Texas Thorium, LLC

Other

The University of Texas System

Los Alamos National Security, LLC

University of Houston System

Lin Shao

Holloway H Frost

Trevor D Parker

Yassin A Hassan

Rodolfo Vaghetto

Wei-Kan Chu

Jiarui Liu

Michael A Nastasi

Xinming Lu

Xuemei Wang

N David Theodore

Michael S Martin

A method of generating power using a Thorium-containing molten salt fuel is disclosed. One example includes the steps of providing a vessel containing a molten salt fuel, generating a proton beam externally to the vessel, where the externally generated proton beam being of an energy level sufficient to interact with the salt in the vessel to produce a (p, n) reaction resulting in the generation of a neutron at a first energy level. Neutrons generated within the vessel through the (p, n) reactions caused by the externally generated proton's interaction with an at least one salt are utilized to produce a fission reaction which increases the heat content of the molten salt within the vessel. In the example, a heat exchanger is used to extract heat from the molten salt within the vessel and power is generated from the extracted heat.

Methods of energy generation from a Thorium molten salt system

Provided herein are methods for creating or fabricating nanopore(s) on a membrane. The membrane is bombarded by ions, for example, C60 ions through at least one nanotunnel through a mask that is positioned on the membrane. Also provided is a two dimensional membrane with at least one nanopore thereon fabricated via these methods.

Method of fabricating a two dimensional membrane with periodic nanopores

A method of generating power using a Thorium-containing molten salt fuel is disclosed. One example includes the steps of providing a vessel containing a molten salt fuel, generating a proton beam externally to the vessel, where the externally generated proton beam is of an energy level sufficient to interact with material within a fuel rod in the vessel to produce (p, n) reactions resulting in the generation of neutrons at a first energy level. Neutrons generated within the vessel through the (p, n) reactions are utilized to produce a fission reaction which increases the heat content of the molten salt within the vessel. In the example, a heat exchanger is used to extract heat from the molten salt within the vessel and power is generated from the extracted heat.

Methods of energy generation from a thorium molten salt system

A method of generating power using a Thorium-containing molten salt fuel is disclosed. One example includes the steps of providing a vessel containing a molten salt fuel, generating a proton beam externally to the vessel, where the externally generated proton beam being of an energy level sufficient to interact with the salt in the vessel to produce a (p, n) reaction resulting in the generation of a neutron at the first energy level. Neutrons generated within the vessel through the (p, n) reactions caused by the externally generated proton's interaction with the at least one salt are utilized to produce a fission reaction where the fission reaction increases the heat content of the molten salt within the vessel. In the example, a heat exchanger is used to extract heat from the molten salt within the vessel and power is generated from the extracted heat.

Thorium molten salt system using internally generated proton-induced neutrons

A Thorium molten salt energy system is disclosed that includes a proton beam source for producing a proton beam, that can vary between a first energy level and a second energy level of, where the generated proton bean can be directed into a main assembly containing both Thorium-containing molten salt and Thorium fuel rods, each containing an inner Beryllium element and an outer solid Thorium element. The generated proton beam can be shaped and directed to impinge upon Lithium within the molten salt to promote the generation of thermal neutrons and the fission of Uranium within the molten salt. The generated proton beam can also be shaped and directed to impinge upon the Beryllium within the Thorium fuel rods to promote the generation of high energy neutrons.

Proton source thorium molten salt assembly for energy generation

A Thorium fuel rod assembly is disclosed that includes first and second support elements and a number of Thorium fuel rods positioned between support elements. Each of the Thorium fuel rod includes an outer fuel element containing a solid Thorium an inner core element containing Beryllium that is positioned within an interior cavity defined by the outer fuel element. In an exemplary disclosure, the inner core element also defines an inner cavity such that a beam of high energy particles may be directed into the inner cavity of the inner core element to impinge upon a Beryllium nucleus within the inner core element to produce a (p, n) reaction resulting in the emission of a neutron, where the emitted neutron may interact with a Thorium nucleus in the outer fuel element to cause the Thorium nucleus to fission.

Thorium fuel rod structure and assembly

Thorium molten salt assembly for energy generation including solid Thorium rods

Thorium molten salt system for energy generation

Thorium molten salt assembly for energy generation

The present invention provides a method for forming metal nanoparticle(s) onto an inner surface of one or more open volume defects within a substrate by providing the substrate containing the one or more open volume defects, depositing an immiscible metal on a surface of the substrate, and forming the metal nanoparticle(s) by diffusing the immiscible metal from the surface onto the inner surface of each open volume defect using a heat treatment. The method can be used to produce a substrate having at least one open volume defect with a metal nanoparticle formed onto an inner surface of the open volume defect, a solar cell, an optical switch, a radiation detector, or other similar device.

Metal nanoparticles grown on an inner surface of open volume defects within a substrate

The transfer of strained semiconductor layers from one substrate to another substrate involves depositing a multilayer structure on a substrate having surface contaminants. An interface that includes the contaminants is formed in between the deposited layer and the substrate. Hydrogen atoms are introduced into the structure and allowed to diffuse to the interface. Afterward, the deposited multilayer structure is bonded to a second substrate and is separated away at the interface, which results in transferring a multilayer structure from one substrate to the other substrate. The multilayer structure includes at least one strained semiconductor layer and at least one strain-induced seed layer. The strain-induced seed layer can be optionally etched away after the layer transfer.

Method of transferring strained semiconductor structure

Vacancies and dopant ions are introduced near the surface of a semiconductor layer structure. Implanted dopant ions which diffuse by an interstitialcy mechanism have diffusivity greatly reduced, which leads to a very low resistivity doped region and a very shallow junction.

Method for shallow dopant distribution

A method for transferring a thin semiconductor layer from one substrate to another substrate involves depositing a thin epitaxial monocrystalline semiconductor layer on a substrate having surface contaminants. An interface that includes the contaminants is formed in between the deposited layer and the substrate. Hydrogen atoms are introduced into the structure and allowed to diffuse to the interface. Afterward, the thin semiconductor layer is bonded to a second substrate and the thin layer is separated away at the interface, which results in transferring the thin epitaxial semiconductor layer from one substrate to the other substrate.

Growing community of inventors

College Station, TX, United States of America

Lin Shao