Modular Nuclear Reactor Core Systems for Factory Fabrication
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Nuclear reactor facilities face challenges in construction due to the need for tight tolerances and delicate equipment fabrication on-site, which is inefficient and difficult to transport large components without significant labor and quality control issues.
Innovation Solution
Designing nuclear reactor components as modular units that can be manufactured in a factory and shipped to the construction site for assembly, allowing for efficient transport and installation with higher precision and reduced on-site fabrication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If nuclear reactor components are fabricated on-site, then tight tolerances and delicate equipment can be installed, but construction efficiency is reduced and labor requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The nuclear reactor system is divided into multiple modular components (reactor vessel module, heat transport module, core module, etc.) that can be independently fabricated in manufacturing facilities and then assembled on-site. This segmentation allows precision fabrication in controlled factory environments while maintaining construction efficiency through modular assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
Components are pre-fabricated, pre-tested, and pre-assembled in manufacturing facilities before being transported to the construction site. This preliminary action in controlled factory settings ensures tight tolerances are achieved without compromising overall construction efficiency, as the precision work is completed beforehand.
2Ease of manufacture
If large nuclear reactor components are transported to construction site, then on-site fabrication can be avoided, but transport difficulty and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The reactor system is segmented into modular components of manageable sizes that can be transported using standard infrastructure. This segmentation reduces transport complexity while still avoiding the need for extensive on-site fabrication of large monolithic components.
Solution Approach 2:
The reactor vessel module is designed with a non-circular cross-sectional geometry that optimizes transport dimensions while maintaining functional requirements. This dimensional optimization allows the module to be transported more easily without requiring complex on-site fabrication.
3Productivity
If nuclear reactor facility is constructed from modular units, then construction speed and efficiency improve, but system complexity in integration increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into standardized modules with defined interfaces, which simplifies integration despite the increased number of components. The segmentation enables parallel fabrication and testing of modules, improving construction speed while managing integration complexity through standardization.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular design employs universal interfaces and standardized connection methods that can be applied across different reactor configurations. This universality reduces integration complexity by providing repeatable assembly procedures while maintaining high construction speed through modularization.
Data Source
AI summary
A nuclear reactor is designed to allow efficient packing of components within the reactor vessel, such as by offsetting the core, and/or vertically stacking components. The in-vessel storage system can be separate from the support cylinder and these components can be fabricated and shipped separately and coupled together at the construction site. Furthermore, the in-vessel storage system can be located adjacent to the core rather than being located circumferentially around it, and may also be located beneath the heat exchanger to further improve packing of components within the vessel. Through these, and other changes, the delicate components can be manufactured in a manufacturing facility, assembled, and shipped by commercial transportation options without exceeding the shipping envelope.