Neutron moderators comprising a porous metal hydride article, nuclear reactors including the same, and related methods

Abstract

A neutron moderator includes a porous metal hydride with channels within the porous metal hydride. Further, a method of regenerating a neutron moderator includes providing an at least partially depleted metal hydride article and introducing a hydrogen-containing gas into the at least partially depleted metal hydride article. The at least partially depleted metal hydride article includes channels. A nuclear reactor includes one or more neutron moderator regions in a core of a reactor, one or more fuel regions adjacent to the one or more neutron moderator regions, one or more heat transfer regions adjacent to the one or more fuel regions, control drums adjacent to the core, and a control rod adjacent to the core. One or more of the neutron moderator regions include a neutron moderator comprising a porous metal hydride article that has channels.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.