Bwxt Advanced Technologies LLC

Bwxt Mpower, Inc.

Babcock & Wilcox Technical Services Group, Inc.

Gary W Neeley

James Brian Inman

Scott James Shargots

Ryan Z Ziegler

Tyler A Edwards

Daniel P Speaker

James B Inman

A nuclear fuel assembly for a nuclear reactor core including at least one fuel cartridge having a lattice structure including an outer wall defining an interior volume, at least one flow channel extending through the interior volume of the lattice structure, at least one lattice site disposed in the interior of the lattice structure; and at least one fuel compact disposed within a corresponding one of the at least one lattice site. A cross-sectional shape of the at least one fuel compact is the same as a cross-sectional shape of the corresponding one of the at least one lattice site.

Nuclear reactor fuel assemblies and process for production

A control rod assembly for a nuclear reactor having a reactor core and a pressurized fluid source, including a control rod disposed within a control rod sleeve, a lead screw that is selectively secured to the control rod, a trip latch that is secured to a bottom end of the lead screw, the trip latch being selectively securable to a top end of the control rod, a control rod drive motor that is operably connected to the lead screw, and a valve that is in fluid communication with the pressurized fluid source of the nuclear reactor and is movable between a first position and a second position, wherein in the second position of the gas valve the trip latch is in an open position.

Space reactor gas assist control rod release mechanism

A control drum system for a nuclear reactor including a reactor core, including an ex-core reflector including a plurality of cylindrical apertures, a plurality of control drum assemblies, each control drum assembly including a drive shaft, a drum cylinder affixed to a bottom end of the drive shaft, and a planetary gear attached to a top end of the drive shaft, wherein each drum cylinder is rotatably received in a cylindrical aperture, a first control drum drive motor operably connected to a first control drum assembly, and an annular ring gear that is operably connected to the planetary gear of each of the control drum assemblies so that all the control drum assemblies rotate simultaneously.

Control drum system for use with nuclear reactors

A nuclear reactor includes a reactor core disposed in a reactor pressure vessel. A radiological containment contains the nuclear reactor and includes a concrete floor located underneath the nuclear reactor. An ex vessel corium retention system includes flow channels embedded in the concrete floor located underneath the nuclear reactor, an inlet in fluid communication with first ends of the flow channels, and an outlet in fluid communication with second ends of the flow channels. In some embodiments the inlet is in fluid communication with the interior of the radiological containment at a first elevation and the outlet is in fluid communication with the interior of the radiological containment at a second elevation higher than the first elevation. The radiological containment may include a reactor cavity containing a lower portion of the pressure vessel, wherein the concrete floor located underneath the nuclear reactor is the reactor cavity floor.

Nuclear reactor cavity floor passive heat removal system

A nuclear reactor includes a reactor pressure vessel and a nuclear reactor core comprising fissile material disposed in a lower portion of the reactor pressure vessel. The lower portion of the reactor pressure vessel is disposed in a reactor cavity. An annular neutron stop is located at an elevation above the uppermost elevation of the nuclear reactor core. The annular neutron stop comprises neutron absorbing material filling an annular gap between the reactor pressure vessel and the wall of the reactor cavity. The annular neutron stop may comprise an outer neutron stop ring attached to the wall of the reactor cavity, and an inner neutron stop ring attached to the reactor pressure vessel. An excore instrument guide tube penetrates through the annular neutron stop, and a neutron plug comprising neutron absorbing material is disposed in the tube at the penetration through the neutron stop.

Nuclear reactor neutron shielding

A combinatorial heterogeneous-homogeneous reactor configuration in which an array or groups of homogeneous fuel assemblies are interlinked together in a heterogeneous lattice. The present invention removes the limitation of a homogeneous reactor by providing a reactor concept that utilizes the inherent advantages of homogeneous fuel elements but in a heterogeneous fuel lattice arrangement that limits the power density of any one homogeneous fuel element and yet forms a reactor arrangement that is capable of producing any product demand of interest. The present invention provides a method for producing medical isotopes by the use of a modular reactor core comprised of homogeneous fuel assemblies arranged in a regular rectangular or triangular pitch lattice. The aqueous fuel solution is contained within individual fuel assemblies that are right circular cylinders clad in corrosion-resistant alloys such as stainless steel, zircalloy, zircalloy alloys, or other metal alloys that are resistant to corrosive fissile environments but preserve neutron economy. The fuel assemblies are supported below by a core plate that is tied directly to the lower reactor support structure. The bottom of each assembly opens into a common plenum area which provides a hydrodynamic communication/coupling path between the individual assemblies in the lattice. The fuel assemblies are supported above by an upper plate that is welded to each assembly tube. The top of each assembly opens to a common upper plenum which provides a means of thermodynamic pressure equalization among the four assemblies in the reactor core lattice.

Growing community of inventors

Forest, VA, United States of America

Gary W Neeley