Terrapower, LLC

Mark A Havstad

Jon David McWhirter

Kevin J Kramer

Anselmo T Cisneros, Jr

Jeffery F Latkowski

Charles Gregory Freeman

Ryan Abbott

Daniel Flowers

Christopher J Johns

Brian C Kelleher

Anselmo T Cisneros

Jon D Mcwhirter

John R Suyes, Iii

Ryan Abbot

Robert C Petroski

Jesse R Cheatham, Iii

Joshua C Walter

Bassem S El-Dasher

Robert Alan Corbin

Ken Czerwinski

William M Kerlin

Brain C Kelleher

Jesse R Cheatham

Dan Flowers

Ryan Jr Abbot

Robert A Corbin

Jesse R Iii Cheatham

John R Suyes

This disclosure describes various configurations and components of a molten fuel fast or thermal nuclear reactor for managing the operating temperature in the reactor core. The disclosure includes various configurations of direct reactor auxiliary cooling system (DRACS) heat exchangers and primary heat exchangers as well as descriptions of improved flow paths for nuclear fuel, primary coolant and DRACS coolant through the reactor components.

Direct reactor auxiliary cooling system for a molten salt nuclear reactor

Configurations of molten fuel salt reactors are described that allow for active cooling of the containment vessel of the reactor by the primary coolant. Furthermore, naturally circulating reactor configurations are described in which the reactor cores are substantially frustum-shaped so that the thermal center of the reactor core is below the outlet of the primary heat exchangers. Heat exchanger configurations are described in which welded components are distanced from the reactor core to reduce the damage caused by neutron flux from the reactor. Radial loop reactor configurations are also described.

Molten fuel reactor thermal management configurations

Configurations of molten fuel salt reactors are described that include an auxiliary cooling system which shared part of the primary coolant loop but allows for passive cooling of decay heat from the reactor. Furthermore, different pump configurations for circulating molten fuel through the reactor core and one or more in vessel heat exchangers are described.

Molten fuel reactor cooling and pump configurations

Configurations of molten fuel salt reactors are described that utilize neutron-reflecting coolants or a combination of primary salt coolants and secondary neutron-reflecting coolants. Further configurations are described that circulate liquid neutron-reflecting material around an reactor core to control the neutronics of the reactor. Furthermore, configurations which use the circulating neutron-reflecting material to actively cool the containment vessel are also described.

Molten fuel nuclear reactor with neutron reflecting coolant

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Esparto, CA, United States of America

Mark A Havstad