Advanced Ceramic Fibers, LLC

Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC

George W Griffith

John E Garnier

Isabella J Van Rooyen

Abderrafi M Ougouag

Yasir Arafat

Abderrafi Mohammed El-Amine Ougouag

Ramazan Sonat Sen

Ramazan S Sen

A method of operating a nuclear power system includes generating heat in a nuclear reactor core, transmitting the heat to a heat engine, generating electricity with a generator operatively coupled to the heat engine. The method further includes detecting a no-load condition, and stopping the heat engine. The method also includes transferring heat from an outer surface of the nuclear reactor to the environment through a heat transfer system if a temperature of the nuclear reactor rises above a threshold temperature. The method further includes preventing heat from transferring from the outer surface of the nuclear reactor to the environment through the heat transfer system if the temperature of the nuclear reactor is below the threshold temperature. Nuclear power systems and nuclear reactors are also disclosed.

Nuclear reactor and associated components, systems, and methods

Methods of producing silicon carbide, and other metal carbide materials. The method comprises reacting a carbon material (e.g., fibers, or nanoparticles, such as powder, platelet, foam, nanofiber, nanorod, nanotube, whisker, graphene (e.g., graphite), fullerene, or hydrocarbon) and a metal or metal oxide source material (e.g., in gaseous form) in a reaction chamber at an elevated temperature ranging up to approximately 2400° C. or more, depending on the particular metal or metal oxide, and the desired metal carbide being produced. A partial pressure of oxygen in the reaction chamber is maintained at less than approximately 1.01×10Pascal, and overall pressure is maintained at approximately 1 atm.

Methods for producing metal carbide materials

A nuclear fuel element includes a core comprising a fissile element and an additional element. A protective structure surrounds the core and comprises at least a first material surrounding the nuclear fuel. The first material comprises the fissile element and the additional element and comprises a greater than stoichiometric amount of the additional element. An outer portion of the nuclear fuel element comprises a metal. Related nuclear fuel elements, and related methods are also disclosed.

Nuclear fuel elements including protective structures, and related method of forming a nuclear fuel element

A system for transferring heat from a nuclear reactor comprises a nuclear reactor comprising a nuclear fuel and a reactor vessel surrounding the nuclear reactor and a heat transfer system surrounding the nuclear reactor. The heat transfer system comprises an inner wall surrounding the nuclear reactor vessel, first fins coupled to an outer surface of inner wall, an outer wall between the inner wall and a surrounding environment, and second fins coupled to an inner surface of the outer wall and extending in a volume between the outer surface of the inner wall and the inner surface of the outer wall, the outer surface of the inner wall and the first fins configured to transfer heat from the nuclear reactor core to the second fins and the inner surface of the outer wall by thermal radiation. The heat transfer system may be directly coupled to the nuclear reactor vessel, or may be coupled to an external reflector surrounding the nuclear reactor vessel. Related heat transfer systems and systems for selectively removing heat from a nuclear reactor are disclosed.

Heat transfer systems for nuclear reactor cores, and related systems

Methods of producing silicon carbide, and other metal carbide materials. The method comprises reacting a carbon material (e.g., fibers, or nanoparticles, such as powder, platelet, foam, nanofiber, nanorod, nanotube, whisker, graphene (e.g., graphite), fullerene, or hydrocarbon) and a metal or metal oxide source material (e.g., in gaseous form) in a reaction chamber at an elevated temperature ranging up to approximately 2400&#xb0; C. or more, depending on the particular metal or metal oxide, and the desired metal carbide being produced. A partial pressure of oxygen in the reaction chamber is maintained at less than approximately 1.01&#xd7;10Pascal, and overall pressure is maintained at approximately 1 atm.

Methods of producing continuous (or discontinuous) boron carbide fibers. The method comprises reacting a continuous or discontinuous carbon fiber material and a boron oxide gas within a temperature range of from approximately 1400&#xb0; C. to approximately 2200&#xb0; C. Articles including such partially or fully converted fibers may be provided, including such reinforcing fibers in a matrix of ceramic (a CMC), in metal (a MMC), or other matrix (e.g., polymer, etc.).

Boron carbide fiber reinforced articles

A multi-layered cladding material including a ceramic matrix composite and a metallic material, and a tube formed from the cladding material. The metallic material forms an inner liner of the tube and enables hermetic sealing of thereof. The metallic material at ends of the tube may be exposed and have an increased thickness enabling end cap welding. The metallic material may, optionally, be formed to infiltrate voids in the ceramic matrix composite, the ceramic matrix composite encapsulated by the metallic material. The ceramic matrix composite includes a fiber reinforcement and provides increased mechanical strength, stiffness, thermal shock resistance and high temperature load capacity to the metallic material of the inner liner. The tube may be used as a containment vessel for nuclear fuel used in a nuclear power plant or other reactor. Methods for forming the tube comprising the ceramic matrix composite and the metallic material are also disclosed.

Cladding material, tube including such cladding material and methods of forming the same

Methods of producing silicon carbide fibers. The method comprises reacting a continuous carbon fiber material and a silicon-containing gas in a reaction chamber at a temperature ranging from approximately 1500&#xb0; C. to approximately 2000&#xb0; C. A partial pressure of oxygen in the reaction chamber is maintained at less than approximately 1.01&#xd7;10Pascal to produce continuous alpha silicon carbide fibers. Continuous alpha silicon carbide fibers and articles formed from the continuous alpha silicon carbide fibers are also disclosed.

Methods for producing silicon carbide fibers

Methods of producing continuous boron carbide fibers. The method comprises reacting a continuous carbon fiber material and a boron oxide gas within a temperature range of from approximately 1400&#xb0; C. to approximately 2200&#xb0; C. Continuous boron carbide fibers, continuous fibers comprising boron carbide, and articles including at least a boron carbide coating are also disclosed.

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Idaho Falls, ID, United States of America

George W Griffith