Separating liquid moderator from a slurry type reactor

Claim 1

A METHOD OF RECOVERING THE LIQUID MODERATOR AND THE OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE CORE OF A NUCLEAR REACTOR OF THE FLUID CORE TYPE, COMPRISING LEADING THE FLUID CONTENTS OF THE CORE IMMEDIATELY AFTER A PERIOD OF OPERATION OUT OF THE REACTOR VESSEL THROUGH A CONDUIT INTO A PREHEATED FIRST EVAPORATOR WHICH WILL CAUSE THE MODERATOR IMMEDIATELY TO BEGIN TO EVAPORATE, RETAINING THE SAID CONTENTS IN SAID FIRST EVAPORATOR UNDER CONTINUED HEATING FOR A SUFFICIENT TIME TO CAUSE A MAJOR PORTION OF THE MODERATOR TO EVAPORATE FROM THE FIRST EVAPORATOR WHILE RETAINING A SUFFICIENT MINOR PORTION TO KEEP THE REMAINDER OF SAID CONTENTS IN A FLUID CONDITION, SAID TIME BEING LONGER THAN THE PERIOD OF DELAYED NEUTRON EMISSION BY SAID CONTENTS, LEADING THE MODERATOR SO EVAPORATED BACK TO THE REACTOR VESSEL, THEN LEADING SAID REMAINDER OF SAID CONTENTS FROM SAID FIRST EVAPORATOR TO A SECOND UNHEATED EVAPORATOR HAVING A PLURALITY OF OUTLET PIPES AT SUCCESSIVE LEVELS AND KEEPING IT IN SAID SECOND EVAPORATOR FOR A SUFFICIENT TIME TO PERMIT THE HEAT FROM THE RADIOACTIVITY OF SAID REMAINDER OF SAID CONTENTS TO EVAPORATE SAID MINOR PORTION OF THE MODERATOR OUT OF SAID SECOND EVAPORATOR AND LEADING IT BACK TO THE REACTOR VESSEL FOR REUSE, AND THEN REMOVING THE RESULTING SOLIDS LEFT IN THE SECOND EVAPORATOR BY ALTERNATELY ADDING FRESH SOLVENT AND PARTIALLY WITHDRAWING THE RESULTING SOLUTION AT THE TOP THROUGH ONE OF THE PLURALITY OF OUTLET PIPES UNTIL THE SECOND EVAPORATOR IS SUBSTANTIALLY FREE FROM ALL RADIOACTIVITY.

Claim 2

A METHOD OF RECOVERING THE LIQUID MODERATOR AND THE OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE CORE OF A NUCLEAR REACTOR OF THE FLUID CORE TYPE, COMPRISING LEADING THE FLUID CONTENTS OF THE CORE IMMEDIATELY AFTER A PERIOD OF OPERATION OUT OF THE REACTOR VESSEL THROUGH A CONDUIT INTO A PREHEATED FIRST EVAPORATOR WHICH WILL CAUSE THE MODERATOR IMMEDIATELY TO BEGIN TO EVAPORATE, RETAINING THE SAID CONTENTS IN SAID FIRST EVAPORATOR UNDER CONTINUED HEATING FOR A SUFFICIENT TIME TO CAUSE A MAJOR PORTION OF THE MODERATOR TO EVAPORATE FROM THE FIRST EVAPORATOR WHILE RETAINING A SUFFICIENT MINOR PORTION TO KEEP THE REMAINDER OF SAID CONTENTS IN A FLUID CONDITION, SAID TIME BEING LONGER THAN THE PERIOD OF DELAYED NEUTRON EMISSION BY SAID CONTENTS, LEADING THE MODERATOR SO EVAPORATED BACK TO THE REACTOR VESSEL, THEN LEADING SAID REMAINDER OF SAID CONTENTS FROM SAID FIRST EVAPORATOR TO A SECOND UNHEATED EVAPORATOR HAVING A PLURALITY OF OUTLET PIPES AT SUCCESSIVE LEVELS AND KEEPING IT IN SAID SECOND EVAPORATOR FOR A SUFFICIENT TIME TO PERMIT THE HEAT FROM THE RADIOACTIVITY OF SAID REMAINDER OF SAID CONTENTS TO EVAPORATE SAID MINOR PORTION OF THE MODERATOR OUT OF SAID SECOND EVAPORATOR AND LEADING IT BACK TO THE REACTOR VESSEL FOR REUSE, AND THEN REMOVING THE RESULTING SOLIDS LEFT IN THE SECOND EVAPORATOR BY ALTERNATELY ADDING FRESH SOLVENT AND PARTIALLY WITHDRAWING THE RESULTING SOLUTION AT THE TOP THROUGH ONE OF THE PLURALITY OF OUTLET PIPES UNTIL THE SECOND EVAPORATOR IS SUBSTANTIALLY FREE FROM ALL RADIOACTIVITY.