Abstract:
A floating nuclear power reactor including one or two nuclear power reactors positioned in a floating vessel such as a barge or the like. Means is disclosed for flooding the containment structure of the nuclear reactor and for flooding the reactor vessels to cool the same.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a floating nuclear power reactor and more particularly to a floating nuclear power reactor wherein the containment structure of the reactor is self-cooling. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In most nuclear power reactors, a primary electrically operated water pump supplies cooling water to the reactor. In many cases, a secondary or back-up water pump is provided in case the primary water pump becomes inoperative. However, should the electrical power source for the water pump or water pumps be disrupted such as in a tsunami, a typhoon or an earthquake, the water pumps are not able to pump cooling water to the reactor which may result in a dangerous meltdown. Further, in some situations, the pipes supplying cooling water to the reactor may fail due to natural causes or a terrorist attack. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key aspects or essential aspects of the claimed subject matter. Moreover, this Summary is not intended for use as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     A floating nuclear power reactor is disclosed. In a first embodiment, the nuclear power reactor is mounted or positioned on a floating barge-like vessel with the barge-like vessel having an upper end positioned above the water level of a body of water and a lower end positioned beneath the water level of the body of water. Side walls extend between the lower and upper ends of the vessel. The nuclear power reactor is positioned on the barge-like vessel. The nuclear power reactor includes an upstanding containment structure having a lower end, an upstanding sidewall, and an upper end. The confinement structure defines a sealed interior compartment. The lower end and a lower portion of the side wall of the containment structure is positioned below the water level of the body of water. A reactor vessel is positioned in the interior compartment of the containment structure with the reactor vessel being positioned below the water level of the body of water. 
     In the first embodiment, a first water passageway, having inner and outer ends, extends through a side wall of the vessel and the side wall of the containment structure with the outer end of the first water passageway and is in fluid communication with the body of water. The inner end of the first water passageway is in fluid communication with the interior compartment of the containment structure. A spring-loaded first hatch is movably mounted on the exterior of the side wall of the vessel at the outer end of the first water passageway. The first hatch is movable between a closed position and an open position. The first hatch, when in its closed position, closes the outer end of the first water passageway. The first hatch, when in its open position, permits water from the body of water to flow inwardly through the first water passageway into the interior compartment of the containment structure to cool the reactor vessel. 
     A first latching means is associated with the first hatch with the first latching means being movable between a latched position and an unlatched position. The first latching means, when in its latched position, maintains the first hatch in its closed position. The first latching means, when in its unlatched position, permits the first hatch to move from its closed position to its open position. A first condition responsive actuator is associated with the first latching means to move the first latching means from its latched position to its unlatched position upon the condition, either temperature or pressure, in the containment structure reaching a predetermined level. 
     A second water passageway, having inner and outer ends, extends through one of the sides of the vessel into the interior of the reactor vessel. A second hatch is movably mounted on the side of the vessel at the outer end of the second water passageway. The second hatch is movable between a closed position and an open position. The second hatch closes the outer end of said second passageway when in its closed position. The second hatch, when in its open position, permits water from the body of water to flow inwardly into the interior of the reactor vessel to cool the reactor vessel. A second latching means is associated with the second hatch which is movable from a latched position to an unlatched position. The second latching means, when in its latched position, maintains the second hatch in its closed position. The second latching means, when in its unlatched position, permits the second hatch to move from its closed position to its open position. A condition, either temperature or pressure, responsive actuator is associated with the second latching means to move the second latching means from its latched position to its unlatched position upon the condition within the reactor vessel reaching a predetermined level. 
     Other ways of flooding the interior compartment of the containment structure and the reactor vessel are described and shown. 
     The drawings illustrate a pair of nuclear power reactors positioned on the vessel but the vessel could have a single nuclear power reactor mounted thereon. 
     It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide an improved floating nuclear power reactor. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a floating nuclear power reactor which is self-cooling upon the temperature or pressure reaching a predetermined level in the containment structure or reactor vessel of the nuclear power reactor. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a self-cooling nuclear power reactor. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a cooling mechanism for a floating nuclear power reactor which does not require electrical power to operate. 
