Nuclear reactor core architecture with moderator elements inside insulator elements

Abstract

An enhanced architecture for a nuclear reactor core includes: (1) nuclear fuel tiles (S-Block); and (2) a thermal insulator and tube liners with a solid-phase moderator (U-Mod) to improve safety, reliability, heat transfer, efficiency, and compactness. In S-Block, nuclear fuel tiles include a fuel shape designed with an interlocking geometry pattern to optimize heat transfer between nuclear fuel tiles and into a fuel coolant and bring the fuel coolant in direct contact with the nuclear fuel tiles. Nuclear fuel tiles can be shaped with discontinuous nuclear fuel lateral facets and have fuel coolant passages formed therein to provide direct contact between the fuel coolant and the nuclear fuel tiles. In U-Mod, tube liners with hydrogen diffusivity retain hydrogen in the solid-phase moderator even at elevated temperatures and the thermal insulator insulates the solid-phase moderator from the nuclear fuel tiles.