Collimators and other components for use in neutron scattering experiments or to provide neutron shielding in nuclear reactors or accelerator based neutron sources are produced by additive manufacturing from neutron absorbing material, such as boron carbide (B.sub.4C) or isotopically enriched boron carbide (.sup.10B).

A nuclear power reactor which includes passive cooling and radiation scrubbing. The reactor includes a first containment member which is buried in the ground. A second containment member is positioned in the first containment member and has a reactor vessel therein. The discharge side of the reactor vessel is connected to a heat exchanger which drives a turbine which drives a device such as a generator. A source of water is provided which gravity feeds cooling water to the interior of the first containment member in the event of reactor overheating or over-pressurization. A radiation scrubber is provided for scrubbing radiation which may be in the first containment member or the second containment member.

A transportable nuclear power system is provided. The system includes a nuclear power generator. The nuclear power generator includes one or more fuel cartridges configured to form a critical core during a power generation operation, each of the one or more fuel cartridges containing a nuclear fuel. The nuclear power generator also includes a reactivity controller and one or more working fluid conduits, each work fluid conduit containing a working fluid circulating within each of the one or more fuel cartridges to cool the nuclear fuel and execute a thermodynamic cycle. The system also includes an ISO transport container including a support structure mounted inside the ISO transport container to support at least the one or more fuel cartridges of the nuclear power generator. The one or more fuel cartridges of the nuclear power generator are contained in the ISO transport container during the power generation operation.

Provided is a body, a method for manufacturing the body and a method of using of the body for nuclear shielding in a nuclear reactor. The body may include boron, iron, chromium, carbon and tungsten.

A nuclear reactor dismantlement system according to an embodiment includes bio-protective concrete including a first space into which a reactor is inserted and a second space that is connected to the first space and is expanded in the first space, a moving device that is positioned in the second space and moves the reactor, and a cutting device that is positioned in the second space and cuts the reactor.

A method of generating power using a Thorium-containing molten salt fuel is disclosed. One example includes the steps of providing a vessel containing a molten salt fuel, generating a proton beam externally to the vessel, where the externally generated proton beam being of an energy level sufficient to interact with the salt in the vessel to produce a (p, n) reaction resulting in the generation of a neutron at the first energy level. Neutrons generated within the vessel through the (p, n) reactions caused by the externally generated proton's interaction with the at least one salt are utilized to produce a fission reaction where the fission reaction increases the heat content of the molten salt within the vessel. In the example, a heat exchanger is used to extract heat from the molten salt within the vessel and power is generated from the extracted heat.

Various embodiments of a transportable nuclear power generator having a plurality of subcritical power modules are disclosed. Each of the plurality of subcritical power modules includes a fuel cartridge, a power conversion unit, and a housing substantially enclosing the fuel cartridge and the power conversion unit. The fuel cartridge contains a nuclear fuel and has a proximal end and a distal end. The power conversion unit includes a compressor turbine disposed at the proximal end of the fuel cartridge and a power turbine disposed at the distal end of the fuel cartridge. At least one of the plurality of subcritical power modules is movable with respect to the other of the plurality of subcritical power modules between a first position and a second position to control criticality of the nuclear fuel contained in the fuel cartridges of the plurality of subcritical power modules.

A nuclear power reactor which includes passive cooling and radiation scrubbing. The reactor includes a first containment member which is buried in the ground. A second containment member is positioned in the first containment member and has a reactor vessel therein. The discharge side of the reactor vessel is connected to a heat exchanger which drives a turbine which drives a device such as a generator. A source of water is provided which gravity feeds cooling water to the interior of the first containment member in the event of reactor overheating or over-pressurization. A radiation scrubber is provided for scrubbing radiation which may be in the first containment member or the second containment member.

A nuclear power reactor which includes passive cooling and radiation scrubbing. The reactor includes a first containment member which is buried in the ground. A second containment member is positioned in the first containment member and has a reactor vessel therein. The discharge side of the reactor vessel is connected to a heat exchanger which drives a turbine which drives a device such as a generator. A source of water is provided which gravity feeds cooling water to the interior of the first containment member in the event of reactor overheating or over-pressurization. A radiation scrubber is provided for scrubbing radiation which may be in the first containment member or the second containment member.

The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods useful for the construction and operation of a Modular Integrated Gas High-Temperature Reactor (MIGHTR). The MIGHTR includes a reactor core assembly disposed at least partially within a core baffle within a first high-pressure shell portion, a thermal transfer assembly disposed at least partially within a flow separation barrel within a second high-pressure shell portion. The longitudinal axes of the first high-pressure shell portion and the second high-pressure shell portion may be collinear. The reactor core assembly may be accessed horizontally for service, maintenance, and refueling. The core baffle may be flexibly displaceably coupled to the flow separation barrel. Coolant gas flows through the reactor core assembly and into the thermal transfer assembly where the temperature of the coolant gas is reduced. A plurality of coolant gas circulators circulate the cooled coolant gas from the thermal transfer assembly to the reactor core assembly.