Patent ID: 8731130
Filing Date: 2014-05-20
Classification: G21C,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A power module assembly comprising: a primary cooling circuit comprising a reactor vessel and a reactor core surrounded by a primary coolant, the primary cooling circuit configured to promote a natural circulation flowpath within the reactor vessel; a containment vessel submerged in a containment cooling pool and configured to prohibit release of the primary coolant outside of the containment vessel; a heat exchanger disposed within the containment vessel in fluid communication with the primary coolant, the heat exchanger configured to remove heat from the primary coolant; a secondary cooling circuit including a steam generation circuit configured to generate steam, using heat extracted from the primary coolant, to drive a turbine; an emergency cooling system, isolated from the steam generation circuit, and configured to be coupled to the heat exchanger during an emergency operation to remove heat from the primary coolant via natural circulation of an emergency coolant through the heat exchanger, wherein the emergency coolant comprises coolant drawn from the containment cooling pool, and wherein the emergency coolant is not allowed to mix with the primary coolant during the emergency operation.