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US 12,176,113 B1Granted
Moderated nuclear reactor
AssigneeTriad National Security, LLC
InventorRobert Stowers Reid
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heat pipe cooled nuclear reactor core (“reactor core”) includes an array of fuel, an array of primary heat rejection heat pipes, and an array of moderator cooling heat pipes or thermosiphons. Each moderator cooling heat pipe in the array of moderator cooling heat pipes is surrounded by metal hydride moderator materials, slowing neutrons from a fission energy range to a lower energy range in the reactor core.
Claims20
A heat pipe cooled nuclear reactor core comprising:
- a structural matrix surrounding at least a portion of an array of fuel, at least a portion of an array of primary heat rejection heat pipes, and at least a portion of an array of moderator assemblies,
- wherein each moderator assembly of the array of moderator assemblies comprises:
- a moderator cooling heat pipe or thermosiphon;
- a metal hydride moderator material slowing neutrons from a fission energy range to a lower energy range in the reactor core;
- and
- a multilayer insulation comprising a plurality of gaps, each gap being evacuated or filled with an inert gas,
- wherein the metal hydride moderator material surrounds the moderator cooling heat pipe or thermosiphon and the multilayer insulation surrounds the metal hydride moderator material and thermally isolates the metal hydride moderator material and the moderator cooling heat pipe or thermosiphon of each moderator assembly from the structural matrix.
4 more elements
A heat pipe cooled nuclear reactor core comprising:
- an array of fuel, an array of primary heat rejection heat pipes, and an array of moderator assemblies,
- wherein each moderator assembly of the array of moderator assemblies comprises;
- a moderator cooling heat pipe or thermosiphon;
- a metal hydride moderator material composed of yttrium hydride or zirconium hydride, the metal hydride moderator material slowing neutrons from a fission energy range to a lower energy range in the reactor core;
- a multilayer insulation comprising a plurality of gaps, each gap being evacuated or filled with an inert gas;
- and
- a first hydrogen diffusion barrier and a second hydrogen diffusion barrier,
- wherein the metal hydride moderator material surrounds the moderator cooling heat pipe or thermosiphon, the multilayer insulation surrounds the metal hydride moderator material, the first hydrogen diffusion barrier is disposed between the moderator cooling heat pipe or thermosiphon and the metal hydride moderator material, and the second hydrogen diffusion barrier layer is disposed between the metal hydride moderator material and the multilayer insulation.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.