Robin E Mcdaniel

US Patent:

20110255650, Oct 20, 2011

Filed:

Mar 29, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/074966

Inventors:

Robin Jerry McDaniel - Lake Zurich IL, US

International Classification:

G21C 19/28

US Classification:

376381

Abstract:

An improved nuclear fission reactor of the liquid metal cooled type including a core configuration allowing for only two operational states, “On” or “Off”, therefore bi-stable. The flow of the primary cooling fluid suspends the core in the “On” state, with sufficient flow to remove the heat to an intermediate heat exchanger during normal operation. This invention utilizes the force of gravity to shut down the reactor after any loss of coolant flow, either a controlled reactor shut down or a “LOCA” event, as the core is controlled via dispersion of fuel elements. Electromagnetic pumps incorporating automatic safety electrical cut-offs are employed to shutdown the primary cooling system to disassemble the core to the “Off” configuration in a situation of a loss of secondary coolant. This design is a hybrid pool-loop unpressurized reactor unique in its use of a minimum number of components, utilizing no moving mechanical parts, no seals, optimized piping, and no control rods, defining an elegantly simple intrinsically safe nuclear reactor.