81results about "Integral reactors" patented technology

A nuclear power plant comprising at least one nuclear reactor having a steam generator, a steam cycle including the steam generator, a first turbine fluidly coupled to the steam generator, a first condenser fluidly coupled to the first turbine, and a feedwater heater fluidly coupled to the first condenser and the steam generator, an intermediate thermal loop including the first condenser, and an evaporator, and an organic cycle including the evaporator, a second turbine fluidly coupled to the evaporator, a second condenser fluidly coupled to the second turbine, and a heat exchanger fluidly coupled to the second condenser and the evaporator.

Cogeneration installation with a nuclear reactor site and an industrial site with a chemical production unit, the industrial and nuclear sites being separated and connected by a closed-loop thermal energy storage system. The invention essentially consists of physically relocating and functionally separating a nuclear site from an industrial site comprising at least one chemical production unit that utilizes the heat produced by a reactor block at the nuclear site. This physical relocation is achieved by a thermal storage loop with hot and cold tanks located both at the nuclear site and at the industrial site. Figure for the abstract: Fig. 1

A buoyancy driven fluid system coupled to a reactor system configured to achieve free convection operable to cool the reactor system is disclosed. The buoyancy driven fluid system of the present disclosure generates natural circulation by designing the reactor system to have a large vertical offset between the heat exchanger and the reactor core thereby generating a large buoyancy force between a thermal center of the reactor core and a thermal center of the heat exchanger. By ensuring that the sum pressure drop of the components connected to the primary fluid loop is no greater than the buoyancy force of the system, the fluid may circulate throughout the reactor system without the aid of pumps or other forced flow mechanism. The reactor system may be designed within certain size constraints to maintain a compact form while still providing free convection.

Heat pipe fuel element includes an evaporation section, a condensing section, a capillary section connecting the evaporation section to the condensing section, and a primary coolant. In a cross-section in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the evaporation section, the heat pipe fuel element includes a cladding layer enclosing an interior area including a fuel body formed of a fissionable fuel composition and that has an outer surface oriented toward the cladding layer and an inner surface defining a periphery of a vaporization space of the evaporation section. The fuel body has a structure with a shape corresponding to a mathematically-based periodic solid, such as a triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS), and the evaporation sections of a plurality of heat pipe fuel elements are arranged in a phyllotaxis pattern (as seen in a cross-section in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the active core region).

Disclosed is an energy-independent smart port system using SMR-based surplus power. When an SMR-powered vessel docks at a port while the reactor is in operation, the energy-independent smart port system uses relevant technology and equipment to supply surplus power from the SMR-powered vessel to the port in consideration of safety regulations and the characteristic that restarting the reactor of the SMR-powered vessel requires significant time and cost, stably increase the energy independence of a smart port, and can reduce marine air pollutant emissions.

In some embodiments, a power generation system may include a first nuclear reactor, which may include a vessel having a wall defining a cavity. The nuclear reactor may include a core disposed within said cavity. Said core may include a solid matrix material defining one or more channels. A fuel material may be disposed in said one or more channels. Said solid matrix material may be a primary heat transfer medium. The power generation system may include an electric generating system having a secondary heat transfer medium. The power generation system may include one or more heat exchangers thermally coupled to said vessel wall. Said primary heat transfer medium may transfer heat generated by the fuel material to the one or more heat exchangers. Said secondary heat transfer medium may draw heat from said one or more heat exchangers.

An integrated system for indirect cycle steam heating comprising a nuclear power module configured to output first steam; a turbine generator configured to receive the first steam and output second steam; a heat exchanger configured to receive water, receive at least one of first steam, second steam, and transfer heat from the at least one of first steam and second steam into the water to create third steam a peaking heater configured to receive the third steam, transfer augmenting heat into the third steam, and heat, based at least in part on the transfer, the third steam to have a temperature above a threshold temperature an auxiliary heater configured to receive the third steam; and a chemical processing plant configured to receive the third steam and transfer heat from the third steam into a chemical.

An integrated energy system comprising a power plant configured to generate steam. The power plant may comprise a nuclear reactor and / or an electricity generation system. A chemical product generation system may comprise a first reaction chamber that receives sodium formate (HCOONa), which decomposes into sodium oxalate ((COO)2Na2) and hydrogen (H2), via the insertion of a first portion of steam at a first temperature, wherein the steam may comprise a first reaction chamber containing superheated steam. A chemical product generation system may comprise a second reaction chamber that receives sodium oxalate ((COO)2Na2), which decomposes into sodium oxide (Na2O), carbon monoxide (CO), and carbon dioxide (CO2), via the insertion of a second portion of steam at a second temperature. A syngas generation system may be operably connected to the chemical product generation system and configured to generate a combination of hydrogen (H2), carbon monoxide (CO), and / or carbon dioxide (CO2), and / or syngas.

