摘要 |
A nuclear reactor (10), in particular a liquid metal-cooled reactor or a molten salt reactor, comprises a reactor vessel (12) and an inner structure (14) arranged therein, the reactor vessel (12) being at least partially filled with a primary coolant, the inner structure (14) having an up-flow coolant passage (20) therethrough and being dimensioned and arranged so as to provide a down-flow coolant passage (16) between the reactor vessel (12) and the inner structure (14). The nuclear reactor (10) further comprises a core (22) of nuclear fuel being arranged in a lower part of the reactor vessel (12) underneath the inner structure (14). The nuclear reactor (10) also comprises at least one heat exchanger (24) for transferring heat from the primary coolant to a secondary coolant, wherein the secondary coolant preferably has a lower density and a higher pressure than the primary coolant. Upon operation of the nuclear reactor (10), the primary coolant moves upwards through the up-flow coolant passage (20) to an upper part of the reactor vessel (12) and then downwards through the down-flow coolant passage (16) back to the lower part of the reactor vessel (12). According to an important aspect of the invention, the at least one heat exchanger (24) is arranged in the up-flow coolant passage (20). |