Heat exchanger vessel
The heat exchanger vessel enhances cooling efficiency by guiding heat extraction fluid to prioritize primary cooled heat pipes, allowing nuclear reactors to operate at higher temperatures and use materials with lower tolerances, thus improving energy production efficiency.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-09-02
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-26
AI Technical Summary
Heat pipe-based nuclear reactors are limited in operating temperature by the material with the lowest maximum sustainable temperature, preventing the use of materials with higher temperature tolerances that may be beneficial for other reasons.
A heat exchanger vessel that divides its interior volume into sub-volumes to guide heat extraction fluid flow, prioritizing contact with primary cooled heat pipes before secondary cooled pipes, enhancing cooling efficiency and allowing higher operating temperatures.
Enables nuclear reactors to operate at higher temperatures while using materials with lower temperature tolerances, improving energy production efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Smart Images
Figure EP2025074881_26032026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] 2024PF00288
[0002] 1
[0003] TITLE
[0004] Heat Exchanger Vessel
[0005] CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0006] This represents the first application directed towards the subject-matter.
[0007] FIELD
[0008] This disclosure relates to a heat exchanger vessel for a nuclear reactor, specifically a heat pipe-based nuclear reactor.
[0009] BACKGROUND
[0010] Heat pipe-based nuclear reactors use heat pipes to transfer heat energy out of the nuclear reactor core to (for example) one or more electrical energy generation means. The nuclear reactor is made of a number of different materials, each of which has different levels of thermal tolerance. Increasing the temperature at which a nuclear reactor operates can help the reactor achieve greater energy production efficiency. However, the temperature at which the nuclear reactor operates will be limited to that of the material with lowest maximum sustainable temperature, i.e. the maximum temperature that material can be held at without degrading (for example melting, cracking, dissociating, evaporating, subliming, or losing some other quality it is required for) unacceptably, or at an unacceptable rate. For example, the temperature tolerance of the material used for the core monolith may be greater than that of the material used as a moderator, or a reflector.
[0011] One way to deal with this issue would be to choose materials to use in the nuclear reactor which have the highest temperature tolerance. However, such materials may have other properties which are not so desirable, and this might exclude the use of materials which in other respects would be more beneficial to use within the nuclear reactor.
[0012] It would therefore be advantageous to provide a means for allowing the operating temperature of a nuclear reactor to be increased, whilst also allowing the use of materials which have lower temperature tolerances.
[0013] SUMMARY
[0014] The present disclosure provides a heat exchanger vessel as set out in claim 1 , and a nuclear reactor as set out in claim 6. Optional features are included in the dependent claims.
[0015] According to a first aspect there is provided a heat exchanger vessel for a heat pipebased nuclear micro-reactor, the heat exchanger vessel comprising: a fluid inlet configured to allow a heat extraction fluid to enter the heat exchanger vessel; a fluid outlet configured 2024PF00288
[0016] 2 to allow the heat extraction fluid to exit the heat exchanger vessel; a conditioning plate, the conditioning plate extending across the interior volume of the heat exchanger vessel so as to divide the interior volume of the heat exchanger vessel into a first sub-volume and a second sub-volume, the conditioning plate comprising a plurality of apertures configured so as to permit the heat extraction fluid to flow between the first sub-volume and the second sub-volume; the conditioning plate further comprising one or more first dividers and one or more second dividers, the one or more first dividers extending from the conditioning plate across the first sub-volume, and the one or more second dividers extending from the conditioning plate into the second sub-volume; wherein one or more of the one or more second dividers are configured so as to enclose one or more heat pipe ends within a third sub-region of the second sub-volume, and enclose one or more heat pipe ends within a fourth sub-region of the second sub-volume; and the one or more first dividers are configured so as to divide the first sub-volume into a first sub-region and a second subregion, such that heat extraction fluid leaving the first sub-region passes through the third sub-region before arriving at the second sub-region.
[0017] The second sub-volume of the heat exchanger vessel may be the only sub-volume configured to house a plurality of heat pipe ends.
[0018] The fluid outlet may be connected to the second sub-region, so as to allow heat extraction fluid to exit the heat exchanger vessel from the second sub-region.
