Power source

EP4620005A2Pending Publication Date: 2025-09-24INNOVATION UNLIMITED OÜ
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Patent Information

Application Number
EP2023838207
Authority / Receiving Office
EP · EP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2023-02-09
Filing Date
2023-11-02
Publication Date
2025-09-24

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Current accelerator-driven sub-critical nuclear reactors face challenges due to the need for high-energy neutrons, which are difficult to accelerate, and the use of corrosive molten salts, leading to large and expensive particle accelerators and safety concerns, while traditional thermal nuclear reactors have issues with nuclear waste and security risks.

Method used

A power source comprising a reactor core with a sub-critical quantity of fissionable material, a coolant, and a proton accelerator that supplies protons with energies between 5MeV and 200MeV to generate neutrons, along with a control arrangement to modulate power and a heat exchanger to transfer heat to a power consumer, using a metal coolant with a melting point below the reactor's melting point and boiling point above the coolant's boiling point.

Benefits of technology

This configuration enables a safer, more efficient, and cost-effective nuclear reactor that does not rely on enriched fuel, reduces nuclear waste, and provides a viable alternative to traditional thermal reactors by using a sub-critical reactor design with a proton-driven neutron generation system.

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Abstract

A power source (100) comprises an ignition region (108) comprising a target material arranged to receive a flux of protons and generate neutrons in response thereto. A reactor core containing a sub- critical quantity of actinide material (104) is arranged as a structure having at least one layer around the ignition region (108). The actinide material comprises at least Thorium or Uranium and generates insufficient neutrons by spontaneous fission in the absence of the flux of protons to the ignition region to maintain a critical or super-critical reaction. The power source further comprises an accelerator (112) arranged to supply a flux of protons having an energy of between 4MeV and 200MeV to the target material in the ignition region (108) and a control arrangement to control the power of the proton flux to modulate reactor core power.
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