Framatome Gmbh

Alain Heuze

Claude Cauquelin

Guy Desfontaines

Gerard Chevereau

Jacques Baujat

A pressurized water nuclear reactor with solid partitioning comprises a core formed by assemblies of prismatic shape disposed side by side inside a vertical cylindrical casing. A space between the core and the casing receives a solid partitioning structure. The partitioning is formed as a vertical stack of rings each completely surrounding the core, whose external periphery is engaged with a clearance in the casing and whose internal periphery matches the external contour of the core. The rings are centered and indexed with respect to the core casing by keys fixed to the casing and projecting into vertical grooves formed in the rings and they are formed with vertical mutually aligned holes defining cooling channels. Plugs in the channels define restricted water flow passages.

Pressurized water nuclear reactor with solid partitioning

A nuclear reactor has a pressure resistant vertical vessel with inlet and outlet pipes situated at the same horizontal level. It also includes internals having a barrel supporting the core and defining with the vessel a down flow path for the coolant from the inlet pipes towards a space under the core and upper internals defining a flow path for the coolant leaving the core, above this latter, and flowing towards the outlet pipes. The upper internals include dividing walls defining circumferentially distributed volumes located at the common level of the pipes and each over a different angular sector. Some volumes belong to the initial part of the downgoing coolant path and the others force part at least of the coolant leaving the core to follow a path which is successively directed upwardly then curving towards the outlet pipes. The invention is particularly suitable for use in pressurized water reactors.

Nuclear reactor with flow guidance in the upper internals

In the device, over at least a portion of the length of the internal guide passage (5) of the tubular conduit (15) extends a retaining tube (16) exhibiting radial undulations (17) such that the cylinder having straight generatrices which is inscribed in the tube (16) corresponding to the free passage in a straight line, within this tube, has a diameter less than the diameter of the tubular conduit (15). In the case of a pressurized water nuclear reactor, the retaining tube (16) is preferably placed, at least in part, within the lower core plate (2).

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Paris, France

Alain Heuze