Terrapower, LLC

The Invention Science Fund I LLC

Pavel Hejzlar

Joshua C Walter

Jon David McWhirter

Kevan D Weaver

Lowell L Wood, Jr

Roderick A Hyde

Charles Whitmer

Thomas A Weaver

Charles E Ahlfeld

George Beedon Zimmerman

David G McAlees

Ashok Odedra

Robert C Petroski

John Rogers Gilleland

Clarence T Tegreene

Nathan P Myhrvold

Muriel Y Ishikawa

Jesse R Cheatham, Iii

Mark R Werner

Nicholas W Touran

Thomas M Burke

Robert Alan Corbin

Tyler S Ellis

Jonatan Hejzlar

Christopher J Johns

Christopher A Martin

Philip M Schloss

Brian C Johnson

James M Vollmer

Calen Kaneko

Bao H Truong

Kevin J Kramer

Derek Bass

Sean T Mosier

Samuel J Miller

John E Truax

Daniel Eichel

P Harley Park

Michael E Cohen

Joon Hyung Choi

Nathan Smith

Brian Morris

Thomas E Riordan

David M Lucoff

Nicholas Kandabarow

Daniel L Pierce

Mathieu G Martin

Mei He

Peter McNabb

K Michael Steer

Yu-Chih Ko

Michael E Garrett

Jay R Tandy

Jason Brian Meng

Jesse R Iii Cheatham

Iii Jesse R Cheatham

Jon D Mcwhirter

A nuclear reactor includes a heat exchanger that transfers thermal energy from a primary reactor coolant to a secondary coolant. The heat exchanger is a compact plate heat exchanger and more than one heat exchanger may be spaced about the reactor vessel. A plurality of heat exchangers may be spaced vertically, radially, and/or circumferentially about the reactor vessel. A first heat exchanger may be in fluid communication with a second heat exchanger. Two or more heat exchangers may share a thermal load and therefore share thermal stresses. The heat exchanger may have a third fluid flow path and a third fluid. The third fluid may be used to remove fission products, be used for leak detection, create an oxidation layer to inhibit migration of activation products, and/or provide additional heat transfer.

Heat exchanger configuration for nuclear reactor

A nuclear reactor is designed to allow efficient packing of components within the reactor vessel, such as by offsetting the core, and/or vertically stacking components. The in-vessel storage system can be separate from the support cylinder and these components can be fabricated and shipped separately and coupled together at the construction site. Furthermore, the in-vessel storage system can be located adjacent to the core rather than being located circumferentially around it, and may also be located beneath the heat exchanger to further improve packing of components within the vessel. Through these, and other changes, the delicate components can be manufactured in a manufacturing facility, assembled, and shipped by commercial transportation options without exceeding the shipping envelope.

Modular manufacture, delivery, and assembly of nuclear reactor core systems

An integrated energy system includes a nuclear thermal plant situated on a nuclear site. The nuclear thermal plant produces thermal energy that is transported to a thermal energy storage system located outside the nuclear site. The thermal storage system is thermally coupled to a power generation system which is also remote to the nuclear site. By this arrangement, the nuclear thermal plant is isolated and decoupled from the power generation system. The nuclear thermal plant may supply thermal energy upwards of 800° C. or more to be stored at the thermal energy storage system until needed such as for industrial heat, power generation, or other uses. The thermal storage system is source agnostic, and one or more additional thermal energy generators, such as additional nuclear reactors, solar thermal plants, or other thermal energy generators can be coupled to a common thermal storage system and power generation system.

Thermal energy storage system connected to both a nuclear reactor and a power generator

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

Methods and systems for stabilizing spent fuel assemblies from sodium-cooled nuclear reactors using Zamak are described herein. It has been determined that there is a synergism between Zamak and sodium that allows Zamak to form thermally-conductive interface with the sodium-wetted surfaces of the fuel assemblies. In the method, one or more spent fuel assemblies are removed from the sodium coolant pool and placed in a protective sheath. The remaining volume of the sheath is then filled with liquid Zamak. To a certain extent Zamak will dissolve and alloy with sodium remaining on the fuel assemblies. Excess sodium that remains undissolved is displaced from the sheath by the Zamak fill. The Zamak is then cooled until solid and the sheath sealed. The resulting Zamak-stabilized spent fuel assembly is calculated to have sufficient internal thermal conductivity to allow it to be stored and transported without the need for liquid cooling.

