Low stressed rationally shaped core support.

摘要

@ The lower end of a nuclear reactor core barrel (16) is laterally stabilized within the reactor pressure vessel (10) by four auxiliary support structures (100) equiangularly disposed about the periphery of the reactor lower hemispherical shell (12). The core barrel lower support plate (18) has keys (122) secured thereto for disposition within recesses (114) defined within crossbeams (102) of the structures (100) through which horizontal radial and tangential forces, as well as severe vertical loads, are transmitted from the core barrel (16) to the reactor vessel (10). Shock absorbers (120) interconnect the keys (122) and the crossbeams (102), and divergent brackets (104) serve to radially space the crossbeam (102) from the shell wall (12) so as to define a vertical coolant flow channel (108) through each structure (100). The divergent brackets (104) serve to distribute radial loads from the core barrel (16) to the pressure vessel (10) as radial compression forces, and to convert tangential bending moments into circumferential shear and radial compression forces. Upper inclined portions (162) of the brackets (104) serve to vertically centralize the center of load (160) of horizontal tangential forces relative to the brackets' centers of gravity (152) so as to eliminate vertical bending moments, and inclined lower portions (139) of the brackets (104) serve to convert vertical bending loads into circumferential shear and radial compression forces.