Terrapower, LLC

Daniel Eichel

James M Vollmer

Pavel Hejzlar

Samuel J Miller

Joon Hyung Choi

Mei He

Mathieu G Martin

A nuclear reactor includes a heat exchanger that transfers thermal energy from a primary reactor coolant to a secondary coolant. The heat exchanger is formed with a hot flow channel, a cold flow channel, and a porous layer between the hot flow channel and the cold flow channel. The porous layer may be thermally insulative to reduce the efficiency of thermal energy transfer from the hot flow channel to the cold flow channel. The porous layer may have a control gas passed therethrough that can be tailored to control the thermal energy transfer through the porous layer. The control gas can be tested for leakage within the heat exchanger. The control gas may also be used to sequester fission or activation products.

Heat exchanger configuration with porous layer

A getter element includes a getter material reactive with a fission product contained within a stream of liquid and/or gas exiting a fuel assembly of a nuclear reactor. At least one transmission pathway passes through the getter element that is sufficiently sized to maintain a flow of the input stream through the getter element at above a selected flow level. At least one transmission pathway includes a reaction surface area sufficient to uptake a pre-identified quantity of the fission product.

Fission product getter formed by additive manufacturing

Fission product getter

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Redmond, WA, United States of America

Daniel Eichel