Reactor installation

A reactor installation has a pressurized-water reactor pressure vessel with its bottom fixed against downward movement and an upper portion which connects via a horizontal straight coolant-loop pipe, with the lower portion of a vertical steam generator horizontally offset from the pressure vessel and positioned at a higher level than the latter. The bottom of the steam generator is supported by a cam follower which rides on a fixedly positioned cam surface which inclines upwardly away from the pressure vessel. With varying temperatures the pressure vessel expands and contracts vertically so that its upper portion moves up and down, but the pressure vessel also radially expands and contracts and the coolant pipe does likewise in its longitudinal or axial direction, the resulting horizontal motions being transmitted via the end of the coolant pipe connected with the steam generator to the latter, the cam angularity being such that the steam generator is displaced horizontally and vertically in such a manner that the coolant pipe remains substantially horizontal and free from compressive stress other than that required to move the steam generator via the cam follower fixed to its bottom, through up and down motion on the inclined cam surface