Daniel S Walter

US Patent:

20230127207, Apr 27, 2023

Filed:

Oct 10, 2022

Appl. No.:

18/045398

Inventors:

- Bellevue WA, US
Darryl Appelgate - Woodinville WA, US
Haley Barsa - Issaquah WA, US
Michael T. Blatnik - Seattle WA, US
Karl Britsch - Mukilteo WA, US
Brian C. Kelleher - Edmonds WA, US
Samuel S. Goodrich - Richland WA, US
Ramesh Rajasekaran - Bellevue WA, US
Daniel J. Walter - North Bend WA, US
Kent E. Wardle - Renton WA, US
Matthew D. Wargon - Seattle WA, US

International Classification:

G21C 11/06
G21C 3/54

Abstract:

A simple nuclear reactor in which most of the reflector material is outside of the reactor vessel is described. The reactor vessel is a cylinder that contains all of the fuel salt and a displacement component, which may be a reflector, in the upper section of the reactor vessel. Other than the displacement component, the reflector elements including a radial reflector and a bottom reflector are located outside the vessel. The salt flows around the outside surface of the displacement component through a downcomer heat exchange duct defined by the exterior of the displacement component and the interior surface of the reactor vessel. This design reduces the overall size of the reactor vessel for a given volume of salt relative to designs with internal radial or bottom reflectors.

US Patent:

20190237205, Aug 1, 2019

Filed:

Jan 31, 2019

Appl. No.:

16/264112

Inventors:

- Bellevue WA, US
Anselmo T. Cisneros - Seattle WA, US
Kevin Kramer - Redmond WA, US
James A. Roecker - Bellevue WA, US
Daniel J. Walter - North Bend WA, US
Kent E. Wardle - Kirkland WA, US

Assignee:

TerraPower, LLC - Bellevue WA

International Classification:

G21C 3/44
G21C 19/04
G21C 19/28
G21C 7/30
G21C 1/22

Abstract:

A molten chloride fast reactor (MCFR) includes a plurality of reflectors defining a central core having a core geometric center. A flow channel fluidically connected to the central core. The flow channel includes an outlet flow channel downstream of the central core and an inlet flow channel upstream from the central core. A primary heat exchanger (PHX) disposed outside the central core and between the outlet flow channel and the inlet flow channel. The MCFR also includes a decay heat heat exchanger (DHHX). At least a portion of the DHHX is disposed above the core geometric center, and a fuel salt is configured to circulate at least partially through the outlet flow channel, the DHHX, the PHX, the inlet flow channel, and the central core.