Aqueous assembly and control method
AssigneeSHINE Technologies, LLC
InventorsGregory Piefer, Eric N. Van Abel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An aqueous assembly has a negative coefficient of reactivity with a magnitude. The aqueous assembly includes a vessel and an aqueous solution, with a fissile solute, supported in the vessel. A reactivity stabilizer is disposed within the aqueous solution to reduce the magnitude of the negative coefficient of reactivity of the aqueous assembly during operation of the aqueous assembly.
Claims20
An aqueous assembly having a negative coefficient of reactivity, the aqueous assembly comprising:
- a vessel;
- an aqueous solution, including a fissile solute, supported in the vessel;
- and
- a reactivity stabilizer disposed within the aqueous solution to reduce a magnitude of the negative coefficient of reactivity of the aqueous assembly during operation of the aqueous assembly, wherein the reactivity stabilizer is a solute of the aqueous solution.
A method of operating an aqueous assembly having a coefficient of reactivity with a magnitude, the method comprising:
- adding an aqueous solution, including a fissile solute, to a vessel;
- adding a reactivity stabilizer to the aqueous solution;
- and
- subsequent to adding the reactivity stabilizer, sustaining a fission reaction within the aqueous solution at an effective neutron multiplication factor (keff) of 0.9 or greater, wherein the reactivity stabilizer reduces the magnitude of the coefficient of reactivity while the fission reaction is sustained within the aqueous solution.
A subcritical aqueous assembly having a negative coefficient of reactivity, the subcritical aqueous assembly comprising:
- a vessel;
- an aqueous solution, including a fissile solute including uranium, supported in the vessel;
- a neutron source for sustaining a fission reaction with the fissile solute at a subcritical level within the vessel;
- and
- a reactivity stabilizer disposed within the aqueous solution to reduce a magnitude of the negative coefficient of reactivity of the subcritical aqueous assembly during operation of the subcritical aqueous assembly.
A method of operating a subcritical aqueous assembly having a negative coefficient of reactivity with a magnitude, the method comprising:
- adding an aqueous solution, including a fissile solute including uranium, to a vessel;
- adding a reactivity stabilizer to the aqueous solution;
- operating a neutron source to sustain a fission reaction with the fissile solute of the aqueous solution at a subcritical level;
- and
- reducing the magnitude of the negative coefficient of reactivity of the subcritical aqueous assembly during operation of the subcritical aqueous assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.