The power plant system includes a molten salt reactor assembly, a thermocline unit, phase change heat exchangers, and process heat systems. The thermocline unit includes an insulated tank, an initial inlet, a plurality of zone outlets, and a plurality of gradient zones corresponding to each zone outlet and being stacked in the tank. Each gradient zone has a molten salt portion at a portion temperature corresponding to the molten salt supply from the molten salt reactor being stored in the tank and stratified. The molten salt portions at higher portion temperatures generate thermal energy for process heat systems that require higher temperatures, and molten salt portions at lower portion temperatures generate thermal energy for process heat systems that require lower temperatures. The system continuously pumps the molten salt supply in controlled rates to deliver the heat exchange fluid supply to perform work in the corresponding particular process heat system.

The power plant system includes a molten salt reactor assembly, a thermocline unit, phase change heat exchangers, and process heat systems. The thermocline unit includes an insulated tank, an initial inlet, a plurality of zone outlets, and a plurality of gradient zones corresponding to each zone outlet and being stacked in the tank. Each gradient zone has a molten salt portion at a portion temperature corresponding to the molten salt supply from the molten salt reactor being stored in the tank and stratified. The molten salt portions at higher portion temperatures generate thermal energy for process heat systems that require higher temperatures, and molten salt portions at lower portion temperatures generate thermal energy for process heat systems that require lower temperatures. The system continuously pumps the molten salt supply in controlled rates to deliver the heat exchange fluid supply to perform work in the corresponding particular process heat system.

Systems and methods that facilitate the transmutation of long-lived radioactive transuranic waste into short-live radioactive nuclides or stable nuclides using an electrostatic accelerator particle beam to generate neutrons.

A system and method produce industrial hydrocarbons and other molecules in three coordinated reactors using nuclear process heat. A nuclear reactor generates heat via a nuclear process, and this heat is physically carried to one or both of the other reactors via a thermal medium. A gasification reactor uses the nuclear heat for a gasification process that converts biomass, e.g. cellulose or other polysaccharides, into gaseous hydrogen and carbon monoxide (i.e. syngas). The gasification process may be anaerobic, without requiring addition of purified or atmospheric oxygen or consumption of input biomass to provide the process heat. The syngas is carried to a Fischer-Tropsch reactor for conversion into desired output molecules, such as aviation or diesel fuel or carbon fibers, according to a selected chemical process.

A system and method produce industrial hydrocarbons and other molecules in three coordinated reactors using nuclear process heat. A nuclear reactor generates heat via a nuclear process, and this heat is physically carried to one or both of the other reactors via a thermal medium. A gasification reactor uses the nuclear heat for a gasification process that converts biomass, e.g. cellulose or other polysaccharides, into gaseous hydrogen and carbon monoxide (i.e. syngas). The gasification process may be anaerobic, without requiring addition of purified or atmospheric oxygen or consumption of input biomass to provide the process heat. The syngas is carried to a Fischer-Tropsch reactor for conversion into desired output molecules, such as aviation or diesel fuel or carbon fibers, according to a selected chemical process.

Nuclear energy integrated hydrocarbon operation systems include a well site having a subsurface hydrocarbon well configured to produce a produced water output. The system further includes a deployable nuclear reactor system configured to produce a heat output. The system may further include a deployable desalination unit configured to produce a desalinated water output using the produced water output of the subsurface hydrocarbon well and the heat output of the deployable nuclear reactor. The system may further include a deployable off-gas processing system configured to produce an industrial chemical using the off-gas output of the subsurface hydrocarbon well and the heat output of the deployable nuclear reactor.

Nuclear energy integrated hydrocarbon operation systems include a well site having a subsurface hydrocarbon well configured to produce a produced water output. The system further includes a deployable nuclear reactor system configured to produce a heat output. The system may further include a deployable desalination unit configured to produce a desalinated water output using the produced water output of the subsurface hydrocarbon well and the heat output of the deployable nuclear reactor. The system may further include a deployable off-gas processing system configured to produce an industrial chemical using the off-gas output of the subsurface hydrocarbon well and the heat output of the deployable nuclear reactor.

This invention relates to a unique cycle for generating electricity at high efficiency and with zero carbon emissions. The cycle's fundamental energy carrier is hydrogen (H2), with H2 undergoing each unit process in the cycle either within water (H2O) molecules or as H2 gas. The heat source driving the cycle, through generation of steam, is a small nuclear reactor known in the industry as a small modular reactor (SMR). This steam's primary purpose is to provide the feed source for H2 production, which occurs in an Underground Coal Gasifier (UCG). The invention's high generation efficiency, accompanied by zero carbon emissions, derive from the UCG's steam/coal reactions and from conversion of the H2 into electricity by solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). These SOFCs produce, as their only waste stream, pure H2O. This H2O is then fed back for steam generation using the SMR's heat, which re-initiates the cycle. All unit processes use proven, commercially available technologies. The invention is directly applicable to any location where significant coal deposits exist.

This invention relates to a unique cycle for generating electricity at high efficiency and with zero carbon emissions. The cycle's fundamental energy carrier is hydrogen (H2), with H2 undergoing each unit process in the cycle either within water (H2O) molecules or as H2 gas. The heat source driving the cycle, through generation of steam, is a small nuclear reactor known in the industry as a small modular reactor (SMR). This steam's primary purpose is to provide the feed source for H2 production, which occurs in an Underground Coal Gasifier (UCG). The invention's high generation efficiency, accompanied by zero carbon emissions, derive from the UCG's steam/coal reactions and from conversion of the H2 into electricity by solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). These SOFCs produce, as their only waste stream, pure H2O. This H2O is then fed back for steam generation using the SMR's heat, which re-initiates the cycle. All unit processes use proven, commercially available technologies. The invention is directly applicable to any location where significant coal deposits exist.

Systems and methods for providing and using molten salt reactors are described. While the systems can include any suitable component, in some cases, they include a graphite reactor core defining an internal space that houses one or more fuel wedges, where each wedge defines one or more fuel channels that extend from a first end to a second end of the wedge. In some cases, one or more of the fuel wedges comprise multiple wedge sections that are coupled together end to end and/or in any other suitable manner. In some cases, one or more alignment pins also extend between two sections of a fuel wedge to align the sections. In some cases, one or more seals are also disposed between two sections of a fuel wedge. Thus, in some cases, the reactor core can be relatively long (e.g., to be a pipeline reactor). Other implementations are also described.