Nuclear reactors having liquid metal alloy fuels and/or moderators

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11710577-B2
Application number	US-202017071795-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2020
Priority date	Oct 15, 2019
Publication date	Jul 25, 2023
Grant date	Jul 25, 2023

Abstract

Nuclear reactor systems and associated devices and methods are described herein. A representative nuclear reactor system includes a reactor vessel having a barrier separating a core region from a shield region. A plurality of fuel rods containing a liquid nuclear fuel are positioned in the core region. A liquid moderator material is also positioned in the core region at least partially around the fuel rods. A plurality of heat exchangers can be positioned in the shield region, and a plurality of heat pipes can extend through the barrier. The moderator material is positioned to transfer heat received from the liquid nuclear fuel to the heat pipes, and the heat pipes are positioned to transfer heat received from the moderator material to the heat exchangers. The heat exchangers can transport the heat out of the system for use in one or more processes, such as generating electricity.

First claim

We claim:

1. A nuclear reactor, comprising:
a reactor vessel including a barrier separating a core region from a shield region;
a fuel rod in the core region and containing a liquid nuclear fuel;
a moderator material fully contained in the core region and at least partially surrounding the fuel rod;
a thermal transfer device extending at least partially through the barrier, wherein the moderator material is positioned to transfer heat received from the liquid nuclear fuel to the thermal transfer device; and
a hydrogen control assembly operably coupled to the core region, wherein the hydrogen control assembly is configured to vary a hydrogen content level of the core region to thereby control a moderating property of the moderator material.

2. The nuclear reactor of claim 1 wherein the moderator material includes a liquid metal alloy material.

3. The nuclear reactor of claim 1 wherein the moderator material includes a liquid metal hydride.

4. The nuclear reactor of claim 1 , further comprising a shield material in the shield region, wherein the shield material is configured to absorb and/or reflect neutrons generated by the liquid nuclear fuel.

5. The nuclear reactor of claim 4 , further comprising a heat exchanger in the shield region, wherein the thermal transfer device is positioned to transfer heat received from the moderator material to the heat exchanger, and wherein the shield material is a liquid positioned to transfer heat received from the thermal transfer device to the heat exchanger.

6. The nuclear reactor of claim 5 wherein the shield material includes a liquid metal material.

7. The nuclear reactor of claim 1 wherein the fuel rod includes a filter positioned to vent gaseous products generated by the liquid nuclear fuel to outside of the reactor vessel.

8. The nuclear reactor of claim 1 wherein the fuel rod includes a filter positioned to receive gaseous products generated by the liquid nuclear fuel, and wherein the filter includes a filter member positioned to capture one or more of the gaseous products.

9. The nuclear reactor of claim 1 wherein the fuel rod includes a filter positioned to receive gaseous products generated by the liquid nuclear fuel, wherein the filter defines a serpentine flow path, and wherein the filter includes multiple filter members positioned along the serpentine flow path to capture one or more of the gaseous products.

10. The nuclear reactor of claim 1 wherein the fuel rod includes a filter positioned to vent gaseous products generated by the liquid nuclear fuel to outside of the reactor vessel, and wherein the filter includes a filter member positioned to capture one or more of the gaseous products.

11. The nuclear reactor of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of heat exchangers, wherein the thermal transfer device includes a plurality of heat pipes positioned to transfer the heat received from the moderator material to corresponding ones of the heat exchangers.

12. The nuclear reactor of claim 1 , further comprising a heat exchanger positioned in the shield region, wherein the thermal transfer device is positioned to transfer heat received from the moderator material to the heat exchanger.

13. A nuclear reactor, comprising:
a reactor vessel including a barrier separating a core region from a shield region;
a fuel rod in the core region and containing a liquid nuclear fuel;
a liquid metal alloy material fully contained in the core region and at least partially surrounding the fuel rod, wherein the liquid metal alloy material is configured to control a reactivity of the core region; and
a thermal transfer device extending at least partially through the barrier, wherein the liquid metal alloy material is positioned to transfer heat received from the liquid nuclear fuel to the thermal transfer device.

14. The nuclear reactor of claim 13 wherein the nuclear reactor further comprises a hydrogen control assembly fluidly coupled to the core region of the reactor vessel, wherein the hydrogen control assembly is operable to vary a hydrogen content level of the liquid metal alloy material to thereby control the reactivity of the core region.

15. The nuclear reactor of claim 13 , further comprising a heat exchanger positioned in the shield region, wherein the thermal transfer device is positioned to transfer heat received from the liquid metal alloy material to the heat exchanger.

Assignees

• Nuscale Power Llc

Inventors

• Botha Frederick
• Keppen Jackson
• Galimov Azat Yumadilovich
• Mirsky Steven M

Classifications

• G21C1/22 Primary

  using liquid or gaseous fuel · CPC title

• G21C11/088

  consisting of a stagnant or a circulating fluid · CPC title

• G21C15/257

  using heat-pipes {(in general F28D, F28F)} · CPC title

• G21C7/26 Primary

  by displacement of the moderator or parts thereof {by changing the moderator concentration} · CPC title

• G21C3/041 Primary

  Means for removal of gases from fuel elements · CPC title