Pool type liquid metal fast spectrum reactor using a printed circuit heat exchanger connection to the power conversion system

A reactor, comprising:

• a vessel comprising a lid, wherein the vessel houses a volume of a primary coolant therein, and wherein the volume of the primary coolant defines a maximum level within the vessel;
• a reactor core disposed in the vessel, wherein the reactor core defines a lower plenum and an upper plenum;
• a micro-channel heat exchanger at least partially submerged below the maximum level of the primary coolant, wherein the micro-channel heat exchanger comprises:
• a core comprising a stack of plates bonded together, wherein the core comprises a top face, a bottom face, a first side face, and a second side face;
• a primary channel defined in the core, wherein the primary channel extends from a primary inlet defined in the first side face to a primary outlet defined in the second side face;
• and
• a secondary channel defined in the core, wherein the secondary channel extends among the primary channel from a secondary inlet defined in the top face to a secondary outlet defined in the top face.

A reactor, comprising:

• a vessel comprising a lid, wherein the vessel houses a volume of a primary coolant therein, and wherein the volume of the primary coolant defines a maximum level within the vessel;
• and
• a micro-channel heat exchanger partially submerged below the maximum level of the primary coolant, wherein the micro-channel heat exchanger comprises:
• a core comprising a stack of plates coupled together, wherein the core comprises a top face, a bottom face disposed opposite the top face, a first side face extending between the top face and the bottom face, and a second side face disposed opposite the first side face;
• a primary channel extending through the core from a primary inlet of the first side face to a primary outlet defined of the second side face;
• and
• a secondary channel extending through the core among the primary channel from a secondary inlet of the top face to a secondary outlet of the top face.

A method of creating a micro-channel heat exchanger and installing the same in a reactor, wherein the reactor comprises a vessel comprising a top lid, wherein the vessel houses a volume of a primary coolant therein, wherein the volume of the primary coolant defines a maximum level within the vessel, and wherein the method comprises:

• creating a micro-channel heat exchanger, wherein the creating comprises:
• obtaining a stack of plates;
• diffusion bonding the stack of plates together to form a core, wherein the core comprises a top face, a bottom face disposed opposite the top face, a first side face extending between the top face and the bottom face, and a second side face disposed opposite the first side face;
• defining a primary channel in the core by a first forming process, wherein the primary channel extends from a primary inlet defined in the first side face to a primary outlet defined in the second side face;
• and
• defining a secondary channel in the core by a second forming process, wherein the secondary channel extends among the primary channel from a secondary inlet defined in the top face to a secondary outlet defined in the top face, wherein the second forming process is different that the first forming process;
• and
• partially submerging the micro-channel heat exchanger below the maximum level of the primary coolant.