1634results about "Nuclear reaction control" patented technology

A building heating / cooling system energy optimization method for a building having a heating / cooling system includes the steps of providing a mathematical model of the heating / cooling system, obtaining real-time weather information, reading the input water temperature (IWT), the output water temperature (OWT) and the supply air temperature (SA) output to the building, periodically transferring the IWT, the OWT and the SA to an optimization system which is operative to analyze the real-time data in coordination with the mathematical model by assigning at least three selected values in a range surrounding and including the current values of each of the IWT, the OWT and the SA and calculating the efficiency profile of the components of the heating / cooling system for each of the selected values, then cooperatively optimizing and selecting those values calculated to provide the highest efficiency profile, then periodically resetting the system values to those selected by the optimization system.

A control rod drive mechanism (CRDM) for use in a nuclear reactor, the CRDM comprising: a connecting rod connected with at least one control rod; a lead screw; a drive mechanism configured to linearly translate the lead screw; an electromagnet coil assembly; and a latching assembly that latches the connecting rod to the lead screw responsive to energizing the electromagnet coil assembly and unlatches the connecting rod from the lead screw responsive to deenergizing the electromagnet coil assembly. The latching assembly is secured with and linearly translates with the lead screw, while the electromagnet coil assembly does not move with the lead screw. The electromagnet coil assembly is at least coextensive with a linear translation stroke over which the drive mechanism is configured to linearly translate the lead screw.

A system and method for the production of radioisotopes by the transmutation of target isotopic material bombarded by a continuous wave particle beam. An ion source generates a continuous wave ion beam, irradiating an isotope target, which is cooled by transferring heat away from the target at heat fluxes of at least about 1 kW / cm2.

A control rod drive mechanism (CRDM) comprises a lead screw, a motor threadedly coupled with the lead screw to linearly drive the lead screw in an insertion direction or an opposite withdrawal direction, a latch assembly secured with the lead screw and configured to (i) latch to a connecting rod and to (ii) unlatch from the connecting rod, the connecting rod being free to move in the insertion direction when unlatched, and a release mechanism configured to selectively unlatch the latch assembly from the connecting rod.

A new transmutation assembly permits an efficient transmutation of a long-lived radioactive material (long-lived FP nuclides such as technetium-99 or iodine-129) which was produced in the nuclear reactor. Wire-type members of a long-lived radioactive material comprised of metals, alloys or compounds including long-lived FP nuclides are surrounded by a moderator material and installed in cladding tubes to form FP pins. The FP pins, and nothing else, are housed in a wrapper tube to form a transmutation assembly. The wire-type members can be replaced by thin ring-type members. The transmutation assemblies can be selectively and at least partly loaded into a core region, a blanket region or a shield region of a reactor core in a fast reactor. From a viewpoint of reducing the influence on the reactor core characteristics, it is optimal to load the transmutation assemblies into the blanket region.

A nuclear-powered plant for systems of up to about 100 MWs with a confinement section where the reaction takes place in a core having a reactive thorium / uranium-233 composition, and where an external neutron source is used as a modulated neutron multiplier for the reactor core output. The core is housed in a containment structure that radiates thermal energy captured in a multiple-paths heat exchanger. The exchanger heat energy output is put to use in a conventional gas-to-water heat exchanger to produce commercial quality steam.

The sensor fault detector is one in which each sensor signal is compared with a reference signal provided by e.g. a model of the system being monitored. Prior art sensor fault detectors subtract the output of the sensor and the corresponding reference signal from each other, and a fault is declared when the residual difference exceeds a prescribed threshold. However, modelling errors (such as scaling discrepancies), d.c bias and noise mean that faults are often wrongly declared, or alternatively that only large faults can be detected. These problems are overcome according to the invention by comparing the "shape" of the sensor signal with that of the corresponding reference signal (i.e. comparing the signal outlines) over a finite time window, using e.g. correlation techniques. A fault is declared when the shapes differ by a prescribed amount.

