The United States of America As Represented by the United States

The United States of America As Represented by the United States Energy

Rolv Hundal

John E Sharbaugh

James P McHugh

Raymond G Seidensticker

Boyd A Kessinger

Edward A Parlak

A method and apparatus for growing dendritic web crystals at increased growth rates is disclosed in which a sublid is used to maintain a sufficiently hot silicon melt surface temperature to insure stable web growth, while simultaneously permitting more efficient heat transfer from the growing dendritic web to the cooler susceptor lid.

Apparatus for dendritic web growth systems

An improved shut-down heat removal system for a liquid metal nuclear reactor of the type having a vessel for holding hot and cold pools of liquid sodium is disclosed herein. Generally, the improved system comprises a redan or barrier within the reactor vessel which allows an auxiliary heat exchanger to become immersed in liquid sodium from the hot pool whenever the reactor pump fails to generate a metal-circulating pressure differential between the hot and cold pools of sodium. This redan also defines an alternative circulation path between the hot and cold pools of sodium in order to equilibrate the distribution of the decay heat from the reactor core. The invention may take the form of a redan or barrier that circumscribes the inner wall of the reactor vessel, thereby defining an annular space therebetween. In this embodiment, the bottom of the annular space communicates with the cold pool of sodium, and the auxiliary heat exchanger is placed in this annular space just above the drawn-down level that the liquid sodium assumes during normal operating conditions. Alternatively, the redan of the invention may include a pair of vertically oriented, concentrically disposed standpipes having a piston member disposed between them that operates somewhat like a pressure-sensitive valve. In both embodiments, the cessation of the pressure differential that is normally created by the reactor pump causes the auxiliary heat exchanger to be immersed in liquid sodium from the hot pool. Additionally, the redan in both embodiments forms a circulation flow path between the hot and cold pools so that the decay heat from the nuclear core is uniformly distributed within the vessel.

Passive shut-down heat removal system

An overflow control valve for use in a liquid sodium coolant pump tank which valve can be extended to create a seal with the pump tank wall or retracted to break the seal thereby accommodating valve removal. An actuating shaft which controls valve disc position also has cams which bear on roller surfaces to force retraction of a sliding cylinder against spring tension to retract the cylinder from sealing contact with the pump tank.

Overflow control valve

A cold trap assembly for removing impurities from a liquid metal being provided with a hole between the incoming impure liquid metal and purified outgoing liquid metal which acts as a continuous bleed means and thus prevents the accumulation of cover gases within the cold trap assembly.

Growing community of inventors

Greensburg, PA, United States of America

Rolv Hundal