FUEL HANDLING SYSTEM, LAYOUT, AND PROCESS FOR NUCLEAR REACTOR

    公开(公告)号:US20230024749A1

    公开(公告)日:2023-01-26

    申请号:US17863346

    申请日:2022-07-12

    申请人: TerraPower, LLC

    IPC分类号: G21C19/32 G21C19/08 G21C19/19

    摘要: A method of handling spent nuclear fuel assemblies immerses the spent nuclear fuel assemblies in water in a relatively short time period when compared to traditional methods. A spent nuclear fuel assembly is removed from a nuclear reactor core, inserted into a sodium removal machine having a receiver, a cleaning vessel, and an elevator. A cleaning fluid is applied to the cleaning vessel and fuel assembly, and the fuel assembly is flushed with water while in the cleaning vessel. The cleaning vessel is at least partially submerged in the spent fuel pool during cleaning to provide passive heat removal. The cleaning vessel is lowered by an elevator into the spent fuel pool. The fuel assembly may then be loaded into a rack and/or a cask for long-term storage.

    MESOPHASE PITCH FOR CARBON FIBER PRODUCTION USING SUPERCRITICAL CARBON DIOXIDE

    公开(公告)号:US20220363995A1

    公开(公告)日:2022-11-17

    申请号:US17874832

    申请日:2022-07-27

    申请人: TerraPower, LLc

    IPC分类号: C10C3/08 D01F9/15 C01B32/05

    摘要: Embodiments of methods for improving mesophase pitch for carbon fiber production using supercritical carbon dioxide are described. The methods improve the relative amount and quality of mesophase pitch in feedstocks, such as coal tar, already having at least some mesophase pitch. One particular method includes performing a sCO2/toluene extraction on the coal tar to obtain a toluene insoluble fraction of the coal tar; mixing the toluene insoluble fraction with sCO2 to obtain a sCO2/toluene insoluble fraction mixture; and extruding the sCO2/toluene insoluble fraction mixture, thereby separating the sCO2 from the toluene insoluble fraction to obtain fibers of mesophase pitch.

    TARGETRY COUPLED SEPARATIONS
    13.
    发明申请

    公开(公告)号:US20220310281A1

    公开(公告)日:2022-09-29

    申请号:US17533264

    申请日:2021-11-23

    申请人: TerraPower, LLC

    摘要: Targetry coupled separation refers to enhancing the production of a predetermined radiation product through the selection of a target (including selection of the target material and the material's physical structure) and separation chemistry in order to optimize the recovery of the predetermined radiation product. This disclosure describes systems and methods for creating (through irradiation) and removing one or more desired radioisotopes from a target and further describes systems and methods that allow the same target to undergo multiple irradiations and separation operations without damage to the target. In contrast with the prior art that requires complete dissolution or destruction of a target before recovery of any irradiation products, the repeated reuse of the same physical target allowed by targetry coupled separation represents a significant increase in efficiency and decrease in cost over the prior art.

    Mesophase pitch for carbon fiber production using supercritical carbon dioxide

    公开(公告)号:US11434429B2

    公开(公告)日:2022-09-06

    申请号:US16532334

    申请日:2019-08-05

    申请人: TerraPower, LLC

    IPC分类号: C10C3/08 D01F9/15 C01B32/05

    摘要: Embodiments of methods for improving mesophase pitch for carbon fiber production using supercritical carbon dioxide are described. The methods improve the relative amount and quality of mesophase pitch in feedstocks, such as coal tar, already having at least some mesophase pitch. One particular method includes performing a sCO2/toluene extraction on the coal tar to obtain a toluene insoluble fraction of the coal tar; mixing the toluene insoluble fraction with sCO2 to obtain a sCO2/toluene insoluble fraction mixture; and extruding the sCO2/toluene insoluble fraction mixture, thereby separating the sCO2 from the toluene insoluble fraction to obtain fibers of mesophase pitch.

    MODIFIED LOW POWER, FAST SPECTRUM MOLTEN FUEL REACTOR DESIGNS HAVING IMPROVED NEUTRONICS

    公开(公告)号:US20220005619A1

    公开(公告)日:2022-01-06

    申请号:US17388824

    申请日:2021-07-29

    申请人: TerraPower, LLC

    IPC分类号: G21C11/06 G21C1/03

    摘要: A simple nuclear reactor in which most of the reflector material is outside of the reactor vessel is described. The reactor vessel is a cylinder that contains all of the fuel salt and a displacement component, which may be a reflector, in the upper section of the reactor vessel. Other than the displacement component, the reflector elements including a radial reflector and a bottom reflector are located outside the vessel. The salt flows around the outside surface of the displacement component through a downcomer heat exchange duct defined by the exterior of the displacement component and the interior surface of the reactor vessel. This design reduces the overall size of the reactor vessel for a given volume of salt relative to designs with internal radial or bottom reflectors.

    REFLECTORS FOR MOLTEN CHLORIDE FAST REACTORS

    公开(公告)号:US20210343431A1

    公开(公告)日:2021-11-04

    申请号:US17368576

    申请日:2021-07-06

    申请人: TerraPower, LLC

    摘要: A reflector assembly for a molten chloride fast reactor (MCFR) includes a support structure with a substantially cylindrical base plate, a substantially cylindrical top plate, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced ribs extending between the base plate and the top plate. The support structure is configured to encapsulate a reactor core for containing nuclear fuel. The MCFR also includes a plurality of tube members disposed within the support structure and extending axially between the top plate and the bottom plate. The plurality of tube members are configured to hold at least one reflector material to reflect fission born neutrons back to a center of the reactor core.