Abstract:
Seals are positioned between abutting nuclear reactor components. Example seals are held in position by gravity, grooves, retainers, direct joining, or other mating structures to seal the abutting components. Compression of example seals drives the seals against the joining components, preventing fluid passage therebetween. Example seals may include a cavity opening to a higher pressure fluid outside the joined components to drive expansion or sealing of the seal. Seals may have a C-shaped, E-shaped, O-ring, coiled, helical, or other cross-section to provide such a cavity. Example seals may be flexible materials compatible with radiation and heat encountered in a nuclear reactor. Seals may be continuous or sectional about the abutment of the components. An annular seal may extend continuously around a perimeter of removably joined core plates, supports, shrouds, and/or chimney heads and structures. Seals can be installed between and in the components at any time access is available to the components.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]      FIG. 1  is cross-sectional schematic view of a related art reactor pressure vessel  100 , such as an ESBWR pressure vessel. Vessel  100  includes a core plate  118  laterally supporting one or more fuel assemblies  110  within core shroud  114 . Fluid coolant and/or moderator, such as liquid water, is typically delivered into an annular downcomer region  101  about a perimeter of vessel  100  by a feedwater line, chimney runoff, or other coolant supply source. The fluid flows downward through downcomer  101  a core inlet region below core plate  118 . At the core inlet, the fluid turns and flows up into the core, bounded by core shroud  114  and containing assemblies  110 . At the bottom of core shroud  114 , the fluid is redirected and flows upward through assemblies  110  in a central core of vessel  100 . As such, core shroud  114  separates upward flow of coolant through the core and assemblies  110  therein from downcomer flow in an annulus  101 . 
         [0002]    Core plate  118  supports core shroud  114  and may itself be supported by support ring and legs  102 . Core plate  118 , core shroud  114 , and/or support ring  102  may all be cylindrical or annular to extend about a complete inner perimeter or angular length of vessel  100 . Top guide  112  may be positioned at the top of the core shroud  114  to provide lateral support and positioning to the top of fuel assemblies  110 . As liquid coolant boils among assemblies  110 , a heated mixture of steam and water flows upward through top guide  112 . Chimney  120 , with flow-directing partitions  121 , receives the energetic steam/water mixture exiting fuel assemblies  110 . Steam separator assembly  140  may be positioned at an upper end of chimney  120 , such as at chimney head  122 . 
         [0003]    Any of core shroud  114 , core plate  118 , top guide  112 , and chimney  120  may be movable with respect to one another and removably joined during operation. Chimney head  122  may be laterally supported by chimney restraint  123 , which may be paired, slip-fitting brackets on chimney  120  and an inner wall of vessel  100 . Atop chimney  120 , steam separator assembly  140  may receive the directed energetic fluid flow and separate liquid water from the steam-water mixture rising therethrough. Steam from the steam separator assembly  140  flows upward to steam dryer  141 , where additional moisture is removed. The separated and removed liquid is directed back down into downcomer annulus  101 , and the dried steam exiting steam dryer  141  is then directed into main steam lines  103  for electrical power production. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    Example embodiments include one or more seals for use between abutting components in a nuclear reactor environment. Example seals can be installed between components where they are joined or touch, such as in a groove within or other area between the components. Example seals in the groove are compressed by the abutment and thus seal against the components in the direction of the components&#39; joining. The components may divide distinct flow paths inside a nuclear reactor, for example, and example seals can take advantage of different properties of the flow paths to further enhance the seal. For example, seal may include an expandable concavity that opens toward the flow with the higher pressure and is closed against other flows. The higher pressure may expand or drive the concavity and thus seal further in the direction of the components&#39; joining, enhancing the seal. This can better isolate flows with different characteristics across the components and prevent unwanted mixing and deterioration of differences between flows. For example, elastic seals with a C-shaped or E-shaped cross-section in a plane parallel to the fluid flows may take advantage of such pressure differences. Seals may also have O-ring, coiled, and/or helical cross-sections, as additional examples. 
