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U.S. Department of Energy
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NUCLEAR REACTOR FOR GENERATION OF POWER AND FOR IRRADIATION OF A LIQUID ORGANIC MATERIAL

Patent ·
OSTI ID:4046644

A thermal reactor, for the heating of a fluid heat carrier and for the irradiation of organic materials in liquid or vapor phase, is described. The reactor comprises, in combination, a reaction chamber containing fissile material in an amount sufficient to sustain a nuclear reaction, conduit means for supplying fluid coolant to and for removing coolant from the reaction chamber, thermal insulation disposed about the chamber in heat insulating relationship, a radio-conversion reaction chamber disposed about the thermal insulation and providing a passageway for the organic material, and conduits adapted to admit the organic material to and remove it from the radio-conversion reaction chamber. The chamber is so disposed with respect to the reaction chamber that the organic material passing through it absorbs at least 1% of the energy released in the reaction chamber and provides at least 25% of the moderation required for the reaction. The thermal insulation in the reactor is so arranged that there is a temperature difference of at least 50 E between liquid coolant in the reaction zone and liquid or vapor phase organic material in the radio-conversion reaction zone. A process for increasing the enthalpy of a fluid heat transfer medium and for the irradiation of a liquid organic material using this reactor is described. (N.W.R.)

Research Organization:
Originating Research Org. not identified
NSA Number:
NSA-15-021880
OSTI ID:
4046644
Report Number(s):
GB 868766
Country of Publication:
United Kingdom
Language:
English