Molten fuel nuclear reactor with neutron reflecting coolant
摘要
說明書
Neutron reflector materials 1804, 1806 may be selectively added, removed, and/or replaced in channels 1808, 1810 to dynamically alter the neutron reflecting characteristics of the neutron reflector assembly 1800 over time. In one implementation, one or both of the neutron reflector materials 1804, 1806 may be completely removed from their respective channels 1808, 1810 to alter the neutron reflecting characteristics of the neutron reflector assembly 1800. In another implementation, the neutron reflector materials 1804, 1806 may be the same material. In yet another implementation, the neutron reflector materials 1804, 1806 may be selectively added, removed, and/or replaced to provide lower neutron reflection near the beginning of the life of the reactor when there is greater breeding of fertile fuel, and selectively added, removed, and/or replaced to provide greater neutron reflection as the reactor ages and burnup begins to dominates in the fuel region 1802. In another implementation, neutron reflector materials 1804, 1806 may mix inside one or both of channels 1808, 1810. In yet another implementation, one or both of neutron reflector materials 1804, 1806 may be added over time to channels 1808, 1810 to alter the ratio between the two materials and thus the neutron reflectivity of the assembly. If more than two neutron reflector materials 1804, 1806 are mixed inside channels 1808, 1810, a separator component (not shown) may operate to separate the materials if desired and may operate in any suitable manner to separate the two or more neutron reflector materials including one or more suitable chemical, mechanical, magnetic, electrical, time-bases processes based on the chemical and physical properties of the two or more neutron reflector materials. In another embodiment, mixed neutron reflector materials 1804, 1806 may be separated via a flush operation. Alternatively, the neutron reflector materials 1804, 1806 may be held in separate reservoirs (not shown) to selectively source the flows into one or both of channels 1808, 1810.
