US 11,946,702 B2
Heat exchanger configuration with porous layer
Joon Hyung Choi, Lexington, SC (US); Daniel Eichel, Redmond, WA (US); Mei He, Seattle, WA (US); Pavel Hejzlar, Kirkland, WA (US); Mathieu G. Martin, Kirkland, WA (US); Samuel J. Miller, Kirkland, WA (US); and James M. Vollmer, Bothell, WA (US)
Assigned to TERRAPOWER, LLC, Bellevue, WA (US)
Filed by TerraPower, LLC, Bellevue, WA (US)
Filed on Mar. 23, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/210,384.
Prior Publication US 2022/0310278 A1, Sep. 29, 2022
Int. Cl. F28F 13/00 (2006.01); F28D 21/00 (2006.01)
CPC F28F 13/003 (2013.01) [F28D 2021/0054 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A heat exchanger for a nuclear reactor, comprising:
a hot flow channel;
a cold flow channel fluidically separated from the hot flow channel;
a mixing control; and
a porous thermally insulative layer disposed between the hot flow channel and the cold flow channel, the porous thermally insulative layer comprising:
an inlet;
an outlet; and
a fluid pathway between the inlet and the outlet; and
wherein the porous thermally insulative layer is configured to flow a control gas formed by a mixture of two or more gasses through the fluid pathway, and wherein the mixing control is configured to change the mixture of the control gas to vary a thermal energy transfer efficiency of the porous thermally insulative layer.