Modular manufacture, delivery and assembly of nuclear reactor core systems

Abstract

To provide methods capable of increasing modularity in construction of a nuclear reactor.SOLUTION: A method of manufacturing a nuclear reactor includes the steps of: fabricating one or more sub-modules in a manufacturing facility; assembling one or more sub-modules into one or more super-modules using temporary connections at the manufacturing facility; disassembling the super-modules; and transporting the sub-modules to an installation site.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 066,778, filed Aug. 17, 2020, and entitled “MODULAR MANUFACTURE, DELIVERY, AND ASSEMBLY OF NUCLEAR REACTOR,” the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0002] 〔background〕 Nuclear reactors are primarily constructed on-site, with smaller components assembled at a fabrication facility and then shipped to the site for installation and connection. There is a significant amount of construction involved in situating a reactor, including excavation, tons of concrete poured as shielding, support work, and structural components. By some estimates, the cost of reactor construction (fabrication) has doubled or even tripled over the past decade due to regulations, a declining number of vendors able to supply the necessary materials, and rising material costs.

[0003] Additionally, labor costs have also increased over time, as the precision required in constructing and assembling reactor components takes up a significant amount of the time and expense of construction. Many of the components that are assembled have tight tolerances in their connections to other components and / or locations relative to other components. Needless to say, construction of a nuclear reactor is very time consuming and costly.

[0004] It would be advantageous if the process of constructing nuclear reactors could be made more time and cost efficient while maintaining or even increasing the level of precision in manufacturing and placing the delicate components, systems, and structures required by nuclear reactor construction projects.

[0005] 〔summary〕 In some embodiments, a method of manufacturing a nuclear reactor includes receiving a first reactor component in a first steel vessel, receiving a second reactor component in a second steel vessel, positioning the second steel vessel proximate to the first steel vessel, and pouring concrete between the second steel vessel and the first steel vessel, wherein the second steel vessel and the first steel vessel are used as forms to contain the poured concrete.

[0006] In some cases, the first reactor component remains within the first steel vessel during operation of the reactor. The method can include attaching one or more form ties between the first steel vessel and the second steel vessel. In some cases, this provides rigidity for the steel vessel to support concrete placed therebetween.

[0007] The method may further include excavating the earth to form a subgrade area. In other words, holes may be formed in the earth by digging, drilling, boring, tunneling, or other earth moving processes to provide an area below grade, such as to accommodate one or more components or systems of the nuclear reactor. In some cases, the excavation is performed by drilling, such as with a drilling or vertical boring machine.

[0008] The method may further include placing the first steel container in the roadbed area. In some embodiments, the method may include connecting the first steel container to a second steel container, and the step of placing the first steel container in the roadbed area may be performed after the step of connecting the first steel container to the second steel container.

[0009] In some cases, connecting the first steel vessel to the second steel vessel includes welding a form tie between the first steel vessel and the second steel vessel. In some examples, connecting the first steel vessel to the second steel vessel includes coupling the vessels with one or more fluid conduits. For example, fluid conduits may be provided between two or more steel vessels to fluidly couple modules or devices within the steel vessels to modules or devices disposed within other steel vessels.

[0010] According to some embodiments, a method of manufacturing a nuclear reactor includes manufacturing one or more sub-modules at a manufacturing facility, where the one or more sub-modules include skids and shielding; assembling the one or more sub-modules into one or more super-modules using temporary connections at the manufacturing facility; disassembling the super-modules; and transporting the sub-modules to an installation site.

[0011] The method may further include assembling the two or more sub-modules at the installation site using permanent connections; installing concrete form ties between the two or more sub-modules; welding the two or more sub-modules together to form a super-module; pouring concrete between the two or more sub-modules; and installing the super-module in place.

[0012] In some instances, the one or more sub-modules may include one or more of a compressor module, a tank module, and a charcoal bed module. In some cases, the shield is constructed from multiple pieces and further includes welding the multiple pieces of the shield to the sub-modules at the installation site.

[0013] In some embodiments, transporting the sub-modules to the installation site includes transporting the sub-modules by truck.

[0014] For example, a first sub-module of the one or more sub-modules may have a steel container permanently formed therearound, the steel container having a pre-formed opening. For example, the first sub-module may include piping coupled to the pre-formed opening. Similar pre-formed openings in other steel containers may allow the first sub-module to communicate with a second sub-module, such as by fluid communication, electrical communication, or other form of communication.

