Abstract: Fuel, heat exchangers, and instrumentation for nuclear reactors are disclosed. A nuclear power system includes a plurality of nuclear fuel elements, each of the nuclear fuel elements including an annulus; and a plurality of heat pipes, each of the plurality of heat pipes configured to pass through the annulus of a respective one of the nuclear fuel elements in conductive thermal contact with the respective nuclear fuel element. A nuclear instrumentation module includes an assembly of optical fibers, each optical fiber comprising one or more sensors and configured for removable installation at one of the plurality of heat pipes. A heat exchanger includes a heat pipe including an evaporating region and a condensing region; and a tube bundle configured to wrap around the condensing region of the heat pipe and including one or more adjacent, parallel tubes, each tube forming a helix that is coaxial to the heat pipe.

Abstract: Reactor buildings and vessel systems are disclosed. A nuclear power system includes: a building structure that comprises at least two exterior side walls and two end walls, at least one of the exterior walls angled non-orthogonally relative to a floor of the building structure, the at least two exterior walls and two end walls defining an interior volume of the building structure; one or more nuclear reactor systems mounted at least partially in the interior volume of the building structure; and one or more heat exchanger systems mounted at least partially to at least one of the exterior walls. A nuclear reactor vessel system includes: a nuclear fission reactor; an inner vessel that defines an inner volume sized to at least partially enclose the nuclear fission reactor; and an outer vessel sized to wholly or substantially enclose the inner vessel, the inner vessel being removable from the outer vessel.

Abstract: Fuel cell lifting systems for nuclear reactors are disclosed. A fuel cell lifting system includes a radiation shield comprising: a first plate defining a first plane and comprising one or more first openings; and a second plate defining a second plane parallel to the first plane and comprising one or more second openings. At least one of the first plate or the second plate is rotatable around an axis perpendicular to the first plane and the second plane. A first opening of the first plate can be aligned with a second opening of the second plate to form a combined opening. A lifting motor is configured to extend and retract a tether through the combined opening of the radiation shield. The tether is attachable to a nuclear fuel cell.

Abstract: A particle detector includes at least one throttling element which defines an aerodynamic aperture. A light source illuminates a region of the aerodynamic aperture at about a focal point of an aerodynamic lens. A detector is configured to receive a light scattered from one or more particles which traverse the aerodynamic aperture. A method for detecting and measuring particles previously deposited on a surface of a semiconductor manufacturing chamber is also described.

Abstract: Fuel, heat exchangers, and instrumentation for nuclear reactors are disclosed. A nuclear power system includes a plurality of nuclear fuel elements, each of the nuclear fuel elements including an annulus; and a plurality of heat pipes, each of the plurality of heat pipes configured to pass through the annulus of a respective one of the nuclear fuel elements in conductive thermal contact with the respective nuclear fuel element. A nuclear instrumentation module includes an assembly of optical fibers, each optical fiber comprising one or more sensors and configured for removable installation at one of the plurality of heat pipes. A heat exchanger includes a heat pipe including an evaporating region and a condensing region; and a tube bundle configured to wrap around the condensing region of the heat pipe and including one or more adjacent, parallel tubes, each tube forming a helix that is coaxial to the heat pipe.

Abstract: Fuel, heat exchangers, and instrumentation for nuclear reactors are disclosed. A nuclear power system includes a plurality of nuclear fuel elements, each of the nuclear fuel elements including an annulus; and a plurality of heat pipes, each of the plurality of heat pipes configured to pass through the annulus of a respective one of the nuclear fuel elements in conductive thermal contact with the respective nuclear fuel element. A nuclear instrumentation module includes an assembly of optical fibers, each optical fiber comprising one or more sensors and configured for removable installation at one of the plurality of heat pipes. A heat exchanger includes a heat pipe including an evaporating region and a condensing region; and a tube bundle configured to wrap around the condensing region of the heat pipe and including one or more adjacent, parallel tubes, each tube forming a helix that is coaxial to the heat pipe.

Abstract: Fuel, heat exchangers, and instrumentation for nuclear reactors are disclosed. A nuclear power system includes a plurality of nuclear fuel elements, each of the nuclear fuel elements including an annulus; and a plurality of heat pipes, each of the plurality of heat pipes configured to pass through the annulus of a respective one of the nuclear fuel elements in conductive thermal contact with the respective nuclear fuel element. A nuclear instrumentation module includes an assembly of optical fibers, each optical fiber comprising one or more sensors and configured for removable installation at one of the plurality of heat pipes. A heat exchanger includes a heat pipe including an evaporating region and a condensing region; and a tube bundle configured to wrap around the condensing region of the heat pipe and including one or more adjacent, parallel tubes, each tube forming a helix that is coaxial to the heat pipe.

Abstract: Reactor buildings and vessel systems are disclosed. A nuclear power system includes: a building structure that comprises at least two exterior side walls and two end walls, at least one of the exterior walls angled non-orthogonally relative to a floor of the building structure, the at least two exterior walls and two end walls defining an interior volume of the building structure; one or more nuclear reactor systems mounted at least partially in the interior volume of the building structure; and one or more heat exchanger systems mounted at least partially to at least one of the exterior walls. A nuclear reactor vessel system includes: a nuclear fission reactor; an inner vessel that defines an inner volume sized to at least partially enclose the nuclear fission reactor; and an outer vessel sized to wholly or substantially enclose the inner vessel, the inner vessel being removable from the outer vessel.