# US 2014/0153685 A1 · System and Method for Annealing Nuclear Fission Reactor Materials

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- Number: US 2014/0153685 A1
- Document ID: US20140153685A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/916,671
- Filed: 2013-06-13
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2008-09-18
- Assignees: TerraPower, LLC
- Applicants: Searete LLC
- Inventors: Charles E. Ahlfeld; John Rogers Gilleland; Roderick A. Hyde; David G. McAlees; Jon David McWhirter; Ashok Odedra; Clarence T. Tegreene; Joshua C. Walter; Kevan D. Weaver; Charles Whitmer; Lowell L. Wood, JR.; George B. Zimmerman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140153685A1

## CPC

- C21D 9/00: Heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering, adapted for particular articles; Furnaces therefor
- G21C 1/026: {Reactors not needing refuelling, i.e. reactors of the type breed-and-burn, e.g. travelling or deflagration wave reactors or seed-blanket reactors}
- G21C 3/07: characterised by their material, e.g. alloys
- G21C 7/00: Control of nuclear reaction
- G21C 7/32: by varying flow of coolant through the core {by adjusting the coolant or moderator temperature}
- G21C 13/087: Metallic vessels
- G21C 17/0225: {Chemical surface treatment, e.g. corrosion (corrosion prevention in presence of water from scale removal or by modification of the properties of the liquid C02F5/00; inhibiting corrosion by adding corrosion inhibitors C23F11/00)}
- G21C 19/00: Arrangements for treating, for handling, or for facilitating the handling of, fuel or other materials which are used within the reactor, e.g. within its pressure vessel
- Y02E 30/30: Nuclear fission reactors
- C21D: MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING (surface treatment of metallic material involving at least one process provided for in class C23 and at least one process covered by this subclass C23F17/00; unidirectional solidification of eutectic materials or unidirectional demixing of eutectoid materials C30B)
- G21C: NUCLEAR REACTORS (fusion reactors, hybrid fission-fusion reactors G21B; nuclear explosives G21J)
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

Illustrative embodiments provide systems, methods, apparatuses, and applications related to annealing nuclear fission reactor materials.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

-59. (canceled)

### Claim 60

A method for annealing at least a portion of at least one component of a reactor core of a nuclear fission reactor, the method comprising:
determining an annealing temperature range for at least a portion of at least one component of a reactor core of a nuclear fission reactor, the annealing temperature range being higher than a predetermined operating temperature range of the reactor core; and
annealing at least the portion of the at least one component within the annealing temperature range.

### Claim 61 (depends on 60)

The method of claim 60, wherein the at least one component of a reactor core includes a reactor core component chosen from a nuclear fission fuel assembly, a reactor core cooling component, and a reactor core structural member.

### Claim 62 (depends on 61)

The method of claim 61, wherein the at least one component includes at least one nuclear fission fuel assembly component chosen from cladding, a cooling component, a structural member, a thermally conductive member, and nuclear fission fuel material.

### Claim 63 (depends on 60)

The method of claim 60, wherein the at least one component includes a metallic component.

### Claim 64 (depends on 63)

The method of claim 63, wherein metal of the metallic component includes at least one metal chosen from steel, refractory metal, a refractory metal alloy, a non-ferrous metal, and a non-ferrous metal alloy.

### Claim 65 (depends on 60)

The method of claim 60, wherein the annealing temperature range is determined based upon at least one factor chosen from radiation exposure of the at least one component, operating temperature history of the at least one component, and annealing history of the at least one component.

### Claim 66 (depends on 60)

The method of claim 60, wherein the annealing temperature range is determined based upon material properties of the at least one component.

### Claim 67 (depends on 66)

The method of claim 66, wherein a maximum temperature of the annealing temperature range is selected to provide a predetermined safety margin below a melting point of at least one component of the reactor core.

### Claim 68 (depends on 66)

The method of claim 66, wherein a maximum temperature of the annealing temperature range is selected to provide a predetermined safety margin below structural degradation of at least one component of the reactor core.

### Claim 69

(canceled)

### Claim 70

(canceled)

### Claim 71 (depends on 60)

The method of claim 60, wherein annealing is performed within the reactor core.

### Claim 72 (depends on 71)

The method of claim 71, wherein annealing is performed in-place.

### Claim 73 (depends on 60)

The method of claim 60, wherein annealing is performed external of the reactor core.

### Claim 74 (depends on 73)

The method of claim 73, wherein annealing is performed off-site from the nuclear fission reactor.

### Claim 75 (depends on 60)

The method of claim 60, further comprising moving the at least one component from an in-place location prior to annealing.

### Claim 76 (depends on 60)

The method of claim 60, further comprising moving the at least one component to a location within the reactor core after annealing.

### Claim 77 (depends on 76)

The method of claim 76, further comprising re-orienting a nuclear fission fuel assembly.

### Claim 78 (depends on 76)

The method of claim 76, further comprising reconfiguring a nuclear fission fuel assembly.in-placein-place

### Claim 79 (depends on 60)

The method of claim 60, further comprising moving the at least one component from an in-place location after annealing.

### Claim 80 (depends on 60)

The method of claim 60, wherein annealing at least the portion of the at least one component within the annealing temperature range includes adjusting operational parameters of the nuclear fission reactor to establish operating conditions of a region of the nuclear fission reactor containing the at least one component within the determined annealing temperature range for a period of time selected to produce annealing of at least the portion of the at least one component.

### Claim 81 (depends on 80)

The method of claim 80, wherein adjusting operational parameters includes raising temperature of the region of the nuclear fission reactor containing the at least one component from the predetermined operating temperature range of the reactor core toward the annealing temperature range.

### Claim 82 (depends on 80)

The method of claim 80, wherein adjusting operational parameters includes maintaining temperature of the region of the nuclear fission reactor containing the at least one component substantially within the annealing temperature range.

