US 8,744,036 B2 · High power density liquid-cooled pebble-channel nuclear reactor

Abstract

A high-temperature nuclear reactor, cooled by a liquid fluoride salt, is described. The reactor uses an annular fuel pebble comprised of an inert graphite center kernel, a TRISO fuel particles region, and a graphite outer shell, with an average pebble density lower than the density of the liquid salt so the pebbles float. The pebbles are introduced into a coolant entering the reactor and are carried into the bottom of the reactor core, where they form a pebble bed inside a plurality of vertical channels inside one or more replaceable Pebble Channel Assemblies (PCAs). Pebbles are removed through defueling chutes located at the top of each PCA. Each PCA also includes channels for insertion of neutron control and shutdown elements, and channels for insertion of core flux mapping and other instrumentation.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A fuel channel assembly (FCA) reactor core, comprising:

at least one FCA having a plurality of fuel elements;
the at least one FCA comprising:
a lower coolant inlet, a lower element plenum, at least one fuel element channel, an upper fuel element plenum, and a defueling chute;
a plurality of coolant holes with diameters smaller than the fuel elements, the coolant holes positioned above the upper fuel element plenum to collect outlet flow of salt coolant to an exit plenum;
a plurality of flow channels positioned above the fuel element exit plenum to collect outlet flow of salt coolant for transfer to a heat exchanger for removal of decay heat during loss of forced cooling;
and
one or more shutdown control channels disposed in the reactor core;
said control channels being adjacent to and separate from said fuel element channel.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

High power density liquid-cooled pebble-channel nuclear reactor

Life of this patent

High power density liquid-cooled pebble-channel nuclear reactor

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17