A method and system for an in-vessel natural circulation alkali metal reactor system, a cleanup system, and associated methods are disclosed. The reactor vessel system includes an inner vessel defining an interior volume sized to at least partially surround a nuclear reactor. The reactor includes a plurality of nuclear fuel elements at least partially surrounded by cladding, and the reactor is cooled by a liquid metal coolant in a primary coolant loop. A pool of immersion fluid occupies a volume inside the inner vessel. The reactor vessel system includes an outer vessel sized to completely or substantially surround the inner vessel. The nuclear reactor power system includes a reactor core including an active fuel region and a rotatable drum including at least one of a neutron absorbing material, a neutron leakage enhancing material, or a neutron reflecting material, the rotatable drum being positioned outside the active fuel region of the reactor core.

Disclosed herein is an adjustable core assembly for a nuclear reactor. The adjustable core can include a plurality of reactivity control cells configured to accommodate reactivity control rods and a plurality of unit cells. The plurality of unit cells define a radial dimension corresponding to an initial output power of the core. Each unit cell of the plurality of unit cells is configured to accommodate a fuel configured to generate energy and a heat pipe configured to transfer thermal energy away from the core. Each unit cell of the plurality of unit cells can be radially coupled to an adjacent unit cell to change its radial dimension, the changed radial dimension corresponding to an adjusted output power of the core, the adjusted output power of the core being different from the initial output power of the core.

An integrated PWR nuclear reactor that requires no refueling and is cooled by natural convection. It is housed within a reactor containment unit which is transportable to a placement site and placed within an underground building that allows heat transfer from the reactor to the surrounding soil. Tire reactor containment unit encloses an integrated PWR nuclear reactor, a pressure and chemical control system, a safety system and a turbo generator. After its operational life, the reactor's water and air are replaced with inert gases, circulating by natural convection to remove decay heat to the surrounding soil. This enables the integrated PWR reactor, initially designed to generate electricity, to act as a dry storage facility for uranium fuel elements after the end of its operational life.

The invention essentially relates to a method for producing a heat exchanger module having at least two fluid circuits intended to provide the module with an overall curved shape with at least one longitudinal and / or transverse radius of curvature relative to the flow of the fluids.

The invention relates to an advanced nuclear fuel channel design for fast-spectrum reactors, featuring an annular O-ring configuration that supports natural circulation of molten fuel. The channel's variable cross-section is optimized to enhance fission in the core zone and neutron capture in the breeding zone. Radial distribution ensures a compact arrangement in the core and wider spacing in the breeding zone for improved neutron management and criticality control. The design integrates optional collectors for circulation support and is compatible with liquid metal or high-temperature gas coolants. This system offers a high-efficiency solution for reactors requiring extended operation and in-situ breeding capabilities.

The invention relates to a fast-neutron nuclear reactor (1), which comprises: - a reactor vessel (10) filled with a heat-transfer fluid, - a reactor core (11) consisting of fuel assemblies (13), - a reactivity control system (2), at the periphery of the core, in a cold plenum zone or in the hot plenum, between the reactor vessel and the separation step between the hot and cold plenums, such that the cold heat-transfer fluid passes through the assemblies or monolithic reactivity control rods.

A fast neutron nuclear reactor, in particular liquid-metal cooled, with a reactivity control system arranged on the periphery of the nuclear core. The invention relates to a fast neutron nuclear reactor (1) comprising: - a reactor vessel (10) filled with a coolant, - a reactor core (11) consisting of fuel assemblies (13), - a reactivity control system (2), on the periphery of the core, in a cold manifold zone, between the reactor vessel and the separation step between the hot and cold manifolds, such that the reactivity control assemblies or monoblock rods are traversed by the cold coolant. Figure for the abstract: Fig. 2

