US 12,272,466 B2
Passive reactivity control in a nuclear fission reactor
Jesse R. Cheatham, III, Seattle, WA (US); John R. Gilleland, Kirkland, WA (US); and Jon D. McWhirter, Kirkland, WA (US)
Assigned to TERRAPOWER, LLC, Bellevue, WA (US)
Filed by TerraPower, LLC, Bellevue, WA (US)
Filed on Apr. 8, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/716,964.
Application 17/716,964 is a continuation of application No. 16/670,221, filed on Oct. 31, 2019, granted, now 11,342,084.
Application 16/670,221 is a continuation of application No. 15/583,091, filed on May 1, 2017, granted, now 10,497,480, issued on Dec. 3, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/438,323, filed on Dec. 22, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2022/0254524 A1, Aug. 11, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G21C 7/30 (2006.01); G21C 3/18 (2006.01); G21C 7/02 (2006.01)
CPC G21C 7/30 (2013.01) [G21C 3/18 (2013.01); G21C 7/02 (2013.01); Y02E 30/30 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A nuclear reactor having a nuclear reactor core, the nuclear reactor core comprising:
a passive reactivity control nuclear fuel device, the passive reactivity control nuclear fuel device including:
a multiple-walled fuel chamber, comprising
an inner chamber defined by an inner wall, the inner chamber located within the nuclear reactor core such that a first portion of the inner chamber is within a high neutron importance region of the nuclear reactor core and a second portion of the inner chamber is not within the high neutron importance region;
a plenum within the inner chamber, the plenum located outside the high neutron importance region;
an outer chamber defined by an outer wall, the outer chamber containing the inner chamber,
a gap between the outer wall and the inner wall; and
a duct containing the multiple-walled fuel chamber and configured to flow a heat conducting fluid through the duct.