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US 12,676,245 B2Granted
Nuclear fuel rods and heat pipes in a graphite moderator matrix for a micro-reactor, with the fuel rods having fuel pellets in a BeO sleeve
AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.
InventorAlex Levinsky
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Abstract
A reactor unit cell is disclosed including a graphite moderator structure, a heat pipe positioned in the graphite moderator structure, and a fuel assembly positioned in the graphite moderator structure. The fuel assembly comprises a beryllium-oxide sleeve and nuclear fuel positioned in the beryllium-oxide sleeve.
Claims9
A nuclear reactor core, comprising:
- a plurality of reactor unit cells, wherein at least one of the reactor unit cells comprises:
- a graphite moderator matrix;
- a plurality of heat pipes positioned in the graphite moderator matrix;
- and
- a plurality of fuel rods positioned in the graphite moderator matrix, wherein at least one fuel rod of the plurality of fuel rods comprises a beryllium-oxide sleeve housing nuclear fuel therein,
- wherein the beryllium-oxide sleeve directly surrounds the nuclear fuel.
3 more elements
A nuclear reactor core, comprising:
- a plurality of reactor unit cells comprising a first reactor unit cell and a second reactor unit cell abutting the first reactor unit cell, wherein at least one of the reactor unit cells comprises:
- a graphite moderator defining first channels and second channels;
- heat pipes positioned in the first channels;
- and
- fuel rods positioned in the second channels, wherein at least one of the fuel rods comprises a beryllium-oxide sleeve housing nuclear fuel therein,
- wherein the beryllium-oxide sleeve directly surrounds the nuclear fuel.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.