US 11,798,697 B2
Passive heat removal system for nuclear reactors
Pavel Hejzlar, Kirkland, WA (US); and Peter McNabb, Bellevue, WA (US)
Assigned to TERRAPOWER, LLC, Bellevue, WA (US)
Filed by TerraPower, LLC, Bellevue, WA (US)
Filed on Jan. 27, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/159,743.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/066,785, filed on Aug. 17, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0051817 A1, Feb. 17, 2022
Int. Cl. G21C 1/32 (2006.01); G21C 5/10 (2006.01); G21C 13/04 (2006.01); G21C 13/024 (2006.01); G21C 15/18 (2006.01); G21C 9/00 (2006.01); G21C 3/33 (2006.01); G21C 1/02 (2006.01); G21C 15/247 (2006.01); G21C 19/04 (2006.01); H02K 44/06 (2006.01); G21C 15/12 (2006.01); F16K 99/00 (2006.01); F16K 15/00 (2006.01)
CPC G21C 5/10 (2013.01) [G21C 13/024 (2013.01); G21C 13/04 (2013.01); F16K 15/00 (2013.01); F16K 99/0021 (2013.01); G21C 1/028 (2013.01); G21C 1/326 (2013.01); G21C 3/33 (2013.01); G21C 9/00 (2013.01); G21C 15/12 (2013.01); G21C 15/185 (2019.01); G21C 15/247 (2013.01); G21C 19/04 (2013.01); H02K 44/06 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sodium-cooled nuclear reactor, comprising:
a reactor vessel;
a reactor core within the reactor vessel;
a primary heat exchanger within the reactor vessel;
an intermediate coolant loop configured to circulate intermediate coolant through the primary heat exchanger, the intermediate coolant loop having a hot leg and a cold leg through which intermediate coolant flows;
a pump in fluid communication with the intermediate coolant loop and configured to circulate intermediate coolant through the intermediate coolant loop; and
a decay heat removal system, comprising:
an air heat exchanger disposed along a bypass flowpath between the hot leg and the cold leg of the intermediate coolant loop; and
a fluidic diode disposed along the bypass flowpath to asymmetrically restrict fluid flow along the bypass flowpath and configured to allow natural circulation along the bypass flowpath to remove decay heat from the reactor core, wherein the fluidic diode is configured to provide a flow resistance against the pump circulating the intermediate coolant across the bypass flowpath.