Hydrogen collecting and detecting device in a secondary circuit of a fast neutrons nuclear reactor

摘要

1. Apparatus for collecting and detecting hydrogen in the secondary circuit of a rapid neutron neclear reactor comprising a steam generator (1) having a sodium outlet channel (5) at its lower end comprising successively, from the steam generator, a vertical portion, an elbow portion (5a) and a horizontal portion (5b), characterized in that it comprises : - a reservoir (11) the volume of which is small relative to the internal volume of the sodium outlet channel (5), located directly above and communicating with the upper part of the inner space of the horizontal portion (5b) of the channel (5) just downstream of the elbow portion (5a) and containing a gas which does not react with sodium, under sufficient pressure to create a permanent interface (26) between the gas and the sodium in the reservoir (11), - trapping means (14, 14') interposed on the liquid sodium circuit, inside the channel (5) in the vicinity of the junction zone between the channel (5) and the reservoir (11), for disrupting the outflow of liquid sodium at this junction zone and promoting the propagation of undissolved hydrogen in the form of bubbles towards the reservoir (11), as well as means (19), known per se, for detecting hydrogen fixed on the reservoir (11) and having a part (20) communicating with the inert gas contained in the reservoir (11) in which the hydrogen formed in the event of a leakage in the steam generator is collected, this hydrogen being in undissolved form in the sodium.