Patent ID: 9362010
Filing Date: 2016-06-07
CPC Classification: G21C,Y02E

Claim Text:
1. A passive reactivity control apparatus comprising: a first reservoir having a first reservoir portion and a second reservoir portion, the first reservoir portion and the second reservoir portion being spaced apart; a first conduit interposed between and fluidly connecting the first reservoir portion and the second reservoir portion of the first reservoir; a second reservoir spaced apart from the first reservoir, the second reservoir interposed between the first reservoir portion and the second reservoir portion of the first reservoir, the second reservoir being located within a selected portion of a nuclear fission reactor core; a second conduit interposed between and fluidly connecting the second reservoir portion and the second reservoir; a driver material disposed in the first reservoir portion and the second reservoir portion of the first reservoir and the first conduit, a volume of the driver material thermally expanding and contracting in response to an increase and decrease of a nuclear fission reactor thermal operational parameter, respectively; and a neutron absorption parameter modifying material disposed in the second reservoir portion and the second reservoir, the neutron absorption parameter modifying material being different from the driver material, a portion of the neutron absorption parameter modifying material being in physical contact with a portion of the driver material in the second reservoir portion, the neutron absorption parameter modifying material being driveable by the driver material from the second reservoir portion to the second reservoir through the second conduit upon expansion of the volume of the driver material, the neutron absorption parameter modifying material being drivable by the driver material from the second reservoir to the second reservoir portion through the second conduit upon contraction of the volume of the driver material.