Patent ID: 8170173
Filing Date: 2012-05-01
Classification: G21C,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A power module assembly comprising: a reactor vessel containing a reactor core surrounded by a primary coolant; a containment vessel submerged in a containment cooling pool, wherein the containment vessel is configured to prohibit a release of the primary coolant outside of the containment vessel; one or more inlets submerged in the containment cooling pool, wherein the one or more inlets are configured to draw a secondary coolant from the containment cooling pool during an emergency operation, wherein the emergency operation comprises a loss of secondary coolant flow; a heat exchanger in contact with the primary coolant, wherein the heat exchanger is configured to remove heat generated by the reactor core, and wherein the heat is removed by circulating the secondary coolant from the containment cooling pool through the heat exchanger via natural circulation; and one or more outlets submerged in the containment cooling pool, wherein the one or more outlets are configured to vent the secondary coolant into the containment cooling pool, and wherein the primary coolant remains completely retained within the containment vessel during the emergency operation.