US3142624A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Nuclear reactor and method of operating same
Assignee: Babcock and Wilcox Co
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Filing: 1960-04-14
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Granted: 1964-07-28
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Expires: 1980-04-14
Abstract
No abstract record available.
Inventors
- 👤 Milton C Edlund
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 12:40
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21C; G21C7/00; G21C7/26; G21C7/27; G21C1/00; G21C1/04; G21C1/06; G21C1/08; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E30/00; Y02E30/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
164 words
A METHOD OF OPERATING A CONVERTOR NUCLEAR REACTOR WHEREBY THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF NEUTRONS EMITTED IN THE FISSION CHAIN REACTION AND NOT REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN THE CHAIN REACTION ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE COVERSION OF FERTILE TO FISSIONABLE MATERIAL COMPRISING ARRANGING A QUANTITY OF FISSIONABLE MATERIAL AS A CORE TO PROVIDE A CRITICAL MASS BASED ON A PREDETERMINED QUANTITY OF MODERATION, SURROUNDING THE CORE WITH A BLANKET OF FERTILE MATERIAL, PLACING A COMBINATION OF MODERATOR MATERIALS COMPRISING A MIXTURE OF LIGHT AND HEAVY WATER IN THEREACTOR, ADJUSTING THE MIXTURE OF LIGHT AND HEAVY WATER TO ACHIEVE THE PREDETERMINED AMOUNT OF MODERATION REQUIRED TO PROVIDE A CRITICAL MASS IN THE CORE, ESTABLISHING A FISSION CHAIN REACTION WITHIN THE REACTOR, AND REGULATING THE REACTOR DURING ITS OPERATION BY CONTROLLABLY VARYING THE RATIO OF LIGHT AND HEAVY WATER WITHIN THE REACTOR TO VARY THE QUANTITY OF MODERATION THEREIN, WHEREBY THE REACTOR IS MAINTAINED CRITICAL WHILE PERMITTING THE PRODUCTIVE ABSORPTION OF NEUTRONS IN THE REACTOR TO CONVERT FISSIONABLE MATERIAL.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
164 words
A METHOD OF OPERATING A CONVERTOR NUCLEAR REACTOR WHEREBY THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF NEUTRONS EMITTED IN THE FISSION CHAIN REACTION AND NOT REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN THE CHAIN REACTION ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE COVERSION OF FERTILE TO FISSIONABLE MATERIAL COMPRISING ARRANGING A QUANTITY OF FISSIONABLE MATERIAL AS A CORE TO PROVIDE A CRITICAL MASS BASED ON A PREDETERMINED QUANTITY OF MODERATION, SURROUNDING THE CORE WITH A BLANKET OF FERTILE MATERIAL, PLACING A COMBINATION OF MODERATOR MATERIALS COMPRISING A MIXTURE OF LIGHT AND HEAVY WATER IN THEREACTOR, ADJUSTING THE MIXTURE OF LIGHT AND HEAVY WATER TO ACHIEVE THE PREDETERMINED AMOUNT OF MODERATION REQUIRED TO PROVIDE A CRITICAL MASS IN THE CORE, ESTABLISHING A FISSION CHAIN REACTION WITHIN THE REACTOR, AND REGULATING THE REACTOR DURING ITS OPERATION BY CONTROLLABLY VARYING THE RATIO OF LIGHT AND HEAVY WATER WITHIN THE REACTOR TO VARY THE QUANTITY OF MODERATION THEREIN, WHEREBY THE REACTOR IS MAINTAINED CRITICAL WHILE PERMITTING THE PRODUCTIVE ABSORPTION OF NEUTRONS IN THE REACTOR TO CONVERT FISSIONABLE MATERIAL.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
162 words
A NUCLEAR REACTOR COMPRISING A QUANTITY OF FISSIONABLE AND FERTILE MATERIAL DISPOSED IN A NUMBER OF SEPARATE UNIFORMLY SHAPED LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING FUEL ELEMENTS ARRANGED IN A REGULAR LATTICE TO FORM A CORE, SAID FUEL ELEMENTS POSITIONED IN A CENTRALLY ARRANGED INNER FUEL CONCENTRATION ZONE AND AT LEAST ONE OUTER FUEL CONCENTRATION ZONE CONCENTRICALLY ARRANGED ABOUT SAID INNER ZONE, EACH ZONE HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT UNIFORM FISSIONABLE TO FERTILE MATERIAL WEIGHT PERCENT RATIO, A QUANTITY OF FERTILE MATERIAL DISPOSED IN A NUMBER OF SEPARATE UNIFORMLY SHAPED LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING COMPONENTS SURROUNDING THE CORE TO FORM A BLANKET THEREABOUT, A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUALLY REMOVABLE LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING CRUCIFORM SHAPED CONTROL RODS DISPOSED IN A UNIFORM ARRANGEMENT WITHIN SAID CORE, A COMBINED MODERATOR COOLANT MADE UP OF A MIXTURE OF HEAVY WATER AND LIGHT WATER DISPOSED WITHIN SAID CORE, AND REGULAR MEANS FOR VARYING THE RATIO OF HEAVY WATER AND LIGHT WATER IN THE MODERATOR TO THEREBY VARY THE MODERATION CAPACITY IN THE REACTOR TO MAINTAIN CRITICALITY.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
162 words
A NUCLEAR REACTOR COMPRISING A QUANTITY OF FISSIONABLE AND FERTILE MATERIAL DISPOSED IN A NUMBER OF SEPARATE UNIFORMLY SHAPED LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING FUEL ELEMENTS ARRANGED IN A REGULAR LATTICE TO FORM A CORE, SAID FUEL ELEMENTS POSITIONED IN A CENTRALLY ARRANGED INNER FUEL CONCENTRATION ZONE AND AT LEAST ONE OUTER FUEL CONCENTRATION ZONE CONCENTRICALLY ARRANGED ABOUT SAID INNER ZONE, EACH ZONE HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT UNIFORM FISSIONABLE TO FERTILE MATERIAL WEIGHT PERCENT RATIO, A QUANTITY OF FERTILE MATERIAL DISPOSED IN A NUMBER OF SEPARATE UNIFORMLY SHAPED LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING COMPONENTS SURROUNDING THE CORE TO FORM A BLANKET THEREABOUT, A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUALLY REMOVABLE LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING CRUCIFORM SHAPED CONTROL RODS DISPOSED IN A UNIFORM ARRANGEMENT WITHIN SAID CORE, A COMBINED MODERATOR COOLANT MADE UP OF A MIXTURE OF HEAVY WATER AND LIGHT WATER DISPOSED WITHIN SAID CORE, AND REGULAR MEANS FOR VARYING THE RATIO OF HEAVY WATER AND LIGHT WATER IN THE MODERATOR TO THEREBY VARY THE MODERATION CAPACITY IN THE REACTOR TO MAINTAIN CRITICALITY.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
GB753130A
Cited
US2743225A
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US2928779A
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US2936273A
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US3001923A
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US2861033A
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US2857324A
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1967-07-28 | 1968-01-27 | 1968-07-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1971-07-28 | 1972-01-27 | 1972-07-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1975-07-28 | 1976-01-27 | 1976-07-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |