Abstract: A nuclear reactor with a cylindrical reactor pressure vessel disposed in a reactor cavity formed in a concrete biological shield surrounding and spaced from the pressure vessel includes means for suspending the reactor pressure vessel from the concrete biological shield, the suspending means being a plurality of tension bolts distributed about the periphery of the cylindrical reactor pressure vessel and secured to a corresponding plurality of brackets attached to the cylindrical reactor pressure vessel, the tension bolts extending from the brackets at an inclined angle through the biological shield.

Abstract: A coolant pump and a steam generator are formed together into a structural unit, the steam generator being a straight-tube steam generator having a central ascending pipe, a tube bundle having a central passageway through which the ascending pipe extends, an upper primary-side inlet, chamber communicating with the tube bundle at an upper end thereof, a lower primary chamber communicating with the tube bundle at a lower end thereof, the central ascending pipe communicating with the inlet chamber for feeding primary medium thereto from which the primary medium flows back through the tube bundle to the lower primary chamber, the ascending pipe having an axial elongation, the coolant pump having an impeller and a guidance device surrounding the impeller, the ascending pipe-elongation having a construction corresponding to that of the guidance device, partition means for dividing the lower primary chamber into a suction space and an outlet chamber space, the pump having a suction side connected through the suction

Abstract: In a nuclear reactor installation secured against rupture and having a pressurized water reactor, a straight-tube steam generator having a central ascending pipe, a coolant pump and lines connecting them in a primary circulatory loop, the coolant pump being installed in a primary chamber of the steam generator and forming with the latter a structural unit, the primary loop having hot and cold lines between a pressure vessel enclosing the reactor and the primary side of the steam generator, at least part of the hot and cold lines being united along the direction of their fluidic flow paths, the structural unit formed of the pump and the steam generator being upright with relatively short, straight and horizontal primary loop lines, and sheathing protective against rupture enclosing the pump, the steam generator and the lines of the primary loop, a tube bundle having a central passageway trough which the ascending pipe extends, an inlet chamber communicating with the top of the tube bundle, an outlet chamber co

Abstract: A pressurized-water coolant reactor installation includes a reactor pressure vessel, a steam generator containing a heat exchanger through which coolant from the vessel is circulated, and a single pipe interconnecting the vessel and generator and internally divided into two conduits for conducting the coolant to the steam generator and from the latter back to the vessel. This single pipe is divided into these two conduits by a partition wall extending longitudinally for the length of the pipe inside of the pipe. This horizontal partition is formed by at least two sections extending radially from the inside of the coolant pipe towards each other and having inner edges spaced from each other and interconnected by an expansion joint.

Abstract: A nuclear reactor pressure vessel is vertically positioned in a concrete reactor pit. The vessel thermally expands and contracts axially and radially. To reduce the possibility of a wall rupture caused by the radial expansion, the top and bottom of the vessel are restrained from movement by the axial expansion, thus placing the vessel's wall under compressive stress in the axial direction. At the top this is done in any prior art manner. At the bottom, the restraint is provided by a series of vertical leaf springs circumferentially interspaced around the vessel's bottom, the lower ends of the springs being fixed to the vessel and the springs extending upwardly therefrom to upper support arrangements. Thus, the bottom of the vessel is suspended by the springs working in tension, while the radial expansion and contraction movements are accommodated by flexure of the springs.

Abstract: An improved pressurized water-cooled reactor system which includes a reactor core pressure vessel; coolant lines coupled to the pressure vessel; vertically arranged steam generators having the housings thereof coupled to the coolant lines; and coolant pumps associated with the steam generators and coupled to the coolant lines. Each of the pumps has a vertically arranged impeller portion driven by an electric motor for circulating coolant between the pressure vessel and tube sheet type heat exchangers in the steam generators, at least the impeller portion of each pump being disposed within a chamber associated with each steam generator which is communicative with the coolant lines. The vessel, the coolant lines and the steam generators including the impeller chamber are each individually encapsulated by rupture-proof safety housings (encasements) forming a protection system for the primary loop components.

Abstract: The primary coolant pump of a nuclear reactor, which is usually driven electrically, can be accelerated in the event of a line break by the escaping coolant to such an extent that its mechanical strength is in jeopardy due to overspeed. According to the invention, a brake and/or shut-off means, which can be controlled by the pump pressure differential or the pump speed, are associated with the pump. The invention is of interest particularly for pressurized-water reactors.