公开(公告)号：US20220363995A1

公开(公告)日：2022-11-17

申请号：US17874832

申请日：2022-07-27

申请人： TerraPower, LLc

发明人： Benjamin L. Goodrich ,  Pyoungchung Kim ,  Matthew Targett ,  Joshua C. Walter

IPC分类号： C10C3/08 ,  D01F9/15 ,  C01B32/05

摘要： Embodiments of methods for improving mesophase pitch for carbon fiber production using supercritical carbon dioxide are described. The methods improve the relative amount and quality of mesophase pitch in feedstocks, such as coal tar, already having at least some mesophase pitch. One particular method includes performing a sCO2/toluene extraction on the coal tar to obtain a toluene insoluble fraction of the coal tar; mixing the toluene insoluble fraction with sCO2 to obtain a sCO2/toluene insoluble fraction mixture; and extruding the sCO2/toluene insoluble fraction mixture, thereby separating the sCO2 from the toluene insoluble fraction to obtain fibers of mesophase pitch.

公开(公告)号：US20220310281A1

公开(公告)日：2022-09-29

申请号：US17533264

申请日：2021-11-23

申请人： TerraPower, LLC

发明人： Ken Czerwinski ,  Joshua C. Walter ,  Christopher P. Dunckley

IPC分类号： G21G1/02 ,  B01D11/04 ,  B01D15/40 ,  B01D11/02 ,  G21C19/42 ,  G21G1/08

摘要： Targetry coupled separation refers to enhancing the production of a predetermined radiation product through the selection of a target (including selection of the target material and the material's physical structure) and separation chemistry in order to optimize the recovery of the predetermined radiation product. This disclosure describes systems and methods for creating (through irradiation) and removing one or more desired radioisotopes from a target and further describes systems and methods that allow the same target to undergo multiple irradiations and separation operations without damage to the target. In contrast with the prior art that requires complete dissolution or destruction of a target before recovery of any irradiation products, the repeated reuse of the same physical target allowed by targetry coupled separation represents a significant increase in efficiency and decrease in cost over the prior art.

公开(公告)号：US11434429B2

公开(公告)日：2022-09-06

申请号：US16532334

申请日：2019-08-05

申请人： TerraPower, LLC

发明人： Benjamin L. Goodrich ,  Pyoungchung Kim ,  Matthew Targett ,  Joshua C. Walter

IPC分类号： C10C3/08 ,  D01F9/15 ,  C01B32/05

摘要： Embodiments of methods for improving mesophase pitch for carbon fiber production using supercritical carbon dioxide are described. The methods improve the relative amount and quality of mesophase pitch in feedstocks, such as coal tar, already having at least some mesophase pitch. One particular method includes performing a sCO2/toluene extraction on the coal tar to obtain a toluene insoluble fraction of the coal tar; mixing the toluene insoluble fraction with sCO2 to obtain a sCO2/toluene insoluble fraction mixture; and extruding the sCO2/toluene insoluble fraction mixture, thereby separating the sCO2 from the toluene insoluble fraction to obtain fibers of mesophase pitch.

公开(公告)号：US20200211724A1

公开(公告)日：2020-07-02

申请号：US16676183

申请日：2019-11-06

申请人： TerraPower, LLC

发明人： Anselmo T. Cisneros, JR. ,  Ken Czerwinski ,  Bassem S. El-Dasher ,  Brian C. Kelleher ,  William M. Kerlin ,  Kevin Kramer ,  Jeffery F. Latkowski ,  Robert C. Petroski ,  Joshua C. Walter

IPC分类号： G21C19/50 ,  G21C1/22 ,  G21C19/30 ,  G21C19/22 ,  G21C3/54

摘要： An anti-proliferation technique is disclosed to reduce the likelihood of nuclear proliferation due to the use fissionable fuel salts. The technique includes doping the fuel salt with one or more elements (referred to herein as activation dopants) that, upon exposure to neutrons such as would occur in the fuel salt when a reactor is in operation, undergo a nuclear reaction to, directly or indirectly, form highly active “protecting isotopes” (of the same element as the activation dopant or a different element). A sufficient mass of activation dopants is used so that the Figure of Merit (FOM) of the fuel salt is decreased to below 1.0 within some target number of days of fission. This allows the FOM of the fuel salt to be controlled so that the fuel becomes too dangerous to handle before to the creation of a significant amount of weaponizable isotopes.

公开(公告)号：US10141079B2

公开(公告)日：2018-11-27

申请号：US14757683

申请日：2015-12-23

申请人： TerraPower, LLC

发明人： Ken Czerwinski ,  Joshua C. Walter

IPC分类号： G21G1/02 ,  B01D11/04 ,  B01D15/40 ,  B01D11/02 ,  G21C19/42 ,  G21G1/08 ,  G21G1/00

摘要： Targetry coupled separation refers to enhancing the production of a predetermined radiation product through the selection of a target (including selection of the target material and the material's physical structure) and separation chemistry in order to optimize the recovery of the predetermined radiation product. This disclosure describes systems and methods for creating (through irradiation) and removing one or more desired radioisotopes from a target and further describes systems and methods that allow the same target to undergo multiple irradiations and separation operations without damage to the target. In contrast with the prior art that requires complete dissolution or destruction of a target before recovery of any irradiation products, the repeated reuse of the same physical target allowed by targetry coupled separation represents a significant increase in efficiency and decrease in cost over the prior art.