Zamak stabilization of spent sodium-cooled reactor fuel assemblies

A nuclear reactor is configured with an intermediate coolant loop for transferring thermal energy from the reactor core for a useful purpose. The intermediate coolant loop includes a bypass flowpath with an air heat exchanger for dumping reactor heat during startup and/or shutdown. A fluidic diode along the bypass flowpath asymmetrically restricts flow across the bypass flowpath, inhibiting flow in a first flow direction during a full power operating condition and allowing a relatively uninhibited flow in a second direction during a startup and/or shut down low power operating condition.

Passive heat removal system for nuclear reactors

Disclosed embodiments include nuclear fission reactor cores, nuclear fission reactors, methods of operating a nuclear fission reactor, and methods of managing excess reactivity in a nuclear fission reactor.

Standing wave nuclear fission reactor and methods

A control assembly for a nuclear reactor having a pump includes a duct having an inner volume and defining a coolant flow path, a plug fixed to the duct, a rod disposed within the inner volume and having a rod end that is configured to engage a neutron modifying material, a first piston disposed within the inner volume, slidably coupled to the duct, and coupled to the rod, and a biasing member coupled to the rod and the first piston. The biasing member is positioned to apply a biasing force that repositions the first piston, the rod, and the neutron modifying material in response to a loss of pump flow without scram condition.

Automatic hydropneumatic actuation device

Illustrative embodiments provide a nuclear fission reactor, that includes a reactor vessel, a nuclear fission fuel element capable of generating a gaseous fission product, a valve body defining a plenum for receiving the gaseous fission product, and a valve in operative communication with the plenum for controllably venting the gaseous fission product from the plenum.

Nuclear fission reactor, a vented nuclear fission fuel module, methods therefor, and a vented nuclear fission fuel module system

A duct for a nuclear fuel assembly includes a tubular body and an elongated member. The tubular body has a sidewall with an inner face and an outer face and is configured to contain nuclear fuel within a fuel region. The elongated member extends from the outer face along at least a portion of the fuel region and has a contact surface configured to stabilize the duct during operation of the nuclear fuel assembly.

Nuclear fuel assembly design

In response to a change in a thermal operational parameter in a nuclear fission reactor, reactivity is controlled by driving a neutron absorption parameter modifying material to or from a region of the core of the nuclear fission reactor. The apparatus includes a driver material disposed in a first reservoir portion and a second reservoir portion of a first reservoir and connected by a first conduit. A high-Z material may be distributed in the driver material. The neutron absorption parameter modifying material is disposed in both a second reservoir and the second reservoir portion of the first reservoir. A portion of the neutron absorption parameter modifying material is in physical contact with a portion of the driver material in the second reservoir portion. The neutron absorption parameter modifying material is driveable by the driver material between the second reservoir portion and the second reservoir through a second conduit.

Passive reactivity control apparatus

Disclosed embodiments include a vented nuclear fission fuel module system. Given by way of non-limiting example and not of limitation, an illustrative vented nuclear fission fuel module system includes a nuclear fission fuel element capable of generating a gaseous fission product. A valve body is associated with the nuclear fission fuel element, and the valve body defines a plenum therein for receiving the gaseous fission product. A reclosable valve is in operative communication with the plenum for controllably venting the gaseous fission product from the plenum, and the valve body includes a flexible diaphragm coupled to the valve for moving the valve to a closed position.

Nuclear fission reactor, a vented nuclear fission fuel module, methods therefor and a vented nuclear fission fuel module system

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Kirkland, WA, United States of America

Pavel Hejzlar