公开(公告)号：US12159727B2

公开(公告)日：2024-12-03

申请号：US18378691

申请日：2023-10-11

Applicant: BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC

Inventor： Benjamin D. Fisher ,  John R. Salasin ,  Craig D. Gramlich ,  Jonathan K. Witter

IPC: G21C3/04 ,  G21C3/42 ,  G21C21/02 ,  G21D5/02 ,  G21C3/28 ,  G21C3/30

Abstract: Nuclear propulsion fission reactor structure has an active core region including fuel element structures, a reflector with rotatable neutron absorber structures (such as drum absorbers), and a core former conformal mating the outer surface of the fuel element structures to the reflector. Fuel element structures are arranged abutting nearest neighbor fuel element structures in a tri-pitch design. Cladding bodies defining coolant channels are inserted into and joined to lower and upper core plates to from a continuous structure that is a first portion of the containment structure. The body of the fuel element has a structure with a shape corresponding to a mathematically-based periodic solid, such as a triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) in a gyroid structure. The nuclear propulsion fission reactor structure can be incorporated into a nuclear thermal propulsion engine for propulsion applications, such as space propulsion.

公开(公告)号：US11993009B2

公开(公告)日：2024-05-28

申请号：US16835370

申请日：2020-03-31

Applicant: BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC

Inventor： Benjamin D. Fisher ,  John R. Salasin ,  Bryan Blake Wiggins

IPC: B29C64/165 ,  B33Y10/00 ,  B33Y70/10 ,  B33Y80/00 ,  C08F2/08 ,  C08F2/54 ,  C08F20/14 ,  C08F22/10 ,  C08K3/08 ,  C08K3/10 ,  C08K3/14 ,  C08K3/16 ,  C08K3/22 ,  C08K5/00 ,  C08K5/101 ,  C08K5/19 ,  C08K5/3492 ,  C08K5/5397 ,  G21C3/04 ,  G21C3/50 ,  G21C21/00

CPC classification number: B29C64/165 ,  B33Y10/00 ,  B33Y70/10 ,  B33Y80/00 ,  C08F2/08 ,  C08F2/54 ,  C08F20/14 ,  C08F22/1006 ,  C08K3/08 ,  C08K3/10 ,  C08K3/14 ,  C08K3/16 ,  C08K3/22 ,  C08K5/0041 ,  C08K5/101 ,  C08K5/19 ,  C08K5/3492 ,  C08K5/5397 ,  G21C3/04 ,  G21C3/50 ,  G21C21/00 ,  C08K2003/0887 ,  C08K2003/221 ,  C08K2201/005 ,  C08K2201/006

Abstract: Additive manufacturing methods use a surrogate slurry to iteratively develop an additive manufacturing protocol and then substitutes a final slurry composition to then additively manufacture a final component using the developed additive manufacturing protocol. In the nuclear reactor component context, the final slurry composition is a nuclear fuel slurry having a composition: 30-45 vol. % monomer resin, 30-70 vol. % plurality of particles of uranium-containing material, >0-7 vol. % dispersant, photoactivated dye, photoabsorber, photoinitiator, and 0-18 vol. % (as a balance) diluent. The surrogate slurry has a similar composition, but a plurality of surrogate particles selected to represent a uranium-containing material are substituted for the particles of uranium-containing material. The method provides a means for in-situ monitoring of characteristics of the final component during manufacture as well as in-situ volumetric inspection. Compositions of surrogate slurries and nuclear fuel slurries are also disclosed.

公开(公告)号：US20230372556A1

公开(公告)日：2023-11-23

申请号：US18199237

申请日：2023-05-18

Applicant: BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC

Inventor： Benjamin D. Fisher ,  Curtis G. Hamilton ,  Kenneth Palazzi

IPC: A61L2/00

CPC classification number: A61L2/007 ,  A61L2202/122 ,  A61L2202/14

Abstract: A sterilization system for a radiopharmaceutical product comprising a hot cell disposed within a clean room environment. A sterilization shaft extends between a first end and a second end and defines an interior. The first end of the shaft is disposed within the hot cell and the second end of the shaft is disposed externally to the clean room. An electron beam accelerator assembly is disposed within the interior of the sterilization shaft so that an emission end of the electron beam accelerator is adjacent the first end of the sterilization shaft.