This invention deals with multi-component composite materials and techniques for improved shielding of neutron and gamma radiation emitting from transuranic, high-level and low-level radioactive wastes. Selective naturally occurring mineral materials are utilized to formulate, in various proportions, multi-component composite materials. Such materials are enriched with atoms that provide a substantial cumulative absorptive capacity to absorb or shield neutron and gamma radiation of variable fluxes and energies. The use of naturally occurring minerals in synergistic combination with formulated modified cement grout matrix, polymer modified asphaltene and maltene grout matrix, and polymer modified polyurethane foam grout matrix provide the radiation shielding product. These grout matrices are used as carriers for the radiation shielding composite materials and offer desired engineering and thermal attributes for various radiation management applications.

A method and system is provided for a nuclear reactor safety related application. The method includes executing two forms of a same application-specific logic, one of the two forms implemented as hardware logic, and the other of the two forms implemented as software instructions for execution by microprocessor-based controlling software. Each form of the application-specific logic is executed with a same set of inputs. The method compares a result produced from the execution of the hardware-implemented form to a result produced from the execution of the software-implemented form. When the compared results concur, the controlling software performs actions associated with the concurring results by executing microprocessor-based software. When the compared results fail to concur, the controlling software reports the failure of the compared results to concur to an operator by executing microprocessor-based software, and thereafter places the microprocessor-based software system into an inoperative (INOP) mode.

Techniques and compositions are provided for shielding radioactive energy. The composition includes a hydrocarbon component and a radiation shielding and absorbing material or additive. The composition may be applied to substrates or to radioactive materials. Moreover, the composition may be mixed with raw materials of products.

A system includes a containment vessel configured to prohibit a release of a coolant, and a reactor vessel mounted inside the containment vessel. An outer surface of the reactor vessel is exposed to below atmospheric pressure, wherein substantially all gases are evacuated from within the containment vessel.

A fast reactor having a reflector control system is provided which decreases the change in reactivity of the reactor core with time without performing control of a reflector lifting speed and that of a water flow rate. The above fast reactor has a liquid metal coolant, a reactor core immersed therein, and a neutron reflector which is provided outside the reactor core and which is moved in a vertical direction for adjusting leakage of neutrons therefrom for controlling the reactivity of the reactor core. The neutron reflector described above is gradually moved in an upward direction with the change in reactivity caused by fuel burn-up, and at least a part of a lower region of the neutron reflector is a high reflection region having a high neutron reflection ability as compared to that of the other region. The high reflection region is located from the bottom to a place between one fourth and one half of the height of the neutron reflector from the bottom end thereof.

The invention relates to a method for the preparation of composite silica alcogels, aerogels and xerogels, comprisingi) providing a reaction mixture comprising at least the following:silane reagent,base catalyst,gelation retarding additive,aqueous / organic solvent mixture,guest particle,ii) agitating the reaction mixture as necessary and sufficient until achieving the viscosity where the spontaneous movement of the guest particles does not occur anymore; andiii) shaping the material obtained to a desired shape during or after step ii); theniv) drying, if desiredThe method according to the invention is also useful in continuous manufacturing technology, and the invention provides an apparatus for applying the method.The invention further provides novel composite silica alcogels, aerogels or xerogels obtainable by the method according to the invention.

A method of forming a metal-carbon composite, the method comprising subjecting a precursor composition to a curing step followed by a carbonization step, the precursor composition comprising: (i) a phenolic component, (ii) a crosslinkable aldehyde component, (iii) a polymerization catalyst, and (iv) metal-containing particles, wherein said carbonization step comprises heating the precursor composition at a carbonizing temperature of at least 300° C. for sufficient time to convert the precursor composition to said metal-carbon composite. The produced metal-carbon composite, devices incorporating them, and methods of their use (e.g., in capacitive deionization and lithium ion batteries) are also described.