[0015] According to some embodiments, a manufacturing method includes manufacturing a first sub-module at a manufacturing facility, where the first sub-module is disposed within a first container; manufacturing a second sub-module at a manufacturing facility, where the second sub-module is disposed within a second container; transporting the first sub-module and the second sub-module to a construction site; placing the first sub-module and the second sub-module in a predetermined location, where the first container and the second container remain in place; joining the first container and the second container together; and placing (pouring) concrete between the first container and the second container.

[0016] In some cases, the first container is a steel container. The first container can have a preformed opening to provide a pathway through the first container.

[0017] The method can include connecting a form tie between the first container and the second container.

[0018] In some embodiments, coupling the first container and the second container together comprises fluidly coupling the first container and the second container together.

[0019] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a compressor module, according to some embodiments.

[0020] FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram of a tank module, according to some embodiments.

[0021] FIG. 2B is a schematic diagram of a tank compartment, including a tank module and a surrounding compartment, according to some embodiments.

[0022] FIG. 3 is an illustration of a charcoal bed module, according to some embodiments.

[0023] FIG. 4 is an illustration of several modules being assembled on-site to form a supermodule, according to some embodiments.

[0024] FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a supermodule like that of FIG. 4, according to some embodiments.

[0025] FIG. 6 shows a top view of several supermodules installed in place with concrete form ties, according to some embodiments.

[0026] FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary arrangement of supermodules within a reactor building, according to some embodiments.

[0027] FIG. 8 shows a flow diagram for manufacturing modules and assembling a supermodule, according to some embodiments.

[0028] Detailed Description The present disclosure generally relates to methods and systems that allow nuclear reactor components to be manufactured in a controlled environment, such as in a factory, packaged in modules, transported, and then assembled on-site. In some cases, sub-modules are manufactured and packaged prior to transport, while in other cases, a super-module is manufactured, packaged, and transported as an assembly.

[0029] In some cases, the modules are packaged in a shipping container. The shipping container may be steel. In some cases, the shipping container remains in place once the modules are assembled. In some instances, the shipping container serves as a concrete form that facilitates pouring concrete between selected modules. Concrete may be poured between modules for containment, structural considerations, or fitment.

[0030] In some cases, one or more form ties are placed between the concrete forms. The form ties may be bolted, welded, glued, attached, or otherwise affixed to the concrete forms to facilitate them remaining in the desired alignment, spacing, and / or orientation while the concrete is poured and cured.

[0031] In some embodiments, the modules are sized to be suitable for commercial transportation, such as by trucking, oceangoing vessels, trains, or other suitable commercial transportation options. For example, in some cases, the components are arranged to result in a module that can fit within a shipping container, such as a standard cargo container, that is less than about 20 feet wide, or less than about 10 feet wide, or less than about 102 inches wide, or less than about 8 feet wide.

[0032] In some cases, at least some of the modules are located below grade while other modules are located above grade, in some instances the nuclear core is located below grade and other structures are located above grade.

[0033] For example, some modules, such as those that would normally require containment structures, may be located below grade and the surrounding earth may relate to the containment requirements in combination with other containment structures, for example, the below grade modules may be at least partially surrounded by concrete or other suitable containment material, which in turn is surrounded by earth.

[0034] The following description refers to various means as examples of methods for performing the unique manufacturing, transportation, packaging, transport, assembly, and construction of an industrial construction site, such as a nuclear reactor site. However, many of the techniques discussed herein may be implemented at nuclear reactor sites as well as applicable to any of a number of construction projects. The exemplary modules and descriptions herein are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0035] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary compressor module 100 that may be used with a nuclear reactor, such as in the context of a cover gas clean-up system. The compressor module 100 is used only as an example, as any of a number of modules may be provided in accordance with the embodiments described herein. In some embodiments, one or more components, structures, or systems ("SSCs") are manufactured or assembled as modules and transported to a nuclear site for installation. As shown, the compressor module 100 is mounted on a skid 102. The skid may be of any suitable configuration, but in some embodiments includes a base member 104 that supports a cross member 106. The base member 104 and the cross member 106 may be formed from any suitable material, such as steel, iron, or other metals, alloys, or combinations of materials. In some cases, the skid 102 is manufactured from materials suitable for use within a nuclear reactor building and capable of withstanding dose limits depending on its intended location and use.

