Abstract: Integrated nuclear reactor cooled by a liquid metal and incorporating a main vessel sealed in its upper part by a slab, an inner vessel containing the core, the latter resting on a system for the positioning and supply of the core with liquid metal and which is called the support, the latter itself resting on a supporting structure bearing on the bottom of the main vessel of the reactor, wherein it comprises an inner baffle cladding the side wall and bottom of the main vessel and defining with the latter an intermediate space filled with the liquid metal, tubes for supplying a liquid metal to the intermediate space below the bottom of the main vessel and tubes for returning said liquid metal to an auxiliary exchanger in order to remove heat from the intermediate space.

Abstract: In a fast reactor having a diagrid structure supported on the bottom wall of a reactor vessel containing the core and liquid metal coolant, a core catcher serves in the event of core melt-down to prevent hot debris carried down by the liquid metal from coming into contact with the vessel walls. The core catcher comprises a single collecting tray having a large area, a central chimney and a bearing shell extending parallel to the bottom wall of the reactor vessel. An enclosed space is formed between the bottom wall, the diagrid support structure and the diagrid and contains the collecting tray. Under melt-down conditions, the temperature differences produced by the molten fuel deposited on the tray and the presence of the central chimney have the effect of setting up a natural circulation of liquid metal and consequently of cooling the fuel.