Abstract: This disclosure describes nuclear fuel salts usable in certain molten salt reactor designs and related systems and methods. Binary, ternary and quaternary chloride fuel salts of uranium, as well as other fissionable elements, are described. In addition, fuel salts of UClxFy are disclosed as well as bromide fuel salts. This disclosure also presents methods and systems for manufacturing such fuel salts, for creating salts that reduce corrosion of the reactor components and for creating fuel salts that are not suitable for weapons applications.

Abstract: Configurations of molten fuel salt reactors are described that utilize neutron-reflecting coolants or a combination of primary salt coolants and secondary neutron-reflecting coolants. Further configurations are described that circulate liquid neutron-reflecting material around an reactor core to control the neutronics of the reactor. Furthermore, configurations which use the circulating neutron-reflecting material to actively cool the containment vessel are also described.

Abstract: Illustrative embodiments provide a reactivity control assembly for a nuclear fission reactor, a reactivity control system for a nuclear fission reactor having a fast neutron spectrum, a nuclear fission traveling wave reactor having a fast neutron spectrum, a method of controlling reactivity in a nuclear fission reactor having a fast neutron spectrum, methods of operating a nuclear fission traveling wave reactor having a fast neutron spectrum, a system for controlling reactivity in a nuclear fission reactor having a fast neutron spectrum, a method of determining an application of a controllably movable rod, a system for determining an application of a controllably movable rod, and a computer program product for determining an application of a controllably movable rod.

Abstract: Illustrative embodiments provide methods and systems for migrating fuel assemblies in a nuclear fission reactor, methods of operating a nuclear fission traveling wave reactor, methods of controlling a nuclear fission traveling wave reactor, systems for controlling a nuclear fission traveling wave reactor, computer software program products for controlling a nuclear fission traveling wave reactor, and nuclear fission traveling wave reactors with systems for migrating fuel assemblies.

Abstract: A method, system, and apparatus for the thermoelectric conversion of nuclear reactor generated heat including thermoelectrically converting gas cooled nuclear reactor generated heat to electrical energy and supplying the electrical energy to an operation system of the nuclear reactor system.

Abstract: A method, system, and apparatus for the thermal storage of nuclear reactor generated energy including diverting a selected portion of energy from a portion of a nuclear reactor system to an auxiliary thermal reservoir and, responsive to a shutdown event, supplying a portion of the diverted selected portion of energy to an energy conversion system of the nuclear reactor system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for maintaining or establishing a readiness state in a fuel cell backup system of a nuclear reactor system are disclosed. A method includes maintaining a readiness state of a fuel cell system within a set of readiness parameters, the readiness parameters a function of a characteristic of the nuclear reactor system. Another method includes monitoring a nuclear reactor system characteristic and, responsive to the monitored nuclear reactor system characteristic, establishing a readiness state of a fuel cell system. An apparatus includes a fuel cell system associated with a nuclear reactor system and a fuel cell control system configured to maintain a readiness state of the fuel cell system. Another apparatus includes a fuel cell system associated with a nuclear reactor system, a nuclear reactor characteristic monitoring system, and a fuel cell control system configured to establish a readiness state of the fuel cell system.

Abstract: A method, system, and apparatus for the thermal storage of energy generated by multiple nuclear reactor systems including diverting a first selected portion of energy from a portion of a first nuclear reactor system of a plurality of nuclear reactor systems to at least one auxiliary thermal reservoir, diverting at least one additional selected portion of energy from a portion of at least one additional nuclear reactor system of the plurality of nuclear reactor systems to the at least one auxiliary thermal reservoir, and supplying at least a portion of thermal energy from the auxiliary thermal reservoir to an energy conversion system of a nuclear reactor of the plurality of nuclear reactors.

Abstract: A method, system, and apparatus for the thermal storage of energy generated by multiple nuclear reactor systems including diverting a first selected portion of energy from a portion of a first nuclear reactor system of a plurality of nuclear reactor systems to at least one auxiliary thermal reservoir, diverting at least one additional selected portion of energy from a portion of at least one additional nuclear reactor system of the plurality of nuclear reactor systems to the at least one auxiliary thermal reservoir, and supplying at least a portion of thermal energy from the auxiliary thermal reservoir to an energy conversion system of a nuclear reactor of the plurality of nuclear reactors.

Abstract: Illustrative embodiments provide a nuclear fission reactor, that includes a reactor vessel, a nuclear fission fuel element capable of generating a gaseous fission product, a valve body defining a plenum for receiving the gaseous fission product, and a valve in operative communication with the plenum for controllably venting the gaseous fission product from the plenum.

