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US 12,614,643 B2Granted
Nuclear reactor system inside a borehole
AssigneeDeep Fission, Inc.
InventorRichard A. Muller
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A nuclear reactor system includes a drillhole that extends from a terranean surface through one or more subterranean formations. The nuclear reactor system includes a reactor core positioned in the drillhole, the reactor core comprising at least one nuclear fuel element. The nuclear reactor system includes a primary coolant system configured to transport a primary fluid coolant between the reactor core and a heat exchanger. The nuclear reactor system includes a secondary coolant system thermally coupled to the primary coolant system via the heat exchanger and configured to transport a secondary fluid coolant between the heat exchanger and the terranean surface.
Claims49
A nuclear reactor system, comprising:
- a drillhole that extends from a terranean surface through one or more subterranean formations;
- at least one reactor core positioned in the drillhole, the reactor core comprising at least one nuclear fuel element positioned at a first depth of the drillhole below the terranean surface;
- a heat exchanger positioned in the drillhole, the heat exchanger including a fluid barrier positioned at a second depth of the drillhole that is less than the first depth;
- a primary coolant system positioned in the drillhole and configured to transport a primary fluid coolant between the at least one reactor core and the heat exchanger, the primary coolant system comprising:
- a first pipe having a diameter less than a diameter of the drillhole and being positioned in the drillhole, the at least one reactor core being positioned inside of the first pipe;
- and
- a first annulus defined between the first pipe and a wall of the drillhole,
- wherein the first annulus surrounds the first pipe,
- wherein the primary coolant system is configured to convey the primary fluid coolant in a downhole direction through the first annulus from the fluid barrier to the at least one reactor core at the first depth, and
- wherein the primary coolant system is configured to convey the primary fluid coolant, heated by the reactor core, in an uphole direction inside the first pipe from the at least one reactor core to the fluid barrier at the second depth;
- and
- a secondary coolant system
- thermally coupled to the primary coolant system via the heat exchanger,
- wherein the secondary coolant system is configured to receive heat across the fluid barrier,
- the secondary coolant system comprising:
- a second pipe
- having a diameter less than the diameter of the drillhole and being positioned in the drillhole;
- and
- a second annulus defined between the second pipe and the wall of the drillhole,
- wherein the second annulus surrounds the second pipe,
- wherein the secondary coolant system is configured to convey a secondary fluid coolant in a downhole direction through the second annulus from the terranean surface to the fluid barrier at the second depth, and
- wherein the secondary coolant system is configured to convey the secondary fluid coolant, heated in the heat exchanger by the primary fluid coolant, in an uphole direction inside the second pipe from the fluid barrier to the terranean surface,
- wherein the heated secondary fluid coolant is usable for generating power at the terranean surface.
20 more elements
A method, comprising:
- operating a nuclear reactor system that comprises:
- a drillhole that extends from a terranean surface through one or more subterranean formations;
- at least one reactor core positioned in the drillhole, the at least one reactor core comprising at least one nuclear fuel element positioned at a first depth of the drillhole below the terranean surface;
- a heat exchanger positioned in the drillhole, the heat exchanger including a fluid barrier positioned at a second depth of the drillhole that is less than the first depth;
- a primary coolant system positioned in the drillhole, the primary coolant system comprising:
- a first pipe having a diameter less than a diameter of the drillhole, the first pipe being positioned in the drillhole, the at least one reactor core being positioned inside of the first pipe;
- and
- a first annulus defined between the first pipe and a wall of the drillhole,
- wherein the first annulus surrounds the first pipe;
- and
- a secondary coolant system
- thermally coupled to the primary coolant system via the heat exchanger,
- wherein the secondary coolant system is configured to receive heat across the fluid barrier,
- the secondary coolant system comprising:
- a second pipe
- having a diameter less than the diameter of the drillhole and
- being positioned in the drillhole,
- a second annulus defined between the second pipe and the wall of the drillhole,
- wherein the second annulus surrounds the second pipe,
- wherein the secondary coolant system is configured to convey a secondary fluid coolant between the heat exchanger and the terranean surface,
- the operating comprising:
- transporting a primary fluid coolant in the primary coolant system
- in a downhole direction through the first annulus from the fluid barrier to the at least one reactor core at the first depth and
- in an uphole direction inside the first pipe from the at least one reactor core to the fluid barrier at the second depth;
- transporting the secondary fluid coolant, heated in the heat exchanger by the primary fluid coolant, in the secondary coolant system in an uphole direction inside the second pipe from the fluid barrier at the second depth to the terranean surface;
- generating power with the heated secondary fluid coolant at the terranean surface;
- and
- transporting the secondary fluid coolant in the secondary coolant system in a downhole direction through the second annulus from the terranean surface to the fluid barrier at the second depth.
25 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.