Chimneys having joinable upper and lower sections where the lower section has internal partitions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10128007-B2
Application number	US-201514792512-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 6, 2015
Priority date	Jul 6, 2015
Publication date	Nov 13, 2018
Grant date	Nov 13, 2018

Abstract

Chimneys include several combinable parts usable in nuclear reactors. The parts are modular and removably joinable without destruction for use in directing flow in an operating nuclear reactor and directly fit in storage area during non-operation. Chimney parts are joinable through flanges and connecting structures. Chimney parts may include partitions that divide or direct energetic coolant flow from a nuclear core as well as steam separating and drying structures. The parts each individually fit within storage areas of the nuclear plant, including equipment or buffer pools in the refueling floor of the plant. Methods move the chimney parts between the reactor and storage areas, and multiple parts may be stacked or nested in such moves. Methods are usable underwater and with storage pools to prevent exposure of chimney parts during an outage. During operation, chimneys are usable in place of existing single-piece chimneys.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A chimney system that is removable from a commercial nuclear reactor, the system comprising:
a lower chimney section shaped to surround fluid flow from a core of the nuclear reactor, wherein the lower chimney section includes a plurality of internal partitions that are one-piece with the lower chimney section; and
an upper chimney section removably joinable to the lower chimney section.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a steam separator removably joinable to the lower chimney section.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the steam separator includes a lower extension that matches and is removably joinable to the upper chimney section.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the steam separator directly touches the upper chimney section at the lower extension, and wherein the upper chimney section directly touches the lower chimney section.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the lower extension is approximately 4.1 feet in vertical length, the upper chimney section is approximately 2.5 feet in vertical length, and the lower chimney section is approximately 21.6 feet in vertical length.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the lower extension, the upper chimney section, and the lower chimney section each include flanges that are removably joinable to each other where the flanges directly touch.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the upper chimney section and the lower chimney section are cylindrical, and wherein the upper chimney section is completely voided.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the internal partitions form several closed channels within the lower chimney section, and wherein each of the closed channels is configured to receive fluid flow from fuel assemblies below the lower chimney section in the core.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a thermal bolt removably joining the upper chimney section and the lower chimney section.

10. A nuclear plant comprising:
a nuclear reactor;
a storage pool for use during an outage of the nuclear reactor; and
a chimney system including,
a lower chimney section shaped to surround fluid flow from a core of the nuclear reactor, wherein the lower chimney section includes a plurality of internal partitions that are a single piece with the lower chimney section,
an upper chimney section removably joinable to the lower chimney section, wherein each of the lower chimney section and the upper chimney section are sized to fit completely in the storage pool so that no portion of the chimney system extends out of the storage pool,
a thermal bolt removably joining the upper chimney section and the lower chimney section, and
a steam separator that is further joined to the upper chimney section and the lower chimney section by the thermal bolt.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the steam separator includes a lower extension that matches and is removably joinable to the upper chimney section.

12. The nuclear plant of claim 10 , wherein the storage pool is a plurality of the storage pools, the plant further comprising:
a refueling floor from which the nuclear reactor and the storage pool are accessible.

13. The nuclear plant of claim 12 , further comprising:
a steam dryer for use in the nuclear reactor during operation, wherein the upper chimney section and the lower chimney section are sized to fit completely in the storage pools with the steam dryer so that no portion of the steam dryer extends out of the storage pool.

14. The nuclear plant of claim 10 , wherein the pool is at least 22 feet in vertical depth,
and wherein the upper chimney section is approximately 2.5 feet in vertical length, and the lower chimney section is approximately 21.6 feet in vertical length.

15. A modular chimney system that is removable from a commercial nuclear reactor, the system comprising:
a lower chimney section shaped to surround fluid flow from a core of the nuclear reactor, wherein the lower chimney section includes a plurality of internal partitions that are one-piece with the lower chimney section;
an upper chimney section removably joinable to the lower chimney section;
a thermal bolt configured to removably join the upper chimney section and the lower chimney section; and
a steam separator configured to join to the upper chimney section and the lower chimney section by the thermal bolt.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the steam separator includes a lower extension that matches and is removably joinable to the upper chimney section.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the steam separator directly touches the upper chimney section at the lower extension, and wherein the upper chimney section directly touches the lower chimney section.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the lower extension is approximately 4.1 feet in vertical length, the upper chimney section is approximately 2.5 feet in vertical length, and the lower chimney section is approximately 21.6 feet in vertical length.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the lower extension, the upper chimney section, and the lower chimney section each include flanges that are removably joinable to each other where the flanges directly touch.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the lower extension is approximately 4.1 feet in vertical length, the upper chimney section is approximately 2.5 feet in vertical length, and the lower chimney section is approximately 21.6 feet in vertical length.

Assignees

• Ge Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas Llc

Inventors

• Sprague Robin D
• Deaver Gerald A
• Rickard David A
• Major David L

Classifications

• Y02E30/40

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• G21C19/19

  Reactor parts specifically adapted to facilitate handling, e.g. to facilitate charging or discharging of fuel elements · CPC title

• G21C19/02 Primary

  Details of handling arrangements · CPC title

• G21C19/07

  Storage racks; Storage pools · CPC title

• G21C13/02

  Details · CPC title