411results about "Heterogenous reactors" patented technology

An integral molten salt nuclear reactor includes a drain tank section configured to hold a volume of fuel salt. The integral molten salt nuclear reactor further includes a reactor section configured to receive the volume of fuel salt from the drain tank and cause fission reactions that heats the molten salt. The integral molten salt nuclear reactor further includes a heat exchange section configured to receive a flow of the heated fuel salt from the reactor section and remove heat therefrom.

A control method and system for controlling a nuclear power plant includes, in the absence of detection of an imbalance between a primary power signal (S1) and a secondary power signal (S2), the implementation of a setpoint-following mode. The nuclear power plant is controlled as a function of an operational power setpoint (COP), and in the event of detection of an imbalance, automatically implementing a power-limiting mode, including the calculation of a target equilibrium power (PEC) less than or equal to the primary power (P1) and less than or equal to the secondary power (P2), and controlling the nuclear power plant (2) as a function of the target equilibrium power (PEC).

A loading system for a molten salt reactor system includes a slug loading assembly. The slug loading assembly includes an inert chamber having an entry port therein that is configured to receive a solid slug. The loading system further includes a chute having a pipe run extending from the entry port and elevationally below the slug loading assembly. The loading system further includes a terminal sieve fluidically coupled with the pipe run opposite the entry port and configured to receive the solid slug via the pipe run. The terminal sieve is positionable with a flow of a liquid molten salt for dissolution of the solid slug therein.

A mixed-spectrum molten-salt reactor has a primary containment vessel. A reactor core is housed in the primary containment vessel, the reactor core has an atypical geometry that holds a fuel salt. A blanket region is formed within the primary containment vessel and surrounding the reactor core, the blanket region comprises a blanket salt.

A containment system for an integral molten salt reactor includes a sealed containment structure defining a containment volume. The containment structure includes a fission product adsorbing / absorbing material. The containment system further includes an integral molten salt reactor housed fully within the containment volume of the sealed containment structure. The integral molten salt reactor may permit circulation of a fuel salt therein being heated by fission reactions, and allow for the export of heat from said fuel salt.

A containment system for an integral molten salt reactor includes a sealed containment structure defining a containment volume. The containment structure includes a fission product adsorbing / absorbing material. The containment system further includes an integral molten salt reactor housed fully within the containment volume of the sealed containment structure. The integral molten salt reactor may permit circulation of a fuel salt therein being heated by fission reactions, and allow for the export of heat from said fuel salt.

The invention discloses a vehicle-mounted heat pipe reactor start-stop auxiliary device and a start-stop control method. The vehicle-mounted heat pipe reactor start-stop auxiliary device comprises a vehicle power system, a high-temperature and high-pressure gas container and a heat storage system, and can control three states of vehicle driving and starting the reactor, vehicle stopping and stopping the reactor, and vehicle driving and the heat pipe reactor cannot operate normally. Through the sequence of driver behavior-heat pipe reactor start-stop-vehicle start-stop, an intelligent start-stop auxiliary device and a start-stop control method combining the vehicle and the heat pipe reactor are formed; the vehicle-mounted heat pipe reactor provides power for the vehicle carried, and is combined with an internal combustion engine to provide double insurance for driving; the invention has the advantages of improving the mobile operation capability of the vehicle-mounted heat pipe reactor under potentially destructive transportation conditions or harsh operating environments, facilitating the rapid deployment of the reactor to disaster areas, remote areas, extremely cold areas, etc., so that the vehicle-mounted heat pipe reactor has higher safety, reliability and environmental protection, and achieves the purpose of energy saving and emission reduction.

Targetry coupled separation refers to enhancing the production of a predetermined radiation product through the selection of a target (including selection of the target material and the material's physical structure) and separation chemistry in order to optimize the recovery of the predetermined radiation product. This disclosure describes systems and methods for creating (through irradiation) and removing one or more desired radioisotopes from a target and further describes systems and methods that allow the same target to undergo multiple irradiations and separation operations without damage to the target. In contrast with the prior art that requires complete dissolution or destruction of a target before recovery of any irradiation products, the repeated reuse of the same physical target allowed by targetry coupled separation represents a significant increase in efficiency and decrease in cost over the prior art.

A method includes: during a first time period, pumping propellant: to a set of moderator coolant channels to cool the moderator; through a set of fuel elements to heat the propellant to a first outlet temperature; out of a thrust nozzle to produce a first thrust; and locating the reflector at a first closed position to reflect neutrons toward the set of fuel elements to maintain a fission rate of the set of fuel elements above a threshold fission rate. Additionally, during a second time period: locating the reflector at a second open position to reduce the fission rate of the set of fuel elements to below the threshold fission rate; and pumping the propellant through the fuel elements to heat the propellant to a second outlet temperature less than the first outlet temperature and out of the thrust nozzle to produce a second thrust less than the first thrust.