         [0005]    Example seals can be any shape or size to enhance sealing between distinct components. For example, seals may form a continuous path about a perimeter of the abutting structures in a plane perpendicular to the flow paths. Seals may be ring-shaped, annular, or any other shape in this manner about an axis of the components&#39; joining. Example seals may be held between the abutting components by gravity, a groove in the components, a retaining clip, welding, etc. For example, in the instance the components to be sealed are core supports or plates, shrouds, and/or chimney structures isolating a downcomer flow from a core flow, seals may be held between the components by retainers attached to the same bolts removably joining these structures in the reactor. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    Example embodiments will become more apparent by describing, in detail, the attached drawings, wherein like elements are represented by like reference numerals, which are given by way of illustration only and thus do not limit the terms which they depict. 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is an illustration of a related art nuclear power vessel and internals. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a schematic cross-section of an example embodiment sealing system. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is an illustration of an example seal useable in example embodiment systems. 
           [0010]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  are schematic cross-sections of additional example seals useable in example embodiment systems. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0011]    Because this is a patent document, general broad rules of construction should be applied when reading and understanding it. Everything described and shown in this document is an example of subject matter falling within the scope of the appended claims. Any specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are merely for purposes of describing how to make and use example embodiments or methods. Several different embodiments not specifically disclosed herein fall within the claim scope; as such, the claims may be embodied in many alternate forms and should not be construed as limited to only example embodiments set forth herein. 
         [0012]    It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first element could be termed a second element, and, similarly, a second element could be termed a first element, without departing from the scope of example embodiments. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. 
         [0013]    It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected,” “coupled,” “mated,” “attached,” or “fixed” to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly coupled” to another element, there are no intervening elements present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between”, “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent”, etc.). Similarly, a term such as “communicatively connected” includes all variations of information exchange routes between two devices, including intermediary devices, networks, etc., connected wirelessly or not. 
         [0014]    As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include both the singular and plural forms, unless the language explicitly indicates otherwise with words like “only,” “single,” and/or “one.” It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”, “comprising,”, “includes” and/or “including”, when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, ideas, and/or components, but do not themselves preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, ideas, and/or groups thereof. 
         [0015]    It should also be noted that the structures and operations discussed below may occur out of the order described and/or noted in the figures. For example, two operations and/or figures shown in succession may in fact be executed concurrently or may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/acts involved. Similarly, individual operations within example methods described below may be executed repetitively, individually or sequentially, so as to provide looping or other series of operations aside from the single operations described below. It should be presumed that any embodiment having features and functionality described below, in any workable combination, falls within the scope of example embodiments. 
         [0016]    The inventors have recognized that structures forming a downcomer region, such as a core plate, core shroud, shroud support, chimney, etc., may be removably joined through mating structures that do not completely seal the downcomer region from internal core flow. Fluid in the downcomer is typically a lower-temperature liquid under forced-flow pressure, while flow up through the core is higher-temperature, potentially two-phase flow. The inventors have newly recognized the potential for leakage between these two flows, such as where a core plate and shroud or shroud support sit on one another as separate pieces through which highly energetic flows may escape. The inventors have further recognized that leakage between downcomer and core flow in newer, natural-circulation reactor designs, such as an ESBWR, may be particularly detrimental in assuring a strong natural circulation drive in the instance of reliance on natural circulation, such as in a loss of offsite power transient. For example, cooler downcomer flow leaking into hotter core flows may cool or condense fluid flowing up through the core, decreasing the natural pressure gradient between these flows and reducing natural circulation cooling. As such, the Inventors have newly recognized a need for resilient sealing between structures separating flows at different pressures as well as sealing between structures separating a lower-energy downcomer flow from a higher-energy core flow, especially in natural circulation reactors where natural circulation is a key element of primary coolant loop flow. Example embodiments described below address these and other problems recognized by the Inventors with unique solutions enabled by example embodiments. 
         [0017]    The present invention is seals for use in a nuclear reactor environment and systems including the same. In contrast to the present invention, the small number of example embodiments and example methods discussed below illustrate just a subset of the variety of different configurations that can be used as and/or in connection with the present invention. 
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional detail about core plate  118  adjacent to downcomer region  101  of vessel  100  from  FIG. 1 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , example embodiment seal system  200  is useable inside a nuclear reactor, with several components in the same. Example embodiment seal system  200  includes one or more elastic seals  250  between separate reactor internal components subject to leakage. For example, seals  250   a  and  250   b  may be installed between components that divide fluid flows within the reactor, such as components that separate a downcomer region  101  from internal core flows. These components may be a shroud support  102 , core plate  118 , and/or core shroud  114 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . Of course, seals  250  are also useable in and between other flow-dividing structures, such as between core barrels, top guides, chimney sections, chimney heads, steam separators, reactor heads, etc., as well as any other reactor structures that would benefit from resistive sealing, such as modified reactor internals and/or coolant loop components. 
