A method to seal off the cracks in the reactor vessel and containment vessel using water vapor in the air

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To stop leaking from all of cracks that are presumed to be formed at a tremendous number of portions of a reactor containment vessel due to explosion in an accident, so as to stop leaking of a cooling water from a reactor vessel, to stop outflow of radioactivity in gas, liquid, and solid states which are emitted from fuel debris to prevent it from releasing into the atmosphere, and to secure safety of workers physically as well as with respect to radiation.SOLUTION: Ice particles, liquid nitrogen, dry ice, cooling air, or the like is put or circulated in a reactor vessel, a reactor containment vessel, and a pressure suppression chamber, and air is exhausted from the vessels and the chamber. The exhausted air is discharged in the atmosphere after passing a filter such that radioactivity is removed therefrom, which causes inside of the reactor containment vessel to be under negative pressure, thereby allowing air to flow into the reactor containment vessel through cracks 7 and gaps. Water vapor 8 contained in the air is cooled and dew-condensed on outer wall surfaces of the vessels and the chamber, and dew-condensed water 9 of the water vapor 8 is vacuumed through the cracks 7 and gaps and further cooled to freeze such that the cracks, the gaps, and portions therearound are blocked with ice 10 to seal the vessels and the chamber and stop leakage.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2