Heterogener Kernreaktor,vorzugsweise fuer Raumfahrzeuge

1,149,946. Cooling reactors. EUROPEAN ATOMIC ENERGY COMMUNITY. 20 July, 1966 [23 Aug., 1965; 20 Sept., 1965], No. 32673/66. Heading G6C. In a fast breeder reactor, the fluid coolant is circulated by means of capillary action and vaporization. The liquid coolant is applied to one end of each fuel rod and is moved longitudinally along the rod outer surface by capillary forces until vaporized. Condensation of the vapour occurs at the inner surface of the reactor vessel, on a capillary lining which returns the liquid to the end of the fuel rods. In one embodiment, the heat is removed from the reactor vessel by a coolant gas while a second arrangement employs thermionic converters. The coolant liquids used may be either lithium or lead. In the thermionic arrangement, which is suitable for a space vehicle, the reactor core is divided into equal halves, the liquid coolant enters the central zone of the core, at the division, and is then moved outwards, from the centre, by capillary action. The capillary surface surrounding each fuel rod may be either a grooved pipe or a porous layer of metal sponge. The reflector and control rods may also be provided with capillary coolant structures.