Nuclear reactor and method of operating same

Details Nuclear reactor and method of operating same Nuclear reactor and method of operating same

1978-09-26

1981-06-16

Walsh, Donald P.

176 17, 176 18, 176 61, 176 78, G21C 1920

Patent

active

042736137

ABSTRACT:
A method of operating a heavy-water moderated nuclear reactor is described enabling a significant portion of the total core power to be derived from burning natural thorium rather than uranium. In the novel method, interior rod positions of the fuel rod clusters are refueled with thorium-containing rod segments to irradiate the thorium until its multiplication factor is built up to about that of natural uranium, and then the irradiated thorium-containing rod segments are removed from the interior rod positions of the cluster and are utilized to refuel exterior rod positions of the cluster. Also described is a nuclear reactor construction wherein the fuel cluster segments have a mechanical fastener arrangement permitting the quick attachment and detachment of the rod segments within the cluster, thereby facilitating the above refueling procedure.

REFERENCES:
patent: 3393128 (1968-07-01), Obertelli
patent: 3575803 (1971-04-01), Greebler
patent: 3598700 (1971-08-01), Lambert
patent: 3859165 (1975-01-01), Radkowsky

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