Abstract:
A passive nuclear reactor control device. The passive nuclear reactor control device comprises a sealed chamber, which comprises a reservoir and a tube in fluid communication with the reservoir. A molten salt is within the sealed chamber, the molten salt being a eutectic mixture of a monovalent metal halide, and a fluoride or chloride of one or more lanthanides and/or a fluoride or chloride of hafnium. A gas is within the sealed chamber, and the gas does not react with the molten salt.
Abstract:
A nuclear reactor controlled by moving a liquid fuel between a reservoir and chambers in the core is provided. No pumps or moving parts within the reactor vessel are needed to move the fuel. The control system moves the liquid fuel between the core and the reservoir by moving a separate control gas. It can monitor the internal state of the core through the control connections. The fuel chamber is shaped so that evolved gases escape the core and can be collected at the control connections. The core reverts to a safe state on power failure.
Abstract:
A method for controlling a nuclear reactor is disclosed. The method includes providing a moderator zone in a core of the nuclear reactor, providing a fuel in the moderator zone, and providing one or more housings, each having a cavity, adjacent to the fuel. The method also includes allowing movement of a moderator between the moderator zone and the cavity of the one or more housings at a lower portion of the one or more housings. The method further includes confining moderator in the cavity of the one or more housings at an upper portion of the one or more housings.
Abstract:
A reactivity control system includes a reservoir containing a liquid nuclear poison, at least one stationary, hollow control blade extending vertically into a reactor core, and a poison conduit disposed in flow communication between the reservoir and the control blade for channeling the poison between the reservoir and control blade. The level of the poison in the control blade is controlled for selectively varying nuclear reactivity in the core.
Abstract:
A method and system for controlling nuclear reactivity in a nuclear reactor are disclosed. The method includes maintaining a nuclear position solution at an initial poison pressure less than the steam pressure within the reactor vessel. The method further includes channeling a pressurizing fluid into the holding tank for pressurizing the poison solution to a pressure greater than the initial pressure thereof, and draining by gravity the poison solution from the holding tank and into the reactor vessel for mixing with the water to reduce reactivity in the core.The system includes the holding tank, apparatus for channeling the pressurizing fluid from the reactor vessel to the holding tank, apparatus for channeling the poison solution from the holding tank by gravity into the reactor vessel, and a controller for opening a normally closed pressurizing valve and a normally closed drain valve to allow flow of the pressurizing fluid to, and the drained poison solution from, the holding tank through the respective channeling apparatus.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for extending the life of a core of a water moderated nuclear reactor by spectral shift comprising the displacement of a portion of the moderator in the core by a gas having a low neutron cross-section during the initial stage of the life of the core and displacing the gas and replacing it with moderator during the latter part of the life of the core.
Abstract:
A method of operating a gas-cooled nuclear reactor having graphite fuel elements in which, to reduce the reactor, a quenching element is introduced which takes a particle of a reaction-reducing substance in a sheath which will melt or release the substance in vapor form so that the substance can penetrate in gaseous form through the surrounding graphite body and deposit upon fuel elements.
Abstract:
An arrangement for controlling the moderation of a nuclear reactor which includes multiple fuel assemblies each of which includes top and bottom nozzles with fuel rods and control rod guide thimbles located therebetween. Certain ones of said assemblies include at least one tube initially filled with a gas. One end of the tube rests on the lower nozzle upper surface while the upper end terminates at a point just below the lower plate in the upper nozzle. A spike immovably fixed in the lower plate of the upper nozzle is directed downwardly toward the end of the tube. As the tube expands or grows during operation in a reactor, and at a point where the criticality factor may proceed to less than one, the expanded tube will be pierced by the spike and thus permit the escape of gas from the tube which is then replaced by water coolant circulating through the reactor. The additional water represented by the filled tube will act to slow down fast neutrons to a thermal neutron level and thus provide a greater amount of neutron effective in carrying forward the fissioning process.
Abstract:
A system for concentrating a solution of boric acid solution to a predetermined concentration and stripping the radioactive gases from the solution. The system is generally operable so that there is a continuous feed of weak boric acid solution and a continuous discharge of pure water from the system during the concentrating portion of the cycle and the system is operable so that when the boric acid solution reaches a predetermined concentration, the weak acid feed and pure water discharge are shut off, the pure water is recirculated through the system until the boric acid of predetermined concentration is removed to storage tanks. The system has sequentially operated controls which minimize the thermodynamic shock as the system is switched from the recycle portion of the cycle to the distillate discharge portion of the cycle.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for regulating the pressure of a gaseous neutron-absorbing mixture contained in a circulation loop which is placed within a nuclear reactor core. The loop is respectively connected to a low-pressure reservoir and to a high-pressure reservoir by means of two electrovalve assemblies, the two reservoirs being connected to each other by means of a pump. The areas of the openings of the throttles which provide a communication between the circulation loop and each of the two reservoirs are variably controlled in dependence on the highest value of the pressures established within the vessels which are connected to each throttle.