Abstract: An axial flow baffle for a shell and tube heat exchanger includes a substantially planar body configured for transverse arrangement in a longitudinally elongated shell of the shell and tube heat exchanger, a plurality of axial flow tube apertures each comprising a central tube hole configured to receive a tube of the heat exchanger, and an array of peripheral primary flow holes circumferentially spaced apart around the tube hole. The primary flow holes each interrupt the central tube hole and formed a radially inward projecting tube support protrusions between the primary flow holes which engage a single tube. Each primary flow hole has a non-polygonal configuration, which may be semicircular in some embodiments. The primary flow holes create axial flow around the periphery of the tubes through the baffles. In another aspect, a hybrid cross-flow baffle includes a combination of axial flow tube apertures and circular tube support holes.

Abstract: A fuel core for a nuclear reactor in one embodiment includes an upper internals unit and a lower internals unit comprising nuclear fuel assemblies. The assembled fuel core includes an upper core plate, a lower core plate, and a plurality of channel boxes extending therebetween. Each channel box comprises a plurality of outer walls and inner walls collectively defining a longitudinally-extending interior channels or cells having a transverse cross sectional area configured for holding no more than a single nuclear fuel assembly in some embodiments. A cylindrical reflector circumferentially surrounds channel boxes and is engaged at opposing ends by the upper and lower core plates. Adjacent cells within each channel box are formed on opposite sides of inner walls such that the cells are separated from each other by the inner walls alone without any water gaps therebetween which benefits neutronics for some small modular reactor designs.

Abstract: A fuel core for a nuclear reactor in one embodiment includes an upper internals unit and a lower internals unit comprising nuclear fuel assemblies. The assembled fuel core includes an upper core plate, a lower core plate, and a plurality of channel boxes extending therebetween. Each channel box comprises a plurality of outer walls and inner walls collectively defining a longitudinally-extending interior channels or cells having a transverse cross sectional area configured for holding no more than a single nuclear fuel assembly in some embodiments. A cylindrical reflector circumferentially surrounds channel boxes and is engaged at opposing ends by the upper and lower core plates. Adjacent cells within each channel box are formed on opposite sides of inner walls such that the cells are separated from each other by the inner walls alone without any water gaps therebetween which benefits neutronics for some small modular reactor designs.

Abstract: A method for heating primary coolant in a nuclear supply system in one embodiment includes filling a primary coolant loop within a reactor vessel and a steam generating vessel that are fluidly coupled together with a primary coolant, drawing a portion of the primary coolant from the primary coolant loop and into a start-up sub-system, heating the portion of the primary coolant to form a heated portion of the primary coolant, and injecting the heated portion of the primary coolant back into the primary coolant loop. The primary coolant may be heated to a no-load operating temperature.

Abstract: A nuclear reactor cooling system with passive cooling capabilities operable during a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) without available electric power. The system includes a reactor vessel with nuclear fuel core located in a reactor well. An in-containment water storage tank is fluidly coupled to the reactor well and holds an inventory of cooling water. During a LOCA event, the tank floods the reactor well with water. Eventually, the water heated by decay heat from the reactor vaporizes producing steam. The steam flows to an in-containment heat exchanger and condenses. The condensate is returned to the reactor well in a closed flow loop system in which flow may circulate solely via gravity from changes in phase and density of the water. In one embodiment, the heat exchanger may be an array of heat dissipater ducts mounted on the wall of the inner containment vessel surrounded by a heat sink.

Abstract: A nuclear steam supply system includes an elongated reactor vessel having an internal cavity with a central axis, a reactor core having nuclear fuel disposed within the internal cavity, and a steam generating vessel having at least one heat exchanger section, the steam generating vessel being fluidicly coupled to the reactor vessel. The reactor vessel includes a shell having an upper flange portion and a head having a head flange portion. The upper flange portion is coupled to the head flange portion, wherein the upper flange portion extends into the internal cavity, and the head flange portion extends outward from the internal cavity.

Abstract: A component cooling water system for a nuclear power plant. In one embodiment, the system includes an inner containment vessel housing a nuclear reactor and an outer containment enclosure structure. An annular water reservoir is formed between the containment vessel and containment enclosure structure which provides a heat sink for dissipating thermal energy. A shell-less heat exchanger is provided having an exposed tube bundle immersed in water held within the annular water reservoir. Component cooling water from the plant flows through the tube bundle and is cooled by transferring heat to the annular water reservoir. In one non-limiting embodiment, the tube bundle may be U-shaped.

