Practical molten salt fission reactor
OwnerIan Richard Scottinventor
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Abstract
A nuclear fission reactor comprising a core, a pool of coolant liquid, and a heat exchanger. The core comprises an array of hollow tubes which contain molten salts of fissile isotopes. The tube array is at least partly immersed in the pool of coolant liquid. The tube array comprises a critical region, where the density of the fissile isotopes during operation of the reactor is sufficient to cause a self-sustaining fission reaction. Heat transfer from the molten salts of fissile isotopes to the tubes is achieved by any one or more of natural convection of the molten salts, mechanical stirring of the molten salts, and oscillating fuel salt flow within the tubes. The molten salts of fissile isotopes are contained entirely within the tubes during operation of the reactor.
Claims20
A nuclear fission reactor, the reactor comprising a core, a pool of coolant liquid, and a heat exchanger for extracting heat from the coolant liquid, wherein:
- the core comprises an array of hollow fuel tubes, each containing a molten salt fuel comprising one or more fissile isotopes, the fuel tube array being at least partly immersed in the pool of coolant liquid, the fuel tube array comprising a region where the density of the fissile isotopes during operation of the reactor is sufficient to cause a self-sustaining fission reaction;
- wherein heat transfer from the molten salt fuel in each fuel tube to the exterior of that tube is achieved by
- natural convection of the molten salt fuel;
- and wherein the molten salt fuel comprising fissile isotopes is unpumped and contained entirely within the fuel tubes during operation of the reactor.
A method of operating a nuclear fission reactor comprising a core, a pool of coolant liquid and a heat exchanger, the core comprising an array of hollow fuel tubes, each containing a molten salt fuel comprising one or more fissile isotopes, the fuel tube array being at least partly immersed in the pool of coolant liquid and comprising a region where the density of the fissile isotopes during operation of the reactor is sufficient to cause a self-sustaining fission reaction, the method comprising:
- containing the molten salt fuel entirely within the fuel tubes, the molten salt fuel being unpumped;
- transferring heat from the molten salt fuel in each fuel tube to the exterior of that tube and thus to the coolant using
- natural convection of the molten salt fuel;
- and
- extracting heat from the coolant using the heat exchanger.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.