公开(公告)号：US09011613B2

公开(公告)日：2015-04-21

申请号：US13863521

申请日：2013-04-16

申请人： TerraPower, LLC

发明人： Charles E. Ahlfeld ,  John Rogers Gilleland ,  Roderick A. Hyde ,  David G. McAlees ,  Jon David McWhirter ,  Ashok Odedra ,  Clarence T. Tegreene ,  Joshua C. Walter ,  Kevan D. Weaver ,  Charles Whitmer ,  Lowell L. Wood, Jr. ,  George B. Zimmerman

IPC分类号： C21D11/00 ,  G21D3/08 ,  C21D1/26 ,  G21C19/20

CPC分类号： G21D3/08 ,  C21D1/26 ,  G21C19/207

摘要： Illustrative embodiments provide systems, methods, apparatuses, and applications related to annealing nuclear fission reactor materials.

摘要翻译： 说明性实施例提供了与退火核裂变反应堆材料相关的系统，方法，装置和应用。

公开(公告)号：US20140328444A1

公开(公告)日：2014-11-06

申请号：US14284542

申请日：2014-05-22

申请人： TerraPower, LLC

发明人： Charles E. Ahlfeld ,  Pavel Hejzlar ,  Roderick A. Hyde ,  Muriel Y. Ishikawa ,  David G. McAlees ,  Jon D. McWhirter ,  Nathan P. Myhrvold ,  Ashok Odedra ,  Clarence T. Tegreene ,  Joshua C. Walter ,  Kevan D. Weaver ,  Thomas Allan Weaver ,  Charles Whitmer ,  Lowell L. Wood, JR. ,  George B. Zimmerman

IPC分类号： G21C3/32 ,  G21C19/303 ,  G21C17/10

CPC分类号： G21C3/3213 ,  G21C1/026 ,  G21C3/041 ,  G21C17/102 ,  G21C19/303 ,  Y02E30/34

摘要： Illustrative embodiments provide a nuclear fission reactor, a vented nuclear fission fuel module, methods therefor and a vented nuclear fission fuel module system.

摘要翻译： 说明性实施例提供核裂变反应堆，排放的核裂变燃料模块，其方法和排放的核裂变燃料模块系统。

公开(公告)号：US20210047568A1

公开(公告)日：2021-02-18

申请号：US17016875

申请日：2020-09-10

申请人： TerraPower, LLC

发明人： Benjamin L. Goodrich ,  Joshua C. Walter

IPC分类号： C10G1/02 ,  D01F9/32 ,  D01F9/15 ,  C10G1/00 ,  C10B21/08 ,  C10B57/08 ,  C10B57/02 ,  C10B57/14 ,  C10B33/02

摘要： Examples of a flexible pyrolysis system are provided that include at least one reaction chamber capable of pyrolyzing a combination of coal in a supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) atmosphere. The system includes a recuperating and condensing circuit that removes dissolved pyrolysis products from the supercritical CO2 atmosphere and then recovers CO2 for reuse in the reaction chamber. The recuperating and condensing circuit includes multiple stages of recuperators and collectors that can be independently controlled in order to selectively fractionate the pyrolysis products. In addition, the pyrolysis reaction may be controlled to alter the pyrolysis products generated.

公开(公告)号：US20200299588A1

公开(公告)日：2020-09-24

申请号：US16532334

申请日：2019-08-05

申请人： TerraPower, LLC

发明人： Benjamin L. Goodrich ,  Pyoungchung Kim ,  Matthew Targett ,  Joshua C. Walter

IPC分类号： C10C3/08 ,  C01B32/05 ,  D01F9/15

摘要： Embodiments of methods for improving mesophase pitch for carbon fiber production using supercritical carbon dioxide are described. The methods improve the relative amount and quality of mesophase pitch in feedstocks, such as coal tar, already having at least some mesophase pitch. One particular method includes performing a sCO2/toluene extraction on the coal tar to obtain a toluene insoluble fraction of the coal tar; mixing the toluene insoluble fraction with sCO2 to obtain a sCO2/toluene insoluble fraction mixture; and extruding the sCO2/toluene insoluble fraction mixture, thereby separating the sCO2 from the toluene insoluble fraction to obtain fibers of mesophase pitch.

公开(公告)号：US20200161015A1

公开(公告)日：2020-05-21

申请号：US16444973

申请日：2019-06-18

申请人： TerraPower, LLC

发明人： Ken Czerwinski ,  Joshua C. Walter

IPC分类号： G21G1/02 ,  B01D11/04 ,  B01D15/40 ,  B01D11/02 ,  G21C19/42 ,  G21G1/08

摘要： Targetry coupled separation refers to enhancing the production of a predetermined radiation product through the selection of a target (including selection of the target material and the material's physical structure) and separation chemistry in order to optimize the recovery of the predetermined radiation product. This disclosure describes systems and methods for creating (through irradiation) and removing one or more desired radioisotopes from a target and further describes systems and methods that allow the same target to undergo multiple irradiations and separation operations without damage to the target. In contrast with the prior art that requires complete dissolution or destruction of a target before recovery of any irradiation products, the repeated reuse of the same physical target allowed by targetry coupled separation represents a significant increase in efficiency and decrease in cost over the prior art.