Abstract: A system for removing thermal energy generated by radioactive materials comprising: an air-cooled shell-and-tube heat exchanger comprising a shell and plurality of heat exchange tubes arranged in a substantially vertical orientation within the shell, the plurality of heat exchange tubes comprising interior cavities that collectively form a tube-side fluid path, the shell forming a shell-side fluid path that extends from an air inlet of the shell to an air outlet of the shell, the first air inlet located at a lower elevation than the air outlet; a heat rejection closed-loop fluid circuit comprising the tube-side fluid path of the air-cooled heat exchanger, a coolant fluid flowing through the heat rejection closed-loop fluid circuit, the heat rejection closed-loop fluid circuit thermally coupled to the radioactive materials so that thermal energy generated by the radioactive materials is transferred to the coolant fluid; and the air-cooled shell-and-tube heat exchanger transferring thermal energy from the coola

Abstract: A nuclear reactor cooling system with passive cooling capabilities operable during a reactor shutdown event without available electric power. In one embodiment, the system includes a reactor vessel with nuclear fuel core and a steam generator fluidly coupled thereto. Primary coolant circulates in a flow loop between the reactor vessel and steam generator to heat secondary coolant in the steam generator producing steam. The steam flows to a heat exchanger containing an inventory of cooling water in which a submerged tube bundle is immersed. The steam is condensed in the heat exchanger and returned to the steam generator forming a closed flow loop in which the secondary coolant flow is driven by natural gravity via changes in density from the heating and cooling cycles. In other embodiments, the cooling system is configured to extract and cool the primary coolant directly using the submerged tube bundle heat exchanger.

Abstract: A nuclear reactor cooling system with passive cooling capabilities operable during a reactor shutdown event without available electric power. In one embodiment, the system includes a reactor vessel with nuclear fuel core and a steam generator fluidly coupled thereto. Primary coolant circulates in a flow loop between the reactor vessel and steam generator to heat secondary coolant in the steam generator producing steam. The steam flows to a heat exchanger containing an inventory of cooling water in which a submerged tube bundle is immersed. The steam is condensed in the heat exchanger and returned to the steam generator forming a closed flow loop in which the secondary coolant flow is driven by natural gravity via changes in density from the heating and cooling cycles. In other embodiments, the cooling system is configured to extract and cool the primary coolant directly using the submerged tube bundle heat exchanger.

Abstract: A component cooling water system for a nuclear power plant. In one embodiment, the system includes an inner containment vessel housing a nuclear reactor and an outer containment enclosure structure. An annular water reservoir is formed between the containment vessel and containment enclosure structure which provides a heat sink for dissipating thermal energy. A shell-less heat exchanger is provided having an exposed tube bundle immersed in water held within the annular water reservoir. Component cooling water from the plant flows through the tube bundle and is cooled by transferring heat to the annular water reservoir. In one non-limiting embodiment, the tube bundle may be U-shaped.

Abstract: A nuclear reactor cooling system with passive cooling capabilities operable during a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) without available electric power. The system includes a reactor vessel with nuclear fuel core located in a reactor well. An in-containment water storage tank is fluidly coupled to the reactor well and holds an inventory of cooling water. During a LOCA event, the tank floods the reactor well with water. Eventually, the water heated by decay heat from the reactor vaporizes producing steam. The steam flows to an in-containment heat exchanger and condenses. The condensate is returned to the reactor well in a closed flow loop system in which flow may circulate solely via gravity from changes in phase and density of the water. In one embodiment, the heat exchanger may be an array of heat dissipater ducts mounted on the wall of the inner containment vessel surrounded by a heat sink.

Abstract: A nuclear steam supply system includes an elongated reactor vessel having an internal cavity with a central axis, a reactor core having nuclear fuel disposed within the internal cavity, and a steam generating vessel having at least one heat exchanger section, the steam generating vessel being fluidicly coupled to the reactor vessel. The reactor vessel includes a shell having an upper flange portion and a head having a head flange portion. The upper flange portion is coupled to the head flange portion, wherein the upper flange portion extends into the internal cavity, and the head flange portion extends outward from the internal cavity. The flanges have a space saving design which are configured to minimize outward extension from the cavity while still providing desired leak protection at the interface between the shell and the head.

Abstract: A vehicle seat and seat structure for use with an ISOFIX bar is disclosed. The vehicle seat can include a bottom portion, a back portion, a trim portion located between the bottom portion and the back portion, and left and right ISOFIX bars located at the trim portion. A trim cover, made from a flexible material such as a carpet, fabric, or other known vehicle interior material, can extend from a left side of the seat to a right side of the seat and can include left and right openings configured to allow the ISOFIX bars to pass therethrough. A one-piece integrally molded member can be overmolded onto the flexible material trim cover, and can include left and right pocket indents. The left and right pocket indents can each include a slot configured to allow a respective ISOFIX bar to pass therethrough.

