Areva Np Gmbh

Framatome Gmbh

Romain Thuillier

The present invention relates to a passive shutdown sealing device () for a reactor coolant pump unit comprising: a split sealing ring () having an inactivated position in which a leakage flow is permitted and an activated position in which said ring stops said leakage flow; at least one piston () designed to position said split sealing ring () in its activated position; locking/unlocking means () designed to lock said at least one piston () in its inactivated position when the temperature of said locking/unlocking means is below a temperature threshold and to release said at least one piston () when the temperature of said locking/unlocking means is above said temperature threshold; elastic means () designed to move said at least one piston () when said piston is released, so as to position said sealing ring () in its activated position.

Passive shutdown sealing device for a system of shaft seals of a reactor coolant pump set

A method for carrying out emergent shaft sealing for a reactor coolant pump and a shaft sealing assembly is provided. The method comprises the steps that a passive stopping sealing member is arranged in a first sealing assembly and forms an opening under the normal operation condition, without affecting the first sealing assembly using a liquid film formed by fluid static pressure to prevent reactor coolant from leaking along a pump shaft; under the station blackout condition, after sensing high-temperature fluid flowing into the first sealing assembly, the passive stopping sealing member is closed and holds the pump shaft of the reactor coolant pump tightly, the gap between the first sealing assembly and the pump shaft of the reactor coolant pump is blocked, and therefore the reactor coolant is prevented from leaking along the pump shaft.

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Valencienns, France

Romain Thuillier