Inventors:
Theo van de Venne - Murrysville PA
Timothy K. Meneely - Penn Hills PA
Levi I. Ezekoye - Pittsburgh PA
Thomas J. Laubham - Irwin PA
Assignee:
Westinghouse Electric Corporation - Pittsburgh PA
International Classification:
G21C 1518
Abstract:
A primary coolant system of a nuclear power plant for providing coolant to a reactor vessel, the primary coolant system comprises a primary loop for transferring heat away from the reactor vessel. An accumulator tank for containing water under a pressurized, gaseous atmosphere is attached to the primary loop via a coupling, which provides an outlet for the coolant from the accumulator tank to pass to the primary loop. A valve, which includes a pressure sensor that senses the pressure in the accumulator tank and opens or closes the coolant flow in the coupling in response to the sensed pressure, is attached to the coupling for sensing the pressure in the accumulator tank. The valve senses the pressure in the accumulator, causes the coolant to pass substantially through the coupling at a substantially high flow rate when the pressure in the accumulator tank is relatively high and causes the coolant to pass from the accumulator tank to the circulation loop substantially through the coupling at a substantially low rate when the pressure in the accumulator tank is relatively low which, in turn, provides long term cooling of the reactor vessel.