Sodium cooling circuit for nuclear reactor - where sodium heats steam generator, and is pumped through circuit contg. de-surging reservoir and gas equalising sodium pressure

摘要

Parent patent describes heat transfer from a reactor to a steam generator (6) via liq. sodium. The bottom end of the Na outlet pipe (6b) on generator (6) enters a reservoir (24) provided with an electromagnetic pump. The novelty in this addn. is that the electromagnetic pump is replaced by a mechanical pump (12"), with a free liq. level, mounted above reservoir (24) on a branch pipe (12"b) on pipe (6b). The outlet of pump (12") is directly connected to an intermediate heat exchanger. The pump outlet pipe is pref. fitted with a gas escape vent; and an equiv. amt. of gas is fed by a pipe into reservoir (24). The Na does not circulate through reservoir (24), but flows directly to pump (12"); and reservoir (24) functions as a desurger, eliminating "liq. hammer".