An integrated energy system including a power plant is discussed herein. In some examples, the integrated energy system may include a power plant configured to generate steam, a hydrothermal decomposition reactor configured to receive at least a portion of the steam (H2O) from the power plant to react with Methane (CH4) within the hydrothermal decomposition reactor to produce Hydrogen (H2) and Carbon Dioxide (CO2), a first separation unit configured to separate the Hydrogen (H2) and the Carbon Dioxide (CO2), a Solid Oxide Stack configured to receive at least a portion of the Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and to produce Carbon Monoxide (CO), a second separation unit configured to separate the Carbon Dioxide (CO2) from the Carbon Monoxide (CO), and a methanol synthesis reactor configured to receive at least a portion of the Hydrogen (H2) and at least a portion of the Carbon Monoxide (CO) to produce Methanol (CH3OH).

A containment system for an integral molten salt reactor includes a sealed containment structure defining a containment volume. The containment structure includes a fission product adsorbing / absorbing material. The containment system further includes an integral molten salt reactor housed fully within the containment volume of the sealed containment structure. The integral molten salt reactor may permit circulation of a fuel salt therein being heated by fission reactions, and allow for the export of heat from said fuel salt.

Targetry coupled separation refers to enhancing the production of a predetermined radiation product through the selection of a target (including selection of the target material and the material's physical structure) and separation chemistry in order to optimize the recovery of the predetermined radiation product. This disclosure describes systems and methods for creating (through irradiation) and removing one or more desired radioisotopes from a target and further describes systems and methods that allow the same target to undergo multiple irradiations and separation operations without damage to the target. In contrast with the prior art that requires complete dissolution or destruction of a target before recovery of any irradiation products, the repeated reuse of the same physical target allowed by targetry coupled separation represents a significant increase in efficiency and decrease in cost over the prior art.

The present invention relates to a reactor construction comprising an upper compartment above a reactor compartment, said reactor compartment being separated from the upper compartment by a radiation shield, wherein a molten salt reactor (MSR) is situated in the reactor compartment, the MSR comprising a reactor vessel with a reactor vessel lid assembly comprising a reactor vessel lid shield and a reactor vessel lid wherein a lifting element is situated in the reactor construction, the lifting element comprising: at least one bar being substantially vertical and axially adjustable along its longitudinal axis by a drive mechanism situated in the upper compartment, and wherein at least one through-hole for the at least one bar is provided in the radiation shield and wherein the reactor vessel lid shield has at least one receiving structure configured to engage with and lock to the at least one bar. The invention also relates to a method of performing a maintenance operation in the reactor compartment and a power barge comprising at least one reactor construction.

A system for servicing a nuclear reactor module comprises a crane operable to attach to the nuclear reactor module, wherein the crane includes provisions for routing signals from one or more sensors of the nuclear reactor module to one or more sensor receivers.

An extraction system includes an absorbent framework configured to withstand the harsh environment of a molten salt reactor system and capture fission products found in the molten salt of such systems. The extraction system further includes means for removing the absorbent framework from the flow of molten salt, such that the absorbent framework may be processed to harvest the fission products. The absorbent framework may include a temperature resistant cartridge configured to house an absorbent composition. The present invention contemplates multiple absorbent compositions including metal-organic frameworks with unique structures to provide thermal stability, carbon nanotubes, and absorbent microspheres. The metal-organic frameworks may be synthesized by a variety of techniques to impart particular characteristics advantageous for use in a molten salt reactor system.

Advances in creating carbon-free emissions continue with nuclear power. This invention aims to achieve an environment with less radioactive pollution from pebble bed reactors. This invention uses stainless steel, niobium, or ferroniobium which does not form dust like carbon pebbles. The pebble bed reactor coolant will pass over the coated pebbles and not pick up radioactive dust as in old pebble models. This new design is more complicated and costs more than current designs. However, the cleanup of a used pebble bed reactor will be far less, and the health of the workers will be greatly improved through use of this invention. This practical design will enable pebble bed reactors to become approved at a faster rate than old designs.

An integral molten salt nuclear reactor includes a drain tank section configured to hold a volume of fuel salt. The integral molten salt nuclear reactor further includes a reactor section configured to receive the volume of fuel salt from the drain tank and cause fission reactions that heats the molten salt. The integral molten salt nuclear reactor further includes a heat exchange section configured to receive a flow of the heated fuel salt from the reactor section and remove heat therefrom.