[0036] In some embodiments, the base member 104 is formed as an I-beam, although of course other configurations are entirely possible. In some cases, the cross member 106 is formed as a C-channel. Of course, either the base member 104 or the cross member 106 may have any suitable cross-sectional shape to provide support to the modules attached thereto.

[0037] The skid 102 may define a channel 108 that allows lifting equipment to extend underneath the skid to lift the module 100, such as by a forklift, hi-lift, crane, pallet jack, or the like.

[0038] The compressor module 100 may include a base 110 configured to mount to the skid 102. As shown, in some embodiments, the base 110 is shaped to cooperate with the cross members 106 in a nested configuration. For example, the base 110 may be formed as a C-channel that is slightly wider than the cross members 106 such that the cross members 106 fit within the base members 110. The cross members 106 and base members 110 may be coupled by any suitable technique, such as, for example, any combination of multiple fasteners, adhesives, welding, or connection mechanisms.

[0039] Once installed, the compressor module 100 may be positioned within the reactor to allow overhead access to the module. The compressor module 100 may further include any other components coupled to the compressor module, such as, for example, monitoring or control devices.

[0040] The compressor module 100 may be manufactured or assembled in a factory under controllable conditions that allow for precision manufacturing and tight tolerances. The compressor module 100 may be permanently attached to a skid during the manufacturing process and crated for transportation to the reactor construction site. Upon arrival at the site, the compressor module 100 may be lifted, such as by a gantry crane, and set into place with the skid 102 still attached. The skid 102 may include one or more flanges that allow the skid 102 to be attached to a support, such as a concrete floor, to inhibit unintended movement of the skid 102 or the compressor module 100. In some embodiments, the compressor module is sized and configured for land, sea, and / or air transportation. For example, the compressor module may be approximately 7.5 feet wide by approximately 7.5 feet long by approximately 8 feet high and weigh approximately 3,500 pounds. These size and weight details are provided as an example module that is configured to be constructed and assembled, and then delivered and placed in its permanent location without substantial manufacturing or assembly at a construction site. Of course, modules of other sizes and weights are contemplated herein, and any sizes and weights are provided by way of example only.

[0041] In some cases, the compressor module 100, or any module associated with the nuclear reactor, may be located within a shielded room designed and specified for the system, the construction of which is described in more detail herein with respect to the modules.

[0042] 2A and 2B show a tank module 200 that can be used in conjunction with a nuclear reactor and that is configured for permanent placement at the reactor site. In some cases, the tank module 200 includes one or more tanks 202 and can be used for any suitable purpose, such as a vacuum tank, a surge tank, a delay tank, a compressor tank, or other suitable use. The tanks 202 may be oriented vertically (as shown) or horizontally. In some cases, the one or more tanks 202 are oriented horizontally, which provides advantages for crating, shipping, and installation, and which also allows a large amount of piping and valves to be installed and mounted on pre-fabricated skids 204 during manufacturing and prior to transportation to the construction site.

[0043] The skid 204 can be of any suitable construction and material, and in some cases, the tank module 200 is permanently attached to the skid 204. The skid can provide access for lifting equipment to lift and place the tank module 200 in the appropriate location. The skid 204 can include a retainer for at least a portion of the tank module 200 and can have open sides to allow access to the tank module for control, repair, maintenance, etc. According to some embodiments, the tank module 200 is prefabricated at a factory with the skid, piping, and valves prior to transportation. Constructing the tank module 200 in this manner mitigates the construction or assembly of additional piping and valves at the construction site and increases assurance that the piping and valves are properly coupled to the tank module 200. In many cases, orienting the tanks horizontally simplifies transportation of the tank module 200, as shown.

[0044] FIG. 2B shows the tank module 200 integrated into a cell 210. The cell 210 may be formed as an inerted cell steel liner that can be used as at least a portion of a shipping container, sometimes referred to as a shipping container. The cell 210 may also be used as a concrete form to assist in pouring liquid concrete. In some cases, the cell 210 is formed in two or more pieces, with the separation of the at least two pieces indicated by a parting line 212. In some cases, the overall dimensions of the cell 210 may make transportation of the entire assembled cell difficult. Thus, the cell 210 may be formed as two or more separate pieces, with a first piece 214 being permanently attached to the tank module 200, such as in a factory, and used to support the tank module 200 during transportation to a construction site. The first piece 214 may be used as part of a shipping container or may be placed inside a crate for transportation. The second part 216 may be transported separately or may be attached to the first part 214 at the construction site by any suitable method or combination of methods, such as bolting, welding, or other processes. The compartment 210 may further be formed with an upper end (e.g., a plug, not shown) that encloses the tank module 200 for transportation and may be used at the construction site for radiation shielding for the tank module 200.