         [0019]    In  FIG. 2 , downward flow ↓ is to the left, or outward radially, in downcomer  101 , while upward flow ↑ is inside a core area to the right, or inward radially. Downward flow ↓ may be annular, about an angular perimeter of the reactor, while  FIG. 2  is only a cross-sectional schematic showing radial and axial dimensions. Downward flow ↓ in downcomer  101  may be relatively cooler liquid water at a relatively higher pressure from natural circulation, while upward flow ↑ may be hotter steam-and-water mixture flowing under relatively lower pressure. For example, in an ESBWR downward flow ↓ may be condensed liquid at about 270 degrees Celsius and above about 7.2 MPa whereas upward flow ↑ may be at over 280 degrees Celsius, below 7.2 MPa, and contain dual-phase flow. 
         [0020]    Seals  250  are present in example embodiment system  200  between structures dividing the upward and downward flows in order to prevent fluid leakage, and thus energy transfer, between the flows. Seals  250  may be a continuous annular ring, so as to continuously seal a perimeter of the structures shown in  FIG. 2  when taken in three dimensions, or any other shape to provide desired sealing. For example, for a generally flat cylindrical core plate  118  and annular core shroud  114 , seal  250   a  may be a continuous annulus seating between shroud  114  and core plate  118  to reduce flow through a juncture of shroud  114  and core plate  118 . Shroud  114  may be removably bolted, or even resting only under gravitational forces, on core plate  118 , such that movement and/or uneven contact between shroud  114  and core plate  118  is possible under extreme forces encountered in nuclear hydraulics. Seals  250  reduce or prevent leakage in this instance. 
         [0021]    Seals  250  may take on a variety of forms to seal contacts between flow-creating structures in a nuclear reactor environment such as in example system  200 .  FIG. 3  illustrates a first example seal, usable as seal  250   b  in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , example seal  250   b  may be an E-shaped seal with an alternating or labyrinthine shape. A similar seal is described in co-owned application Ser. No. 12/876,567, filed Sep. 7, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,475,139, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, and whose seals and methods may be similar to example seal  250   b  if reengineered in accordance with this detailed description. Example seal  250   b  is sized to fit in a groove  102   b  machined or otherwise created in a contact surface of the structure to be sealed, such as an upper face of shroud support  102  that would contact a core plate  118  ( FIG. 2 ). Groove  102   b  is shown in partial cut-away in  FIG. 3 , and it is understood that groove  102   b  may be a ledge or completely contained width-wise in a structure such as shroud support  102 . Groove  102   b  and seal  250   b  may extend an entire circumference of shroud support  102  so as to entirely seal an interior of support  102  from an exterior of the same. 
         [0022]    Groove  102   b  may be formed during fabrication or installation of core support  102 , such as by molding, machining, stamping, etc., and seal  250   b  may be placed in groove  102   b  shortly thereafter. Similarly, groove  102   b  may be formed during a maintenance period or outage when a reactor core is disassembled and contact surfaces are available for modification to create groove  102   b . Seal  250   b  can also be placed in groove  102   b  during such maintenance periods, either in newly-formed or existing groove  102   b , potentially replacing an existing or worn-out seal. Seal  250   b  may fit relatively closely in groove  102   b  and remain in the same via gravity and/or installation of another structure above groove  102   b . Similarly, seal  250   b  may be welded, bolted, or otherwise attached to a surface in groove  102   b.    
         [0023]    Example seal  250   b  is sized to protrude vertically a distance d from groove  102   b  and is elastically compressible in the vertical direction along d. For example, groove  102   b  may be only 1-2 inches deep vertically in core support  102 , and seal  250   b  may extend less than a quarter of an inch above groove  102   b  in distance d. Seal  250   b  is configured to compress the distance d and exert spring resistive force due to such compression, forming a seal. Seal  250   b  may be sized of a thickness and chosen of a nuclear-reactor-environment-compatible material that will not fail or plastically deform when compressed distance d, such as a stainless steel or other metallic alloys like X-750 or Alloy 718 (modified). Alternatively, seal  250   b  may plastically or permanently deform when compressed distance d, while still forming a seal against a compressing structure. 