Abstract: An autonomous self-powered system for cooling radioactive materials comprising: a pool of liquid; a closed-loop fluid circuit comprising a working fluid having a boiling temperature that is less than a boiling temperature of the liquid of the pool, the closed-loop fluid circuit comprising, in operable fluid coupling, an evaporative heat exchanger at least partially immersed in the liquid of the pool, a turbogenerator, and a condenser; one or more forced flow units operably coupled to the closed-loop fluid circuit to induce flow of the working fluid through the closed-loop fluid circuit; and the closed-loop fluid circuit converting thermal energy extracted from the liquid of the pool into electrical energy in accordance with the Rankine Cycle, the electrical energy powering the one or more forced flow units.

Abstract: An autonomous self-powered system for cooling radioactive materials comprising: a pool of liquid; a closed-loop fluid circuit comprising a working fluid having a boiling temperature that is less than a boiling temperature of the liquid of the pool, the closed-loop fluid circuit comprising, in operable fluid coupling, an evaporative heat exchanger at least partially immersed in the liquid of the pool, a turbogenerator, and a condenser; one or more forced flow units operably coupled to the closed-loop fluid circuit to induce flow of the working fluid through the closed-loop fluid circuit; and the closed-loop fluid circuit converting thermal energy extracted from the liquid of the pool into electrical energy in accordance with the Rankine Cycle, the electrical energy powering the one or more forced flow units.

Abstract: A nuclear steam supply system utilizing gravity-driven natural circulation for primary coolant flow through a fluidly interconnected reactor vessel and a steam generating vessel. In one embodiment, the steam generating vessel includes a plurality of vertically stacked heat exchangers operable to convert a secondary coolant from a saturated liquid to superheated steam by utilizing heat gained by the primary coolant from a nuclear fuel core in the reactor vessel. The secondary coolant, may be working fluid associated with a Rankine power cycle turbine-generator set in some embodiments. The steam generating vessel and reactor vessel may each be comprised of vertically elongated shells, which in one embodiment are arranged in lateral adjacent relationship. In one embodiment, the reactor vessel and steam generating vessel are physically discrete self-supporting structures which may be physically located in the same containment vessel.

Abstract: An axial flow baffle for a shell and tube heat exchanger includes a substantially planar body configured for transverse arrangement in a longitudinally elongated shell of the shell and tube heat exchanger, a plurality of axial flow tube apertures each comprising a central tube hole configured to receive a tube of the heat exchanger, and an array of peripheral primary flow holes circumferentially spaced apart around the tube hole. The primary flow holes each interrupt the central tube hole and formed a radially inward projecting tube support protrusions between the primary flow holes which engage a single tube. Each primary flow hole has a non-polygonal configuration, which may be semicircular in some embodiments. The primary flow holes create axial flow around the periphery of the tubes through the baffles. In another aspect, a hybrid cross-flow baffle includes a combination of axial flow tube apertures and circular tube support holes.

Abstract: A vertical bundle air-cooled heat exchanger. In one embodiment, the invention can be a vertical bundle air-cooled condenser comprising: at least one tube bundle assembly comprising: a tube bundle comprising a plurality of finned tubes arranged in a substantially vertical and side-by-side orientation, each of the plurality of finned tubes comprising a cavity; a top header pipe comprising an inlet header cavity operably coupled to a source of steam; a bottom header pipe comprising an outlet header cavity for collecting condensate; top ends of the plurality of finned tubes coupled to the top header pipe and the bottom ends of the plurality of finned tubes coupled to the bottom header pipe; and a shell having an open top end and open bottom end, the at least one tube bundle assembly positioned within the shell.

Abstract: An autonomous facility for storing spent nuclear fuel includes a building forming an enclosed interior space containing a water-filled spent fuel pool. The pool includes fuel racks containing spent fuel assemblies which heat the water via radioactive decay. A passive cooling system includes a submerged heat exchanger in the pool and an air cooled heat exchanger located in ambient air outside the building at a higher elevation than the pool heat exchanger. A heat transfer working fluid circulates in a closed flow loop between the heat exchangers via unpumped natural gravity driven flow to cool the fuel pool. The air cooled heat exchanger may be enclosed in a concrete reinforced silo adjoining the building for impact protection. The building may include a cask pit formed integrally with the pool to allow fuel assembles to be removed from a transport cask and loaded into the fuel rack underwater.