Sodium cooled reactor - with gaseous secondary coolant and heat transfer to molten metal immersed steam coils

摘要

Steam raising plant incorporating a reactor with a sodium loop as primary coolant circulating through a finned tube heat exchanger as a pressure within the range 1 to 7 atm. An inert gas, N2 or he is circulated as secondary coolant at a pressure within the range 25 to 50 atm and leaves the exchanger as a temperature of 850 degrees C. Heat transfer to the 1st and 2nd stage steam coils is effected by passing the hot outlet gas from the exchanger through the two compartments of a chamber partially filled with molten lead. The steam coils are immersed in the lead to maximise heat transfer. Pressure drop in the secondary circuit is also low.