Abstract:
A nuclear island includes a nuclear reactor, a lateral seismic restraint, and an in-vessel reactor core retention cooling system. The lateral seismic restraint includes a vertically oriented pin attached to one of the bottom of the lower vessel head and the floor underneath the nuclear reactor, and a mating pin socket is attached to the other of the bottom of the lower vessel head and the floor. The in-vessel reactor core retention cooling system includes one or more baffles, optionally thermally insulating material, disposed alongside the exterior surface of a lower portion of the reactor pressure vessel including at least the lower vessel head. A plenum is defined between the one or more baffles and the exterior surface of a lower portion of the reactor pressure vessel. The one or more baffles may define a lower plenum inlet surrounding the lateral seismic restraint.
Abstract:
A method of cooling a nuclear reactor core is disclosed. The method includes contacting the nuclear reactor core with an aqueous solution comprising at least one of polyhedral boron hydride anions or carborane anions. Nuclear reactors are also disclosed. The nuclear reactor has a neutron moderator that is an aqueous solution comprising at least one of polyhedral boron hydride anions or carborane anions, or the nuclear reactor has an emergency core cooling system including a vessel containing a volume of an aqueous solution comprising at least one of polyhedral boron hydride anions or carborane anions. The nuclear reactor can also have both an aqueous solution comprising at least one of polyhedral boron hydride anions or carborane anions as a neutron moderator and an emergency core cooling system that includes an aqueous solution comprising at least one of polyhedral boron hydride anions or carborane anions.
Abstract:
La présente invention concerne une configuration de cœur de réacteur à neutrons rapides, refroidi par un métal liquide. Le cœur comporte un ensemble d'éléments combustibles comprenant un matériau fertile et/ou un matériau fissile, l'ensemble de tels éléments combustibles étant agencé selon une forme générale de cylindre. Au sens de l'invention, un premier ensemble d'éléments combustibles (Cl, C2, C3), disposé selon une couronne en périphérie du cylindre, comporte relativement plus de matériau fissile qu'un deuxième ensemble d'éléments combustibles (FERT), disposé au centre du cylindre. Un tel agencement permet avantageusement de réduire un effet de vidange du métal liquide et de là, d'améliorer la sécurité du réacteur.
Abstract:
This invention relates to a nuclear reactor 10 which includes a hollow core vessel 12 and a modular filler member 20 positioned within the core vessel 12 such that a core cavity 22 is defined around the filler member 20. The filler member 20 is of layered structure comprising a plurality of interconnected layers 42 of blocks 40, each layer 42 comprising a plurality of laterally inter-engaged blocks 40. The invention extends to a method of constructing a central column 20 of a nuclear reactor 10.
Abstract:
A reactor core block (200) is disclosed including a fuel channel (202), a heat pipe (204), a primary moderator matrix (206) configured to encompass the fuel channel (202) and the heat pipe (204), and a secondary moderator channel (208) configured to at least partially surround the fuel channel (202), the heat pipe (204), and the primary moderator matrix (206). The secondary moderator channel (208) is comprised of metal hydride.
Abstract:
Due to the parasitic absorption of neutrons on fission debris, in VVER-, BWR-, and PWR-type nuclear reactors, fuel is nowadays removed from the reactor, although the fuel still contains some usable material. This material is further utilized with the release of energy in the device described in the invention. In the device for recovery of energy from spent fuel of nuclear reactors, already irradiated fuel assemblies are used in other geometries, using different physical parameters and materials than in the original reactors. In particular, the fuel is operated at maximum fuel temperature lower than in the reactor in which it was originally irradiated, at a temperature at least 150 C lower than in the case of fuel from a VVER reactor, 160 C lower than in the case of fuel from a BWR reactor, and 140 C lower than in the case of fuel from a PWR reactor. The moderator in this device has lower absorption in the fuel than in the reactor in which it was originally irradiated, at least 5% lower in the case of fuel from a VVER reactor, at least 5% lower in the case of fuel from a BWR reactor, and at least 7% lower in the case of spent fuel of a PWR reactor. The coolant of the device for recovery of energy from spent fuel of VVER nuclear reactors is at a pressure lower than 12 MPa, in the case of spent fuel of BWR reactors, it is at a pressure lower than 6.5 MPa, and in the case of spent fuel of PWR reactors, it is at a pressure lower than 15 MPa. The spacing between the centers of some of the fuel assemblies of the device for recovery of energy from spent fuel of nuclear reactors is larger than in the reactor in which the fuel was originally irradiated, 3 mm larger in the case of fuel from a VVER reactor, 2 mm larger in the case of fuel from a BWR reactor, and 3 mm larger in the case of fuel from a PWR reactor. The device for recovery of energy from spent fuel of nuclear reactors is primarily designed for the heating industry and can be used also with non-irradiated fuel.
