Curvilinear electromagnetic pump

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022051820-A1
Application number	US-202117220915-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 1, 2021
Priority date	Aug 17, 2020
Publication date	Feb 17, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A curvilinear electromagnetic pump is configured to follow a curve, such as by coupling multiple linear pump segments together that are offset by an angle with respect to each other. The curvilinear electromagnetic pump can curve within two dimensions, or within three dimensions. The curvilinear electromagnetic pump allows for more efficient arrangement of components and systems within a nuclear reactor vessel and allows a significantly reduced reactor vessel height as compared to a linear pump arranged vertically. The curvilinear electromagnetic pump may follow the curvature of the reactor vessel wall and may be entirely disposed near the bottom of the reactor vessel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A nuclear reactor, comprising:
a reactor vessel; a reactor core within the reactor vessel; a heat exchanger within the reactor vessel; and a curvilinear electromagnetic pump, the curvilinear electromagnetic pump comprising a plurality of linear segments wherein a first linear segment is offset by a predetermined angle with respect to a second linear segment, the curvilinear electromagnetic pump in fluid communication with the heat exchanger and the reactor core and configured to receive a fluid from the heat exchanger and deliver the fluid to the reactor core.

2 . The nuclear reactor as in claim 1 , wherein the reactor vessel is generally cylindrical shaped, and wherein the curvilinear electromagnetic pump has a shape that approximates the shape of the reactor vessel.

3 . The nuclear reactor as in claim 1 , wherein the curvilinear electromagnetic pump defines a centerline and wherein the centerline lies in a single plane.

4 . The nuclear reactor as in claim 1 , wherein the curvilinear electromagnetic pump defines a centerline and wherein the centerline curves in three dimensions.

5 . The nuclear reactor as in claim 1 , wherein the curvilinear electromagnetic pump comprises a single stator configuration.

6 . The nuclear reactor as in claim 1 , wherein the curvilinear electromagnetic pump comprises a double stator configuration.

7 . The nuclear reactor as in claim 1 , wherein the reactor vessel has a geometric center, and wherein the curvilinear electromagnetic pump is disposed below the geometric center.

8 . A curvilinear electromagnetic pump, comprising:
a first pump section, the first pump section comprising:
a first pump housing,
a first linear fluid flow channel, and
a first collection of outer stators, the first collection of outer stators configured to be electrically driven to create a moving magnetic field;
a second pump section, the second pump section comprising:
a second pump housing,
a second linear fluid flow channel, and
a second collection of outer stators, the second collection of outer stators configured to be electrically driven to create the moving magnetic field; and
wherein the second pump section is coupled to the first pump section and is offset by an angle with respect to the first pump section.

9 . The curvilinear electromagnetic pump as in claim 8 , further comprising a coupler, the coupler configured to fluidically connect the first pump section and the second pump section together at the angle.

10 . The curvilinear electromagnetic pump as in claim 9 , wherein the coupler comprises a third outer stator, the third outer stator configured to be driven sequentially with the first collection of outer stators and the second collection of outer stators to cause the moving magnetic field to travel along the first pump section, the coupler, and the second pump section.

11 . The curvilinear electromagnetic pump as in claim 8 , wherein the first linear fluid flow channel is in fluid communication with the second linear fluid flow channel.

12 . The curvilinear electromagnetic pump as in claim 8 , wherein the angle is from 5° to 30°.

13 . The curvilinear electromagnetic pump as in claim 8 , wherein a centerline of the curvilinear electromagnetic pump is orientated within a horizontal plane.

14 . The curvilinear electromagnetic pump as in claim 8 , wherein the first pump section further comprises a first collection of inner stators and the second pump section further comprises a second collection of inner stators.

15 . The curvilinear electromagnetic pump as in claim 8 , wherein the curvilinear electromagnetic pump is positioned within a nuclear reactor vessel and the curvilinear electromagnetic pump is configured to follow a curve of a wall of the nuclear reactor vessel.

16 . The curvilinear electromagnetic pump as in claim 15 , wherein the nuclear reactor vessel defines a geometric center, and wherein the curvilinear electromagnetic pump is entirely disposed below the geometric center.

17 . The curvilinear electromagnetic pump as in claim 15 , wherein the curvilinear electromagnetic pump has an inlet in fluid communication with a heat exchanger and an outlet in fluid communication with an inlet plenum of a reactor core.

18 . The curvilinear electromagnetic pump as in claim 8 , further comprising a third pump section, the third pump section comprising:
a third pump housing, a third linear fluid flow channel, and a third collection of outer stators, wherein the third pump section is coupled to the second pump section and is offset by the angle with respect to the second pump section.

19 . The curvilinear electromagnetic pump as in claim 18 , wherein a centerline of the curvilinear electromagnetic pump is not planar.

20 . The curvilinear electromagnetic pump as in claim 18 , wherein the curvilinear electromagnetic pump follows an arc.

Assignees

• Terrapower Llc

Inventors

• Corbin Robert A

Classifications

• H02K44/06

  Induction pumps · CPC title

• G21C15/12

  from pressure vessel; from containment vessel · CPC title

• G21C9/00

  Emergency protection arrangements structurally associated with the reactor {, e.g. safety valves provided with pressure equalisation devices}(emergency cooling arrangements G21C15/18) · CPC title

• G21C3/33

  Supporting or hanging of elements in the bundle (spacer grids G21C3/34); Means forming part of the bundle for inserting it into, or removing it from, the core; Means for coupling adjacent bundles · CPC title

• G21C1/326

  wherein the heat exchanger is disposed next to or beside the core · CPC title