Pool type liquid metal fast spectrum reactor using a printed circuit heat exchanger connection to the power conversion system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12230409-B2
Application number	US-202117450507-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 11, 2021
Priority date	Oct 2, 2017
Publication date	Feb 18, 2025
Grant date	Feb 18, 2025

Abstract

A nuclear reactor comprising a vessel and a micro-channel heat exchanger is disclosed. The vessel houses coolant defining a maximum level within the vessel, and the micro-channel heat exchanger is partially submerged below the maximum level. The micro-channel heat exchanger comprises a core, a plurality of primary channels, and a plurality of secondary channels. The core comprises a top face, a bottom face disposed opposite the top face, a first side face extending between the top face and the bottom face, and a second side face disposed opposite the first side face. The plurality of primary channels extends through the core from a primary inlet of the first side face to a primary outlet of the second side face. The plurality of secondary channels extends through the core among the plurality of primary channels from a secondary inlet of the top face to a secondary outlet of the top face.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A nuclear reactor, comprising:
a vessel comprising a lid, wherein the vessel houses a volume of a primary coolant therein, and wherein the volume of the primary coolant defines a maximum level within the vessel;
a reactor core disposed in the vessel, wherein the reactor core defines a lower plenum and an upper plenum;
a micro-channel heat exchanger at least partially submerged below the maximum level of the primary coolant, wherein the micro-channel heat exchanger comprises:
a core comprising a stack of plates bonded together, wherein the core comprises a top face, a bottom face, a first side face, and a second side face;
a plurality of primary channels defined in the core, wherein each primary channel of the plurality of primary channels extends from a primary inlet defined in the first side face to a primary outlet defined in the second side face; and
a plurality of secondary channels defined in the core, wherein each secondary channel of the plurality of secondary channels extends among the plurality of primary channels from a secondary inlet defined in the top face to a secondary outlet defined in the top face.

2. The nuclear reactor of claim 1 , wherein the micro-channel heat exchanger further comprises an inlet plenum in fluid communication with the secondary inlet, wherein the inlet plenum extends from the top face and through the lid.

3. The nuclear reactor of claim 2 , wherein the inlet plenum comprises a main inlet configured to be fluidly coupled to a supply header at a location above the maximum level of the primary coolant.

4. The nuclear reactor of claim 2 , wherein the inlet plenum comprises a main inlet configured to be fluidly coupled to a supply header at a location outside of a primary nuclear containment housing the nuclear reactor.

5. The nuclear reactor of claim 2 , wherein the micro-channel heat exchanger comprises further an outlet plenum in fluid communication with the secondary outlet, wherein the outlet plenum extends from the top face and through lid.

6. The nuclear reactor of claim 5 , wherein the outlet plenum comprises a main outlet configured to be fluidly coupled to a return header at a location above the maximum level of the primary coolant.

7. The nuclear reactor of claim 5 , wherein the outlet plenum comprises a main outlet configured to be fluidly coupled to a return header at a location outside of a primary nuclear containment housing the nuclear reactor.

8. The nuclear reactor of claim 1 , further comprising:
a coolant pump inlet plenum defined in the vessel; and
a coolant pump configured to move a fluid from the coolant pump inlet plenum to the lower plenum, wherein:
the primary inlet is in fluid communication with the upper plenum; and
the primary outlet is in fluid communication with the coolant pump inlet plenum.

9. The nuclear reactor of claim 1 , wherein each primary channel of the plurality of primary channels defines a first size, wherein each secondary channel of the plurality of secondary channels defines a second size, and wherein the first size is different from the second size.

10. A nuclear reactor, comprising:
a vessel comprising a lid, wherein the vessel houses a volume of a primary coolant therein, and wherein the volume of the primary coolant defines a maximum level within the vessel; and
a micro-channel heat exchanger partially submerged below the maximum level of the primary coolant, wherein the micro-channel heat exchanger comprises:
a core comprising a stack of plates coupled together, wherein the core comprises a top face, a bottom face disposed opposite the top face, a first side face extending between the top face and the bottom face, and a second side face disposed opposite the first side face;
a plurality of primary channels extending through the core from a primary inlet of the first side face to a primary outlet of the second side face; and
a plurality of secondary channels extending through the core among the plurality of primary channels from a secondary inlet of the top face to a secondary outlet of the top face.

11. The nuclear reactor of claim 10 , wherein the micro-channel heat exchanger further comprises an inlet plenum in fluid communication with the secondary inlet, wherein the inlet plenum extends from the top face and through the lid.

12. The nuclear reactor of claim 11 , wherein the inlet plenum comprises a main inlet configured to be fluidly coupled to a supply header at a location above the maximum level of the primary coolant.

13. The nuclear reactor of claim 11 , wherein the inlet plenum comprises a main inlet configured to be fluidly coupled to a supply header at a location outside of a primary nuclear containment housing the nuclear reactor.

14. The nuclear reactor of claim 11 , wherein the micro-channel heat exchanger further comprises an outlet plenum in fluid communication with the secondary outlet, wherein the outlet plenum extends from the top face and through the lid.

15. The nuclear reactor of claim 14 , wherein the outlet plenum comprises a main outlet configured to be fluidly coupled to a return header at a location above the maximum level of the primary coolant.

16. The nuclear reactor of claim 14 , wherein the outlet plenum comprises a main outlet configured to be fluidly coupled to a return header at a location outside of a primary nuclear containment housing the nuclear reactor.

17. The nuclear reactor of claim 10 , further comprising:
a reactor core disposed in the vessel, wherein the reactor core defines a lower plenum below the reactor core and an upper plenum above the reactor core;
a coolant pump inlet plenum defined in the vessel; and
a coolant pump configured to move a fluid from the coolant pump inlet plenum to the lower plenum, wherein:
the primary inlet is in fluid communication with the upper plenum; and
the primary outlet is in fluid communication with the coolant pump inlet plenum.

18. The nuclear reactor of claim 10 , wherein each primary channel of the plurality of primary channels defines a first size, wherein each secondary channel of the plurality of secondary channels defines a second size, and wherein the first size is different from the second size.

19. A nuclear reactor, comprising:
a vessel housing coolant therein, wherein the coolant defines a maximum level within the vessel; and
a micro-channel heat exchanger partially submerged below the maximum level of the coolant, wherein the micro-channel heat exchanger comprises:
a core comprising a top face, a bottom face disposed opposite the top face, a first side face extending between the top face and the bottom face, and a second side face disposed opposite the first side face;
a plurality of primary channels extending through the core from a primary inlet of the first side face to a primary outlet of the second side face; and
a plurality of secondary channels extending through the core among the plurality of primary channels from a secondary inlet of the top face to a secondary outlet of the top face.

20. The nuclear reactor of claim 19 , wherein each primary channel of the plurality of primary channels defines a first size, wherein each secondary channel of the plurality of secondary channels defines a second size, and wherein the first size is different from the second size.

Assignees

• Westinghouse Electric Co Llc

Inventors

• Harkness Alexander W
• Stansbury Cory A

Classifications

• G21C15/247

  for liquid metals · CPC title

• F28D2021/0054

  for nuclear applications · CPC title

• F28F9/16

  by permanent joints, e.g. by rolling (metal-working procedures in general B21, B32; particularly B21D39/06, B23K) · CPC title

• G21C15/14

  from headers; from joints in ducts · CPC title

• F28F9/26

  Arrangements for connecting different sections of heat-exchange elements, e.g. of radiators (connecting different sections in water heaters F24H9/14 {, connecting headers with inlet or outlet fittings F28F9/0246}) · CPC title