kärnkärl
Kärnkärl, or nuclear vessel, is a high-strength pressure vessel used in nuclear reactors to contain the reactor core and the primary coolant loop. In Swedish technical usage, the term often refers to the reactor pressure vessel (RPV), the thick-walled containment that houses the fuel assemblies and where the nuclear fission process takes place. The vessel is a central component of the primary circuit and serves as a primary barrier to radiological release, operating under elevated pressure and temperature within a larger containment system.
Function and role: The kärnkärl provides the structural enclosure for the fuel and the pathway for coolant
Design and construction: Kärnkärl components are typically forged from robust steel alloys and shaped as a
Safety and regulation: Reactor vessels are governed by strict design codes and safety standards set by national
See also: Reactor pressure vessel, Nuclear reactor, Containment (nuclear engineering).