[0045] The tank module 200 is combined with a fully assembled compartment 210 to form a supermodule. In some cases, the tank supermodule may be on the order of about 13 feet wide. The overall width of the module in its transport form may be on the order of about 8 feet wide to facilitate transportation, such as by rail or truck. The compartment 210 may be configured to be separated into two or more pieces, with the largest piece being less than about 8 feet wide, to facilitate commercial transportation. In some cases, the largest piece of the tank supermodule is on the order of 8.5 feet wide.

[0046] Other equipment that may be included in the tank module 200 and that may be manufactured and installed in the module prior to delivery includes, but is not limited to, vacuum tanks, surge and delay tanks, automatic flow control valves, automatic isolation valves, and piping. Of course, this list is exemplary and is not intended to limit the components, structures, or systems that may be included in the tank module 200 prior to delivery.

[0047] FIG. 3 illustrates another exemplary module, the charcoal delay bed module 300. The charcoal delay bed module 300 may be manufactured with an integrated skid 302 configured to be permanently coupled to the components of the charcoal delay bed module 300. As previously described for the other modules, the skid 302 may be formed from any suitable material and configuration and may be coupled to the components, systems, and structures of the charcoal delay bed module 300. The skid 302 may facilitate transportation and may include enclosed sides, as shown in FIG. 2B for the tank module 200. The enclosed sides of the skid 302 may be used as a concrete form to facilitate pouring of a concrete shield around at least a portion of the charcoal delay bed module 300. The skid 302 may optionally include a top to enclose the charcoal delay bed module 300 for transportation.

[0048] Other components, structures, and systems may be included in the charcoal delay bed module 300 during manufacture prior to shipping, including, but not limited to, a tank 304, a control valve 306, an isolation valve 308, and piping 310, among other components. The overall size of the charcoal delay bed module 300 and skid 302 facilitates transportation, and in some cases is on the order of 8.5 ft wide, 17.5 ft long, and 9 ft high. In some embodiments, the weight of the charcoal delay bed module 300 is on the order of about 32,000 pounds. Of course, the sizes and weights provided are examples only, and the size may be scaled or reduced, or separated into multiple modules, depending on the designed flow conditions through the charcoal delay bed module 300.

[0049] 4, 5, and 6 illustrate multiple modules that can be assembled on-site to form compartments for components, structures, and systems associated with a construction project. For example, one or more compressor modules 100 can be properly positioned for a project by placing the modules with the skid and compressor compartment 602 already assembled. The compressor compartment 602 can be formed of multiple parts 602a, 602b, 602c, 602d that can be joined together at the construction site. The fully assembled modules and compartments may be referred to as a supermodule that is formed by assembling submodules. As used herein, a supermodule is one or more submodules that are assembled at the construction site before placing the supermodule in its final location. For example, as illustrated in Figure 4, a compressor supermodule is comprised of a compressor module 100 with a skid attached and compartments formed from separate components such as a first compartment component 602a, a second compartment component 602b, a third compartment component 602c, and a fourth compartment component 602d. In some cases, a supermodule is formed from sub-module components that are more convenient to transport than the entire assembled supermodule compartment 602.

[0050] The modules, along with all or part of the compartments 602, may be shipped via standard carriers and assembled on-site into a supermodule. The compartments 602 may be, or may be part of, a crate, box, or other member that can be used to support and protect the sub-modules during transportation and installation, and may be used to provide shielding, such as radiation shielding, and may be used as a concrete form.

[0051] In some cases, the modules may be assembled into cubicles (or portions of cubicles) prior to transportation and installed in appropriate locations at the construction site. One or more cubicles, such as adjacent cubicles, may be spaced apart and concrete poured between the cubicles, such as for structural purposes, radiation shielding, or some other purpose, using the cubicles as concrete forms.

[0052] The cubicles define an interior surface, an interior volume to which the modules are attached, and an exterior surface that may be used as a concrete form. The concrete form is a solid barrier that helps hold the fluid concrete in place as it is poured until it hardens. The cubicles may be joined together, such as with form ties 604, to encourage the cubicles to remain in their designated locations while the liquid concrete is poured or pumped between the cubicles and hardens.