The invention provides a heat pipe micro-reactor core and an arrangement method thereof, the reactor core comprises a plurality of regular hexagonal fuel assemblies, the fuel assemblies comprise at least three types, the fuel assemblies comprise a first type of fuel assemblies with center hole positions inserted with heat pipes, a second type of fuel assemblies with center hole positions inserted with fuel rods, and a third type of fuel assemblies, according to the arrangement rule, three second-class fuel assemblies are arranged at the six fuel assembly arrangement positions adjacent to the first-class fuel assemblies at intervals of 120 degrees, and third-class fuel assemblies are arranged at the other three positions; the fuel rods and the heat pipes are arranged according to the following rule in the hole site level: six adjacent hole sites are adjacently connected around each hole site at an interval of 60 degrees; for the hole sites in which the fuel rods are inserted, heat pipes are inserted in three of the six adjacent hole sites at an interval of 120 degrees, and the fuel rods are inserted in the other three hole sites; and fuel rods are inserted into six adjacent hole sites of the hole sites where the heat pipes are inserted. It is guaranteed that each fuel rod is provided with at least three heat pipes adjacent to the fuel rod.

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.

To provide a system that enables a heat exchanger contained in a nuclear reactor vessel to be compact.SOLUTION: The system comprises: a nuclear reactor on a nuclear reactor site; a nuclear reactor site boundary defined by one or more barriers inhibiting access to the nuclear reactor site; a thermal energy storage system located outside the nuclear reactor site boundary; and a power generator situated outside the nuclear reactor site boundary. The nuclear reactor comprises a nuclear reactor vessel, a primary coolant loop, and a primary heat exchanger. The primary heat exchanger is a sodium to salt heat exchanger disposed in the nuclear reactor vessel.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Example systems include modular reactor pods that can be separately shipped, delivered, and assembled at a commercial electricity generating site. Systems may include central pods that can be loaded with and house a nuclear fuel core carrying a coolant from a primary coolant flow path through the core. One or more pump pods and / or heat exchanger pods can be attached to the reactor pod post-fabrication and even post-delivery at the site. The pump and heat exchanger pods carry the continuous coolant flow path and recirculate the same into the central pod. The pods can be connected in any manner to secure the flow path in a continuous and impermeable fashion, such as by welding or hermetically sealing the pods at each point where the flow path passes between the pods.

To provide a thermal energy storage system connected to both a nuclear reactor and a generator.SOLUTION: The integrated energy system includes a nuclear heat plant located at a nuclear reactor site. Nuclear heat plants produce thermal energy that is transported to a thermal energy storage system located outside of the reactor site. The thermal storage system is thermally coupled to a power generation system that is also remote to the reactor site. This arrangement isolates and decouples the nuclear heat plant from the power generation system. Nuclear heat plants may provide thermal energy at 800 °C. or higher to be stored in a thermal energy storage system until needed, such as for industrial heat, power generation systems, or other applications. The thermal storage system is tolerant as to source, and one or more additional thermal energy generators, such as additional nuclear reactors, solar thermal plants, or other thermal energy generators, may be coupled to the common thermal storage system and power generation system.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 12B

The application provides an underwater nuclear power data center system and relates to the technical field of data centers.The system comprises a nuclear energy conversion unit, an electric energy conversion unit, a data center unit and a heat exchange assembly, wherein the nuclear energy conversion unit is used for nuclear reaction; the electric energy conversion unit is connected with the nuclear energy conversion unit, so that the reaction energy of the nuclear energy conversion unit is transmitted to the electric energy conversion unit through a working medium to generate electricity; the data center unit is connected with the electric energy conversion unit and is powered by the electric energy conversion unit, and the data center unit is used for data operation and storage. The nuclear energy conversion unit, the electric energy conversion unit, the data center unit and the heat exchange assembly are integrally designed, so that the heat generated by the operation of the data center unit and the waste heat released by the electric energy conversion unit are uniformly incorporated into the heat load managed by the cooling loop, and are efficiently cooled by the external seawater as an infinite heat sink.

A system and methods for integrating a small modular nuclear reactor into a steam cracking process are provided. An exemplary system provides a steam cracking system that includes a small modular reactor (SMR) to provide a heat exchange stream and a steam heat exchanger to use the heat exchange stream to generate a steam stream from a water stream, wherein the steam stream is provided to a steam-cracking furnace. A feed heat exchanger uses the heat exchange stream to generate a hot feed stream, wherein the hot feed stream is provided to the steam -cracking furnace. The steam -cracking furnace to generate a product stream including an olefin.