An integrated energy system including a power plant is discussed herein. In some examples, the integrated energy system may include at least one nuclear reactor and electrical power generation system configured to generate steam and electricity, a water treatment plant configured to produce Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) from salt water, a Sodium Formate (HCOONa) production plant configured to receive the Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) to produce Sodium Formate (HCOONa), a Thermal Decomposition reactor configured to receive the Sodium Formate (HCOONa) and configured to receive at least a first portion of the steam or at least a second portion of the electricity from the power plant to indirectly heat the Thermal Decomposition reactor to produce Hydrogen (H2), Carbon Dioxide (CO2), and Carbon Monoxide (CO) from the Sodium Formate (HCOONa), and a Methanol (CH3OH) reaction chamber configured to receive the Hydrogen (H2), the Carbon Dioxide (CO2), and the Carbon Monoxide (CO) to produce Methanol (CH3OH).

An end fitting for a pressure tube in a nuclear reactor system includes an inboard end configured to surround and be joined to the end of the pressure tube in a fluid tight manner by a rolled joint. The rolled joint includes a grooved region having at least one annular groove. The end fitting also incudes a wettable inner surface that extends axially outboard from an outboard-most annular groove of the grooved region. The end fitting also incudes a corrosion barrier applied to form a coated portion of the wettable inner surface. The coated portion extends from a first position that is at or outboard of a coating reference position at the outside edge of the outboard-most annular groove, to a second position. An axial extent of the coated portion, measured axially from the coating reference position to the second position, is at least about 20 mm.

Targetry coupled separation refers to enhancing the production of a predetermined radiation product through the selection of a target (including selection of the target material and the material's physical structure) and separation chemistry in order to optimize the recovery of the predetermined radiation product. This disclosure describes systems and methods for creating (through irradiation) and removing one or more desired radioisotopes from a target and further describes systems and methods that allow the same target to undergo multiple irradiations and separation operations without damage to the target. In contrast with the prior art that requires complete dissolution or destruction of a target before recovery of any irradiation products, the repeated reuse of the same physical target allowed by targetry coupled separation represents a significant increase in efficiency and decrease in cost over the prior art.

A nuclear engine system includes: a pump configured to pump a propellant; a fuel element including a set of nuclear fuel particles; a moderator configured to surround the fuel element and defining a set of moderator coolant channels configured to cool the moderator; a reflector including a neutron-reflecting material and a reflector coolant channel arranged within the reflector to cool the reflector, the reflector configured to at a first time, operate in a closed configuration to reflect neutrons to the fuel element to increase an energy flux, and at a second time, operate in an open configured to leak neutrons out of the engine system to decrease the energy flux; and a thrust nozzle configured to outlet propellant from the fuel element to produce thrust including a nozzle coolant channel arranged within a wall of the thrust nozzle configured to cool the nozzle.

The invention relates to a device and a method for controlling a pressure stabilizer spray. The device comprises: a valve regulating control loop and a valve opening-closing control loop, wherein the valve regulating control loop comprises a main control module and a signal conditioning module, the valve opening-closing control loop comprises a priority control module and a switch control module. The switch control module (21) and the priority control module (24) are respectively used for executing switch control and priority control: the signal conditioning module (13) is used for converting a position detection signal of a valve and then transmitting same to the main control module (12), and the main control module (12) is used for performing closed-loop adjustment control according to the position detection signal and a closed-loop adjustment instruction signal, By means of providing the valve switch control loop (20) and the valve adjustment control loop (10), full-opening control, full-closing control and closed-loop adjustment control can be performed on a electromagnetic drive valve, and stable control over the valve under various working conditions can be ensured, thereby ensuring the safe and stable operation of a nuclear power station.

The present invention relates to a nuclear power plant with improved steam explosion mitigation performance, the nuclear power plant comprising: an integrated reactor including a hemispherical first portion inside which a core and a steam generator are positioned and a cylindrical second portion positioned above the first portion; a containment vessel for accommodating the integrated reactor, having a cooling space surrounding the integrated reactor, and including a first containment portion facing the first portion and a second containment portion facing the second portion; and a lower structure which is located in the cooling space and is located under the integrated reactor, wherein the lower structure comprises a first plate and a second plate disposed below the first plate, and the first plate and the second plate are arranged in a horizontal direction and face each other.

