Commissariat a L'energie Atomique

Novatome

Jacques A Figuet

Alain Brachet

Noel Lions

Joel Guidez

Guy Lemercier

Rene M Traiteur

Thierry Zuber

Yves Depierre

The invention relates to a secondary heat transfer circuit for a liquid metal-cooled nuclear reactor, as well as to a steam generator which can be used in such a circuit. According to the invention, a downstream buffer tank and an upstream buffer tank are arranged within the steam generator. The upstream buffer tank is annular and surrounds and communicates with an area of the generator by which the liquid metal flows downwards between the exchange zone and the discharge tube. The pressure of the neutral gas pocket in the downstream buffer tank is higher than that of the pocket of the upstream buffer tank. Application to fast neutron nuclear reactors.

Secondary heat transfer circuit for a nuclear reactor cooled by a liquid

The invention relates to a secondary heat transfer circuit for a liquid metal nuclear reactor. Each loop of the main circuit has in order a steam generator, a pump, and at least one heat exchanger positioned in the reactor vessel. A downstream buffer tank is located in the pipe connecting the generator to the pump, whilst the upstream buffer tank can be positioned either in the generator, or outside the latter. Application to the generation of electric power by means of a fast neutron reactor.

Secondary heat transfer circuit for a nuclear reactor

The fast reactor structure to be protected comprises a wall and a parallel cylindrical shell having a free top edge which forms an overflow sill. A diverted flow of liquid metal withdrawn from a principal volume is circulated upwards through a vertical space formed between the wall and the shell. The shell surface which is remote from the space is provided with a packing of heat-insulating elements so that the overflowing sheet of liquid metal which falls on the downstream side of the overflow sill passes through the packing before returning into the principal volume of liquid metal.

Device for the thermal protection of an internal structure of a liquid

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Aix en Provence, France

Jacques A Figuet