Li Shan Hsu

US Patent:

52157083, Jun 1, 1993

Filed:

Jun 19, 1992

Appl. No.:

7/901308

Inventors:

Larry E. Fennern - San Jose CA
Harold A. Careway - San Jose CA
Li C. Hsu - Saratoga CA

Assignee:

General Electric Company - San Jose CA

International Classification:

G21C 1518

US Classification:

376293

Abstract:

A reactor building assembly includes a pressure vessel within a containment vessel surrounded in turn by first and second enclosures defining respective first and second chambers. A method of operation includes channeling fresh air downwardly by gravity through the second chamber and then channeling the fresh air laterally through the first enclosure adjacent to the bottom thereof and into the first chamber. The air is then channeled upwardly by natural buoyancy through the first chamber for cooling the first chamber and mixing with stale air therein. The stale air is then discharged from the first chamber upwardly through the top of the first enclosure to the environs. A building inlet is disposed at the second enclosure top for receiving the fresh air, a building outlet is disposed at the top of the first enclosure for discharging the stale air, and a transfer duct is disposed through the first enclosure adjacent to the bottom thereof for selectively joining in flow communication the first and second chambers for allowing natural convection circulation of the fresh air downwardly through the second chamber, laterally through the transfer duct, and upwardly through the first chamber.