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US3843765A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Actinide nitride-fueled reactor and continuous method of operating the same

Assignee: Parlee Anderson Corp
•
Filing: 1969-05-19
•
Granted: 1974-10-22
•
Expires: 1989-05-19
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Abstract

Abstract An actinide nitride-fueled nuclear reactor and a method of operation therefor, including continuous in situ removal of fission products and optional addition of fuel-forming actinide material as the reaction proceeds. The reactor employed has a fuel system comprising a critical mass of a nitride of an actinide metal in contact with a non-critical solution of the actinide metal in a molten metal solvent of low neutron adsorption cross section such as tin, said fuel system being maintained under a nitrogen atmosphere in an inert, refractory vessel such as graphite which is non-conducive to the formation of actinide oxides. Fission products formed are continuously exchanged with the actinide metal dissolved in the molten metal solvent as the nuclear reaction proceeds, with equivalent amounts of actinide nitride being formed and precipitated into the critical mass as fission products are dissolved in the molten metal solution. Temperature extrusions tend to be suppressed by the nitride decomposition which ensues as temperatures are increased without any balancing increase in nitrogen pressures to restore the equilibrium.

Inventors

  • 👤 R Anderson
  • 👤 N Parlee

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 08:04
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21C; G21C1/00; G21C1/04; G21C1/06; G21C1/22; G21C19/00; G21C19/28; G21C19/30; G21C19/42; G21C19/50; G21C7/00; G21C7/30; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E30/00; Y02E30/30

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim 175 words
THE PROCESS FOR REMOVING METAL FISSION PRODUCT CONTAMINANTS FROM SPENT ACTINIDE FUEL, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF A. ADDING THE SPENT ACTINIDE FUEL TO AN EXCESS OF MOLTEN TIN SOLVENT SAID SPENT ACTINIDE FUEL BEING IN A FORM SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF OXIDE, NITRIDE, SULFIDE, CARBIDE, AND SILICIDE, AND FORMING A SOLUTION OF THE SPENT ACTINIDE FUEL IN THE TIN SOLVENT B. TREATING THE SOLUTION FORMED IN STEP (A) WITH AN ATMOSPHERE OF GASEOUS NITROGEN AT A NITROGEN PRESSURE RANGING FROM ABOUT 0.02 TO ABOUT 2 ATMOSPHERES AT TEMPERATURES RANGING FROM 300*C TO 2,000*C IN A VESSEL IN A MANNER THAT THE FUEL ACTINIDE IS PRECIPITATED FROM THE MOLTEN TIN PHASE AND SETTLES TO THE BOTTOM OF THE VESSEL IN THE FORM OF SOLID ACTINIDE NITRIDE WHILE LEAVING METAL FISSION PRODUCT CONTAMINANTS IN THE MOLTEN TIN PHASE, SAID TREATED SOLUTION BEING CONTAINED BY A VESSEL FORMED OF A REFRACTORY MATERIAL INERT TO SAID TREATED SOLUTION AT THE TREATMENT CONDITIONS AND C. SEPARATING THE PRECIPITATED ACTINIDE NITRIDE PHASE FROM IN THE RESIDUAL MOLTEN TIN PHASE.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 175 words
THE PROCESS FOR REMOVING METAL FISSION PRODUCT CONTAMINANTS FROM SPENT ACTINIDE FUEL, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF A. ADDING THE SPENT ACTINIDE FUEL TO AN EXCESS OF MOLTEN TIN SOLVENT SAID SPENT ACTINIDE FUEL BEING IN A FORM SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF OXIDE, NITRIDE, SULFIDE, CARBIDE, AND SILICIDE, AND FORMING A SOLUTION OF THE SPENT ACTINIDE FUEL IN THE TIN SOLVENT B. TREATING THE SOLUTION FORMED IN STEP (A) WITH AN ATMOSPHERE OF GASEOUS NITROGEN AT A NITROGEN PRESSURE RANGING FROM ABOUT 0.02 TO ABOUT 2 ATMOSPHERES AT TEMPERATURES RANGING FROM 300*C TO 2,000*C IN A VESSEL IN A MANNER THAT THE FUEL ACTINIDE IS PRECIPITATED FROM THE MOLTEN TIN PHASE AND SETTLES TO THE BOTTOM OF THE VESSEL IN THE FORM OF SOLID ACTINIDE NITRIDE WHILE LEAVING METAL FISSION PRODUCT CONTAMINANTS IN THE MOLTEN TIN PHASE, SAID TREATED SOLUTION BEING CONTAINED BY A VESSEL FORMED OF A REFRACTORY MATERIAL INERT TO SAID TREATED SOLUTION AT THE TREATMENT CONDITIONS AND C. SEPARATING THE PRECIPITATED ACTINIDE NITRIDE PHASE FROM IN THE RESIDUAL MOLTEN TIN PHASE.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 12 words
The process of claim 1 in which the refractory material comprises graphite.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 54 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the separated fuel actinide nitride is converted to actinide metal by mixing the actinide nitride with uncontaminated liquid tin, maintaining the mixture under a nitrogen pressure substantially less than that of step (b) of claim 1 to form an actinide-tin alloy and recovering the actinide as pure metal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 44 words
The process of claim 1 in which the spent actinide fuel comprises uranium oxide, the separated actinide nitride comprising uranium nitride, which is converted to uranium oxide by mixing the same with uncontaminated liquid tin and maintaining the mixture under an atmosphere of oxygen.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

No citation records indexed.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1977-10-21 1978-04-22 1978-10-22 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1981-10-21 1982-04-22 1982-10-22 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1985-10-21 1986-04-22 1986-10-22 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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