589,685 B2, which is a continuation-in-part of application No. PCT/US13/42070, filed on May 21, 2013
- Provisional application No. 61/827,943, filed on May 28, 2013, provisional application No. 61/649,593, filed on May 21, 2012.
Abstract: A nuclear reactor cooling system with passive cooling capabilities operable during a reactor shutdown event without available electric power. In one embodiment, the system includes a reactor vessel with nuclear fuel core and a steam generator fluidly coupled thereto. Primary coolant circulates in a flow loop between the reactor vessel and steam generator to heat secondary coolant in the steam generator producing steam. The steam flows to a heat exchanger containing an inventory of cooling water in which a submerged tube bundle is immersed. The steam is condensed in the heat exchanger and returned to the steam generator forming a closed flow loop in which the secondary coolant flow is driven by natural gravity via changes in density from the heating and cooling cycles. In other embodiments, the cooling system is configured to extract and cool the primary coolant directly using the submerged tube btmdle heat exchanger.