This disclosure describes various configurations and components of a molten fuel fast or thermal nuclear reactor for managing the operating temperature in the reactor core. The disclosure includes various configurations of direct reactor auxiliary cooling system (DRACS) heat exchangers and primary heat exchangers as well as descriptions of improved flow paths for nuclear fuel, primary coolant and DRACS coolant through the reactor components.

In various embodiments, the stabilizing face ring joint flange and assemblies thereof can be adapted to include a ring joint gasket and resist leaks when a fluid flowing through a pipe at high temperatures and pressures. The stabilizing face ring joint flange assembly with the ring grooves in each flange can be situated in such a way that once full compression is achieved on the ring groove by the gasket, raised faces of the two flanges can meet to ensure that the rotation of the pump or any potential perpendicular loading do not provide a stress on the gasket that would cause the gasket to deform or cause a seal to be lost.

In various embodiments, the stabilizing face ring joint flange and assemblies thereof can be adapted to include a ring joint gasket and resist leaks when a fluid flowing through a pipe at high temperatures and pressures. The stabilizing face ring joint flange assembly with the ring grooves in each flange can be situated in such a way that once full compression is achieved on the ring groove by the gasket, raised faces of the two flanges can meet to ensure that the rotation of the pump or any potential perpendicular loading do not provide a stress on the gasket that would cause the gasket to deform or cause a seal to be lost.

A simple nuclear reactor in which most of the reflector material is outside of the reactor vessel is described. The reactor vessel is a cylinder that contains all of the fuel salt and a displacement component, which may be a reflector, in the upper section of the reactor vessel. Other than the displacement component, the reflector elements including a radial reflector and a bottom reflector are located outside the vessel. The salt flows around the outside surface of the displacement component through a downcomer heat exchange duct defined by the exterior of the displacement component and the interior surface of the reactor vessel. This design reduces the overall size of the reactor vessel for a given volume of salt relative to designs with internal radial or bottom reflectors.

A simple nuclear reactor in which most of the reflector material is outside of the reactor vessel is described. The reactor vessel is a cylinder that contains all of the fuel salt and a displacement component, which may be a reflector, in the upper section of the reactor vessel. Other than the displacement component, the reflector elements including a radial reflector and a bottom reflector are located outside the vessel. The salt flows around the outside surface of the displacement component through a downcomer heat exchange duct defined by the exterior of the displacement component and the interior surface of the reactor vessel. This design reduces the overall size of the reactor vessel for a given volume of salt relative to designs with internal radial or bottom reflectors.

The present disclosure relates to reducing losses in the effective delayed neutron fraction during the operation of a reactor, making it possible to provide for a high efficiency of burning out of minor actinides, and also that of increasing the leak-tight integrity of the primary circuit and the reliability of the reactor. The above-mentioned technical result is achieved in an integral molten salt fast reactor with a circulating fuel composition, comprising a vessel with inlet and outlet secondary circuit pipelines and a connection pipe for initial filling and replenishment with molten salt coolant, heat exchangers of the primary/secondary circuit, a side reflector, an upper reflector and a lower reflector, a core with a shell, and a main circulation pipe, wherein the side reflector is made of sections between which the heat exchangers of the primary/secondary circuit are arranged such that they lie flush against the shell of the core.

A system for a carbon neutral cycle of gas production includes a molten salt reactor configured to generate zero carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) emissions electricity. The system includes a desalination unit configured to receive the zero-CO.sub.2 emissions electricity from the molten salt reactor and produce a desalinated water. The system includes an electrolysis unit configured to be powered by the zero-CO.sub.2 emissions electricity generated by the molten salt reactor and generate hydrogen (H.sub.2) and oxygen (O.sub.2) from the desalinated water. The system includes an oxy-combustion unit configured to receive and combust a hydrocarbon fuel with the O.sub.2 from the electrolysis unit to produce electricity and CO.sub.2. The system includes a CO.sub.2 capture system adapted to capture the CO.sub.2 produced by the oxy-combustion unit and a catalytic hydrogenation unit configured to receive and convert H.sub.2 from the electrolysis unit and CO.sub.2 from the CO.sub.2 capture system to produce the hydrocarbon fuel.

A system for a carbon neutral cycle of gas production includes a molten salt reactor configured to generate zero carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) emissions electricity. The system includes a desalination unit configured to receive the zero-CO.sub.2 emissions electricity from the molten salt reactor and produce a desalinated water. The system includes an electrolysis unit configured to be powered by the zero-CO.sub.2 emissions electricity generated by the molten salt reactor and generate hydrogen (H.sub.2) and oxygen (O.sub.2) from the desalinated water. The system includes an oxy-combustion unit configured to receive and combust a hydrocarbon fuel with the O.sub.2 from the electrolysis unit to produce electricity and CO.sub.2. The system includes a CO.sub.2 capture system adapted to capture the CO.sub.2 produced by the oxy-combustion unit and a catalytic hydrogenation unit configured to receive and convert H.sub.2 from the electrolysis unit and CO.sub.2 from the CO.sub.2 capture system to produce the hydrocarbon fuel.

A closed-vessel molten salt reactor (cvMSR) is described herein. A cvMSR may comprise a suspended container, such as a metallic container, within a trench surrounded by a concrete enclosure and a concrete cover having a number of channels. The suspended container may be hollow and a solution of fissile materials and salt materials may be provided within the suspended container. The solution may be capable of undergoing a chain reaction nuclear fission process once a threshold temperature is reached. Heat generated by the solution may heat a fluid surrounding the suspended container. The heated fluid may be transported, through the number of channels of the concrete cover, to an external location where the heated fluid may be used in distributing heat and/or electricity generation.

A flow control device configured to be positioned in a reactor core. The flow control device including a central shaft and at least one blade extending helically from the central shaft. A nuclear reactor and related systems and methods are also disclosed.