Atmospheric retention passive system for nuclear buildings

Abstract

The passive system is suitable for prefabrication and installation as a variable volume unit enclosing industrial components, systems, buildings and structures at operating light water reactors without interference with the design basis operations and performance of the buildings, structures, systems and components enclosed. This invention removes the energy from residual heat and hydrogen generation accumulated inside the containment buildings and spent fuel pool buildings challenged by over temperature and over pressure during severe accidents, while encapsulating the radioactive atmospheric fallout, condensing steam by heat exchange with the atmosphere and retaining the resulting water coolant. This invention also encapsulates design basis accidents releases such as the release of radioactive steam through hardened venting systems to the atmosphere, and the release of radioactive steam through containment bypass systems to the atmosphere.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of priority date from provisional application No. 61 / 512,406 Filing or 371(c) date Jul. 28, 2011 under 35 U.S.C. 119(e), the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT[0002]Not applicableREFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX[0003]Not applicableBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0004]1. Field of the Invention[0005]The invention relates to passive systems and structures suitable for prefabrication and installation as a variable volume unit enclosing industrial components, systems, buildings or structures such as nuclear reactor containment buildings, spent fuel pool buildings, nuclear auxiliary buildings, outlets of pressure relief valves, stacks, discs, or blowout preventer systems.References CitedCurrent U.S. class:86 / 50, 588 / 403Field of Search:244 / 31, 37 / 309, 86 / 50, 376 / 280, 3...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This patent describes a passive system for containing and managing releases of radioactive materials from industrial facilities. The system is designed to be easily installed, remove, and maintain, and can withstand major external events such as ground motion, flooding, high winds, and debris. It features a fast deployment speed and a high retention rate of releases, reducing the risk of exposure to radiation. The system can also be used in planned demolition of industrial buildings in populated areas to provide a cost-effective alternative to temporary evacuation and clean-up plans.

Problems solved by technology

This improvement is not suitable for installation at current operating nuclear boiling water reactors.

Furthermore, JP 2009-206761 does not address the total amount of energy (residual heat and hydrogen generated) stored inside the “combined” containment building created by the airbag passive system during severe accidents and thus the consequences of the failures of the airbag fabric, of the “combined” containment building and of the penetration systems initiated by over temperature and over pressure.

These improvements have yet to be tested in the complex dynamic local hydrogen / air environment of containment buildings during severe accidents.

They are not suitable for installation at most operating nuclear light water reactors at reasonable cost.

While they may decrease the explosive nature of some of the containment building local atmosphere, they increase the amount of heat stored and accumulated in the containment building and thus do not address the potential failure of the containment building and penetration systems initiated by over pressure and over temperature.

Both improvements are not suitable for installation at operating nuclear light water reactors at reasonable cost.

In the meantime, such venting systems do not apply to some spent fuel pool severe accidents where a large enough breach in the pool walls structures may rapidly generate severe and uncontrolled atmospheric releases.

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