[0053] The form ties 604 may be any suitable material, such as any suitable metal, plastic, composite, or combination of materials. In some cases, the form ties are steel. The form ties may be of any suitable configuration, such as bolts, straps, bars, or any other suitable configuration that can be connected to adjacent cubicles and transfer loads in tension between adjacent cubicles during pouring and curing of concrete. In some embodiments, two or more adjacent cubicles are connected together with form ties 604 that are welded between the cubicles to maintain spacing between the adjacent cubicles.

[0054] The cubicles 602 may have preformed openings therein to allow a conduit to provide communication from one cubicle to a second cubicle. For example, piping 606, such as fluid flow piping, may have a first end 608 fluidly coupled to a module within the cubicle, and the piping may have a second end 610 coupled to a wall of the cubicle 602, such as by a flange or other suitable fitting. The cubicle 602 may define an opening to allow fluid to exit the cubicle through the opening. Another cubicle 602 may have a similar preformed opening and piping 612 within the cubicle that couples to the preformed opening. Connecting piping 614 may be installed between the cubicles at their respective openings to provide fluid communication between the cubicle and the piping through the preformed opening, either before or after the cubicles are placed in their final location on the construction site. Similar preformed openings may be provided to allow communication between two or more compartments, such as fluid communication, electrical communication, thermal communication, etc., and / or additional fittings may be provided to enable the system to function and interact as desired.

[0055] According to some embodiments, a module such as the compressor module 100 is manufactured at a manufacturing facility, mounted on a skid, and attached to at least a portion of the cubicle 602a. The module 100 may then be transported to a construction site, and another portion of the cubicle 602b may be added by any suitable process, such as welding. The cubicle may further include additional portions of the cubicle, such as a first top 602c and a second top 602d, which may be selectively coupled to the first part 602a and the second part 602b. In some examples, a cubicle portion, such as 602b, may be used to provide shielding to two or more cubicles, since it may be coupled to two or more cubicles, and since it may have an integrated concrete form tie 604 to provide spacing for poured concrete. As shown, the cubicle portion 602b may be coupled to two compressor cubicles 100, and may provide a fixed space between the two compressor cubicles 100 for poured concrete. In some cases, the distance between cubicles may be on the order of 36”, or 40”, or 44”, or 48”, or some other distance suitable to provide sufficient space for concrete based on structural and / or radiation shielding requirements.

[0056] In some cases, the completed bays are too large for efficient transportation, and the bays can be manufactured into manageable pieces for transportation, and the bays can be completed on-site. In some cases, multiple bay pieces are welded, bolted, glued, or interlocked to complete the bay in place, and one or more bays may be used as concrete forms to place, shape, and hold liquid concrete while it sets and hardens.

[0057] FIG. 6 shows a top view of FIG. 5 of this compartment, showing one tank module 200 and two compressor modules placed in each compartment. Concrete form ties 604 are shown installed between adjacent compartments to provide tension support from hydrostatic forces imparted to the compartments from the liquid concrete. Concrete can be poured between adjacent compartments or around selected compartments to provide radiation shielding, and in some cases is not required for structural support. Thus, the design of the concrete pour can be based on the shielding requirements rather than the structural requirements of the structure in which the modules are placed.

[0058] Of course, numerous other modules are contemplated that may be fabricated at a manufacturing facility, mounted on skids, and placed in the shielded compartments prior to transport. Examples of additional modules include, but are not limited to, isolation and bleed valve compartments, sampling and monitoring compartments, steam trap compartments, compressor and cover gas monitoring compartments, vacuum and surge and delay tank compartments, charcoal delay bed compartments, activation product traps, fission product traps, freeze vent compartments, piping chase compartments, and the like.

[0059] In some embodiments, the cubicles can be enclosed on all sides, including the top ends, for example with plugs or hatches, and the top ends of one or more cubicles can be used as walkways once the cubicles are in place at the construction site.

