NEUTRONIC REACTOR OPERATIONAL METHOD AND CORE SYSTEM

Title: NEUTRONIC REACTOR OPERATIONAL METHOD AND CORE SYSTEM

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Abstract

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.

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

Issue Date:: 1960-07-19

Research Org.:: Originating Research Org. not identified

OSTI Identifier:: 4129261

Patent Number(s):: 2945794

Assignee:: U.S. Atomic Energy Commission DTIE; NSA-14-026443

NSA Number:: NSA-14-026443

Resource Type:: Patent

Resource Relation:: Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-60

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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

Citation Formats


                    Winters, C.E., Graham, C.B., Culver, J.S., and Wilson, R.H. NEUTRONIC REACTOR OPERATIONAL METHOD AND CORE SYSTEM.  United States: N. p., 1960. 
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                    Winters, C.E., Graham, C.B., Culver, J.S., & Wilson, R.H. NEUTRONIC REACTOR OPERATIONAL METHOD AND CORE SYSTEM.  United States.

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                    Winters, C.E., Graham, C.B., Culver, J.S., and Wilson, R.H. Tue .  
        "NEUTRONIC REACTOR OPERATIONAL METHOD AND CORE SYSTEM".  United States.

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@article{osti_4129261,

  title        = {NEUTRONIC REACTOR OPERATIONAL METHOD AND CORE SYSTEM},

  author       = {Winters, C.E. and Graham, C.B. and Culver, J.S. and Wilson, R.H.},

  abstractNote = {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.},

  doi          = {},

  journal      = {},
number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {1960},

  month        = {7}

}

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