Patent Number: 043740839
Section: claims

1. In a nuclear reactor with a primary loop and a liquid coolant loop connected to the primary loop, having a volume control surge tank for the coolant disposed in the liquid coolant loop, and a high pressure pump having a suction side and being disposed in the liquid coolant loop for feeding coolant taken from the primary loop back into the primary loop after purification, the improvement comprising a line bypassing the volume control surge tank and having an end connected to the suction side of the high-pressure pump, and means for introducing hydrogen gas into a liquid-filled section of the liquid coolant loop between the volume control surge tank and the suction side of the high-pressure pump. 2. Nuclear reactor according to claim 1, wherein said hydrogen introducing means feed hydrogen gas to said bypass line. 3. Nuclear reactor according to claim 1, wherein said hydrogen introducing means mixes hydrogen gas with coolant bled off from the volume control surge tank. 4. Nuclear reactor according to claim 1, including means for mixing hydrogen and coolant, disposed downstream of said hydrogen introducing means. 5. Nuclear reactor according to claim 4, including a gas separator disposed downstream of said mixing means. 6. Nuclear reactor according to claim 5, including a hydrogen delivery source connected to said hydrogen introducing means, and means connected to said gas separator and said hydrogen introducing means, for controlling the delivery rate from said hydrogen delivery source. 7. Nuclear reactor according to claim 5 or 6, including a gas outlet line connected from said gas separator to said hydrogen introducing means, and a compressor disposed in said gas outlet line. 8. Nuclear reactor according to claim 1, wherein said hydrogen introducing means includes a ceramic filter cartridge. 9. Nuclear reactor according to claim 1, including an exhaust gas system connected to the volume control surge tank above the coolant level.