The present invention relates to a nuclear reactor loop capable of containing molten salt containing nuclear fuel in channels arranged substantially vertically and providing up and down flow paths. The loop can be used to build a modular reactor from removable individual molten salt nuclear loops, a portion of which ("channels") have been placed in a critical configuration in which the channels contain non-critical amounts of nuclear material, but together produce a critical region of a reactor core. The present invention further relates to a method of operating a modular nuclear reactor loop and nuclear reactor.

An oxide diluted gadolinium oxide combustible absorber related technique for controlling excess reactivity of an innovative small modular reactor (i-SMR) is disclosed. The oxide-diluted gadolinium oxide combustible absorber includes: a cylindrical combustible pellet formed by mixing and sintering oxides such as gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3) and Al2O3; a cylindrical oxide pellet installed above the combustible pellet and formed of an oxide such as Al2O3; and a cladding layer in which a plurality of combustible pellets and oxide pellets are vertically stacked and mounted with respect to the cylindrical central axis. The inner diameter of the cladding layer is larger than the outer diameter of the combustible pellet and the oxide pellet, so that a gap is formed between the combustible pellet or the oxide pellet and the cladding layer. The excess reactivity of an innovative small modular reactor (i-SMR) can be effectively controlled by using a nuclear fuel assembly in which a high-strength dispersed gadolinium oxide-oxide combustible absorber (HIGA) having a high gadolinium oxide content and an integrated gadolinium oxide combustible absorber (IGD) having a low gadolinium oxide content are integrated.

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.

A micro integral nuclear reactor and nuclear power system including the micro integral nuclear reactor. The micro integral nuclear reactor can include a reactor core, a steam generator, primary coolant circuit, and a reactor pressure vessel. The reactor pressure vessel can houses the reactor core, the steam generator, and the primary coolant circuit. The fuel of the reactor core can be enriched to a concentration of 5 percent or greater and less than 20 percent U-235 by weight of uranium within the reactor core. When operating, the micro integral nuclear reactor can produce a thermal power output from 6 megawatts-thermal (MWt) to 60 MWt. The nuclear power system can in lude a turbine-generator assembly fluidly coupled to the steam generator and, when operating, the nuclear power system produces an electrical power output from 2 megawatts-electric (MWe) to 20 MWe.

A nuclear reactor having a nuclear core (6), disposed on a support (6a) in the bottom of a cylindrical vessel (9) oriented about a vertical axis, filled with a heat transfer fluid, in particular water, under an upper dome of the vessel, comprising an annular primary heat exchanger (91) surrounding a stack (9a) for the installation and extraction of said core, said heat exchanger starting above said core, extending along the cylindrical wall of the vessel under said dome, and comprising a primary circuit consisting of the heat transfer fluid circulating in the core and in said primary heat exchanger by convection, for which a first part of the cylindrical wall (94) of said vessel (9) is surrounded by a first annular shell (1a) forming a cold plenum (83) connected to an inlet (91a) of a secondary circuit of said heat exchanger (91) in the lower part of said heat exchanger and extending from the bottom of the vessel to under an outlet (91b) of the heat exchanger primary,in that a second part of said cylindrical wall is surrounded by a second annular shell (1b), above said first annular shell (1a), forming a hot plenum connected to the outlet (91b) of said secondary circuit of said heat exchanger (91) in the upper part of said heat exchanger, an intermediate heat extraction circuit comprising a first pipe (81), for the inlet of cold heat transfer fluid, opening into the upper part of said first shell (1a) while a second pipe for the outlet of hot heat transfer fluid exits into the upper part of said second shell (1b). Figure 2,

The present invention relates to a method for installing a temporary neutron measurement system (TNMS) mounted on a core of an integrated nuclear reactor, comprising the steps of: (S10) arranging, inside a reactor core, a measurement assembly capable of measuring neutrons discharged from the reactor core; and (S20) connecting, to the measurement assembly, a connection assembly for supplying power to the measurement assembly and receiving a measurement signal.

A heat exchanger for cooling a nuclear reactor core is disclosed herein. The heat exchanger can include a first stage including an input configured to receive a working fluid from an external source into the heat exchanger, and a first plenum configured to envelope a moderator heat pipe extending from the nuclear reactor core. The heat exchanger can further include a second stage including an output configured to remove a working fluid from the heat exchanger to the external source, and a second plenum configured to envelope a power heat pipe extending from the nuclear reactor core, wherein the first plenum and the second plenum are in fluid communication and configured such that the external fluid must traverse the first plenum and over the moderator heat pipe before entering the second plenum and traversing over the power heat pipe.