[0019] The heat exchanger vessel may further comprise a second fluid inlet, the second fluid inlet being configured to allow heat extraction fluid to enter the second sub-region of the heat exchanger vessel.
[0020] The fluid outlet may be located on the fourth sub-region, so as to allow heat extraction fluid to exit the heat exchanger vessel from the fourth sub-region.
[0021] According to a second aspect, there is provided a nuclear reactor comprising the heat exchanger vessel of the first aspect.
[0022] The nuclear reactor may further comprise a nuclear reactor core, the nuclear reactor core comprising one or more primary cooled material region(s), and the heat pipe ends within the third sub-region are the ends of heat pipes which are extracting heat energy from the primary cooled material region(s) within the nuclear reactor core.
[0023] One or more of the primary cooled material region(s) of the nuclear reactor may be a reflector material region, and one or more of the heat pipe ends within the third sub-region are the ends of heat pipes which are extracting heat from a reflector material region.
[0024] One or more of the primary cooled material region(s) of the nuclear reactor may be a moderator material region, and one or more of the heat pipe ends within the third sub- 2024PF00288
[0025] 3 region are the ends of heat pipes which are extracting heat from a moderator material region.
[0026] The skilled person will appreciate that except where mutually exclusive, a feature described in relation to any one of the above aspects may be applied mutatis mutandis to any other aspect. Furthermore, except where mutually exclusive, any feature described herein may be applied to any aspect and / or combined with any other feature described herein.
[0027] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0028] Embodiments will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0029] FIG. 1 shows a schematic sectional view of an example heat exchanger vessel;
[0030] FIG. 2 shows a schematic sectional view of an example heat exchanger vessel;
[0031] FIG. 3 shows a schematic sectional view of an example heat exchanger vessel;
[0032] FIG. 4 shows a schematic plan section view of an example heat exchanger vessel;
[0033] FIG. 5 shows a schematic plan section view of an example heat exchanger vessel;
[0034] FIG. 6 shows a schematic sectional view of an alternative design of heat exchanger vessel;
[0035] FIG. 7 shows a schematic sectional view of an example heat exchanger vessel;
[0036] FIG. 8 shows a schematic plan section view of an example heat exchanger vessel;
[0037] FIG. 9 shows a schematic sectional view of an example nuclear reactor;
[0038] FIG. 10 shows a schematic sectional view of an example heat exchanger vessel;
[0039] FIG. 11 shows a schematic plan view of a heat exchanger vessel; and
[0040] FIG. 12 shows a schematic sectional view of an example nuclear reactor.
[0041] DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0042] FIG. 1 shows a schematic sectional view of an example heat exchanger vessel 100 according to the present disclosure. The heat exchanger vessel provides a means for transferring heat energy extracted from a nuclear reactor core 150 (see FIG. 9 and FIG. 12) by a plurality of heat pipes to a heat extraction fluid. The heat extraction fluid (the flow of which is generally indicated in the FIG.s by the white block arrows) can then be used to transport the heat energy from the nuclear reactor core to other parts of the nuclear reactor, where the heat energy can be converted into (for example) electrical energy. By extracting heat energy from the nuclear reactor core, the heat pipes have the effect of cooling the components of the nuclear reactor core that they have extracted heat energy from. The heat exchanger vessel 100 has a fluid inlet 10 for allowing a heat extraction fluid to enter the heat exchanger vessel, and a fluid outlet 12 for allowing a heat extraction fluid to leave the 2024PF00288
[0043] 4 heat exchanger vessel. Within the interior volume of the heat exchanger vessel 100 there are structures to guide the passage of heat extraction fluid through the heat exchanger vessel. There is a conditioning plate 20, which extends across the interior volume of the heat exchanger vessel, effectively dividing the interior volume of the heat exchanger vessel into two connected sub-volumes; a first sub-volume 30 and a second sub-volume 40 (see dotted lines in FIG. 1). The conditioning plate has a plurality of holes or apertures 25 within it, which allow heat extraction fluid to flow from one side of the conditioning plate to the other. The conditioning plate helps condition the flow of the heat extraction fluid, helping to distribute the flow of heat extraction fluid throughout the heat exchanger vessel 100. The second sub-volume 40 is configured so as to house the ends of heat pipes 80, 85 extending from the nuclear reactor core 150.