[0060] By manufacturing the sub-modules off-site, skilled labor is shifted from in-situ or in-hole manufacturing operations to the more efficient off-site factory manufacturing operations. Assembling the super-module on-site shifts skilled labor that would otherwise be in-hole manufacturing to the more efficient in-situ manufacturing. In-hole manufacturing, as used herein, refers to manufacturing that occurs once the equipment is placed in place, which may be below grade, making access more difficult and also making it more difficult to move, shift, or adjust components to ensure proper alignment or fit. In contrast, in-situ manufacturing occurs before the components are placed in place. For example, sub-modules can be connected together at grade, which provides the advantage of unobstructed access, and then once the sub-modules are assembled into the super-module, they can be placed in place, including subgrade placement.

[0061] According to some embodiments, the modules may be divided into smaller sections for transportation, and in some cases, the steel compartments designed to enclose the modules are divided into separate pieces, such as to accommodate shipping size constraints. Often the compartments are assembled on-site around the modules and then left in place while the modules are coupled to other modules and placed in place.

[0062] As discussed above, the separation of the supermodule into submodules allows the shielding requirements for each of the modules to be constructed separately from the building they are housed in. This increases modularity in the construction of the reactor, allowing modules to be placed in any of a number of reactor buildings without the need to design civil works, and allowing buildings to be specifically housed for the modules.

[0063] For example, a general room in a building at a nuclear construction site can support any of a large number of modules and supermodules without the need to design a room to specifically house the module. Similarly, the same module design can be used at multiple different construction sites without requiring the construction design and civil works of a specific building or room to support the module. As a further example, a module can be removed from a nuclear site and replaced with another module having a different configuration without affecting the remaining modules or the civil works within the building.

[0064] 7 illustrates an exemplary arrangement of several exemplary modules of a cover gas processing system within a nuclear power plant construction site. According to some embodiments, the modules can be placed at any suitable location within the nuclear power plant construction site, and since the modules are largely self-contained and pre-assembled, the modules can be placed and then coupled together via appropriate fluid and electrical connections. In some embodiments, the modules are placed within steel cubicles that have pre-formed openings that allow the modules to be coupled together to provide fluid and electrical piping and / or conduits.

[0065] As an example, one or more compressor modules 100 can be constructed in a factory environment and fully assembled into a supermodule in which one or more compressor modules 100 are fully assembled and can optionally be coupled to other modules. The compressor module 100 can be equipped with a cubicle (not shown) or a portion of a cubicle to provide shielding for the module 100 and, optionally, to provide protection during transportation of the module 100 to a construction site. Similarly, one or more tank modules 200, one or more charcoal delay bed modules 300, or one or more additional modules can be fully manufactured and assembled in a factory and then separated into modules for transportation. A module can include a portion of a cubicle, or a module can include an entire cubicle, which can function as a transport support for the module, shielding for the module, and / or a concrete form for poured concrete that shields the cubicle.

[0066] The modules may be coupled together via any suitable fluid, thermal, electrical, gas, or other coupling. For example, the steam trap module 700 may be coupled to the reactor outlet 702. The steam trap module 700 may be fluidly coupled to the vacuum tank 704 of the tank module 200 via a suitable conduit 706. The vacuum tank 705 may be coupled to the compressor module 100, such as by coupling the compressor module 100 in parallel with the vacuum tank 704 through a conduit 708. The compressor module may be coupled to a surge and delay tank 710 via a suitable conduit 712. The surge and delay tank 710 may be coupled to the charcoal delay bed module 300 via a conduit 714, which may extend to a plant exhaust 716. In the illustrated configuration, civil engineering and building construction are largely irrelevant to the manufacture, assembly, and placement of the illustrated modules. Once the modules are in place, they may be coupled together for appropriate communication between the modules, such as fluid communication, electrical communication, and / or additional couplings that enable the system to function and interact as desired.

[0067] With reference to FIG. 8, a flow diagram for manufacturing modules and building a supermodule is shown. In block 802, submodules are manufactured. In some embodiments, the submodules are manufactured in a factory and may include attachment to skids that allow the submodules to be moved and / or manipulated via a lifting mechanism, such as a crane, forklift, pallet jack, or other lifting mechanism. In some embodiments, the skids are permanently connected to the module and remain in place throughout the life of the module, which may also facilitate removal and / or replacement of the module. The submodules may further include cubicles, or portions of cubicles.

[0068] At block 804, an optional step is to assemble two or more sub-modules into a super-module at a manufacturing facility. In some cases, the assembly relies on temporary connections between the components of the super-module. The super-module can be assembled to ensure that the sub-modules fit together. For example, in some embodiments, a compressor super-module is assembled by mating a compressor sub-module, including a skid, with a portion of a compartment that provides shielding around the compressor sub-module. Of course, other super-modules may be similarly assembled and tested for fit and connection to other super-modules.