         [0024]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , example seal  250   b  may be E-shaped to further take advantage of a pressure differential across sealed structures. For example, P 1  may be of a higher pressure than P 2  on opposite sides of a shroud support  102 , and any leaking fluid may have a tendency to thus flow from P 1  across an upper face of shroud support  102  to P 2 . Expandable gaps  252  in example seal  250   b  may take advantage of this pressure differential and drive seal  250   b  to expand vertically in direction d under such pressure differential. Particularly, by shaping and positioning gaps  252  to open toward higher pressure P 1 , with tines  251  and gaps  252  radially seating in groove  102   b , seal  250   b  may be driven to vertically expand by pressure P 1  expanding gaps  252  more than pressure P 2 . Such vertical force in seal  250   b  created by a pressure differential may enhance vertical force and thus seal effectiveness between seal  250   b  and a structure seated on and compressing the same, such as core plate  118  ( FIG. 2 ). Similarly, if P 2  is expected to be greater than P 1 , such as fluid in downcomer  101  ( FIG. 2 ) being expected to have a higher pressure than core fluid flow, example seal  250   b  may be reversed to better take advantage of the opposite pressure differential. 
         [0025]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  are additional examples of seals useable in example system  200  of  FIG. 2 . For example, as shown in  FIGS. 4A and 4B , example seal  250   a  may be a C-shaped ring, with in single ( FIG. 4A ) or double with an inner O-ring ( FIG. 4B ). A groove  114   a  may house example seal  250   a  in an upper face of a flow-directing structure, such as shroud  114 . Similar to groove  102   b  ( FIG. 3 ), groove  114   a  may be created in any manner to house seal  250   a . Similar to  FIG. 2 ,  FIGS. 4A and 4B  are cross-sectional schematics, and seals  250   a  extend in non-illustrated depth directions, potentially to form an annular ring or section with a C-shaped cross-section. 
         [0026]    Example seal  250   a  may be sized to fit in groove  114   a , with a small vertical protrusion to allow for compression and sealing across distance d when shroud  114  is vertically seated against a lower structure, such as core plate  118  in example system  200  ( FIG. 2 ). Because groove  114   a  may be in a downward-facing vertical orientation and example spring  250   a  may be installed in groove  114   a  against the force of gravity, retaining clip  415  may be used to hold example spring in groove  114   a  when not compressed. For example, retaining clip  415  may adjoin in a gap of a C-shaped example seal  250   a  ( FIG. 4A ) or may join to or push-against a curvature of a C-shaped example seal  250   a  ( FIG. 4B ), through frictional contact, welding, bolting, or other joining and retaining mechanisms. Bolt  410  may secure retaining clip  415  to the upper structure, such as shroud  114 . Bolt  410  may further be used to removably join the overall abutting structures, such as shroud  114  and core plate  118 . 
         [0027]    Similarly, example seals  250   a  may be used in chimney sections and steam separating and drying equipment described in co-owed application Ser. No. 14/792,512 to “CHIMNEY AND LOADING/UNLOADING METHODS FOR THE SAME IN NUCLEAR REACTORS” filed Jul. 6, 2015 and incorporated herein in its entirety. In such an adaptation, structures  114  or  102  ( FIG. 3 ) may be chimney barrels or extensions, for example. Bolts  410  may be external bolts or seismic pins that removably join the chimney components. Seals  250  may seal an entire perimeter of chimney portions that compress seals  250  when vertically joined, preventing intermixing of opposite flows on either side of the chimney. 
         [0028]    Example seals  250   a  in  FIGS. 4A and 4B  may be shaped to take advantage of a pressure differential between divided flows similarly to other example seals. As shown in  FIGS. 4A and 4B , example seals  250   a  may be C-shaped, such that increased pressure on the side of the opening of the C forces vertical expansion of seals  250   a , enhancing vertical force and seal between abutting structures. Seal  250   a  of  FIG. 4A  may be a single ring seal, while seal  250   a  of  FIG. 4B  includes an additional double internal ring to increase seal spring constant and effectiveness. Example seals  250   a  are formed of flexible, elastic sealing materials compatible with an operating nuclear reactor environment, such as a metal alloy. Of course, E-shaped and other seals may also be used in groove  250   a  in example systems to take advantage of pressure differentials. 
         [0029]    Example embodiments and methods thus being described, it will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that example embodiments may be varied and substituted through routine experimentation while still falling within the scope of the following claims. For example, a variety of different reactor structures that join together to direct flow configurations are compatible with example embodiment systems and seals simply through proper dimensioning of example embodiments—and fall within the scope of the claims. Such variations are not to be regarded as departure from the scope of these claims.