Commissariat a L'energie Atomique

Christian Latge

Guy Lemercier

Georges Jullien

Bernard Puech

The clogging indicator makes it possible to continuously measure the purity of sodium circulating in the circuits of a fast neutron reactor without requiring the dismantling or completely changing the indicator should the measuring section becomes clogged. The clogging indicator essentially includes a bypass pipe comprising one coaxial external section (8) and one coaxial internal section (9). A measuring head (10) is mounted and able to move between these two sections and is mainly composed of at least one thermoelement (24) and one mobile grid (22) causing the measuring section to vary and thus the measured flow so as to favor uncloggings and the dissolving of any impurities crystallized during the measurements. This unit is completed by the other main elements of the clogging indicator in an elongated longitudinal body and surrounded by a thermic exchanger (11) for cooling the sodium.

Clogging indicator for controlling sodium quality

Installation and method to regenerate cold traps loaded with the hydride and oxide of a metal, such as sodium, in its liquid state. A forced circulation of the orginal liquid metal of a tank (11) is created at a temperature sufficient to dissolve the solid deposits. The hydrogen and tritium ions are filtered and end up at a storage tank (42) where they are fixed, whereas the oxygen ions recombine so as to form a new oxide deposit in another trap (23) cooled to a temperature enabling only the oxide to be deposited. An application is for fast neutron nuclear reactors and fusion reactors.

Installation to regenerate cold traps loaded with the hydride and oxide

It comprises an enclosure (1), a supply pipe (8) for introducing the liquid metal to be purified into enclosure (1), a distributor (10) for distributing the liquid metal on the periphery of the enclosure, cooling means (30, 32, 34) positioned externally of the enclosure (1) and downstream of distributor (10) for producing a cooling zone (28) for the liquid metal to purified, at least one oxide retention element (58), a discharge pipe (22) for discharging the purified liquid metal, structures (44) for the attachment of the hydrides located within the enclosure (1) and level with the external cooling means (30, 32, 34).

Cold trap for the purification of a liquid metal having separate

Cold trap for the purification of liquid metals containing dissolved impurities comprises several independently operating cooling modules, so as to bring about the crystallization of impurities, a liquid metal supply pipe, a purified liquid metal discharge pipe and a series of filter assemblies arranged in a staggared manner and on which the impurities crystallize. The cold trap is particularly suitable for the purification of the molten sodium used in nuclear power stations.

Cold trap for the purification of liquid metals containing dissolved

Cold trap for eliminating the impurities present in a polluted liquid metal. It comprises a body provided with an intake pipe for the polluted liquid metal and an internal structure defining a passage for the metal, said structure being successively provided with means for cooling the liquid so that it can be cooled to a cold point temperature below the impurity saturation temperature and bring about a crystallization of the impurities, means for retaining the impurities and a discharge pipe for discharging from the body the impurity-free metal and means for reinjecting upstream of the cooling means part of the fluid which has passed through the impurity retention means. Application to liquid metal-cooled nuclear reactors.

Growing community of inventors

Aix en Provence, France

Christian Latge