[0069] At block 806, the supermodule is disassembled and prepared for transportation. In some cases, the compartments are disassembled into multiple components to ensure that the components fit within a transportation envelope, such as a shipping or cargo container. In some cases, the steel compartments act as shipping containers to provide safety and stability to the module.

[0070] At block 808, the sub-modules are transported to the construction site by any suitable transportation method, including air, ground, sea, etc. In some cases, the stateroom or a portion thereof provides additional support and protection for the sub-modules therein.

[0071] In block 810, the sub-modules are assembled at a construction site. In some cases, the sub-modules are assembled on a ground that does not impede access to the sub-modules for assembly workers. In some cases, the sub-modules are located within rooms of a building and assembled within the rooms where they will ultimately be installed.

[0072] In block 812, two or more sub-modules are placed adjacent to one another and the cubicles may be connected together by form ties or other structural reinforcement that restrains relative movement between adjacent sub-modules, such as when liquid concrete is poured between them.

[0073] At block 814, two or more submodules are connected together to form a supermodule. The connections may include structural connections, fluid connections, electrical connections, thermal connections, or other desired connections that enable the supermodule to function for its intended purpose.

[0074] At block 816, the supermodule is placed in place within the construction site. This may include placing the supermodule below grade, in a room in the reactor building, or in an adjacent building. Additionally, the cubicles used to support, protect, and shield the submodules and / or supermodule may be used as concrete forms to help hold and form liquid concrete so that it may be poured and hardened around the cubicles. In these cases, the cubicles are left in place permanently. In some cases, concrete may be poured between the cubicles before the supermodule is placed in place, and in other cases, the supermodule is placed first and then the concrete is poured.

[0075] 8 illustrates several blocks or steps, one or more of the blocks may be omitted, rearranged, and other blocks or steps may be added. The disclosed blocks are illustrative of several embodiments for manufacturing sub-modules at a manufacturing facility, such as a factory, test-assembling the sub-modules and / or super-modules, and then transporting the sub-modules to a construction site where the sub-modules are assembled into a super-module and placed in position for installation. This process greatly improves efficiency in manufacturing delicate parts and avoids many of the costly and inefficient on-site manufacturing operations.

[0076] With respect to the application of virtually any plural and / or singular term herein, those of skill in the art can translate from plural to singular and / or singular to plural as appropriate to the context and / or application. The various singular / plural permutations are not expressly set forth herein for the sake of clarity.

[0077] The subject matter described herein sometimes shows different components contained within or connected to different other components. It should be understood that such depicted architectures are merely exemplary, and that in fact many other architectures that achieve the same functionality may be implemented. In a conceptual sense, any arrangement of components to achieve the same functionality is effectively "associated" such that the desired functionality is achieved. Thus, any two components that are combined herein to achieve a particular functionality may be considered to be "associated" with one another such that the desired functionality is achieved, regardless of the architecture or intermediate components. Similarly, any two components so associated may also be considered to be "operably connected" or "operably coupled" with one another to achieve the desired functionality, and any two components that may be so associated may also be considered to be "operably coupleable" with one another to achieve the desired functionality. Specific examples of operably coupleable include, but are not limited to, physically coupleable and / or physically interacting components, and / or wirelessly interactable and / or wirelessly interacting components, and / or logically interacting and / or logically interacting components.

[0078] In some instances, one or more components may be referred to herein as "configured for," "configured by," "configurable for," "operable for," "compatible with," "capable of," "compatible with," etc. Those skilled in the art will recognize that such terms (e.g., "configured for") may generally encompass active state components and / or inactive state components and / or standby state components unless the context requires otherwise.