Molten salt nuclear fission reactor comprising a core through which a fuel salt flows, means (30, 31) for circulating the fuel salt, a primary heat exchanger through which a heat-transfer salt flows, a primary enclosure which is impermeable to liquid salts and contains the reactor core, and a shelter. The reactor comprises a parallelepiped matrix (10) comprising alternating layers (11) of fuel salt channels, and layers (12) of heat-transfer salt channels. The matrix forms both the reactor core, in which the fission occurs, and the primary heat exchanger of the reactor. The means for circulating the fuel salt are entirely located within the primary enclosure and are configured to extract the fuel salt from one portion of the fuel salt channels on one side of the matrix and to propel the fuel salt into the other portion of the channels on the same side of the matrix.

The present disclosure relates to a method for monitoring failure of coated particles in fuel elements in a core of a pebble-bed high-temperature gas-cooled reactor, which is related to the technical field of nuclear reactor engineering and includes the following steps: S11, calculating an inventory of a short-lived noble gas fission nuclide; S12, obtaining a ratio of a release rate to a birth rate of the short-lived noble gas fission nuclide based on a temperature of the fuel elements using a Booth diffusion and release model; S13, deriving a theoretical expression for an activity concentration of the short-lived noble gas fission nuclide in a primary circuit using a migration model of the nuclide in the primary circuit; S14, obtaining an experimental measurement value of the activity concentration of the short-lived noble gas fission nuclide in the primary circuit at a sampling moment by gas sampling; S15, optimally calculating a failure fraction of the coated particles in the fuel elements and a share of uranium contamination in the matrix graphite in the core based on the theoretical expression and the experimental measurement value. The present disclosure can provide key parameters for the performance and status of the fuel elements in the core, which are required for radiation safety studies, source term calculations and accident analysis of the pebble-bed high-temperature gas-cooled reactor.

The present invention relates to a nuclear power plant considering defense-in-depth levels, comprising: a plurality of reactors; common facilities that are jointly used by the plurality of reactors; and a measurement control system including a plurality of measurement control platforms corresponding to various operating conditions, wherein the measurement control system separately measures and controls the respective reactors and the common facilities.

An end fitting for a pressure tube in a nuclear reactor system includes an inboard end configured to surround and be joined to the end of the pressure tube in a fluid tight manner by a rolled joint. The rolled joint includes a grooved region having at least one annular groove. The end fitting also incudes a wettable inner surface that extends axially outboard from an outboard-most annular groove of the grooved region. The end fitting also incudes a corrosion barrier applied to form a coated portion of the wettable inner surface. The coated portion extends from a first position that is at or outboard of a coating reference position at the outside edge of the outboard-most annular groove, to a second position. An axial extent of the coated portion, measured axially from the coating reference position to the second position, is at least about 20 mm.

A nuclear reactor is designed to couple the load path of the control elements with the reactor core, thus reducing the opportunity for differential movement between the control elements and the reactor core. A cartridge core barrel can be fabricated in a manufacturing facility to include the reactor core, control element supports, and control element drive system. The cartridge core barrel can be mounted to a reactor vessel head. Thus, any movement, such as through seismic forces, transmits an equal direction and magnitude to the control elements and the reactor core. This arrangement reduces the opportunity for differential movement between the control elements and the reactor core.

The application discloses a kind of efficient supercritical carbon dioxide high temperature gas cooled reactor systems and its operating method, the system includes pre-cooler, main compressor, re-compressor, high temperature turbine, low temperature regenerator, high temperature regenerator, high temperature helium-supercritical carbon dioxide heat exchanger, low temperature helium-supercritical carbon dioxide heat exchanger and reactor.The application proposes the power generation system of two-stage split supercritical carbon dioxide cycle comprising high-temperature split re-compression cycle loop and low-temperature re-split reheat expansion cycle loop, by arranging high-temperature helium-supercritical carbon dioxide heat exchanger and low-temperature helium-supercritical carbon dioxide heat exchanger in power generation system, ensure the good matching of helium loop heat release temperature window and supercritical carbon dioxide power cycle loop heat absorption temperature window, realize the efficient cascade utilization of high-temperature gas cooled reactor helium loop large-span temperature interval heat.

To provide materials of control rods for use in nuclear reactors.SOLUTION: A high-temperature control rod (22) for a nuclear fuel assembly includes: a neutron-absorbing material (24) with a melting point of greater than 1500°C that does not form a eutectic with a melting point of less than 1500°C, and may further include a cladding material having a melting point of greater than 1500°C. The cladding material is selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, zirconium, a zirconium alloy, tungsten, and molybdenum. The absorbing material (24) is selected from the group consisting of Gd2O3, Ir, B4C, Re, and Hf. The metal cladding or the absorbing material (24) may be coated with an anti-oxidation coating (26) of Cr with or without a Nb intermediate layer (28).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3