INTEGRAL MOLTEN SALT REACTOR

摘要

The present relates to the integration of the primary functional elements of graphite moderator and reactor vessel and/or primary heat exchangers and/or control rods into an integral molten salt nuclear reactor (IMSR). Once the design life of the IMSR is reached, for example, in the range of 3 to 10 years, it is disconnected, removed and replaced as a unit. The spent IMSR functions as the medium or long term storage of the radioactive graphite and/or heat exchangers and/or control rods and/or fuel salt contained in the vessel of the IMSR. The present also relates to a nuclear reactor that has a buffer salt surrounding the nuclear vessel. During normal operation of the nuclear reactor, the nuclear reactor operates at a temperature that is lower than the melting point of the buffer salt and the buffer salt acts as a thermal insulator. Upon loss of external cooling, the temperature of the nuclear reactor increases and melts the buffer salt, which can then transfer heat from the nuclear core to a cooled containment vessel.

主权项

1. A method of operating a nuclear power plant, the nuclear power plant comprising a nuclear reactor to produce heat, a heat exchanger system, and an end use system, the heat exchanger system to receive heat produced by the nuclear reactor and to provide the received heat to the end use system, the method comprising steps of:
operating the nuclear reactor, the nuclear reactor comprising a vessel and a graphite moderator core positioned in the vessel, the heat exchanger system having an inside portion located inside the vessel and an outside portion located outside the vessel; shutting down the nuclear reactor upon occurrence of a shutdown event, to obtain a shutdown nuclear reactor; severing all operational connections between the inside portion of the heat exchanger system and the outside portion of the heat exchanger system to obtain a severed, shutdown nuclear reactor; obtaining a replacement nuclear reactor having an inner heat exchanger system portion; and operationally connecting a replacement nuclear reactor to the outside portion of heat exchanger system by connecting the inner heat exchanger system portion of the replacement nuclear reactor to the outside portion of the heat exchanger system.