     These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a floating vessel such as a barge which has a pair of spaced-apart nuclear power reactors positioned therein; 
         FIG. 2  is a sectional view of the floating vessel of  FIG. 1  and the pair of nuclear power reactors positioned therein; 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional view of one of the nuclear power reactors of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a partial sectional view of one of the hatch assemblies of  FIG. 3  with the hatch thereof being in a closed position; 
         FIG. 5  is a partial sectional view of the structure of  FIG. 4  wherein the hatch is in the open position; 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view of a second embodiment of the invention wherein the hatches thereof are in a different location than the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional view of a third embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIG. 8  is a sectional view of one type of actuator. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Embodiments are described more fully below with reference to the accompanying figures, which form a part hereof and show, by way of illustration, specific exemplary embodiments. These embodiments are disclosed in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. However, embodiments may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense in that the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims. 
     In a first embodiment of the invention shown in  FIGS. 1-5 , the numeral  10  refers to a floating vessel such as a barge. Vessel  10  could be a ship hull or other floating structure. Barge  10  includes a bottom  12 , upstanding sides  14  and  16 , and upstanding ends  18  and  20 . Barge  10  may be constructed of any suitable material such as steel, concrete, etc. Barge  10  is shown as floating in a body of water  22  such as a lake, ocean, etc. For reference purposes, the body of water  22  will be described as having a water level  24 . As seen, the upper end  26  of barge  10  is positioned above the water level  24  with a majority of the barge  10  being submerged in the body of water  22 . 
     In the first embodiment, a pair of nuclear power reactors  28  and  28 ′ are shown generally in the drawings. Although two reactors are shown in the drawings, a single reactor may be positioned in the barge  10 . Since the reactors  28  and  28 ′ are identical, only reactor  28  will be described in detail with an identical structure on reactor  28  being identified with “′”. Reactor  28  includes an upstanding containment structure  30  constructed of concrete and which includes a bottom  32 , an upstanding side wall  34 , and an upper end  36  which defines a sealed interior compartment  38 . A reactor vessel  40  is positioned in compartment  38  and includes an open bottom  42 , side wall  44  and upper end  46  which define a sealed interior compartment  48 . As seen, the bottom  42  of reactor vessel  40  is positioned on the upper end of bottom  32  of containment structure  30 . 
     In the first embodiment of  FIGS. 1-5 , the side wall  34  of containment structure  30  and side  16  of barge  10 , have a horizontally disposed water passageway  50  formed therein. The lower end of a spring-loaded hatch  52  is pivotally secured to the exterior of side  16  at  54  to close the outer end of water passageway  50 . Hatch  52  includes a spring (not shown) which urges hatch  52  to its open position. A pivotal latch  56  maintains hatch  52  in its closed position, as seen in  FIG. 4 . The numeral  57  refers to a condition actuator which includes a body portion  58  and a neck portion  60  extending therefrom. A piston  62  is slidably mounted in neck portion  60  which has a rod  64  extending therefrom. A plate  66  is secured to the outer end of rod  64 . The actuator  57  is positioned in side wall  34  so that the enlarged portion of body portion  58  is located in the interior compartment  38 , as seen in  FIG. 3 . The actuator  57  is responsive to temperature or pressure and is filled with an expanding gas, liquid, or a combination thereof. The actuator  57  could be triggered by an expanding solid rod. 
     Plate  66  engages latch  56  as seen in the drawings. In normal operating conditions, the piston  62 , rod  64  and plate  66  remain in the retracted position of  FIG. 4 . If the temperature or pressure within compartment  38  should reach a critical pre-set temperature or pressure level, the media within the actuator  57  will be heated or pressurized and will expand to extend the piston  62 , rod  64  and plate  66  outwardly thereby engaging latch  56  to move latch  56  to an unlatched position. The movement of the latch  56  to the unlatched position of  FIG. 5  causes the spring-loaded hatch  52  to move to its open position of  FIG. 5  thereby enabling water to pass inwardly through passageway  50  to flood the compartment  38  thereby cooling the reactor vessel  40  to prevent a meltdown. 
