Control system for a small fission reactor
Abstract
A system for controlling the reactivity of a small fission reactor includes an elongated, flexible hollow tube in the general form of a helical coiled spring axially positioned around and outside of the reactor vessel in an annular space between the reactor vessel and a surrounding cylindrical-shaped neutron reflector. A neutron absorbing material is provided within the hollow tube with the rate of the reaction controlled by the extension and compression of the hollow tube, e.g., extension of the tube increases reactivity while its compression reduces reactivity, in varying the amount of neutron absorbing material disposed between the reactor vessel and the neutron reflector. Conventional mechanical displacement means may be employed to control the coil density of the hollow tube as desired. In another embodiment, a plurality of flexible hollow tubes each containing a neutron absorber are positioned adjacent to one another in spaced relation around the periphery of the reactor vessel and inside the outer neutron reflector with reactivity controlled by the extension and compression of all or some of the coiled hollow tubes. Yet another embodiment of the invention envisions the neutron reflector in the form of an expandable coil spring positioned in an annular space between themore »
- Inventors:
-
- Glen Ellyn, IL
- Park Ridge, IL
- Hickory Hills, IL
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 865757
- Patent Number(s):
- 4568515
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
- 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
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31109-ENG-38
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- control; fission; reactor; controlling; reactivity; elongated; flexible; hollow; tube; form; helical; coiled; spring; axially; positioned; outside; vessel; annular; space; surrounding; cylindrical-shaped; neutron; reflector; absorbing; material; provided; rate; reaction; controlled; extension; compression; increases; reduces; varying; amount; disposed; conventional; mechanical; displacement; means; employed; coil; density; desired; embodiment; plurality; tubes; containing; absorber; adjacent; spaced; relation; periphery; inside; outer; envisions; expandable; structure; flux; reflected; hollow tube; spaced relation; fission reactor; neutron absorber; absorbing material; reactor vessel; neutron flux; material disposed; positioned adjacent; neutron absorbing; annular space; helical coil; reactivity control; coil spring; mechanical displacement; sorbing material; /376/976/
Citation Formats
Burelbach, James P, Kann, William J, and Saiveau, James G. Control system for a small fission reactor. United States: N. p., 1986.
Web.
Burelbach, James P, Kann, William J, & Saiveau, James G. Control system for a small fission reactor. United States.
Burelbach, James P, Kann, William J, and Saiveau, James G. Wed .
"Control system for a small fission reactor". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/865757.
@article{osti_865757,
title = {Control system for a small fission reactor},
author = {Burelbach, James P and Kann, William J and Saiveau, James G},
abstractNote = {A system for controlling the reactivity of a small fission reactor includes an elongated, flexible hollow tube in the general form of a helical coiled spring axially positioned around and outside of the reactor vessel in an annular space between the reactor vessel and a surrounding cylindrical-shaped neutron reflector. A neutron absorbing material is provided within the hollow tube with the rate of the reaction controlled by the extension and compression of the hollow tube, e.g., extension of the tube increases reactivity while its compression reduces reactivity, in varying the amount of neutron absorbing material disposed between the reactor vessel and the neutron reflector. Conventional mechanical displacement means may be employed to control the coil density of the hollow tube as desired. In another embodiment, a plurality of flexible hollow tubes each containing a neutron absorber are positioned adjacent to one another in spaced relation around the periphery of the reactor vessel and inside the outer neutron reflector with reactivity controlled by the extension and compression of all or some of the coiled hollow tubes. Yet another embodiment of the invention envisions the neutron reflector in the form of an expandable coil spring positioned in an annular space between the reactor vessel and an outer neutron absorbing structure for controlling the neutron flux reflected back into the reactor vessel.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1986},
month = {1}
}