Reactor Containment Dome

[ArunavaSinha]

Why the nuclear reactor containment dome is generally hemispherical in shape? Why not flat or circular?

 

[IRstuff]

Which one is stronger?

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[davefitz]

In the case where the wall thickness is used to resist internal pressure, the wall thickness is minimized if a hemispherical shape is used. Of course, the true optimization of any large plant is to minimize cost ( while maintaining reliability and safety objectives), and it likely follows that the minimum wall thickness yields the lowest cost.

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[hydrae]

Pressurized Water Reactors PWR containment is a pressure vessel based upon a design basis accident DBA
That DBA is a primary or secondary coolant weld breaks which vents the coolant which converts to steam in a very short time. The containment is designed to hold that steam and water mixture. Then cool the entire system to a safe state.
The shape is the same shape as a gas bottle for the same reasons.
The demonstration reactors (<100 mWe) actually had sphere shaped containment structures for the same reason.

Hydrae