Bubblehead Nuke is right on.
I guess it is possible a torpedo could crack or possible break the Reactor Vessel, but most unlikely. The vessel itself is a huge chunk of metal and it is further contained in the shield water tank.
It is without a doubt the single strongest component on the boat. The designed safety factors in US Reactors are actually way overkill. Scorpion and Thresher's vessels are still intact. I don't even know how long before they would leak fuel.
US Reactor Compartments are sealed and locked at all times, except in an emergency. In the old days we used to discharge resin beds before entering the ship yard, but not anymore. That is the only time I ever entered the Factor Compartment at sea. Of course the plant was shut down.
The control rods, as BH explained fail safe, and the plant was designed with stuck rod(s) planned in. I never encountered a stuck rod. Supposedly we could operate with (some) number of rods stuck out.
Ron Banks MMCM(SS), USN(Ret)
a really old nuke, 1962-1981. All Subs
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