     An identical passageway  50 A may be formed in side wall  34  and side  14  of barge  10 , opposite to passageway  50 , which is closed by a hatch  52 A in an identical manner as just described above. An actuator  57 A is associated with latch  56 A as also just described. 
     Water may also be flooded into the lower end of compartment  38  by way of the passageway  50 B, actuator  57 B, latch  56 B and hatch  52 B as seen in  FIG. 3 . The interior of reactor vessel  40  may be flooded by way of the passageway  50 C, hatch  52 C, latch  56 C and actuator  57 C, as seen in  FIG. 3 . 
     In the second embodiment of  FIG. 6 , a water passageway  70  extends upwardly through bottom  12  of barge  10  and through bottom  32  of containment structure  30 . The inner end of passageway  70  communicates with a larger water passageway  72 , which communicates with the interior of reactor vessel  40 . A hatch  74 , which is identical to hatch  52 , is positioned in passageway  72  to normally close passageway  78 . A condition responsive actuator  76 , which is identical to actuator  57 , operates latch  70  which is identical to latch  56 . Should the temperature or pressure within reactor vessel  40  rise to a predetermined level, actuator  76  will release the latch  78  so that hatch  74  will open thereby flooding the interior of reactor vessel  46 . 
     In the second embodiment of  FIG. 6 , a water passageway  80  extends upwardly through bottom  12  of barge  10 , and through bottom  32  of containment structure  30 . The inner end of passageway  80  communicates with a larger water passageway  82  which communicates with the interior compartment  38 . A hatch  84 , which is identical to hatch  52 , is positioned in passageway  82  to normally close passageway  80 . A condition responsive actuator  86 , which is identical to actuator  57 , operates latch  88  which is identical to latch  56 . Should the temperature or pressure within interior compartment  38  rise to a predetermined level, actuator  86  will release the latch  88  so that hatch  84  will open thereby flooding interior compartment  38 . 
     A third and preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in  FIG. 7 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 7 , the nuclear reactor  90  and  90 ′ are submerged in the body of water and are positioned in barge portions or compartments  92  and  92 ′ respectively. In reactor  90 , a normally closed hatch  94  is positioned in the floor or bottom of the barge portion  92  to close the outer end of a water passageway  96  which is in communication with the body of water and the interior of the reactor  90 . An actuator  57  senses the temperature or pressure within the actuator  90 ′ as discussed hereinabove. Should the temperature or pressure reach a pre-set level within reactor  90 , hatch  94  will be opened, as discussed above, to flood the reactor. 
     In reactor  90 ′, a normally closed hatch  98  is positioned in the upper end of barge portion  92 ′ to close the outer end of a passageway  100  which is in communication with the body of water and the interior of the reactor  90 ′. An actuator  57  senses the temperature or pressure within the reactor  90 ′ as discussed above. Should the temperature or pressure reach a pre-set level within reactor  90 ′, hatch  98  will be opened, as discussed above, to flood the reactor  90 ′. Further, a normally closed hatch  102  is positioned in the end of barge portion  92 ′ to close the outer end of a passageway  104  which is in communication with the body of water and the interior of the reactor  90 ′. An actuator  57  senses the temperature or pressure within the reactor  90 ′ as discussed above. Should the temperature or pressure reach a pre-set level within reactor  90 ′, hatch  102  will be opened, as discussed above, to flood the reactor  90 ′. 
     Although the drawings illustrate that the nuclear reactor or reactors are mounted on a floating vessel such as a barge, the nuclear reactor or reactors could be positioned on the floor of a body of water. 
     Thus it can be seen that the invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives. 
     Although the invention has been described in language that is specific to certain structures and methodological steps, it is to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific structures and/or steps described. Rather, the specific aspects and steps are described as forms of implementing the claimed invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be practiced without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.