General Electric Company

Charles E Boardman

Anstein N Hunsbedt

Marvin M Hui

John P Maurer

Allen E Dubberley

Robert C Berglund

A system for generating hydrogen includes a liquid metal nuclear reactor having a non-radioactive secondary heat loop, a steam generator connected to the secondary heat loop, a high temperature water cracking system, and a topping heater. The heat produced by the nuclear reactor is used to raise the temperature of the feed water for the cracking system to between about 450&#xb0; C. to about 550&#xb0; C. The topping heater raises the feed water temperature from the 450&#xb0; C. to 550&#xb0; C. range to at least 850&#xb0; C. so that the cracking system can operate efficiently to produce hydrogen and oxygen.

Systems and methods of producing hydrogen using a nuclear reactor

A liquid metal nuclear reactor is described. The reactor includes a concrete reactor silo, and at least one primary vessel located in the reactor silo and coupled to a reactor shield deck. Each primary vessel is substantially surrounded by a containment vessel in a spaced apart relationship. The reactor also includes a heat removal system which includes a guard vessel substantially surrounding each containment vessel in a spaced apart relationship, at least one inlet conduit in fluid communication with the ambient atmosphere outside the nuclear reactor, and at least one outlet conduit in fluid communication with the ambient atmosphere outside the nuclear reactor. A fluid flow heat transferring flowpath is formed by the inlet conduits, the space intermediate the guard vessel of each primary vessel and the containment vessel of each primary vessel and the outlet conduits. The heat removal system also includes at least one heat exchanger in said the flowpath to elevate the temperature of the air coolant so that the temperature remains above the dew point temperature as the air coolant flows through the flowpath.

Corrosion mitigation system for liquid metal nuclear reactors with passive decay heat removal systems

A pressure suppressing and aerosol scrubbing system configured to be located between low pressure upper containments associated with modular reactor vessels is described. In one embodiment, the pressure suppression and scrubbing system includes a water tank having connected, partially filled water chambers and a vertical baffle having horizontal vent holes positioned near the bottom of the tank. Each water chamber is connected by a vent/relief line to one of the respective rectangular upper containments. The partially filled water tank assures that the respective containments are isolated from each other under normal operating conditions due to the water trap inherent in the system. In the event that an accident occurs in one of the reactors, the affected containment is heated by the sodium spray and/or pool fire and such heat forces its way through the pressure suppressing and scrubbing system to the unaffected reactor containment. The suppressing and scrubbing system cools the gasses and removes sodium and fission products so that relatively few radioactive fission products are introduced into the containment volume associated with un-affected reactor containment and the containment design temperature and pressure can be reduced.

Containment pressure suppression system for liquid metal cooled reactors

A passive and inherent shutdown heat removal method with a backup air flow path which allows decay heat removal following a postulated double vessel leak event in a liquid metal-cooled nuclear reactor. The improved reactor design incorporates the following features: (1) isolation capability of the reactor cavity environment in the event that simultaneous leaks develop in both the reactor and containment vessels; (2) a reactor silo liner tank which insulates the concrete silo from the leaked sodium, thereby preserving the silo's structural integrity; and (3) a second, independent air cooling flow path via tubes submerged in the leaked sodium which will maintain shutdown heat removal after the normal flow path has been isolated.

Passive air cooling of liquid metal-cooled reactor with double vessel

A liquid metal cooled nuclear fission reactor plant having a passive auxiliary safety cooling system for removing residual heat resulting from fuel decay during reactor shutdown, or heat produced during a mishap. This reactor plant is enhanced by a backup or secondary passive safety cooling system which augments the primary passive auxiliary cooling system when in operation, and replaces the primary system when rendered inoperable.

Passive cooling system for liquid metal cooled nuclear reactors with

A liquid metal cooled nuclear reactor having a passive cooling system for removing residual heat resulting for fuel decay during reactor shutdown, or heat produced during a mishap. The reactor system is enhanced with sealing means for excluding external air from contact with the liquid metal coolant leaking from the reactor vessel during an accident. The invention also includes a silo structure which resists attack by leaking liquid metal coolant, and an added unique cooling means.

Liquid metal cooled nuclear reactor plant system

A liquid metal cooled nuclear fission reactor plant having a top entry loop joined satellite assembly with a passive auxiliary safety cooling system for removing residual heat resulting from fuel decay during shutdown, or heat produced during a mishap. This satellite type reactor plant is enhanced by a backup or secondary passive safety cooling system which augments the primary passive auxiliary cooling system when in operation, and replaces the primary cooling system when rendered inoperative.

Passive cooling system for top entry liquid metal cooled nuclear reactors

A liquid metal cooled nuclear reactor having a passive cooling system for removing residual heat resulting from fuel decay during reactor shutdown. The passive cooling system comprises a plurality of partitions surrounding the reactor vessel in spaced apart relation forming intermediate areas for circulating heat transferring fluid which remove and carry away heat from the reactor vessel. The passive cooling system includes a closed primary fluid circuit through the partitions surrounding the reactor vessel and a partially adjoining secondary open fluid circuit for carrying transferred heat out into the atmosphere.

Passive cooling safety system for liquid metal cooled nuclear reactors

In a steam generator utilized with a liquid sodium cooled nuclear reactor, provision is made to vent the violent sodium water reaction emanating from a tube rupture casualty. The steam generator includes a sodium plenum at the bottom thereof containing a conventional rupture disk for venting sodium, steam, and reaction products including hydrogen immediately upon a tube rupture casualty. The invention includes providing an alternate concentric flow path interior to the steam generator and parallel to the tube bundle. This alternate concentric flow path extends from the upper portion of the steam generator down into the lower head or plenum adjacent to the pressure relief diaphragm. This alternate path is partially filled with sodium during normal reactor operation. In the event of a tube bundle break, the alternate flow path dumps its sodium through the conventional rupture disk and then provides an immediate alternate pressure release path in parallel with the tube bundle for steam and water flow from the tube rupture site to the rupture disk. This parallel flow path reduces the pressure differential from the water/steam flow through the tube bundle such that water/steam does not flow back through the intermediate heat transport system to the intermediate heat exchanger (IHX) where it would react with residual sodium and potentially damage the IHX tube bundle which is part of the reactor primary containment barrier.

Novel passive approach to protecting the primary containment barrier

Indirect passive cooling system for liquid metal cooled nuclear reactors

An intermediate heat transport system is disclosed for providing steam generation from the secondary nonradioactive liquid sodium heat extraction loop from a sodium cooled nuclear reactor. The transport system includes a unitary module combining the steam generating heat exchanger, the pump for the circulation of the liquid sodium coolant, and the surge volume required for differential expansion between the sodium and the vessels that contain the sodium. Two concentric cylindrical and vertically standing vessels are provided for containing the liquid sodium; one vessel is outer and larger; the other inner vessel is of a double wall construction and open on its lower end hung from the top of the longer vessel. The outer and larger cylindrical vessel has four feedwater inlet plenums (typical number) at the bottom and four steam outlet plenums at the top. Tube sheets terminate each plenum to a tube bundle extending between the inlet and outlet plenums. At least one electromagnetic high temperature sodium pump is placed within the inner vessel and hermetically sealed for pumping sodium to and from the reactor, this pump acting in the preferred capacity as the jet of a jet pump for pumping the sodium.

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Saratoga, CA, United States of America

Charles E Boardman