[0044] Extending from the conditioning plate 20 across the first sub-volume 30 of the two connected sub-volumes within the interior volume of the heat exchanger vessel 100 are one or more first dividers 35. In FIG. 1 , only a single first divider 35 is shown. The first divider 35 serves to divide the first sub-volume 30 into a first sub-region 50 (indicated by fine diagonal hatching) and second sub-region 60 (indicated by dotted hatching). The first subregion 50 is the sub-region the fluid inlet 10 is connected to, such that heat extraction fluid passing through the fluid inlet 10 will enter the first sub-region 50 before passing into any other sub-region. The first divider 35 is a boundary to the heat extraction fluid, and serves to prevent heat extraction fluid within the first sub-region 50 passing into the second subregion 60, and vice-versa.
[0045] After entering the first sub-region 50, the heat extraction fluid will pass through the apertures 25 in the conditioning plate 20 and enter a third sub-region 70 (indicated by fine vertical hatching), the third sub-region 70 being a sub-region of the second sub-volume 40. The third sub-region 70 is defined as the sub-region of the second sub-volume 40 which has a direct fluidic connection to the first sub-region via the apertures in the conditioning plate 20. In other words, the third sub-region is the sub-region the heat extraction fluid enters when it leaves the first sub-region. The third sub-region 60 is also defined as the sub-region which houses the ends of one or more primary cooled heat pipes 80. The primary cooled heat pipes 80 are the heat pipes extending from a part of the nuclear reactor core closest to where materials that have a lower maximum sustainable temperature are present (see FIG. 9 and FIG. 12).
[0046] Extending away from the conditioning plate into the second sub-volume 40 are one or more second dividers 45. In general, the one or more second dividers 45 help to guide heat extraction fluid along at least some of the length of the heat pipes 80, 85, such that heat energy drawn from the nuclear reactor core by the heat pipes 80, 85 can be absorbed 2024PF00288
[0047] 5 by the heat extraction fluid which can then transport the heat energy to other parts of the nuclear reactor 200. More specifically, within the third sub-region 70, the one or more second dividers 45 guide the heat extraction fluid such that the ends of the primary cooled heat pipes 80 are contacted by the heat extraction fluid first, directly after the heat extraction fluid leaves the first sub-region, and before the heat extraction fluid comes into contact with the ends of heat pipes from other parts of the nuclear reactor core - the secondary cooled heat pipes 85 - which are in a fourth sub-region 90 (indicated by fine horizontal hatching) of the second sub-volume 40.
[0048] The heat extraction fluid is at its coolest when it first enters the heat exchanger vessel (i.e. before it is heated up by contact with the heat pipes). Therefore, the first heat pipe(s) to be contacted by the heat extraction fluid will benefit from an increased cooling effect of the heat extraction fluid, and in turn the material within and around the nuclear reactor core proximate the opposite end of these heat pipes will also benefit from an increased cooling effect.
[0049] Due to the arrangement of the conditioning plate 20 and first divider 35 to create and link the first sub-region 50 and third sub-region 70, when the heat exchanger vessel is in use, the primary cooled heat pipes 80 in third sub-region 70 are the first heat pipes to be contacted by the heat extraction fluid. This means the primary cooled heat pipes 80 will benefit from an increased cooling effect of the heat extraction fluid, and consequently the material within and around the nuclear reactor core proximate the opposite end of the primary cooled heat pipe(s) 80 (i.e. primary cooled material 180) will also benefit from an increased cooling effect, thus helping to keep the primary cooled material at a lower temperature than other parts of the nuclear reactor 200.
