The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 08, 2016
Filed:
Jul. 01, 2009
Charles E. Ahlfeld, La Jolla, CA (US);
John Rogers Gilleland, Kirkland, WA (US);
Roderick A. Hyde, Redmond, WA (US);
Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Livermore, CA (US);
David G. Mcalees, Bellevue, WA (US);
Nathan P. Myhrvold, Medina, WA (US);
Charles Whitmer, North Bend, WA (US);
Lowell L. Wood, Jr., Bellevue, WA (US);
George B. Zimmerman, Lafayette, CA (US);
Charles E. Ahlfeld, La Jolla, CA (US);
John Rogers Gilleland, Kirkland, WA (US);
Roderick A. Hyde, Redmond, WA (US);
Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Livermore, CA (US);
David G. McAlees, Bellevue, WA (US);
Nathan P. Myhrvold, Medina, WA (US);
Charles Whitmer, North Bend, WA (US);
Lowell L. Wood, Jr., Bellevue, WA (US);
George B. Zimmerman, Lafayette, CA (US);
TerraPower, LLC, Bellevue, WA (US);
Abstract
A traveling wave nuclear fission reactor, fuel assembly, and a method of controlling burnup therein. In a traveling wave nuclear fission reactor, a nuclear fission reactor fuel assembly comprises a plurality of nuclear fission fuel rods that are exposed to a deflagration wave burnfront that, in turn, travels through the fuel rods. The excess reactivity is controlled by a plurality of movable neutron absorber structures that are selectively inserted into and withdrawn from the fuel assembly in order to control the excess reactivity and thus the location, speed and shape of the burnfront. Controlling location, speed and shape of the burnfront manages neutron fluence seen by fuel assembly structural materials in order to reduce risk of temperature and irradiation damage to the structural materials.