United States Patent
US Patent 4024018: Liquid metal cooled fast breeder nuclear reactors
US 4024018 · granted 1977-05-17
Abstract
In a liquid metal cooled fast breeder nuclear reactor of the pool kind a fuel transfer rotor submerged in the pool of coolant carries an annular series of thimble shaped containers for receiving fuel assemblies. The containers are elastically supported in the rotor and a hydraulic dash pot is provided to absorb the energy of a falling fuel assembly.
| Patent Number | 4024018 |
|---|---|
| Title | Liquid metal cooled fast breeder nuclear reactors |
| Filed | 1974-11-25 |
| Granted | 1977-05-17 |
| Inventor(s) | Barnes; Sidney |
| Assignee | United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority |
| Number of Claims | 20 |
Abstract
In a liquid metal cooled fast breeder nuclear reactor of the pool kind a fuel transfer rotor submerged in the pool of coolant carries an annular series of thimble shaped containers for receiving fuel assemblies. The containers are elastically supported in the rotor and a hydraulic dash pot is provided to absorb the energy of a falling fuel assembly.
Claim 1
A liquid metal cooled fast breeder nuclear reactor comprising: a primary vessel containing a pool of coolant, a reactor core submerged in the pool of coolant, a transfer rotor submerged in the pool of coolant alongside the reactor core, the transfer rotor being rotatable about a vertical axis and having an annular series of apertures disposed about said axis, a plurality of elongate thimble shape containers for receiving fuel assemblies disposed one in each of said apertures, a plurality of helical coil compression springs mounted on and carried by said rotor each spring operatively engaging and elastically supporting one of said containers in upright position in its aperture, and at least one hydraulic dash pot located directly below the path of the containers arranged so that, by rotation of the rotor, the containers are successively brought into register with the dash pot, the construction and arrangement being suchthat the momentum of a falling fuel element is transferred to the container and then to the dashpot, and after arrest of the container and fuel element they are returned to normal operating position of the container by the associated compression spring.
Claims
20 totalA liquid metal cooled fast breeder nuclear reactor comprising: a primary vessel containing a pool of coolant, a reactor core submerged in the pool of coolant, a transfer rotor submerged in the pool of coolant alongside the reactor core, the transfer rotor being rotatable about a vertical axis and having an annular series of apertures disposed about said axis, a plurality of elongate thimble shape containers for receiving fuel assemblies disposed one in each of said apertures, a plurality of helical coil compression springs mounted on and carried by said rotor each spring operatively engaging and elastically supporting one of said containers in upright position in its aperture, and at least one hydraulic dash pot located directly below the path of the containers arranged so that, by rotation of the rotor, the containers are successively brought into register with the dash pot, the construction and arrangement being suchthat the momentum of a falling fuel element is transferred to the container and then to the dashpot, and after arrest of the container and fuel element they are returned to normal operating position of the container by the associated compression spring.