Method and system for the thermoelectric conversion of nuclear reactor generated heat

• US 9,691,507 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2009
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TerraPower LLC
• Original Assignee: TerraPower LLC
• Inventors: Walter, Joshua C., Hyde, Roderick A., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Wood, Victoria Y. H., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Weaver, Thomas Allan, Wood, Jr., Lowell L.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'CONNOR, MARSHALL P
• Application Number:
  US12/386,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20100260303A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,997 Days
• Field of Search: 376207, 376215, 376241, 376317, 376320, 376321, 376322
• CPC Class Codes: G21D 1/02 Arrangements of auxiliary equipment
• CPC Class Codes: G21D 7/04 using thermoelectric elements or thermoionic convertersstructural combination of fuel element with thermoelectric element or with thermoionic converters G21C3/40 , G21H1/10; thermoelectric elements per se H10N10/00, H10N15/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 30/00 Energy generation of nuclear origin
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 30/30 Nuclear fission reactors

Abstract

A method and system for the thermoelectric conversion of nuclear reactor generated heat including upon a nuclear reactor system shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting nuclear reactor generated heat to electrical energy and supplying the electrical energy to a mechanical pump of the nuclear reactor system.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy; and

supplying the electrical energy to at least one mechanical pump of the nuclear reactor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy comprises:

following initiation of a nuclear reactor shutdown, thermoelectrically converting nuclear reactor generated heat to electrical energy.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy comprises:

upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting residual heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy comprises:

upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy using at least one thermoelectric device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy using at least one thermoelectric device comprises:

upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy using at least one thermoelectric junction.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy using at least one thermoelectric junction comprises:

upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy using at least one semiconductor-semiconductor junction.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy using at least one semiconductor-semiconductor junction comprises:

upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy using at least one p-type/n-type junction.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy comprises:

upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy using at least one nanofabricated thermoelectric device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy comprises:

upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy using at least one thermoelectric device, the thermoelectric device having at least a first portion in thermal communication with a first portion of the nuclear reactor and at least a second portion in thermal communication with a second portion of the nuclear reactor.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy using at least one thermoelectric device, the thermoelectric device having at least a first portion in thermal communication with a first portion of the nuclear reactor and at least a second portion in thermal communication with a second portion of the nuclear reactor comprises:

upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy using at least one thermoelectric device, the thermoelectric device having at least a first portion in thermal communication with at least one heat source of the nuclear reactor.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy using at least one thermoelectric device, the thermoelectric device having at least a first portion in thermal communication with at least one heat source of the nuclear reactor comprises:

upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy using at least one thermoelectric device, the thermoelectric device having at least a first portion in thermal communication with at least a portion of a nuclear reactor core, at least a portion of at least one pressure vessel, at least a portion of at least one containment vessel, at least a portion of at least one coolant loop, at least a portion of at least one coolant pipe, at least a portion of at least one heat exchanger, or at least a portion of a coolant of the nuclear reactor.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy using at least one thermoelectric device, the thermoelectric device having at least a first portion in thermal communication with a first portion of the nuclear reactor and at least a second portion in thermal communication with a second portion of the nuclear reactor comprises:

upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy using at least one thermoelectric device, the thermoelectric device having at least a second portion in thermal communication with a second portion of the nuclear reactor system, the second portion of the nuclear reactor system at a lower temperature than the first portion of the nuclear reactor.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy using at least one thermoelectric device, the thermoelectric device having at least a second portion in thermal communication with a second portion of the nuclear reactor system, the second portion of the nuclear reactor system at a lower temperature than the first portion of the nuclear reactor comprises:

upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy using at least one thermoelectric device, the thermoelectric device having at least a second portion in thermal communication with at least a portion of at least one coolant loop, at least a portion of at least one coolant pipe, at least a portion of at least one heat exchanger, at least a portion of a coolant of the nuclear reactor, or at least a portion of at least one environmental reservoir.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the supplying the electrical energy to at least one mechanical pump of the nuclear reactor comprises:

supplying the electrical energy to at least one mechanical pump of the nuclear reactor, the at least one mechanical pump circulating coolant through a portion of at least one nuclear reactor core or a portion of at least one heat exchanger.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the supplying the electrical energy to at least one mechanical pump of the nuclear reactor comprises:

supplying the electrical energy to at least one mechanical pump of the nuclear reactor, the at least one mechanical pump circulating at least one liquid coolant.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the supplying the electrical energy to at least one mechanical pump of the nuclear reactor, the at least one mechanical pump circulating at least one liquid coolant comprises:

supplying the electrical energy to at least one mechanical pump of the nuclear reactor, the at least one mechanical pump circulating at least one liquid metal coolant.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy comprises:

upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a thermal spectrum nuclear reactor to electrical energy.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy comprises:

upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy using at least two series coupled thermoelectric devices.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy comprises:

upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy using at least two parallel coupled thermoelectric devices.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy comprises:

upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy using at least one thermoelectric module.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

protecting at least one thermoelectric device with regulation circuitry.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the protecting at least one thermoelectric device with regulation circuitry comprises:

protecting at least one thermoelectric device with bypass circuitry.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the protecting at least one thermoelectric device with bypass circuitry comprises:

protecting at least one thermoelectric device with bypass circuitry configured to electrically bypass the at least one thermoelectric device.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the protecting at least one thermoelectric device with bypass circuitry configured to electrically bypass the at least one thermoelectric device comprises:

electrically bypassing the at least one thermoelectric device using at least one electromagnetic relay system, at least one solid state relay system, at least one transistor, at least one microprocessor controlled relay system, at least one microprocessor controlled relay system programmed to respond to at least one external parameter, or at least one microprocessor controlled relay system programmed to respond to at least one internal parameter.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selectively augmenting at least one thermoelectric device using at least one reserve thermoelectric device and reserve actuation circuitry configured to selectively couple the at least one reserve thermoelectric device to the at least one thermoelectric device.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the selectively augmenting at least one thermoelectric device using at least one reserve thermoelectric device and reserve actuation circuitry configured to selectively couple the at least one reserve thermoelectric device to the at least one thermoelectric device comprises:

selectively coupling at least one reserve thermoelectric device to at least one thermoelectric device using at least one relay system, at least one electromagnetic relay system, at least one solid state relay system, at least one transistor, at least one microprocessor controlled relay system, at least one microprocessor controlled relay system programmed to respond to at least one external parameter, or at least one microprocessor controlled relay system to respond to at least one internal parameter to the at least one thermoelectric device.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy comprises:

upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy using at least one thermoelectric device sized to meet at least one selected operational requirement of the nuclear reactor.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy using at least one thermoelectric device sized to meet at least one selected operational requirement of the nuclear reactor comprises:

upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy using at least one thermoelectric device sized to at least partially match the heat rejection of the at least one thermoelectric device with at least a portion of the heat produced by the nuclear reactor.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy using at least one thermoelectric device sized to meet at least one selected operational requirement of the nuclear reactor comprises:

upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy using at least one thermoelectric device sized to at least partially match the power requirements of at least one selected operation system.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy using at least one thermoelectric device sized to at least partially match the power requirements of at least one selected operation system comprises:

upon a nuclear reactor shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting heat generated with a nuclear reactor to electrical energy using at least one thermoelectric device sized to match the power requirements of at least one mechanical pump.

31. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

modifying at least one thermoelectric device output using power management circuitry.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the modifying at least one thermoelectric device output using power management circuitry comprises:

modifying at least one thermoelectric device output using voltage regulation circuitry.