Nuclear fission reactor, a vented nuclear fission fuel module, methods therefor and a vented nuclear fission fuel module system

• US 20110051876A1
• Filed: 08/28/2009
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TerraPower LLC
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hejzlar, Pavel, Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Tegreene, Clarence T., Ahlfeld, Charles E., Whitmer, Charles, Wood, Lowell L. JR., McWhirter, Jon D., Weaver, Kevan D., McAlees, David G., Zimmerman, George B., Hyde, Roderick A., Odedra, Ashok, Walter, Joshua C., Weaver, Thomas Allan
• Granted Patent: US 8,488,734 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 376/253
• CPC Class Codes: G21C 1/022 characterised by the design or properties of the core
• CPC Class Codes: G21C 1/026 Reactors not needing refueling, i.e. reactors of the type breed-and-burn, e.g. travelling or deflagration wave reactors or seed-blanket reactors
• CPC Class Codes: G21C 17/10 Structural combination of fuel element, control rod, reactor core, or moderator structure with sensitive instruments, e.g. for measuring radioactivity, strain
• CPC Class Codes: G21C 19/303 specially adapted for gases decontamination of gases G21F9/02
• CPC Class Codes: G21C 3/3213 Means for the storage or removal of fission gases means for the storage of fission gases in the elements G21C3/16; means for the removal of fission gases from elements G21C3/04
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 30/30 Nuclear fission reactors

Abstract

Illustrative embodiments provide a nuclear fission reactor, a vented nuclear fission fuel module, methods therefor and a vented nuclear fission fuel module system.

Claims

1-96. -96. (canceled)

97. A vented nuclear fission fuel module, comprising:

a nuclear fission fuel element capable of generating a fission product; and

means associated with said nuclear fission fuel element for controllably venting the fission product.

98. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 97, wherein the fission product includes

a gaseous fission product.

99. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 98, further comprising means coupled to said venting means for collecting the gaseous fission product.

100. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 98, wherein said venting means is reclosable.

101. The vented nuclear fission reactor of claim 98, wherein said venting means is sealably reclosable.

102. A vented nuclear fission fuel module, comprising:

a nuclear fission fuel element capable of generating a gaseous fission product;

a valve body associated with said nuclear fission fuel element, said valve body defining a plenum therein for receiving the gaseous fission product; and

a valve in operative communication with the plenum for controllably venting the gaseous fission product from the plenum.

103. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 102, wherein said valve body comprises a flexible diaphragm coupled to said valve for moving said valve to a closed position.

104. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 102, further comprising:

a cap mounted on said valve; and

a manipulator extendable to said cap for manipulating said cap.

105. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 102, further comprising a manipulator extendable to said valve for manipulating said valve.

106. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 102, further comprising:

an articulated manipulator arm extendable to the plenum; and

a receptacle carried by said articulated manipulator arm and engageable with the plenum for receiving the gaseous fission product controllably vented from the plenum.

108. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 102, wherein said valve is responsive to a parameter chosen from pressure in the plenum and a type of gaseous fission product in the plenum.

110. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 102, further comprising a sensor in operative communication with the plenum.

111. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 110, wherein said sensor senses a parameter chosen from pressure in the plenum and a type of gaseous fission product in the plenum.

114. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 110, wherein said sensor comprises a sensor chosen from a radiation sensor, from a chemical sensor, and an optical sensor.

117. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 110, wherein said sensor comprises a transmitter.

120. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 117, wherein said transmitter is configured to transmit an identification signal identifying said valve body.

127. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 102, further comprising a canister surrounding said fuel element.

128. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 127,

wherein said canister has a bottom portion defining a first opening;

and

wherein said canister has a side portion defining a second opening.

129. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 128, wherein said canister comprises a tube sheet therein having a contour shaped for guiding a coolant along a coolant flow path extending from the first opening and through the second opening.

130. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 128, wherein said canister comprises a ceramic tube sheet therein for dissipating heat and having a contour shaped for guiding a coolant along a coolant flow path extending from the first opening and through the second opening.

131. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 102, further comprising a reservoir coupled to said valve for receiving the gaseous fission product vented by said valve.

132. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 131, wherein said reservoir comprises a filter for separating a condensed phase fission product from the gaseous fission product.

133. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 132, wherein said filter comprises a filter chosen from a HEPA filter, a semi-permeable membrane, an electrostatic collector, and a cold trap.

137. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 131,

wherein said reservoir is capable of being coupled to a reactor vessel;

and

wherein said reservoir is capable of being decoupled from the reactor vessel for removing the gaseous fission product from the reactor vessel.

138. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 131,

wherein said reservoir is capable of being coupled to a reactor vessel;

and

wherein said reservoir is capable of remaining coupled to the reactor vessel for storing the gaseous fission product at the reactor vessel.

139. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 102, further comprising a controller coupled to said valve for controlling operation of said valve.

107. (canceled)

109. (canceled)

112. (canceled)

113. (canceled)

115. (canceled)

116. (canceled)

118. (canceled)

119. (canceled)

121. (canceled)

122. (canceled)

123. (canceled)

124. (canceled)

125. (canceled)

126. (canceled)

134. (canceled)

135. (canceled)

136. (canceled)

140. A vented nuclear fission fuel module, comprising:

a plurality of nuclear fission fuel element bundles capable of generating a gaseous fission product;

a plurality of valve bodies associated with respective ones of said plurality of nuclear fission fuel element bundles, at least one of said plurality of valve bodies defining a plenum therein for receiving the gaseous fission product;

a valve disposed in the at least one of said plurality of valve bodies and in communication with the plenum for controllably venting the gaseous fission product from the plenum;

a flexible diaphragm coupled to said valve for moving said valve; and

a removable cap threadably mounted on said valve.

141. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 140, wherein said flexible diaphragm is capable of moving said valve to a closed position.

142. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 140, further comprising an articulated manipulator arm extendable to said cap for threadably dismounting said cap from said valve.

143. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 140, further comprising an articulated manipulator arm extendable to said valve for operating said valve.

144. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 140, further comprising:

an articulated manipulator arm extendable to the plenum; and

a receptacle carried by said articulated manipulator arm and engageable with the plenum for receiving the gaseous fission product vented from the plenum.

146. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 140, wherein said valve is responsive to a parameter chosen from pressure in the plenum and a type of gaseous fission product in the plenum.

148. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 140, further comprising a sensor in operative communication with the plenum.

149. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 148, wherein said sensor senses a parameter chosen from pressure in the plenum, a type of gaseous fission product in the plenum, and a radioactive fission product in the plenum.

152. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 148, wherein said sensor comprises a sensor chosen from a radiation sensor, a chemical sensor, and an optical sensor.

155. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 148, wherein said sensor comprises a transmitter.

157. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 155, wherein said transmitter is configured to transmit an identification signal identifying said valve body.

164. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 148, further comprising a canister surrounding at least one of said plurality of nuclear fission fuel element bundles.

165. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 164,

wherein said canister has a bottom portion defining a flow opening;

and

wherein said canister has a side portion defining a flow port.

166. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 165, wherein said canister comprises a tube sheet therein having a contour on an underside surface thereof shaped for guiding a coolant along a curved coolant flow path extending from the flow opening and through the flow port.

167. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 165, wherein said canister comprises a ceramic tube sheet therein for dissipating heat and having a contour on an underside surface thereof shaped for guiding a coolant along a curved coolant flow path extending from the flow opening and through the flow port.

168. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 140, further comprising a reservoir coupled to said valve for receiving the gaseous fission product vented by said valve.

169. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 168, wherein said reservoir comprises a removable filter for separating and capturing a condensed phase fission product from the gaseous fission product.

170. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 169, wherein said filter comprises a filter chosen from a HEPA filter, a semi-permeable membrane, an electrostatic collector, and a cold trap.

174. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 168,

(a) wherein said reservoir is capable of being coupled to a reactor vessel;

and

(b) wherein said reservoir is capable of being decoupled from the reactor vessel for removing the gaseous fission product from the reactor vessel.

175. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 168,

(a) wherein said reservoir is capable of being coupled to a reactor vessel;

and

(b) wherein said reservoir is capable of remaining coupled to the reactor vessel for storing the gaseous fission product at the reactor vessel.

176. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 140, wherein said valve is operable to controllably vent the gaseous fission product according to a predetermined release rate for minimizing size of an associated gaseous fission product clean-up system.

177. The vented nuclear fission fuel module of claim 140, further comprising a controller coupled to said valve for controlling operation of said valve.

145. (canceled)

147. (canceled)

150. (canceled)

151. (canceled)

153. (canceled)

154. (canceled)

156. (canceled)

158. (canceled)

159. (canceled)

160. (canceled)

161. (canceled)

162. (canceled)

163. (canceled)

171. (canceled)

172. (canceled)

173. (canceled)

178-449. -449. (canceled)