GB2528631A - Improved refuelling and neutron management in molten salt reactors - Google Patents

Improved refuelling and neutron management in molten salt reactors Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2528631A
GB2528631A GB1407507.1A GB201407507A GB2528631A GB 2528631 A GB2528631 A GB 2528631A GB 201407507 A GB201407507 A GB 201407507A GB 2528631 A GB2528631 A GB 2528631A
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United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
array
tubes
fuel
fuel tubes
neutron
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB1407507.1A
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GB201407507D0 (en
Inventor
Ian Richard Scott
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Individual
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Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to GB1407507.1A priority Critical patent/GB2528631A/en
Publication of GB201407507D0 publication Critical patent/GB201407507D0/en
Priority to KR1020167033464A priority patent/KR101804370B1/en
Priority to RU2016145640A priority patent/RU2661883C2/en
Priority to CN201580023228.5A priority patent/CN106463184B/en
Priority to US15/301,799 priority patent/US20170117065A1/en
Priority to PCT/GB2015/050484 priority patent/WO2015166203A1/en
Priority to CA2946974A priority patent/CA2946974C/en
Priority to EP15707720.7A priority patent/EP3138103B1/en
Publication of GB2528631A publication Critical patent/GB2528631A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21C—NUCLEAR REACTORS
    • G21C7/00—Control of nuclear reaction
    • G21C7/30—Control of nuclear reaction by displacement of the reactor fuel or fuel elements
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21C—NUCLEAR REACTORS
    • G21C11/00—Shielding structurally associated with the reactor
    • G21C11/06—Reflecting shields, i.e. for minimising loss of neutrons
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21C—NUCLEAR REACTORS
    • G21C19/00—Arrangements for treating, for handling, or for facilitating the handling of, fuel or other materials which are used within the reactor, e.g. within its pressure vessel
    • G21C19/20—Arrangements for introducing objects into the pressure vessel; Arrangements for handling objects within the pressure vessel; Arrangements for removing objects from the pressure vessel
    • G21C19/205—Interchanging of fuel elements in the core, i.e. fuel shuffling
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21C—NUCLEAR REACTORS
    • G21C3/00—Reactor fuel elements and their assemblies; Selection of substances for use as reactor fuel elements
    • G21C3/02—Fuel elements
    • G21C3/24—Fuel elements with fissile or breeder material in fluid form within a non-active casing
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21C—NUCLEAR REACTORS
    • G21C3/00—Reactor fuel elements and their assemblies; Selection of substances for use as reactor fuel elements
    • G21C3/42—Selection of substances for use as reactor fuel
    • G21C3/44—Fluid or fluent reactor fuel
    • G21C3/54—Fused salt, oxide or hydroxide compositions
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • 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
    • Y02E30/00—Energy generation of nuclear origin
    • Y02E30/30—Nuclear fission reactors

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • High Energy & Nuclear Physics (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Structure Of Emergency Protection For Nuclear Reactors (AREA)

Abstract

A molten salt reactor comprising an array of tubes containing molten fissile fuel whereby maintenance of fissile isotope concentration and neutron economy are improved by incorporating neutron reflecting material at the top and bottom of the fuel tube. This neutron reflector does not interfere with the free circulation of coolant into and out of the array of fuel tubes. Also provided is a means of replenishing the array of fuel tubes by migration of fuel tubes from the periphery to the centre of the reactor core and replacing the fuel tubes at the periphery with fuel tubes filled with fissile material.

Description

IMPROVED REFUELLING AND NEUTRON MANAGEMENT IN MOLTEN SALT
REACTORS
BACKGROUND
A novel design for a molten salt based nuclear reactor was disclosed in UK patent application number 1402908.6 entitled "A practical molten salt fission reactor". The basis for the design was to place the molten salt fissile material in static tubes from which heat was transferred to a coolant liquid by a combination of conduction and convection.
Several options for replacement of consumed fissile isotopes during reactor operation were detailed in that application. A further method has now heen identified involving migration of fuel tubes within the core array.
A further refinement of the fuel tube system has also been identified which significantly improves the neutronic behaviour of the reactor core.
Application 1402908.6 described the use of a neutron reflecting structure arranged around the fuel tube array to reduce neutron losses from the core. A refinement of this reflector described herein reduced the neutron losses from the top and bottom of the core in addition to laterally.
DESCRIPTION
The core array of fuel tuhes in the reactor is assembled with tubes at the periphery of the array of tubes containing higher concentration of fissile material than tubes at the centre. This can be achieved either by using fuel tubes with different ITissile isotope concentrations when they are first loaded in the reactor or by loading similar tubes and allowing the higher fission rate at the centre of the core to cause the fissfle concentrations in fuel tubes towards the centre of the array to fall due to the higher fission rate towards the centre of the array.
A continuous or stepwise transition of fuel tubes with high fissile concentration to those with lower fissile concentration occurs between the periphery and centre of the array. As fissile material is consumed, tubes are removed from the centre of the array for disposal or reprocessing, tubes are migrated from the periphery towards the centre to replace those removed fuel tubes and fresh fuel tubes with high fissile concentrations are placed to fill the resulting gaps at the periphery. With this arrangement, the reactor can be run continuously for many years. It may be convenient to assemble multiple fuel tubes into a more robust assembly whereby multiple fuel tubes are moved as single units, for example in a similar manner to how luel pins are assembled into 1ue assemblies in pressurised water reactors.
Neutron economy in a reactor core is conventionally improved by placing neutron reflectors around the core to reflect lost neutrons back into the core. A practical arid convenient way to achieve this with a core composed of fuel tubes as described in 1402908.6 is to manufacture the fuel tubes with a substantial (several cm) plug of solid or molten material at the bottom of the tube as illustrated in figure 1 (101). The resulting array of material creates a reflector covering the majority of the area of the bottom of the tube array while not interfering with the convective or pumped flow of coolant up into the array.
A similar arrangement can he made at die top of the fuel tube as iflustrated iii figure 1 (102).
Where the tube narrows as described in 1402908.6 a collar of solid material can be attached at the bottom of the narrow region externally to the fuel tube, or manufactured as part of the fuel tube so that the combined radius of the narrow part of the fuel tube and the collar is similar to that of the wide part of the fuel tube, thereby not obstructing coolant flow but providing a reflector covering a substantial portion of the upper area of the fuel tube array.
Either or both reflectors can he made from a variety of materials, molybdenum and nickd being useful where resistance to molten salt corrosion is required. Steel is also a standard material for neutron reflectors. The lower reflector can be composed of a dense molten material added to the fud tube. Optionally, the reflectors can contain, or he entirely composed of, neutron moderating elements such as carbon or heryflium so that the neutrons reflected back to the core are slowed down and therefore more efficiently cause fission.
Reflectors of this type can be useful in improving the uniformity of fission rate within the tube.