### Claim 83 (depends on 80)

The method of claim 80, wherein adjusting operational parameters includes providing heat from an external heat source.

### Claim 84

(canceled)

### Claim 85 (depends on 83)

The method of claim 83, wherein the external heat source includes at least one source of residual heat.

### Claim 86 (depends on 85)

The method of claim 85, wherein the residual heat includes decay heat.

### Claim 87

(canceled)

### Claim 88 (depends on 80)

The method of claim 80, wherein adjusting operational parameters includes:
substantially maintaining coolant flow rate; and
reducing an amount of heat transferred from the coolant.

### Claim 89 (depends on 80)

The method of claim 80, wherein adjusting operational parameters includes:
substantially maintaining coolant flow rate; and
reducing an amount of heat transferred to the coolant.

### Claim 90 (depends on 80)

The method of claim 80, wherein adjusting operational parameters includes lowering, from a predetermined coolant flow rate, coolant flow rate into the region of the nuclear fission reactor containing the at least one component.

### Claim 91 (depends on 80)

The method of claim 80, wherein adjusting operational parameters includes reversing direction of reactor coolant flow into the region of the nuclear fission reactor containing the at least one component.

### Claim 92 (depends on 80)

The method of claim 80, wherein adjusting operational parameters includes raising temperature of coolant entering the region of the nuclear fission reactor containing the at least one component.

### Claim 93 (depends on 80)

The method of claim 80, wherein adjusting operational parameters includes replacing at least a portion of a first reactor coolant having first heat transfer characteristics with second coolant having second heat transfer characteristics.

### Claim 94 (depends on 80)

The method of claim 80, wherein adjusting operational parameters includes raising pressure in the region of the nuclear fission reactor containing the at least one component.

### Claim 95 (depends on 80)

The method of claim 80, wherein adjusting operational parameters includes lowering pressure in the region of the nuclear fission reactor containing the at least one component.

### Claim 96 (depends on 60)

The method of claim 60, further comprising determining when the at least one component is to be annealed.

### Claim 97 (depends on 96)

The method of claim 96, wherein determining when the at least one component is to be annealed includes scheduling a predetermined time for annealing the at least one component.

### Claim 98 (depends on 96)

The method of claim 96, wherein determining when the at least one component is to be annealed is based upon an annealing history of the at least one component.

### Claim 99 (depends on 96)

The method of claim 96, wherein determining when the at least one component is to be annealed is based upon an operational history of the at least one component.

### Claim 100 (depends on 99)

The method of claim 99, wherein the operational history of the at least one component includes at least one parameter chosen from temperature history and radiation exposure.

### Claim 101 (depends on 96)

The method of claim 96, wherein determining when the at least one component is to be annealed includes testing materials that are indicative of the at least one component.

### Claim 102 (depends on 101)

The method of claim 101, wherein testing materials that are indicative of the at least one component includes testing at least a portion of the at least one component.

### Claim 103 (depends on 101)

The method of claim 101, wherein testing materials that are indicative of the at least one component includes testing for changes in material properties indicative of radiation damage.

### Claim 104 (depends on 103)

The method of claim 103, wherein the material properties indicative of radiation damage include at least one material property chosen from electrical resistivity, physical dimensions, displacement response to physical stress, response to stimulus, speed of sound within material, ductile-to-brittle transition temperature, and radiation emission.

### Claim 105 (depends on 62)

The method of claim 62, wherein a number of nuclear fission fuel assemblies is fewer than all nuclear fission fuel assemblies of a reactor core of the nuclear fission reactor.

### Claim 106 (depends on 62)

The method of claim 62, wherein a number of nuclear fission fuel assemblies is substantially all nuclear fission fuel assemblies of a reactor core of the nuclear fission reactor.

### Claim 107 (depends on 60)

The method of claim 60, further comprising stopping annealing at least the portion of the at least one component within the annealing temperature range.

### Claim 108 (depends on 107)

The method of claim 107, wherein annealing is stopped after a predetermined time period.

### Claim 109 (depends on 108)

The method of claim 108, wherein the predetermined time period is a function of temperature.

### Claim 110 (depends on 108)

The method of claim 108, wherein the predetermined time period is a function of changes in material properties indicative of radiation damage.

### Claim 111 (depends on 108)

The method of claim 108, wherein the predetermined time period is a function of radiation exposure.

### Claim 112 (depends on 60)

The method of claim 60, further comprising:
during annealing, testing material properties of at least a portion of the at least one component; and
wherein annealing is stopped responsive to testing material properties of at least a portion of the at least one component.

### Claim 113 (depends on 107)

The method of claim 107, further comprising post-anneal treating at least the portion of the at least one component.

### Claim 114 (depends on 113)

The method of claim 113, wherein post-anneal treating at least the portion of the at least one component includes lowering temperature from the annealing temperature range to a quenching temperature range.

### Claim 115 (depends on 114)

The method of claim 114, wherein lowering temperature from the annealing temperature range to a quenching temperature range includes lowering temperature from the annealing temperature range to a quenching temperature range at a predetermined rate.

### Claim 116 (depends on 114)

The method of claim 114, wherein post-anneal treating at least the portion of the at least one component further includes raising temperature from the quenching temperature range to a tempering temperature range.

### Claim 117 (depends on 107)

The method of claim 107, further comprising establishing temperature at an operational temperature range.

### Claim 118 (depends on 60)

The method of claim 60, wherein annealing is performed after commencement of transition of reactivity condition of at least a portion of the nuclear fission reactor from a first state to a second state.

### Claim 119 (depends on 118)

The method of claim 118, wherein:
the first state includes power range operation; and
the second state includes a shut-down state.

### Claim at position 62

-234. (canceled)