Patent Number: 047120150
Section: summary

This invention relates to shields for nuclear reactors. In a nuclear reactor under hypothetical core disruptive accident (HCDA) conditions, the primary coolant circuit experiences an internal pressure, for example approximately 5MPa maximum. This pressure acting on the lower surface of the roof shield is greater than the roof shield weight and would lift the roof shield, thus breaking containment. Therefore a roof hold-down device in the form of interlocking keys is provided. However, the roof shield may also rotate thus allowing separation of the keys and loss of containment. According to one aspect of the invention a roof shield for a nuclear reactor comprises a normally fixed radially outer portion, a radially inner portion rotatable about a vertical axis, and a connection between the inner and outer portions which permits relative angular movement between the portions without loss of containment, the connection comprising a radially inner wall of the outer portion, an upper portion of the inner wall being so arranged that on upward movement of the inner portion the upper portion receives substantially no angular movement, the lower end of the upper portion being at a position below the level of the upper surface of the outer portion. According to another aspect of the invention a roof shield for a nuclear reactor comprises a normally fixed radially outer portion, a radially inner portion rotatable about a vertical axis, a connection between the inner and outer portions, the outer portion comprising a radially inner wall, an upper portion of the inner wall being operable as a cantilever from a position below the level of an upper surface of the outer portion, such that on upward movement of the inner portion the inner wall bends in the region of said position and the connection is maintained without loss of containment. The outer portion may have top and bottom walls and a radially inner wall forming part of said connection and connected to the bottom wall such that on said upward movement the top wall moves away from said upper portion which bends in the region of said position. The upper portion is connected in a containment maintaining manner to the inner portion, for example, by interlocking keys.