Claims (1)

  1. CLAIMS1) A method to improve the neutronic efficiency and/or to maintain the criticality of a nuclear reactor whose core comprises an array of fuel tubes containing fissile material in the form of molten salts, comprising placing a neutron reflecting material at the bottom and/or upper region of the fud tube in such a way that it does not interfere with the free circulation of coolant into and out of the array of fuel tubes and/or replenishing the array of fuel tubes with fresh fissile material as fissile material within the fuel tubes is consumed by removing fuel tubes from the centre of the array of fuel tubes, migrating fuel tubes from the periphery of the array towards the centre of the array and replacing fuel tubes at the periphery of the array with fud tubes filled with fissile matenal.
GB1407507.1A 2014-04-29 2014-04-29 Improved refuelling and neutron management in molten salt reactors Withdrawn GB2528631A (en)

Priority Applications (8)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1407507.1A GB2528631A (en) 2014-04-29 2014-04-29 Improved refuelling and neutron management in molten salt reactors
KR1020167033464A KR101804370B1 (en) 2014-04-29 2015-02-19 Movement of fuel tubes within an array
RU2016145640A RU2661883C2 (en) 2014-04-29 2015-02-19 Tubular fuel rods movement inside the assembly
CN201580023228.5A CN106463184B (en) 2014-04-29 2015-02-19 The movement of cartridge in array
US15/301,799 US20170117065A1 (en) 2014-04-29 2015-02-19 Movement of fuel tubes within an array
PCT/GB2015/050484 WO2015166203A1 (en) 2014-04-29 2015-02-19 Movement of fuel tubes within an array
CA2946974A CA2946974C (en) 2014-04-29 2015-02-19 Movement of fuel tubes within an array
EP15707720.7A EP3138103B1 (en) 2014-04-29 2015-02-19 Movement of fuel tubes within an array

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1407507.1A GB2528631A (en) 2014-04-29 2014-04-29 Improved refuelling and neutron management in molten salt reactors

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB201407507D0 GB201407507D0 (en) 2014-06-11
GB2528631A true GB2528631A (en) 2016-02-03

Family

ID=50972034

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB1407507.1A Withdrawn GB2528631A (en) 2014-04-29 2014-04-29 Improved refuelling and neutron management in molten salt reactors

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2528631A (en)

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1036935A (en) * 1962-08-04 1966-07-20 Oesterr Studien Atomenergie Improvements in or relating to nuclear reactors
GB1073715A (en) * 1963-06-18 1967-06-28 Babcock & Wilcox Co Improvements in nuclear reactors
WO2009135286A1 (en) * 2008-05-09 2009-11-12 Ottawa Valley Research Associates Ltd. Molten salt nuclear reactor
WO2012135957A1 (en) * 2011-04-06 2012-10-11 Ottawa Valley Research Associates Ltd. Molten salt nuclear reactor
WO2014011632A2 (en) * 2012-07-09 2014-01-16 Holtec International, Inc. Nuclear fuel core, nuclear fuel cartridge, and methods of fueling and/or defueling a nuclear reactor
GB2508537A (en) * 2013-02-25 2014-06-04 Ian Richard Scott A molten salt fission reactor

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1036935A (en) * 1962-08-04 1966-07-20 Oesterr Studien Atomenergie Improvements in or relating to nuclear reactors
GB1073715A (en) * 1963-06-18 1967-06-28 Babcock & Wilcox Co Improvements in nuclear reactors
WO2009135286A1 (en) * 2008-05-09 2009-11-12 Ottawa Valley Research Associates Ltd. Molten salt nuclear reactor
WO2012135957A1 (en) * 2011-04-06 2012-10-11 Ottawa Valley Research Associates Ltd. Molten salt nuclear reactor
WO2014011632A2 (en) * 2012-07-09 2014-01-16 Holtec International, Inc. Nuclear fuel core, nuclear fuel cartridge, and methods of fueling and/or defueling a nuclear reactor
GB2508537A (en) * 2013-02-25 2014-06-04 Ian Richard Scott A molten salt fission reactor

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Publication number Publication date
GB201407507D0 (en) 2014-06-11

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