Neutronic reactor counter method and system

Claim 1

FOR CONTINUOUSLY CONTROLLING THE RATE OF FISSION IN A NEUTRONIC REACTOR DURING OPERATION THEREOF, SAID REACTOR COMPRISING, AS ITS PRINCIPAL CHAIN FISSION REACTING MEDIUM, A SUBSTANTIALLY HOMOGENEOUS LIQUID COMPOSED ESSENTIALLY OF A FISSIONABLE MATERIAL DISSOLVED IN A LIQUID MODERATORSOLVENT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF WATER AND DEUTERIUM OXIDE, DISPOSED IN A SUBSTANTIALLY VOLUMETRICALLY-CONSTANT AMASSMENT AND ADAPTED TO ENGAGE, WHILE SO DISPOSED, IN SPONTANEOUS, SELF-SUSTAINING CHAIN FISSION REACTION, A NEW AND IMPROVED METHOD WHICH COMPRISES CIRCULATING SAID LIQUID AS A CONSTANTLY-FLOWING STREAM THROUGH A CONTINUOUS CLOSED PATH AND AT ONE POINT IN SAID PATH PASSISNG THE LIQUID THROUGH SUCH STATE OF AMASSMENT, AT ANOTHER POINT IN SAID PATH CONTINUOUSLY RETAINING APART FROM THE CIRCULATING LIQUID A VARIABLE PORPORTION OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF ONE OF ITS ORIGINAL CONSTITUENTS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ITS FISSIONABLE MATERIAL AND ITS MODERATOR-SOLVENT, REMOVED FROM THE CIRCULATING LIQUID SUBSTANTIALLY PREFERENTIALLY WITH RESPECT TO THE UNSELECTED OTHER SAID CONSTITUENT, AND VARYING DURING THE OPERATION OF SAID REACTOR SAID VARIABLE PROPORTION OF PREFERENTIALLYRETAINED CONSTITUENT, THEREBY VARYING THE CONCENTRATION OF MASS OF FISSIONABLE MATERIAL PER UNIT MASS OF MODERATOR-SOLVENT IN SAID CIRCULATING LIQUID, AND CONSEQUENTLY THEREBY SERVING TO ADJUST THE REACTIVITY OF THE AMASSMENT TO A DIFFERENT VALUE.