Abstract: A method and system for the thermoelectric conversion of nuclear reactor generated heat including upon a nuclear reactor system shutdown event, thermoelectrically converting nuclear reactor generated heat to electrical energy and supplying the electrical energy to a mechanical pump of the nuclear reactor system.

Abstract: A method for determining a state of operational readiness of a fuel cell backup system of a nuclear reactor system includes monitoring a readiness state of a fuel cell system associated with a nuclear reactor system, and providing a readiness determination of the fuel cell system by comparing the monitored state of readiness of the fuel cell system to an established operating readiness state, the established operating readiness state a function of at least one characteristic of the nuclear reactor system. An apparatus includes a fuel cell monitoring system configured to monitor a readiness state of a fuel cell system associated with a nuclear reactor system, and a readiness determination system configured to provide a readiness determination of the fuel cell system by comparing the monitored state of readiness of the fuel cell system to an established operating readiness state.

Abstract: Illustrative methods are provided for annealing nuclear fission reactor materials, such as without limitation, a nuclear fission reactor core or fuel assembly or components thereof within the nuclear core. Annealing a metallic component of a nuclear fission reactor within the reactor core may include determining an annealing temperature for at least a portion of at least one metallic component of a nuclear fission fuel assembly of the reactor. The temperature of the core may be adjusted to affect the determined annealing temperature, which in some cases may be greater than the predetermined operating temperature range of the nuclear fission fuel assembly. The portion of the at least one metallic component of the nuclear fission fuel assembly is annealed within the core at the annealing temperature range.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include nuclear fission reactor cores, nuclear fission reactors, methods of operating a nuclear fission reactor, and methods of managing excess reactivity in a nuclear fission reactor.

Abstract: The gasification of a carbonaceous material includes receiving a volume of feedstock, supplying thermal energy to the volume of feedstock to convert at least a portion of the volume of feedstock to at least one pyrolysis reaction product via at least one pyrolysis reaction, super-heating the at least one pyrolysis reaction product, providing a volume of super-heated steam, mixing the volume of super-heated steam with the super-heated at least one pyrolysis reaction product and converting at least a portion of at least one reformed product to at least one synthesis gas product via at least one water-gas-shift reaction.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include nuclear fission reactor cores, nuclear fission reactors, methods of operating a nuclear fission reactor, and methods of managing excess reactivity in a nuclear fission reactor.

Abstract: This disclosure describes nuclear fuel salts usable in certain molten salt reactor designs and related systems and methods. Binary, ternary and quaternary chloride fuel salts of uranium, as well as other fissionable elements, are described. In addition, fuel salts of UClxFy are disclosed as well as bromide fuel salts. This disclosure also presents methods and systems for manufacturing such fuel salts, for creating salts that reduce corrosion of the reactor components and for creating fuel salts that are not suitable for weapons applications.

Abstract: This disclosure describes systems and methods for treating nuclear fuel with supercritical fluids, such as supercritical carbon dioxide. The addition of various ligands to the supercritical fluids is disclosed, where one or more ligands can be chosen to selectively remove one or more fission products from the nuclear fuel. The nuclear fuel may be treated either within the nuclear reactor or may be removed from the reactor before treatment. This disclosure also presents methods and systems for liquid nuclear fuel treatment with supercritical fluids in, for example, a molten salt fast reactor, a traveling wave reactor, and a containerized molten salt reactor.

Abstract: Targetry coupled separation refers to enhancing the production of a predetermined radiation product through the selection of a target (including selection of the target material and the material's physical structure) and separation chemistry in order to optimize the recovery of the predetermined radiation product. This disclosure describes systems and methods for creating (through irradiation) and removing one or more desired radioisotopes from a target and further describes systems and methods that allow the same target to undergo multiple irradiations and separation operations without damage to the target. In contrast with the prior art that requires complete dissolution or destruction of a target before recovery of any irradiation products, the repeated reuse of the same physical target allowed by targetry coupled separation represents a significant increase in efficiency and decrease in cost over the prior art.

Abstract: The gasification of a carbonaceous material includes receiving a volume of feedstock, supplying thermal energy to the volume of feedstock to convert at least a portion of the volume of feedstock to at least one pyrolysis reaction product via at least one pyrolysis reaction, super-heating the at least one pyrolysis reaction product, providing a volume of super-heated steam, mixing the volume of super-heated steam with the super-heated at least one pyrolysis reaction product and converting at least a portion of at least one reformed product to at least one synthesis gas product via at least one water-gas-shift reaction.