Reactor tray vertical geometry with vitrified waste control

• US 20060171498A1
• Filed: 11/02/2005
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: DBI Century Fuels and Aerospace Services Incorporated
• Original Assignee: DBI Century Fuels and Aerospace Services Incorporated
• Inventors: D'Auvergne, Hector A.
• Application Number:
  US11/266,079
• Publication Number:
  US 20060171498A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 376/172
• CPC Class Codes: G21C 1/00 Reactor types
• CPC Class Codes: G21C 1/30 Subcritical reactors ; Experimental reactors other than swimming-pool reactors or zero-energy reactors
• CPC Class Codes: G21C 3/62 Ceramic fuel
• CPC Class Codes: G21C 7/34 by utilisation of a primary neutron source
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 30/10 Nuclear fusion reactors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 30/30 Nuclear fission reactors

Abstract

A nuclear-powered plant for systems of up to about 100 MWs with a confinement section where the reaction takes place in a core having a reactive thorium/uranium-233 composition, and where an external neutron source is used as a modulated neutron multiplier for the reactor core output. The core is housed in a containment structure that radiates thermal energy captured in a multiple-paths heat exchanger. The exchanger heat energy output is put to use in a conventional gas-to-water heat exchanger to produce commercial quality steam.

Claims

1. A composition for fueling a nuclear decay reaction comprising at least 50% by weight of thorium oxide in a solid gas-permeable material.

2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the solid material is a glass.

3. A fuel cell for sustaining a nuclear decay reaction, comprising the composition of claim 1 encased in a glass.

4. A method of producing thermal energy, comprising:

providing a composition of at least 50% by weight of thorium oxide entrained in a solid, gas-permeable material;

providing a controllable neutron source;

exposing the composition to the neutron source; and

controlling the flux of the neutron source to maintain fission of uranium 233 in the composition at a desired rate.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein controlling the flux comprises:

controlling the flux to maintain fission of uranium 233 in the composition at a sub-critical rate.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

providing a neutron moderator to slow neutrons from the neutron source to thermal energy levels.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

cooling the composition with a gas.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

removing xenon from the cooling gas.

9. A device for producing thermal energy, comprising:

a fuel cell comprising a composition of at least 50% by weight of thorium oxide entrained in a solid gas-permeable material;

a vessel for containing the fuel cell;

a controllable neutron source disposed to emit neutrons to impinge onto the fuel cell; and

a coolant circulation system to circulate a coolant over the fuel cell.

10. The device of claim 9, further comprising:

a neutron moderator disposed to slow neutrons from the neutron source to thermal energy levels prior to impinging onto the fuel cell.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the neutron is a quantity of californium 252 or a particle accelerator.

12. The device of claim 11, further comprising:

a neutron reflector disposed to reflect neutrons onto the fuel cell.

13. The device of claim 12, further comprising:

means of removing xenon from the coolant.

14. The device of claim 9, wherein the coolant is a gas.

15. The device of claim 9, wherein the solid, gas-permeable material is a glass.