A nuclear reactor (1) is provided, in particular a nuclear reactor cooled with a liquid metal (for example, a heavy liquid metal, such as lead or lead-bismuth eutectic), of the type having a cylindrical inner vessel (15) that divides a hot collector (6) over a core (4) from a substantially annular cold collector (7) surrounding the hot collector; housed in the cold collector (7) is a plurality of integrated circulation and heat-exchange assemblies (20), each of which includes a pump (9), two heat exchangers (10) set at the sides of the pump, and a conveying structure (21) through which a primary fluid (8) for cooling the core passes from the pump to the heat exchanger, all of which are fixedly connected to one another to form a unitary structure; each integrated assembly has an inlet (26) connected to the hot collector (6) and two outlet sections (34) in the cold collector (7).

According to the method, a reactor core is shut down during the operation cycle. One or more fuel bundles of the reactor core are then moved to new positions within the reactor core to increase a total energy, output of the reactor core as compared to continuing operation of the reactor core without the shutting down and moving steps.

A method for determining a fresh fuel bundle design for a core of a nuclear reactor may include defining a plurality of inputs including user-defined target conditions for evaluating one or more reference fresh fuel bundle designs for each of N bundle groups, and generating a response surface based on making single rod-type changes in each (i,j) rod location of each bundle of a given reference bundle design being evaluated for each of the N bundle groups. A search algorithm may be iterated to evaluate a given combination of multiple rod-type changes made simultaneously across each of the N bundle groups using the generated response surface to determine an accepted fuel bundle design for each of the N bundle groups that satisfies the user-defined target conditions.

This disclosure describes nuclear fuel salts usable in certain molten salt reactor designs and related systems and methods. Binary, ternary and quaternary chloride fuel salts of uranium, as well as other fissionable elements, are described. In addition, fuel salts of UClxFy are disclosed as well as bromide fuel salts. This disclosure also presents methods and systems for manufacturing such fuel salts, for creating salts that reduce corrosion of the reactor components and for creating fuel salts that are not suitable for weapons applications.

A nuclear reactor having a penetration seal ring interposed between the reactor vessel flange and a mating flange on the reactor vessel head. Radial ports through the flange provide passage into the interior of the reactor vessel for utility conduits that can be used to convey signal cables, power cables or hydraulic lines to the components within the interior of the pressure vessel. A double o-ring seal is provided on both sides of the penetration flange and partial J-welds on the inside diameter of the flange between the flange and the utility conduits secure the pressure boundary.

The present invention relates to a fast reactor type coupling nuclear reaction implementation method and a nuclear reactor for same. The main contents comprise: a fast reactor type coupling nuclear reaction implementation method, a reactor modular design approach, a fast reactor type coupling nuclear reactor, a reactor core, a fuel element, a nuclear control system, and a proliferation fuel system. The fast reactor type coupling nuclear reactor mainly combusts thorium and nuclear waste, and has inherent security. The reactor main container is composed of a fission pool and a moderating pool that are completely isolated from each other but coupling to each other. A primary coolant is separated from a moderator. A thermal insulation layer is disposed between the fission pool and the moderating pool so that both can perform neutron exchange but heat exchange is blocked. Fast neutrons produced by the fission pool and moderated neutrons reflected by the moderating pool may enable the reactor core to simultaneously perform coupling nuclear reaction of the two types of neutrons. The moderating pool may be provided with the nuclear control system, and ex-core coupling core control may be implemented. The moderating pool is provided with a thorium purification fuel system, and on-line extraction of the purification fuel can be performed, and separation of nuclide is safe and simple, thereby providing a solution to the technical bottleneck of "thorium reactor".