[0050] In the example of FIG. 1 , the third sub-region 70 is fluidically connected to the fourth sub-region 90, such that heat extraction fluid can flow directly from the third sub-region 70 to the fourth sub-region 90 via breaks or gaps in the one or more second dividers 45. For simplicity, in the examples described herein the breaks or gaps in the one or more second dividers 45 are shown between the base of the second sub-volume 40 and the end of the one or more second dividers 45, but the skilled person will appreciate that the one or more second dividers 45 can extend right across the second sub-volume 40 like the one or more first dividers 35, providing that, unlike the one or more first dividers 35, there are breaks or gaps in the one or more second dividers 45 to allow the heat extraction fluid to flow from one side of the one or more second dividers 45 to the other, and in particular, from the third sub-region 70 to the fourth sub-region 90. The heat extraction fluid will be at a second, warmer temperature as it enters the fourth sub-region 90, having already extracted heat energy from the primary cooled heat pipes 80 in the neighbouring third sub-region 70. 2024PF00288
[0051] 6
[0052] However, the heat extraction fluid will still be cool enough to perform its function of extracting more heat energy from the secondary cooled heat pipes 85. The hydraulic pressure within the heat exchanger vessel will force the heat extraction fluid around the ends of the secondary cooled heat pipes 85, between the one or more second dividers 45 in the fourth sub-region 90, where the heat extraction fluid will absorb heat energy from the ends of the secondary cooled heat pipes 85. The heat extraction fluid will then flow up through the apertures 25 in the conditioning plate 20 leading to the second sub-region 60 of the first sub-volume 30, before exiting the heat exchanger vessel via the fluid outlet 12 connected to the second sub-region 60.
[0053] FIG. 2 shows a schematic sectional view of an example heat exchanger vessel 100 with an extended volume suitable for accommodating more secondary cooled heat pipes 85. The principal operation of the heat exchanger vessel 100 is similar to that of the example of FIG. 1. Heat extraction fluid can enter the heat exchanger vessel 100 via the fluid inlet 10 connected to the first sub-region 50 of the first sub-volume 30. The heat extraction fluid then flows through apertures in the conditioning plate 20 into the third sub-region 70, where it passes between one or more second dividers 45 to flow around the ends of the primary cooled heat pipes 80 present in the third sub-region 70. As with the heat exchanger vessel of FIG. 1 , this means the primary cooled heat pipes 80 are the first to be cooled by the heat extraction fluid, meaning more heat energy can be extracted from the primary cooled heat pipes 80, and in turn the region of the nuclear reactor core where the primary cooled material is situated can be kept at a cooler temperature than that of the rest of the core.
[0054] The heat extraction fluid then flows out of the third sub-region 70, passing out into the neighbouring fourth sub-regions 90 to either side of, or surrounding, the third sub-region 70, where the heat extraction fluid contacts and extracts heat from the secondary cooled heat pipes 85. As with the example heat exchanger vessel of FIG. 1 , whilst the heat extraction fluid will now be warmer than it was in the third sub-region 70, as a result of extracting heat energy from the primary cooled heat pipes 80, the heat extraction fluid will still be cool enough to perform the function of extracting more heat energy from the secondary cooled heat pipes 85. After flowing over and around the secondary cooled heat pipes 85 in the fourth sub-regions 90, the heat extraction fluid will then pass back up through the apertures 25 in the conditioning plate 20 to re-enter the first sub-volume 30, and more specifically, the second sub-region 60, from where it can exit the heat exchanger vessel via a fluid outlet 12.
[0055] FIG. 3 shows a schematic sectional view of another example heat exchanger vessel 100 suitable for accommodating primary cooled heat pipes 80 that are in sub-groups around secondary cooled heat pipes 85. The principal operation of the heat exchanger vessel 100 2024PF00288
[0056] 7 is similar to that of the examples of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. Heat extraction fluid can enter the heat exchanger vessel 100 via any of the fluid inlets 10 connected to any of the first subregions 50 of the first sub-volume 30. The heat extraction fluid then flows through apertures in the conditioning plate 20 into one of the third sub-regions 70, where it passes between one or more second dividers 45 to flow around the ends of the primary cooled heat pipes 80 present in the third sub-regions 70. The heat extraction fluid then flows out of the third sub-region 70, passing out into neighbouring fourth sub-regions 90 to either side of, or surrounding, the third sub-region 70, where the heat extraction fluid contacts and extracts heat from the secondary cooled heat pipes 85. After flowing over and around the secondary cooled heat pipes 85 in the fourth sub-regions 90, the heat extraction fluid will then pass back up through the apertures 25 in the conditioning plate 20 to re-enter the first sub-volume 30, but this time in one of the second sub-regions 60, from where it can exit the heat exchanger vessel via one of the fluid outlets 12.
