Patent Number: 050826190
Section: claims

1. A nuclear reactor system of a type including a containment having a nuclear reactor therein, the nuclear reactor including a pressure vessel, the containment including a drywell, the pressure vessel being situated in the drywell, the system comprising: a heat exchanger in the containment drywell;  a pool of water surrounding said heat exchanger;  means for venting said pool of water to the environment outside said containment;  an open entry non-blockable conduit within said containment drywell and communicating with said heat exchanger, heated fluid present in the containment drywell flowing into said heat exchanger through said conduit and being cooled in said heat exchanger; and  means for returning cooled fluid from said heat exchanger to a collection space in said containment.  a heat exchanger;  a pool of water surrounding said heat exchanger;  means for venting said pool of water to the environment outside said containment;  an open entry conduit within said containment and communicating with said heat exchanger, heated fluid present in the containment flowing into said heat exchanger through said conduit and being cooled in said heat exchanger;  a suppression pool in said containment, said suppression pool including a supply of water therein;  a non-blockable conduit connected at an end thereof with a heat exchanger outlet for returning cooled fluid from said heat exchanger to the suppression pool, an opposite cooled fluid return conduit end being disposed at a location submerged a distance below a normal water level in the suppression pool, said system further comprising a condensate/non-condensable gas collector means disposed in said cooled fluid return conduit, condensate passing from said collector means to said cooled fluid return conduit opposite end, the non-condensable gasses passing from said collector means to a vent pipe means connected at one end with said collector means, the pipe means having another end outletting in the suppression pool.  a plurality of heat exchangers;  a pool of water surrounding each of said heat exchangers;  means for venting said pool of water to the environment;  an open entry conduit within said containment and communicating with at least one of said heat exchangers, heated fluid present in the containment flowing into said heat exchanger through said conduit and being cooled in said heat exchanger;  means for returning cooled fluid from said one heat exchanger to a collection space in said containment;  an isolation line connecting said pressure vessel to at least one other of said heat exchangers whereby heated fluid present in the pressure vessel can be conveyed to said other heat exchanger for cooling therein; and  an isolation return line connecting said other heat exchanger with said pressure vessel for returning cooled fluid from said other heat exchanger to said pressure vessel. 2. A nuclear system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a suppression pool in said containment, said suppression pool including a supply of water therein, the collection space to which cooled fluid is returned comprising said suppression pool. 3. A nuclear system in accordance with claim 2, in which the means for returning cooled fluid from said heat exchanger to the suppression pool comprises non-blockable conduit means connected at one end with a heat exchanger outlet, an opposite conduit end being situate in said collection space. 4. A nuclear system in accordance with claim 3, in which said cooled fluid return conduit opposite end is disposed for outlet therefrom at a location submerged a distance below a normal water level in said suppression pool. 5. A nuclear system of a type including a containment having a nuclear reactor therein, comprising: 6. A nuclear system in accordance with claim 5, in which said pipe means other end outlet locates submerged a distance below a normal water level in said suppression pool. 7. A nuclear system in accordance with claim 6, in which said pipe means other end outlet submergence level below a normal suppression pool water level is less than that of said cooled fluid return conduit opposite end. 8. A nuclear system of the type including a containment having a nuclear reactor pressure vessel therein, comprising: