NEUTRONIC REACTOR OPERATIONAL METHOD AND CORE SYSTEM

Patent · Tue Jul 19 04:00:00 EDT 1960

OSTI ID:4129261

Winters, C E; Graham, C B; Culver, J S; Wilson, R H

Homogeneous neutronic reactor systems are described wherein an aqueous fuel solution is continuously circulated through a spherical core tank. The pumped fuel solution-is injected tangentially into the hollow spherical interior, thereby maintaining vigorous rotation of the solution within the tank in the form of a vortex; gaseous radiolytic decomposition products concentrate within the axial vortex cavity. The evolved gas is continuously discharged through a gas- outlet port registering with an extremity of the vortex cavity. and the solution stream is discharged through an annular liquid outlet port concentrically encircling the gas outlet by virtue of which the vortex and its cavity are maintained precisely axially aligned with the gas outlet. A primary heat exchanger extracts useful heat from the hot effluent fuel solution before its recirculation into the core tank. Hollow cylinders and other alternative core- tank configurations defining geometric volumes of revolution about a principal axis are also covered. AEC's Homogeneous Reactor Experiment No. 1 is a preferred embodiment.

• Research Organization: Originating Research Org. not identified
• NSA Number: NSA-14-026443
• Assignee: U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
• Patent Number(s): US 2945794
• OSTI ID: 4129261
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

DECOMPOSITION
FUEL SOLUTIONS
GAS FLOW
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HOMOGENEOUS REACTORS
HRE-1
LIQUID FLOW
PATENT
RADIOLYSIS
REACTOR CORE
REACTOR TECHNOLOGY
REACTORS
ROTATION
SPHERES
TURBULENCE
WATER COOLANT