[0057] FIG. 4 shows a schematic plan section view of an example heat exchanger vessel 100. In the example of FIG. 4, the heat exchanger vessel has a square cross-sectional shape, but the skilled person will understand that the heat exchanger vessel can function just as well with other, different cross-sectional shapes. As can be seen in the example heat exchanger vessel 100 of FIG. 4, the first divider 35 may in fact be a single divider which encompasses the first sub-region 50 within the heat exchanger vessel 100. The first divider in FIG. 4 is shown as being circular, but the skilled person will understand that this is not an essential design element of the first divider, which can take other, different cross-sectional forms, depending on, for example, the design of the nuclear reactor and the distribution of different types of material within the nuclear reactor core (for example, the distribution of moderator material, or reflector material). The example arrangement shown in FIG. 4 would be suitable where the primary cooled material within the nuclear reactor core was concentrated in one location towards the centre of the core, as the heat extraction fluid enters the heat exchanger vessel near the centre, and then exits the heat exchanger vessel towards the edges.
[0058] A schematic plan section view of another example heat exchanger vessel 100, which would be suitable for a different distribution of primary cooled material within the nuclear reactor core, is shown in FIG. 5. In FIG. 5, there are multiple fluid inlets, with each fluid inlet having its own first divider 35 to channel the heat extraction fluid entering the heat exchanger vessel towards a one or more primary cooled heat pipes (not shown). Having multiple fluid inlets and multiple separate first dividers to create multiple first sub-regions within the heat exchanger vessel allows for a more flexible distribution of primary cooled heat pipes around the nuclear reactor core. This may be more practical for larger nuclear 2024PF00288
[0059] 8 reactor cores, where the primary cooled material may be located in several different regions of the nuclear reactor core, and not just in the centre.
[0060] FIG. 6 shows a schematic sectional view of an alternative design of heat exchanger vessel 100. The heat exchanger vessel of FIG. 6 differs from the previous example heat exchanger vessels described herein in that it has a fluid inlet connected to the second subregion 60 in addition to the fluid inlet connected to the first sub-region 50, and the fluid outlet 12 is connected to the fourth sub-region 90 instead of the second sub-region 60. As with the example heat exchanger vessels of FIG. 1 , FIG. 2, and FIG. 3, the heat exchanger vessel is divided into a first sub-volume 30 and second sub-volume 40 by a conditioning plate 20, the first sub-volume 30 is divided into a first sub-region 50 and a second subregion 60, and the second sub-volume 40 is divided into a third sub-region 70 and fourth sub-region 90. Heat extraction fluid can enter the heat exchanger vessel 100 via the fluid inlet 10 connected to the first sub-region 50 within the first sub-volume 30. From there, the heat extraction fluid travels through the apertures 25 in the conditioning plate 20 into the third sub-region 70, where it can extract heat from the primary cooled heat pipes 80. As with the example heat exchanger vessels 100 of FIG. 1 , FIG. 2, and FIG. 3, the primary cooled heat pipes 80 are the first heat pipes the heat extraction fluid comes into contact with, and as such the primary cooled heat pipes benefit from the heat extraction fluid being at its coolest, meaning the primary cooled material within the nuclear reactor core at the opposite end of the primary cooled heat pipes experiences increased cooling compared with other parts of the nuclear reactor core cooled by the secondary cooled heat pipes 85.
