Thermionic reactor
AssigneeThe Babcock & Wilcox Company
InventorsJohn D. Malloy, III, Richard F. Rochow, Kurt O. Westerman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A thermionic reactor for providing electrical power and propulsion power. A reactor vessel has a plurality of thermionic heat pipe modules located therein and spaced apart on a hexagonal pitch. Nuclear fuel elements are positioned in the spaces between the thermionic heat pipe modules. Insulating material is provided between the reactor vessel and the array of thermionic heat pipe modules and nuclear fuel elements. Propulsion power is provided by a propellant storage tank and propellant nozzle in fluid communication with opposite ends of the reactor vessel. The thermionic heat pipe modules serve to produce electricity and aid in removal of waste heat.
Claims14
A thermionic reactor, comprising:
- a. a reactor vessel having first and second ends;
- b. a plurality of thermionic heat pipe modules located inside said reactor vessel and spaced apart from each other in a hexagonal pitch array;
- c. a plurality of nuclear fuel elements located inside said rector vessel and positioned in the spaces between said thermionic heat pipe modules in a hexagonal pitch array whereby a space is maintained between each of said thermionic heat pipe modules and said nuclear fuel elements and each of said fuel elements is adjacent at least one of said thermionic heat pipe modules;
- and
- d. a control rod movably positioned inside said reactor vessel.
A thermionic reactor, comprising:
- a. a reactor vessel having first and second ends;
- b. a plurality of thermionic heat pipe modules located inside said reactor vessel and spaced apart from each other in a hexagonal pitch array;
- c. a plurality of nuclear fuel elements located inside said reactor vessel and positioned in the spaces between said thermionic heat pipe modules in a hexagonal pitch array whereby a space is maintained between each of said thermionic heat pipe modules and said nuclear fuel elements and each of said fuel elements is adjacent at least one of said thermionic heat pipe modules;
- d. a control rod movably positioned inside said reactor vessel;
- e. waste heat rejection means in operative communication with said reactor vessel;
- and
- f. means for providing propulsion power from said reactor.
A thermionic reactor, comprising:
- a. a reactor vessel having first and second ends;
- b. a plurality of thermionic heat pipe modules located inside said reactor vessel and spaced apart from each other in a hexagonal pitch array;
- c. a plurality of nuclear fuel elements located inside said reactor vessel and positioned in the spaces between said thermionic heat pipe modules in a hexagonal pitch array whereby a space is maintained between each of said thermionic heat pipe modules and said nuclear fuel elements and each of said fuel elements is adjacent at least one of said thermionic heat pipe modules;
- d. a control rod movably positioned inside said reactor vessel;
- e. waste heat rejection means in operative communication with said reactor vessel;
- g. means for providing propulsion power from said reactor, comprising:
- i. a propellant storage tank in fluid communication with a passage at the second end of said reactor vessel that directs propellant to the interior of the first end of said reactor vessel whereby propellant flows through the spaces between said thermionic heat pipe modules and said fuel elements;
- and
- ii. a propellant nozzle in fluid communication with the second end of said reactor vessel whereby propellant travelling through said reactor is directed to said propellant nozzle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.