LIQUID METAL COOLED NUCLEAR REACTOR COMPRISING A MAIN VESSEL COOLED AT THE BOTTOM

摘要

The invention relates to a nuclear reactor cooled by a liquid metal comprising a vessel (12) containing the reactor core (24), a vessel shaft (18) and a sealing slab (14). The bottom (12a) of the vessel rests on the bottom (52) of the vessel shaft via supports (54) defining between the said two bottoms a space (56) in which circulates a cooling fluid such as air. A skirt (74) surrounds vessel (12) and rests on the vessel shaft bottom (52) for supporting slab (14). Application to the construction of simpler and less expensive fast neutron reactors than those hitherto known.