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US 2023/0107838 A1Published application
High temperature hydride moderator enabling compact and higher power density cores in nuclear micro-reactors
AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.
InventorsVenkateswara Rao DASARI, Alex LEVINSKY, Yasir ARAFAT, Jurie J. VAN WYK
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Abstract
A reactor core block is disclosed including a fuel channel, a heat pipe, a primary moderator matrix configured to encompass the fuel channel and the heat pipe, and a secondary moderator channel configured to at least partially surround the fuel channel, the heat pipe, and the primary moderator matrix. The secondary moderator channel is comprised of metal hydride.
Claims19
A reactor core block, comprising:
- a fuel channel;
- a heat pipe;
- a primary moderator matrix configured to encompass the fuel channel and the heat pipe;
- and
- a secondary moderator channel configured to at least partially surround the fuel channel, the heat pipe, and the primary moderator matrix, wherein the secondary moderator channel is comprised of metal hydride.
2 more elements
A reactor core, comprising:
- a plurality of reactor core blocks, wherein each reactor core block comprises:
- a fuel channel;
- a heat pipe;
- a primary moderator matrix encompassing the fuel channel and the heat pipe;
- and
- a secondary moderator channel configured to at least partially surround the fuel channel, the heat pipe, and the primary moderator matrix, wherein the secondary moderator channel is comprised of metal hydride.
3 more elements
A reactor core, comprising:
- a first arrangement, comprising:
- a first plurality of fuel channels;
- and
- a first plurality of heat pipes, wherein the first arrangement is configured to alternate between a fuel channel from the first plurality of fuel channels and a heat pipe from the first plurality of heat pipes;
- a second arrangement, comprising:
- a second plurality of fuel channels;
- and
- a second plurality of heat pipes, wherein the second arrangement is configured to alternate between a fuel channel from the second plurality of fuel channels and a heat pipe from the second plurality of heat pipes;
- a third arrangement positioned between the first arrangement and the second arrangement, wherein the third arrangement comprises a first plurality of moderator channels, wherein each moderator channel from the first plurality of moderator channels is comprised of metal hydride;
- and
- a moderator matrix, wherein the first arrangement, the second arrangement, and the third arrangement are embedded in the moderator matrix.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.