Molten Salt Reactor Gravity Drain Shutdown for Passive Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing nuclear reactors, such as PWRs and BWRs, rely on human operators and active systems, making them costly and prone to human error, and there is a need for inherently safe reactors that can autonomously shut down in emergencies.
Innovation Solution
A molten salt nuclear reactor with a controller that monitors reactor parameters and autonomously adjusts operations, including draining liquid into a tank under gravity when parameters deviate from safe ranges, using sensors to manage power output and safety thresholds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional PWRs or BWRs use human operators and active backup systems for control, then the reactor can be operated and controlled, but the operation cost increases and safety reliability decreases due to human error potential
Solution Approach 1:
The reactor is designed with inherent passive safety features that enable it to shut down automatically without human intervention. The system uses natural convection currents and gravity-driven mechanisms to remove heat and control the reaction, allowing the reactor to serve its own safety needs without external active systems or human operators.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex active mechanical control systems with passive physical mechanisms. Instead of using pumps, valves, and active cooling systems controlled by human operators, the design employs natural convection, gravity-driven liquid flow, and inherent thermal properties to achieve automatic shutdown and heat removal functions.
2Reliability
If active backup systems like diesel generators are used for safety, then the reactor can maintain operation during failures, but the system becomes more complex and less inherently safe
Solution Approach 1:
The reactor design eliminates the need for external backup systems by incorporating passive safety features directly into the core design. The system automatically responds to failures using inherent physical mechanisms such as natural convection for heat removal and gravity-driven liquid flow for shutdown, making the reactor self-sufficient for safety functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates passive heat removal capabilities and inherent shutdown mechanisms that are always available and automatically activate when needed. These pre-designed safety features provide continuous protection without requiring active intervention or backup systems, cushioning against potential failures before they occur.
3Use of energy by moving object
If molten salt is used as coolant and fuel at high temperatures, then heat transfer efficiency improves, but the system requires passive safety mechanisms to prevent accidents
Solution Approach 1:
The molten salt reactor design uses the thermal properties of the molten salt itself to provide passive safety. The high heat capacity and natural convection characteristics of the molten salt enable automatic heat removal and temperature regulation without external systems, allowing the coolant to serve both heat transfer and safety functions simultaneously.
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
Provides high passive safety by automatically shutting down without human intervention, reducing costs and enhancing reliability and safety.
Implementation Method 1
autonomously stop reactor operation by allowing the liquid to drain into the drain tank under the influence of gravity
Implementation Method 2
a circulation pump for circulating the liquid
Implementation Method 3
a controller configured to monitor one or more reactor parameters... one or more sensors configured to provide a signal representative of an operation state of the nuclear reactor
Data Source
AI summary
The first invention describes a molten salt nuclear reactor system and method of controlling a nuclear reactor, the molten salt nuclear reactor being contained in a closed vessel of the molten salt nuclear reactor system, the molten salt nuclear reactor comprising: a reactor core, a circulation pump, a drain tank, a controller, and a liquid loop for circulating a liquid through the reactor core, wherein the controller is configured to autonomously stop reactor operation by allowing the liquid to drain into the drain tank under influence of gravity when at least one reactor parameter differs from acceptable operating values, and/or wherein the controller is configured to commence reactor operation by starting the circulation pump to pump liquid from the drain tank to the liquid loop when all reactor parameters are in conformity with the acceptable operating values. The second invention describes a molten salt nuclear reactor and method for maintaining a sustained nuclear fission chain reaction, the nuclear reactor comprising a vessel (1) having an interior (30,35), the nuclear reactor further comprising in the interior of the vessel: a nuclear reactor core (2); a molten salt primary heat exchange loop (3) comprising a molten salt primary heat exchange medium pump; at least one sensor (9,22,41,49 and the base, 59, 79) configured to provide a signal representative of an operation state of the nuclear reactor; a primary heat exchanger (10) through which the primary heat exchange loop passes; and a breaker circuit arrangement (18,28,68) comprising a circuit breaker (19, 29, 69) and configured to connect and disconnect at least one of electric and/or electronic components (5,15,45) in the interior to and from a source of electric power (53) inside the vessel (1); the circuit breaker (19,29,69) having an open and a closed state; the breaker circuit arrangement (18,28,68) being connected to the at least one sensor (9.22.41.49.59.79); and the breaker circuit arrangement (18,28,68) being configured to open a circuit breaker (19,29,69) when the signal from the at least one sensor (9.22.41.49.59.79) exceeds a safety threshold.