A nuclear reactor includes a pressure vessel, and a control rod assembly (CRA) including at least one movable control rod, a control rod drive mechanism (CRDM) for controlling movement of the at least one control rod, and a coupling operatively connecting the at least one control rod and the CRDM. The coupling includes a connecting rod engaged with the CRDM and a terminal element connected with a lower end of the connecting rod and further connected with the at least one control rod. In some embodiments the terminal element includes a first portion comprising a first material having a first density and a second portion comprising a second material having a second density that is greater than the first density. In some embodiments the terminal element has a largest dimension parallel with the connecting rod that is greater than or equal to a largest dimension transverse to the connecting rod.

The present invention provides a mixture containing a) at least 26 wt. % of gadolinium and b) one or more elements, alloys and / or compounds from the group consisting of barium, indium, tin, lanthanum, molybdenum, niobium, tantalum, zirconium and tungsten, a process for the preparation of this mixture, use of the mixture as radiation protection, use of the mixture to prepare polymeric radiation protection substances, a process for preparing radiation screening rubbers, thermoplastic materials and polyurethanes, a process for preparing products from the polymeric radiation protection substances and products made from these polymeric radiation protection substances.

The present invention is to provide a reactor core that allows a nuclear plant to continuously operate for a long term period, for example 15 years or longer, without requiring any fuel exchange, reduces the duration and number of maintenance steps involved in regular plant inspections, markedly improves plant availability and economic efficiency, and is effective in terms of nuclear nonproliferation.A plurality of fuel assemblies 103, themselves obtained by arranging fuel rods 100 and water rods 107 in square lattices, are arranged in a square lattice at a certain pitch. The blades 102a of a cross-shaped (cruciform) control rod 102 in a cross section are inserted into four adjacent spaces formed by four fuel assemblies 100 facing each other. A value of 0.06 cm−1 or greater is selected for the ratio (B / S) of the width (B) of each blade on the cruciform control rod 102 and the surface (S) of the fuel lattice defined by the surface area of a square whose side is equal to the pitch between the fuel assemblies 103.

A molten salt reactor is described that includes a containment vessel, a reactor core housed within the containment vessel, a neutron reflector spaced from the containment vessel and positioned between the core and the containment vessel, a liquid fuel comprised of a nuclear fission material dissolved in a molten salt enclosed within the core, a plurality of heat transfer pipes, each pipe having a first and a second end, wherein the first end is positioned within the reactor core for absorbing heat from the fuel, a heat exchanger external to the containment vessel for receiving the second end of each heat transfer pipe for transferring heat from the core to the heat exchanger, and at least one and preferably two or more reactor shut down systems, where at least one may be a passive system and at least one or both may be an active or a manually operated system. The liquid fuel in the core is kept within the core and heat pipes are used to carry only the heat from the liquid core to the heat exchanger.

Apparatus and methods according to various aspects of the present invention may operate in conjunction with composite matrix material and reinforcement material, such as nanostructures. The nanostructures may be evenly dispersed and / or aligned in the matrix material through application of an electromagnetic field, resulting in a nanocomposite material. In one embodiment, the nanocomposite material is suitable for large scale processing.

The invention provides a marching type and magnetic jacking reactor control rod drive mechanics, which comprises a rod position detector component, a coil component, a pressure shell component, a knuckle component, a driving rod component, a heatproof lagging component and the like. The whole mechanism is vertically mounted on a top cover of a reactor pressure vessel directly, wherein the pressure shell component consists of a hoisting connector, a travel sleeve and a hermetic case. The travel sleeve of the pressure shell component is an integral blind tube with a blocked upper end and the hermetic case is an integral structure composed of a tube socket of the driving mechanism on the top cover of the reactor pressure vessel, and the hermetic case. The knuckle component is composed of two identical knuckle teeth arranged side by side, the distance between the two knuckle teeth is equal to the teeth space of the driving rod component, and the two sides of the flute between the two knuckle teeth are of transitional circular arc shape. The invention greatly reduces the leakage possibility of the pressure shell of the reactor control rod drive mechanics, and greatly improves the wear resistance, the reliability and the service life of the reactor control rod drive mechanics.