Modular Nuclear Reactor Heat Pipe Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile nuclear reactors with monolithic reactor cores face challenges in fabrication due to long holes and thin walls, which can lead to deformation and breaking, and require extensive welding of heat pipes, increasing the risk of leaks and safety concerns.
Innovation Solution
A modular nuclear reactor design featuring prefabricated structures with heat pipes integral to fuel elements, surrounded by outer and inner claddings, allowing for improved packing density and reduced footprint, with each section operating independently to prevent cascading failures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a monolithic reactor core structure is used to house fuel elements and heat pipes, then the structural integrity and containment are improved, but the fabrication difficulty increases due to long holes and thin walls that are prone to deformation and breaking
Solution Approach 1:
The monolithic reactor core is divided into multiple modular segments or assemblies, each containing a subset of fuel elements and heat pipes. These segments can be fabricated separately with shorter, more manageable holes and thicker walls, then assembled together to form the complete core structure, eliminating the deformation and breaking issues associated with long thin walls in a single monolithic structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Fuel elements and heat pipes are nested within the modular reactor core segments in a hierarchical arrangement. The fuel elements are positioned within channels, and heat pipes are integrated into the same modular assemblies, creating a compact nested structure that reduces the overall footprint while maintaining structural integrity through the modular segment design.
2Reliability
If hundreds to thousands of heat pipes are welded to the upper reflector to form a seal, then the sealing completeness is improved, but the risk of leaks and safety concerns increases due to the extensive welding required
Solution Approach 1:
The upper reflector is designed as an integrated component that is combined with the modular reactor core segments. Instead of welding hundreds or thousands of individual heat pipes to the reflector, the modular design allows the heat pipes to be pre-assembled within the segments, and the segments themselves are then assembled together with the reflector as a unified structure, dramatically reducing the number of welds required.
Solution Approach 2:
Heat pipes are pre-assembled and pre-sealed within the modular reactor core segments before the segments are installed in the reactor. This preliminary assembly allows for quality control and sealing verification to be performed on a smaller scale, reducing the risk of leaks when the complete system is operational.
3Reliability
If a monolithic reactor core with long holes is used to house fuel elements, then the structural containment is improved, but the deformation and breaking susceptibility increases due to the length and shape of the holes
Solution Approach 1:
The long continuous holes in a monolithic reactor core are segmented into multiple shorter holes distributed across several modular segments. Each segment contains only the holes necessary for its local fuel elements and heat pipes, resulting in shorter, stiffer structural walls that are much more resistant to deformation and breaking while maintaining the necessary containment function.
4Power
If diesel-powered or gas-powered generators are used for mobile power production, then the power generation capability is improved, but the transportation burden and cost increase when located at substantial distances from heavily traveled areas
Solution Approach 1:
The power generation system transitions from chemical energy sources (diesel or gas) to nuclear energy, fundamentally changing the energy density parameter. Nuclear fuel has vastly higher energy density than fossil fuels, allowing the same power generation capability to be achieved with significantly reduced fuel mass and transportation requirements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The modular design enhances power output per unit weight or size, simplifies assembly, reduces transportation burdens, and improves safety by minimizing the risk of leaks and deformation, while allowing for remote assembly and operation.
Implementation Method 1
a heat pipe disposed in the annular space
Implementation Method 2
The heat pipe 106 may include a heat transfer fluid directly filling and in contact with the monolithic structure 102
Data Source
AI summary
A modular nuclear reactor comprises a plurality of sections arranged in a pattern and a side reflector material surrounding the plurality of sections. Each section includes a tank comprising a front plate, a back plate, side plates, a top plate, and a bottom plate. A plurality of grid plates are located within the tank. Each grid plate comprises a plurality of apertures and is vertically separated from an adjacent grid plate. The tank further includes a plurality of fuel elements extending through each grid plate. A plurality of heat pipes extend through each grid plate, the top plate, and an upper reflector. Methods of forming the modular nuclear reactor are also disclosed.