STEAM STIRRED HOMOGENEOUS NUCLEAR REACTOR
Abstract
A homogeneous nuclear reactor utilizing a selfcirculating liquid fuel is described. The reactor vessel is in the form of a vertically disposed tubular member having the lower end closed by the tube walls and the upper end closed by a removal fianged assembly. A spherical reaction shell is located in the lower end of the vessel and spaced from the inside walls. The reaction shell is perforated on its lower surface and is provided with a bundle of small-diameter tubes extending vertically upward from its top central portion. The reactor vessel is surrounded in the region of the reaction shell by a neutron reflector. The liquid fuel, which may be a solution of enriched uranyl sulfate in ordinary or heavy water, is mainiained at a level within the reactor vessel of approximately the top of the tubes. The heat of the reaction which is created in the critical region within the spherical reaction shell forms steam bubbles which more upwardly through the tubes. The upward movement of these bubbles results in the forcing of the liquid fuel out of the top of these tubes, from where the fuel passes downwardly in the space between the tubes and the vessel wallmore »
- Inventors:
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Originating Research Org. not identified
- OSTI Identifier:
- 4310609
- Patent Number(s):
- 2837476
- Assignee:
- U. S. Atomic Energy Commission
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21C - NUCLEAR REACTORS
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- NSA Number:
- NSA-12-014459
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-58
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- PATENTS; BUBBLES; CONFIGURATION; CONTROL SYSTEMS; COOLING; FINS; FUEL SOLUTIONS; HEAT EXCHANGERS; HEAVY WATER; HOMOGENEOUS REACTORS; JOINTS; MODERATORS; MOTION; NEUTRONS; PATENT; PRESSURE; REACTORS; REFLECTORS; STEAM; SULFATES; SURFACES; TUBES; TURBULENCE; URANYL COMPOUNDS; VAPORS; VESSELS
Citation Formats
Busey, H M. STEAM STIRRED HOMOGENEOUS NUCLEAR REACTOR. United States: N. p., 1958.
Web.
Busey, H M. STEAM STIRRED HOMOGENEOUS NUCLEAR REACTOR. United States.
Busey, H M. Sun .
"STEAM STIRRED HOMOGENEOUS NUCLEAR REACTOR". United States.
@article{osti_4310609,
title = {STEAM STIRRED HOMOGENEOUS NUCLEAR REACTOR},
author = {Busey, H M},
abstractNote = {A homogeneous nuclear reactor utilizing a selfcirculating liquid fuel is described. The reactor vessel is in the form of a vertically disposed tubular member having the lower end closed by the tube walls and the upper end closed by a removal fianged assembly. A spherical reaction shell is located in the lower end of the vessel and spaced from the inside walls. The reaction shell is perforated on its lower surface and is provided with a bundle of small-diameter tubes extending vertically upward from its top central portion. The reactor vessel is surrounded in the region of the reaction shell by a neutron reflector. The liquid fuel, which may be a solution of enriched uranyl sulfate in ordinary or heavy water, is mainiained at a level within the reactor vessel of approximately the top of the tubes. The heat of the reaction which is created in the critical region within the spherical reaction shell forms steam bubbles which more upwardly through the tubes. The upward movement of these bubbles results in the forcing of the liquid fuel out of the top of these tubes, from where the fuel passes downwardly in the space between the tubes and the vessel wall where it is cooled by heat exchangers. The fuel then re-enters the critical region in the reaction shell through the perforations in the bottom. The upper portion of the reactor vessel is provided with baffles to prevent the liquid fuel from splashing into this region which is also provided with a recombiner apparatus for recombining the radiolytically dissociated moderator vapor and a control means.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1958},
month = {6}
}