An electrochemically modulated molten salt reactor (EMMSR) that contains a vessel and a power source. The vessel houses a fuel salt, at least a portion of a neutron moderator, and at least a portion of an insulator. The fuel salt includes enough dissolved fissile isotopes to cause continued self-sustaining fission reactions during the operation of the EMMSR. The neutron moderator is configured to slow down fast neutrons produced by the dissolved fissile isotopes. The insulator is configured to electrically isolate the neutron moderator from the vessel. The power source has a positive potential and a negative potential. The positive potential is received by the neutron moderator and the negative potential is received by the vessel.

An electrochemically modulated molten salt reactor (EMMSR) that contains a vessel and a power source. The vessel houses a fuel salt, at least a portion of a neutron moderator, and at least a portion of an insulator. The fuel salt includes enough dissolved fissile isotopes to cause continued self-sustaining fission reactions during the operation of the EMMSR. The neutron moderator is configured to slow down fast neutrons produced by the dissolved fissile isotopes. The insulator is configured to electrically isolate the neutron moderator from the vessel. The power source has a positive potential and a negative potential. The positive potential is received by the neutron moderator and the negative potential is received by the vessel.

A nuclear reactor core (1) for a molten salt nuclear reactor (100). The nuclear reactor core (1) has a tubular cylindrical center moderator vessel (10) for passage of a liquid moderator (11), a cylindrical fuel salt jacket surrounding the center moderator vessel (10), and a cylindrical neutron reflector jacket surrounding the cylindrical fuel salt jacket, wherein the cylindrical center moderator and neutron reflector vessel (10) has a largest inner cross-sectional area medially between a liquid moderator and neutron reflector inlet (12) of the center moderator and neutron reflector vessel (10) and a liquid moderator and neutron reflector outlet (13) of the moderator and neutron reflector vessel (10).

One variation of a system includes a pressure vessel: including a wall; defining a primary working fluid circuit extending vertically within the wall; defining a secondary working fluid circuit extending vertically within the wall and fluidly isolated from the primary working fluid circuit; and configured to store a nuclear fuel, a primary working fluid, and a secondary working fluid. The wall of the pressure vessel: defines a heat exchanger configured to transfer thermal energy from the primary working fluid flowing through the primary working fluid circuit into the secondary working fluid flowing through the secondary working fluid circuit; and defines a radiation shield configured to attenuate radiation emitted by the nuclear fuel.

A structure and process for containing a nuclear reaction is disclosed. The structure and process may involve a nuclear containment structure including a plurality of metallic rings stacked axially to form the nuclear containment structure, the nuclear containment structure being configured to: mitigate, by using a physical barrier, the movement of radionuclides from inside a containment structure to a surrounding space; shield, by varying the alloy properties throughout the containment structure, an exterior of the containment structure from radiation produced inside of the containment structure; regulate, by transferring thermal energy, a temperature within the containment structure; regulate, by storing thermal energy, the temperature within the containment structure; shield, components within the nuclear containment structure from kinetic events external to the nuclear containment structure; and shield, the external environment, from kinetic events within the nuclear containment structure.

A system includes a nuclear reactor pressure vessel comprising a heat exchange wall. An interior of the vessel contains nuclear fuel which heats a primary fluid. A primary fluid circuit extends vertically within the wall. The primary fluid circulates in a loop that includes the interior and the primary fluid circuit in the wall. A secondary fluid circuit also extends vertically within the wall, and is fluidly isolated from the primary fluid circuit. A secondary fluid circulates in a loop that includes a power generating system and the secondary fluid circuit in the wall. The wall acts as a heat exchanger in which thermal energy is transferred to the wall from primary fluid flowing through the primary fluid circuit, and then is transferred from the wall to secondary fluid flowing through the secondary fluid circuit.

A nuclear reactor core (1) for a molten salt nuclear reactor (100). The nuclear reactor core (1) has a tubular cylindrical center moderator vessel (10) for passage of a liquid moderator (11), a cylindrical fuel salt jacket surrounding the center moderator vessel (10), and a cylindrical neutron reflector jacket surrounding the cylindrical fuel salt jacket, wherein the cylindrical center moderator and neutron reflector vessel (10) has a largest inner cross-sectional area medially between a liquid moderator and neutron reflector inlet (12) of the center moderator and neutron reflector vessel (10) and a liquid moderator and neutron reflector outlet (13) of the moderator and neutron reflector vessel (10).

One variation of a system includes a pressure vessel: formed of a set of structural layers arranged in a column; defining a primary internal volume within the column; defining a set of infrastructure receptacles containing a heat exchanger and a pump and arranged above the primary internal volume within the column; defining a primary coolant circuit extending between the primary internal volume and the set of infrastructure receptacles within the column; and defining a secondary coolant circuit extending within the wall and adjacent and fluidly isolated from the primary coolant circuit. The system also includes: a nuclear fuel arranged within the primary internal volume; a primary coolant circulating between the nuclear fuel and the primary coolant circuit; and a secondary coolant circulating between the secondary coolant circuit and an external power generation system. The heat exchanger is configured to transfer thermal energy from the primary coolant to the secondary coolant.

A system for containing a nuclear reactor is disclosed. The system includes a nuclear containment structure comprising a plurality of metallic rings stacked axially to form the nuclear containment structure. The nuclear containment structure includes a central chamber that comprises a volume enclosed by the inner wall of each of the plurality of metallic rings, and also includes a plurality of auxiliary chambers. The central chamber encloses a nuclear reactor vessel, wherein the inner wall of the plurality of metallic rings is flush with the nuclear reactor vessel. Cooling channels also exist within the nuclear containment structure. The nuclear containment structure is configured to shield the nuclear reactor vessel from kinetic events originating external from the nuclear containment structure and to shield an external environment from kinetic events within the nuclear reactor vessel.

One variation of a system includes a pressure vessel: including a wall; defining a primary working fluid circuit extending vertically within the wall; defining a secondary working fluid circuit extending vertically within the wall and fluidly isolated from the primary working fluid circuit; and configured to store a nuclear fuel, a primary working fluid, and a secondary working fluid. The wall of the pressure vessel: defines a heat exchanger configured to transfer thermal energy from the primary working fluid flowing through the primary working fluid circuit into the secondary working fluid flowing through the secondary working fluid circuit; and defines a radiation shield configured to attenuate radiation emitted by the nuclear fuel.