[0061] In the example heat exchanger vessel 100 of FIG. 6, the heat extraction fluid passes from the third sub-region 70 to the second sub-region 60, via apertures 25 in the conditioning plate 20. As the second sub-region is connected to a fluid inlet 10 through which more heat extraction fluid can enter the second sub-region 60, the second sub-region 60 becomes a mixing chamber (indicated by the circulating block arrows) where heat extraction fluid which has passed through the third sub-region 70 can mix with heat extraction fluid which has arrived via the fluid inlet directly connected to the second subregion 60. As a result, the combination of heat extraction fluids has a raised, warmer temperature compared to that of the heat extraction fluid prior to entering the heat exchanger vessel, as the heat extraction fluid which has passed through the third subsection 70 and absorbed heat energy from the primary cooled heat pipes 80 will heat the heat extraction fluid entering directly into the second sub-region 60, prior to the mixture of the two heat extraction fluids entering the fourth sub-region 90 via apertures 25 in the conditioning plate 20. For the avoidance of doubt, it is to be assumed the heat extraction fluid entering the fluid inlet 10 connected to the second sub-region 60 is of the same 2024PF00288
[0062] 9 composition, or even from the same source, as the heat extraction fluid entering the fluid inlet 10 connected to the first sub-region 50.
[0063] Upon entering the fourth sub-region 90, the heat extraction fluid will travel between one or more second dividers 45, so as to be guided around the ends of the secondary cooled heat pipes housed within the fourth sub-region. Finally, having extracted heat energy from the secondary cooled heat pipes 85, the heat extraction fluid will pass out of the heat exchanger vessel via the fluid outlet 12.
[0064] By comparison with the example heat exchanger vessels shown in FIG. 1 , FIG. 2, and FIG. 3, the example heat exchanger vessel of FIG. 6 produces a smaller difference between the temperature of the heat extraction fluid entering the third subregion 70 to cool the primary cooled heat pipes 80, and the temperature of the heat extraction fluid entering the fourth subregion 90 to cool the secondary cooled heat pipes 85. This may be desirable depending on the design of the nuclear reactor core the heat pipes 80, 85 are cooling. Furthermore, by providing a means for adding heat extraction fluid at different points in the heat extraction fluid flow path, the mass flow and pressure of heat extraction fluid can be optimised for the distribution of primary cooled heat pipes 80 and secondary cooled heat pipes 85 within and around the nuclear reactor core 150.
[0065] FIG. 7 shows a schematic sectional view of an example heat exchanger vessel 100 with an extended volume able to accommodate more primary cooled heat pipes 80 and more secondary cooled heat pipes 85. The principal operation of the heat exchanger vessel 100 is similar to that of the example of FIG. 6. Heat extraction fluid can enter the heat exchanger vessel 100 via the fluid inlet 10 connected to the first sub-region 50 in the first sub-volume 30. The heat extraction fluid then flows through apertures 25 in the conditioning plate 20 into the third sub-region 70, where it passes between one or more second dividers 45 to flow around the ends of the primary cooled heat pipes 80 present in the third subregion 70. As with the heat exchanger vessels of the previous examples described herein, this means the primary cooled heat pipes 80 are the first to be cooled by the heat extraction fluid, meaning more heat energy can be extracted from the primary cooled heat pipes 80, and in turn the region of the nuclear reactor core where the primary cooled material is situated can be kept at a cooler temperature than that of the rest of the nuclear reactor core.
[0066] As with the example of FIG. 6, the heat extraction fluid then flows up through the conditioning plate 20 into the second sub-regions 60, where it mixes with more heat extraction fluid entering the second sub-region 60 directly via fluid inlets 10 connected to the second sub-region. After the heat extraction fluid has mixed within the second subregion 60, it passes through the conditioning plate and into the fourth sub-regions 90, where it is guided by one or more second dividers 45 to flow around the ends of the secondary 2024PF00288
[0067] 10 cooled heat pipes 85 so as to extract heat energy from them. Finally, the heat extraction fluid passes out of the heat exchanger vessel 100 via one of the fluid outlets 12 connected to one of the fourth sub-regions 90.
