Safety device protecting a nuclear reactor pressure vessel against overpressure failure

US5517538A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Siemens Aktiengesellschaft · DE

Inventors

• Hartmut Seidelberger · Erlangen, DE
• Horst-Dieter Stockhausen · Nürnberg, DE
• Gerhard Hau · Albstadt, DE
• Josef Hollmann · Schlüsselfeld, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 31, 1994
• Grant date: May 14, 1996
• Expiry date: Aug 31, 2014

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T137/1797
• WIPO field: Engines, pumps, turbines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A nuclear reactor has a pressure vessel with an interior, a coolant conducting surface, such as a wall of the pressure vessel or a line passing through the wall of the pressure vessel, a pressure relief line, and a core. A safety device which protects the pressure vessel against overpressure failure upon inadequate cooling of the core includes a pressure relief valve being pressure-tightly inserted into the coolant conducting surface and having a seat, a closure element normally disposed on the seat for blocking a flow from the interior of the pressure vessel to the pressure relief line, an abutment, and a valve closing spring holding the closure element and being supported against the abutment. A force transmission element holds the abutment and has an end facing away from the abutment. A detent is disposed in the pressure vessel and fixes the end of the force transmission element. The detent is releasable in dependence on a given threshold temperature, for example 700.degree. C., for freeing the abutment and lifting the closure element off the seat as a result of a pressure differential.