US Patent 7526057 Decay heat removal system for liquid metal reactor

A decay heat removal system for a liquid metal reactor in which a decay heat exchanger (DHX) is installed concentrically with an intermediate heat exchanger (IHX) in the same cylinder which separates the DHX and IHX from the reactor pool fluid, and serves to remove the reactor core decay heat. The cylinder surrounds the IHX and DHX, and has an open top portion protruding out of the level of the fluid in a hot pool, a bottom portion connected to a cold pool and a guide pipe for allowing the passage of the fluid from the hot pool into the IHX. The decay heat removal system can remove decay heat immediately after occurrence of an accident, thereby improving the safety of a nuclear plant.