IP Library Granted Patent US 9,396,821
Granted Patent B2
US 9,396,821 · App. 12/813,936 · Granted Jul 19, 2016

Safety system for a nuclear plant and nuclear plant with a safety system

Inventors: Bernd Eckardt (Bruchköbel, DE); Norbert Losch (Offenbach, DE)
Assignee: Areva GmbH
G21C9/06G21C19/317G21Y2002/201G21Y2002/206G21Y2004/30Y02E30/40
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,396,821
App. No.
12/813,936
Granted
Jul 19, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A safety system for a nuclear plant includes a plurality of catalytic recombiner elements each triggering a recombination reaction with oxygen when hydrogen is entrained in an onflowing gas flow, so that reliable elimination of the hydrogen from the gas mixture is ensured with an especially high degree of operational safety even based on comparatively extreme conditions or scenarios of the aforementioned type. The recombiner elements and/or the flow paths each connecting two recombiner elements on the gas side are configured in such a way that a pressure pulse triggered in the gas medium by an ignition during the recombination reaction in a first recombiner element triggers a gas displacement process having a flow rate of at least 5 m/s in the onflow region of a second, adjacent recombiner element. A nuclear plant with a safety system is also provided.

Claims (16)

1. A safety system for a nuclear plant, the safety system comprising:

a plurality of catalytic recombiner elements each for triggering a recombination reaction with oxygen upon hydrogen being entrained in onflowing gas flows of a gas medium;

said recombiner elements being configured to act as ignition elements and to create a pressure pulse in the gas medium resulting from an ignition during the recombination reaction;

said recombiner elements being interconnected by flow paths and including a first recombiner element and a second adjacent recombiner element; and

said recombiner elements and said flow paths each being configured to cause the pressure pulse of said first recombiner element:

to trigger a gas displacement process preceding a flame front,

to have a flow rate of at least 5 m/s, and

to cause intensified heating of said second recombiner element and as a result an ignition of the gas flow even before the flame front reaches said second recombiner element.

2. The safety system according to claim 1 , wherein the flow rate for the triggered gas displacement process is predefined as at least 10 m/s.

3. The safety system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said recombiner elements is constructed to trigger an ignition in a circulating gas flow in a natural convection mode only when a content of entrained hydrogen is at least 6% by volume.

4. The safety system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said recombiner elements is constructed to trigger an ignition in a circulating gas flow in a natural convection mode only when a content of entrained hydrogen is at least 8% by volume.

5. The safety system according to claim 1 , which further comprises a building spray system.

6. The safety system according to claim 5 , wherein said building spray system injects water as required.

7. The safety system according to claim 5 , wherein said recombiner elements and said building spray system are adapted to one another to initially form high-temperature target ignition zones and then carry out steam deinerting, in the event of a response.

8. A nuclear plant, comprising a safety system according to claim 1 .

9. The safety system according to claim 1 , wherein said recombiner elements and said flow paths are configured such that the velocity of the gas flow of the pressure pulse is more than twice as high as the gas flow velocity present in a convection operating mode.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 3, 2018
From: AREVA GMBH (FORMERLY KNOWN AS AREVA NP GMBH)
To: FRAMATOME GMBH
Reel/Frame 047658/0244 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 12, 2013
From: AREVA NP GMBH
To: AREVA GMBH
Reel/Frame 030793/0533 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 14, 2012
From: ECKARDT, BERND; LOSCH, NORBERT
To: AREVA NP GMBH
Reel/Frame 028375/0178 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2007 059 827 · Dec 11, 2007 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTEP2008010196 · Dec 2, 2008
Related Publication 20100296619A1 · Nov 25, 2010