Abstract:
Passive reactivity control technologies that enable reactivity control of a nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) system with little to no active mechanical movement of circumferential control drums. By minimizing or eliminating the need for mechanical movement of the circumferential control drums during an NTP burn, the reactivity control technologies simplify controlling an NTP reactor and increase the overall performance of the NTP system. The reactivity control technologies mitigate and counteract the effects of xenon, the dominant fission product contributing to reactivity transients. Examples of reactivity control technologies include, employing burnable neutron poisons, tuning hydrogen pressure, adjusting wait time between burn cycles or merging burn cycles, and enhancement of temperature feedback mechanisms. The reactivity control technologies are applicable to low-enriched uranium NTP systems, including graphite composite fueled and tungsten ceramic and metal matrix (CERMET), or any moderated NTP system, such as highly- enriched uranium graphite composite NTP systems.
Abstract:
A molten salt breeder reactor that has a fuel conduit surrounded by a fertile blanket. The fuel salt conduit has an elongated core section. The geometry of the fuel conduit is such that sub-critical conditions exist near the input and output of the fuel salt conduit and the fertile blanket surrounds the input and the output of the fuel salt conduit, thereby minimizing losses.
Abstract:
A nuclear reactor core includes a plurality of fuel elements and a skewed-pin moderator block array of skewed-pin moderator blocks to form a nuclear reactor core inner portion and a nuclear reactor core outer portion. The nuclear reactor core inner portion includes an inner moderator matrix formed of a plurality of inner holes that include a plurality of inner fuel openings with one or more fuel elements disposed therein. The plurality of inner holes further include a plurality of inner coolant passages to flow a coolant. The nuclear reactor core outer portion includes an outer moderator matrix formed of a plurality of outer holes that include a plurality of outer fuel openings with one or more fuel elements disposed therein. The plurality of outer holes further include a plurality of outer coolant passages to flow the coolant. The inner holes are irregularly spaced with respect to the outer holes.
Abstract:
본 발명은 특히 불필요한 출력감발을 조절봉 소재 변경으로 억제시킴과 동시에 코발트-60을 생산할 수 있는 핵연료 절감 방법에 관한 것으로서, 제1 내지 제7 조절봉 군으로 이루어지는 7개의 조절봉 군을 각각 핵연료집합체의 서로 다른 부위에 인입 또는 인출 가능하게 설치하되, 제7 조절봉 군은 제7 조절봉 군을 이루는 조절봉들의 반응도 값을 나머지 조절봉 군을 이루는 조절봉들의 반응도 값 보다 작게 제작하는 제1단계; 및, 제1 내지 제7 조절봉 군을 모두 핵연료집합체에서 인출시킬 때, 제7 조절봉 군을 가장 마지막으로 인출시키는 제2단계;로 이루어짐으로써, 제7 조절봉 군의 인출 과정에서 액체영역제어계통(LZC, Liquid Zone Control system)의 수위가 자동으로 조절봉 인입조건 수위 이상으로 상승됨으로 인한 제7 조절봉 군의 자동 재인입 현상을 방지하여, 제7 조절봉 군의 자동 재인입으로 인한 불필요한 연소도 억제 현상을 해소시킴으로써, 연소도를 상승시켜 소요되는 핵연료를 대폭 절감시킬 수 있는 중수로의 핵연료 절감 방법을 제공하고자 한다.