[0068] FIG. 8 shows a schematic plan section view of an example heat exchanger vessel 100 sharing the design principles of the example heat exchanger vessels of FIG 6 and FIG. 7. Specifically, FIG. 8 shows a plan view of an example heat exchanger vessel 100 where heat extraction fluid entering the heat exchanger vessel via the first sub-regions 50 will mix with heat extraction fluid entering the heat exchanger vessel 100 via the second sub-regions 60 before entering the fourth sub-region 90. In the example of FIG. 8, the heat exchanger vessel has a circular cross-sectional shape, but the skilled person will understand that the heat exchanger vessel can function just as well with other, different cross-sectional shapes. As can be seen in the example heat exchanger vessel 100 of FIG. 8, the first dividers 35 may be connected to a plurality of fluid inlets 10, or just a single inlet 10. The first dividers 35, and therefore the fluid inlets 10, may be distributed around the heat exchanger vessel 100 so as to best suit the distribution of primary cooled material within and around the nuclear reactor 200, and in particular the nuclear reactor core 150. The first dividers 35 in FIG. 8 are shown as being circular, but the skilled person will understand that this is not an essential design element of the first divider, which can take other, different cross-sectional forms. The example arrangement shown in FIG. 8 would be suitable where the primary cooled material within the nuclear reactor core is distributed around and about the nuclear reactor core, as the heat extraction fluid enters the heat exchanger vessel at numerous location both near the centre and towards the edges, before exiting the heat exchanger vessel at the sides of the heat exchanger vessel.
[0069] FIG. 9 shows a schematic sectional view of an example nuclear reactor 200 comprising a heat exchanger vessel 100 according to the present disclosure. Such a heat exchanger vessel 100 can be installed within a nuclear reactor 200 to improve the cooling of the one or more primary cooled material regions 180 (i.e. the region(s) within and around the nuclear reactor core 150 which have the highest concentration of primary cooled material, or proximate to where substantial amounts of primary cooled material are located) within the nuclear reactor core 150.
[0070] By employing the heat exchanger vessel of the present disclosure, the cooling profile within and around the nuclear reactor core 150 can be tailored to provide enhanced cooling in specific regions, meaning that (for example) the primary cooled material region(s) 180 within and around the nuclear reactor core 150 can be kept cooler than the other parts of the nuclear reactor core, enabling the nuclear reactor to operate at higher temperatures and therefore higher power conversion efficiencies than would otherwise be possible if the 2024PF00288
[0071] 11 nuclear reactor used the same materials, but did not employ the heat exchanger vessel of the present disclosure. Higher operating temperatures can lead to cost and efficiency savings for the operation of the nuclear reactor 200 as a whole. As an example, the primary cooled material could take the form of moderator material, which could be distributed within the core (see dashed outline(s) of primary cooled material 180 within the nuclear reactor core 150 in FIG. 9 and FIG. 12). Alternatively or additionally, the primary cooled material 180 could take the form of reflector material, which could be positioned at the edges of the nuclear reactor core 150 (see columns with speckled hatching to either side of the nuclear reactor core in FIG. 9 and FIG. 12).
[0072] FIG. 10 shows a schematic sectional view of another example heat exchanger vessel 100 sharing the design principles of the example heat exchanger vessel of FIG. 7. In the example heat exchanger of FIG. 10 however, the fluid outlets 12 are extended so that the exit point of the heat extraction fluid from the heat exchanger vessel 100 can be located on the top surface of the heat extractor vessel. Such a configuration may be useful in situations where the nuclear reactor is configured such that there is limited space around the heat exchanger vessel for the requisite pipework to transport heat extraction fluid to and from the heat exchanger vessel. The skilled person will understand that various modifications to the fluid inlet 10 and fluid outlet 12 positions are possible, providing the fluid inlets are always connected to at least a first sub-region 50 (and optionally a second sub-region 60) so as to allow heat extraction fluid to enter the heat exchanger vessel via a first 50 and optionally second 60 sub-region, and the fluid outlets are always connected to a fourth sub-region 90 so as to allow heat extraction fluid to exit the heat exchanger vessel via a fourth sub-region 90.
