Ex-vessel accident mitigation

摘要

Heat from an ex-vessel mass of core material is removed to cooler regions of a containment envelope via liquid and/or vapor phase transport. Various aspects provide for contacting the ex-vessel core material with a material having properties including melting point, boiling point, and condensation kinetics such that condensation of the material in cooler regions of the containment envelope is at least as fast as evaporation of the material due to heat absorption from the core material and associated species.

主权项

1. A reactor for containing a nuclear reaction, the reactor comprising:
a sealable containment envelope having an inner surface, the containment envelope having a pressure limit of a gas contained within the containment envelope; a vessel including core material and located within the containment envelope, the vessel designed to enclose the core material at temperatures below a breach temperature; the inner surface having a containment temperature below the breach temperature; and an apparatus comprising a first material disposed in a location within the containment envelope such that upon a breach of the vessel by the core material, the breached core material contacts the first material; the first material having:
a melting point below the breach temperature;a boiling point above the containment temperature; anda difference between the melting point and boiling point that is greater than 100 degrees Celsius.