[0079] Although certain aspects of the subject matter described herein have been shown and described, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that, based on the teachings herein, changes and modifications can be made without departing from the subject matter described herein and its broader aspects, and thus, the appended claims are intended to encompass within their scope all such changes and modifications that are within the true spirit and scope of the subject matter described herein. In general, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the terms used herein, particularly the appended claims (e.g., the body of the appended claims), are generally intended as "open" terms (e.g., the term "including" should be interpreted as "including but not limited to," the term "having" should be interpreted as "having but not limited to," and the term "including" should be interpreted as "including but not limited to"). If a specific number of claims introduced is intended, such intent will be expressly recited in the claims, and it will be further understood by those skilled in the art that, in the absence of such recitation, no such intent exists. For example, to aid in understanding, the following appended claims may include the use of the introductory phrases "at least one" and "one or more" to introduce the recitation of the claims. However, even if the same claim includes the introductory phrase "one or more" or "at least one" and an indefinite article such as "a" or "an" (e.g., "a" and / or "an" should typically be interpreted to mean "at least one" or "one or more"), the use of such phrases should not be construed as meaning that the introduction of a claim statement with the indefinite article "a" or "an" limits any particular claim containing such a reference to claims containing only one such reference. The same applies to the use of definite articles used to introduce a claim statement.In addition, even if a specific number of recitations in the introduced claims is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the mere "two recitations" without other modifiers typically means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations). Furthermore, when a convention similar to "at least one of A, B, and C, etc." is used, such a configuration is generally intended in the sense that those skilled in the art understand the convention (e.g., "a system having at least one of A, B, and C" includes, but is not limited to, a system having only A, only B, only C, with A and B, with A and C, with B and C, and / or with A, B, and C, etc.). When a convention similar to "at least one of A, B, or C, etc." is used, such configuration is generally intended in the sense that one of skill in the art understands the convention (e.g., "a system having at least one of A, B, or C" includes, but is not limited to, systems having only A, only B, only C, with A and B, with A and C, with B and C, and / or with A, B, and C, etc.). Furthermore, it will be understood by those of skill in the art that typically selected language and / or phrases expressing two or more alternative terms, whether in the specification, claims, or drawings, should be understood to contemplate the possibility of including one of the terms, either of the terms, or both terms, unless the context dictates otherwise. For example, the phrase "A or B" is typically understood to include the instances "A" or "B" or "A and B."

[0080] With respect to the appended claims, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the operations recited in the claims may generally be performed in any order. Also, while various operational flows are presented in a sequence, it should be understood that various operations may be performed in orders other than those depicted, or may be performed simultaneously. Examples of such alternative orderings may include overlapping, interleaving, interrupting, reordering, incrementing, preparing, supplementing, simultaneous, inverting, or other variant orderings, unless the context dictates otherwise. Moreover, terms such as "responsive to," "related to," or other past adjectives are not generally intended to exclude such variants, unless the context dictates otherwise.

[0081] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the specific exemplary processes and / or devices and / or techniques described above are representative of more general processes and / or devices and / or techniques that are taught elsewhere herein, such as in the claims filed herewith and / or elsewhere in this application.

[0082] While various aspects and embodiments are disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0083] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a compressor module according to some embodiments. [Figure 2A] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a tank module, according to some embodiments. [Figure 2B] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a tank compartment including a tank module and a surrounding compartment, according to some embodiments. [Diagram 3] 1 is an illustration of a charcoal bed module, according to some embodiments. [Figure 4]1 is an illustration of several modules being assembled on-site to form a supermodule, according to some embodiments. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a supermodule as in FIG. 4 according to some embodiments. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 illustrates a top view of several supermodules being installed in place with concrete form ties, according to some embodiments. [Figure 7] 1 illustrates an example arrangement of supermodules within a reactor building, according to some embodiments. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 illustrates a flow diagram for manufacturing modules and assembling a supermodule, according to some embodiments.

Claims

1. 1. A method of manufacturing a nuclear reactor, comprising the steps of: manufacturing one or more sub-modules at a manufacturing facility, the one or more sub-modules including skids and shielding; assembling one or more sub-modules into one or more super-modules using temporary connections at said manufacturing facility; disassembling the supermodule; transporting the sub-module to an installation site; A method comprising:

2. moreover, At the installation site, Assembling two or more sub-modules using permanent connections; installing concrete form ties between the two or more sub-modules; welding the two or more sub-modules together to form a supermodule; pouring concrete between the two or more sub-modules; placing the super module in place; The method of claim 1 , comprising:

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more sub-modules include one or more of a compressor module, a tank module, and a charcoal bed module.

4. The shield is composed of a plurality of parts, 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising welding the pieces of shielding to the sub-module at the installation site.

5. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein transporting the sub-module to the installation site comprises transporting the sub-module by truck.

6. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein a first sub-module of the one or more sub-modules has a steel container permanently formed therearound, the steel container having a pre-formed opening.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first sub-module comprises piping coupled to the preformed opening.

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