[0073] FIG. 11 shows a schematic plan view of a heat exchanger vessel similar to that shown in FIG. 8, but where the fluid outlets 12 have been extended so as to provide a means for the heat extraction fluid to leave the heat exchanger vessel via the top surface of the heat exchanger vessel. It will be apparent to the skilled person that other configurations of the fluid outlet are possible in order to provide the heat extraction fluid with a means to exit the heat exchanger vessel from the fourth sub-region 90.
[0074] FIG. 12 shows a schematic sectional view of another example nuclear reactor 200 comprising a heat exchanger vessel 100 according to the present disclosure. In this example, the primary cooled material is distributed to a number of different regions within the nuclear reactor core 150, in addition to regions at the edge of the core. The heat exchanger vessel 100 described herein allows for these regions of primary cooled material to be preferentially cooled, allowing the nuclear reactor 200 to operate at higher, more 2024PF00288
[0075] 12 energy efficient temperatures, whilst also allowing the use of materials with a lower temperature threshold.
[0076] It is to be understood that in the examples given herein the numbers of heat pipes 80, 85 are not necessarily representative of the number that would be used in real life, but rather have been used to simplify the explanation of how the heat exchanger vessel works. The skilled person will understand how to extend the designs disclosed herein to accommodate fewer heat pipes or more heat pipes, as appropriate.
[0077] Various examples have been described, each of which comprise one or more combinations of features. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that, except where clearly mutually exclusive, any of the features may be employed separately or in combination with any other features and the invention extends to and includes all combinations and sub-combinations of one or more features described herein.
Claims
2024PF0028813CLAIMS1. A heat exchanger vessel for a heat pipe-based nuclear micro-reactor, the heat exchanger vessel comprising: a fluid inlet configured to allow a heat extraction fluid to enter the heat exchanger vessel; a fluid outlet configured to allow the heat extraction fluid to exit the heat exchanger vessel; a conditioning plate, the conditioning plate extending across the interior volume of the heat exchanger vessel so as to divide the interior volume of the heat exchanger vessel into a first sub-volume and a second sub-volume, the conditioning plate comprising a plurality of apertures configured so as to permit the heat extraction fluid to flow between the first sub-volume and the second sub-volume; the conditioning plate further comprising one or more first dividers and one or more second dividers, the one or more first dividers extending from the conditioning plate across the first sub-volume, and the one or more second dividers extending from the conditioning plate into the second sub-volume; wherein one or more of the one or more second dividers are configured so as to enclose one or more heat pipe ends within a third sub-region of the second sub-volume, and enclose one or more heat pipe ends within a fourth sub-region of the second subvolume; and the one or more first dividers are configured so as to divide the first sub-volume into a first sub-region and a second sub-region, such that heat extraction fluid leaving the first sub-region passes through the third sub-region before arriving at the second sub-region.
2. The heat exchanger vessel of claim 1 , wherein only the second sub-volume is configured to house a plurality of heat pipe ends.
3. The heat exchanger vessel of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the fluid outlet is connected to the second sub-region, so as to allow heat extraction fluid to exit the heat exchanger vessel from the second sub-region.
4. The heat exchanger vessel of claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising a second fluid inlet, the second fluid inlet being configured to allow heat extraction fluid to enter the second sub-region of the heat exchanger vessel, and wherein the fluid outlet is located on the fourth2024PF0028814 sub-region, so as to allow heat extraction fluid to exit the heat exchanger vessel from the fourth sub-region.
5. A nuclear reactor comprising the heat exchanger vessel of any preceding claim.
6. The nuclear reactor of claim 5, further comprising a nuclear reactor core, the nuclear reactor core comprising one or more primary cooled material regions, and the heat pipe ends within the third sub-region are the ends of heat pipes which are extracting heat energy from the primary cooled material regions within the nuclear reactor core.
7. The nuclear reactor of claim 6, wherein one or more of the primary cooled material regions is a reflector material region, and one or more of the heat pipe ends within the third sub-region are the ends of heat pipes which are extracting heat from a reflector material region.
8. The nuclear reactor of claim 6 or claim 7, wherein one or more of the primary cooled material regions is a moderator material region, and one or more of the heat pipe ends within the third sub-region are the ends of heat pipes which are extracting heat from a moderator material region.
Citation Information
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