KERNREAKTOR MED EN I EN VETSKEFYLLD BASSENG ANORDNAD PRIMERKYLKRETS

摘要

A reactor plant comprises a light water reactor with vertical fuel element clusters, connected via inlet and outlet chambers and a prim. ducting circuit with a heat exchanger and a circulating pump; the reactor is contained in a reactor vessel immersed in a water-filled basin; in normal operation, the water of the prim. circuit is isolated from that of the basin by a normally closed communication which can be opened. This communication consists of an outlet and an inlet in the walls of the prim. circuit, both of which are in permanent, open communication with the basis, the outlet being in the form of a gas trap, e.g. an inverted U-pipe; the inlet may also be in the form of an inverted U-pipe gas trap. Pref. the outlet gas trap is the higher, its open end being above the top of the reactor core and the inlet gas trap is lower, with its highest part at a lower level than the open end of the higher gas trap. A typical application is for a district heating system, the water in the basin being used as a heat sink for emergency cooling. The arrangement shown, where the gas traps are used instead of valves, eliminates the possible mechanical failure of valves and thus improves safety.