6results about "Energy production using thermoelectric elements" patented technology

A system and method for a Scalable Liquid Metal cooled small Modular (SLIMM) reactor wherein the reactor vessel in the upper plenum is conductively coupled to the evaporator sections of the liquid metal heat pipes laid on the outside of the vessel wall.

A nuclear reactor includes a reactor vessel containing an alkali metal thermoelectric converter. The bottom part of the vessel contains liquid alkali metal. A reactor core is arranged in the vessel and includes fuel rods. The surface of each fuel rod is provided with a first liquid absorption core. The bottom part of the reactor core is provided with second liquid absorption cores which are connected to the first liquid absorption cores. The cores are together configured to use capillary action to pump liquid alkali metal to an upper portion of an outer surface of the fuel rods, where the liquid alkali metal is vaporized into alkali metal vapor. The converter divides the inside of the reactor vessel into a high-pressure vapor chamber and a low-pressure vapor chamber. The converter is configured to receive alkali metal vapor from the high-pressure vapor chamber for use in electric power generation.

The invention discloses a microminiature static liquid fuel reactor and a noiseless thermoelectric conversion method thereof, and belongs to the technical field of nuclear engineering. The reactor core comprises a reactor core body filled with liquid fission fuel; the natural negative feedback system comprises a first negative feedback unit formed by the thermal expansion effect of the liquid fission fuel and a second negative feedback unit formed by a plurality of gas expansion modules; the thermoelectric conversion system comprises a heat pipe in direct contact with the liquid fission fuel and a thermoelectric conversion assembly integrated on the heat pipe; the sensing and control system comprises a plurality of temperature sensors and neutron detectors, a control rod, a driving mechanism and a control system; wherein the control system judges whether the adjustment of the natural negative feedback system is sufficient or not based on the monitoring data of the temperature sensor and the neutron detector, and regulates and controls the position of the control rod when the adjustment is judged to be insufficient so as to maintain the stable power of the reactor core, and the high-reliability operation of the reactor in the whole life period can be ensured.

Embodiments of the present application relate to the field of nuclear reactors, and in particular to a thermionic reactor. The thermionic reactor provided by embodiments of the present application comprises: a thermionic reactor body configured to convert heat generated by the thermionic reactor body into electrical energy; an electromagnetic pump configured to drive circulation of a coolant of the thermionic reactor body; and a start-up power supply configured to drive the electromagnetic pump to drive circulation of the coolant before the thermionic reactor body is operated. Since the start-up power supply is configured to drive the electromagnetic pump before the thermionic reactor body is operated, self-power supply of the electromagnetic pump during the reactor start-up process can be achieved, which does not rely on an external power supply and drives the coolant to flow to take away excess heat of the thermionic reactor body; after the reactor start-up is completed and a normal operation stage is entered, the start-up power supply can continue to supply power to the electromagnetic pump and other system devices.

The application discloses a modular nuclear reactor power supply device, which comprises one or more power output subsystem cabin sections; the power output subsystem cabin section comprises a cabin shell, a final heat sink, a power adapter device, and a reactor, a helium-xenon thermoelectric conversion loop and a shadow shielding structure arranged in the cabin shell; a coolant channel is formed in the reactor, the coolant channel is filled with a helium-xenon mixed gas, the helium-xenon mixed gas is circulated in the helium-xenon thermoelectric conversion loop to export the heat of the reactor core and generate electric energy; the power adapter device converts the electric energy output by the helium-xenon thermoelectric conversion loop into a desired voltage value matched with a load end and then exports the electric energy to the load end; the power adapter device is connected with multiple power output subsystem cabin sections to realize power output in a parallel mode. Compared with the existing problems of insufficient chemical energy, solar energy and decay energy, the application can generate heat energy through a continuous chain fission reaction and realize continuous supply of electric energy through a thermoelectric conversion loop, and the energy density is high.

A portable nuclear power system includes a nuclear reactor. The nuclear reactor includes a core comprising a vessel housing a nuclear fuel that produces radiation, a sleeve of a high temperature moderator material disposed circumferentially about the core, and a neutron screen disposed circumferentially about the sleeve. The portable nuclear power system generates electricity using heat received from the nuclear reactor and has one or more cooling units in thermal communication with the electricity generating unit.