Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
OFFSHORE AND MARINE VESSEL-BASED NUCLEAR REACTOR CONFIGURATION,
DEPLOYMENT AND OPERATION
FIELD
[0001] The methods and systems disclosed herein relate to advancements in
marine nuclear reactor
configuration, deployment and operation.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Advances in nuclear reactor technology open opportunities for safe
deployment of long-life
compact nuclear reactors on or in association with vessels and other ocean-
based structures to provide
locally accessible, portable low-environmental impact electrical energy.
SUMMARY
[0003] Embodiments of a wide range of nuclear reactor-based power generation
systems for marine
use are disclosed herein. Examples include semi-permanent, non-self-propelled
and stationary-
deployed maritime vessels (Micro-MPS) suitable for international deployment.
Such a vessel may
house microreactors, as well as the necessary auxiliary power systems required
to constitute a single-
integrated, turnkey nuclear power generating station. No land-based facilities
installed at the
deployment site are required for electricity generation. The vessel can
integrate different types of
microreactors, including those designed specifically for civil power
generation that may optionally
use non-military enriched uranium for energy production, such as High Assay
Low Enriched Uranium
(HALEU). Microreactors can be bundled to generate electrical power ranging
anywhere from 1 MWe
to 100 MWe or more. Manufactured and outfitted with nuclear components in a
controlled
environment, such as a shipyard, the vessel can be either dry- or wet- towed
to a deployment location.
At the deployment location, the vessel can either be installed near shoreline
or outside territorial waters
(e.g., greater than 12 nmi from shoreline), as either a seafloor-supported
structure, or one which is
floating moored in place. Once commissioned, the Micro-MPS will generate
electrical and thermal
energy for offshore industrial purposes, or supply energy directly to land.
The vessel is easily
transportable and could be de-installed for redeployment to secondary sites at
any point during its 40-
60-year lifetime.
1
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0004] Other examples of the nuclear reactor-based marine energy power
generation systems
described herein include, without limitation, self-propelled maritime vessels
powered by nuclear
reactors, such as microreactors, (herein Micro-PV) capable of traveling within
sovereign waters and
international waters. Microreactors, as well as the necessary auxiliary power
systems required, may
be packaged into a proprietary cassette referred herein to as a Microreactor
Cassette (MRC), that
further enables efficient turnkey integration into the vessel. Different types
of microreactor designs,
including those developed specifically for civil power generation that may
optionally use HALEU as
a power source can be integrated, and multiple MRCs can be bundled to generate
electrical power
ranging anywhere from 1 MWe to 100 MWe or more. The microreactors supply
baseload power, while
optional low power output gas turbines (or other alternative fuel/engine
types, based on customer
requirements) integrated on board may serve as back-up, supplemental or
substitute power. The vessel
itself may be manufactured and outfitted with nuclear components in a
controlled environment, such
as at a shipyard, and once commissioned, the Micro-PV can be propelled by up
to 100% nuclear power.
During a voyage, the vessel may dock in sovereign territories to load or
unload cargo or perform
maintenance or refueling activities. In embodiments, a dock for loading or
unloading cargo,
performing maintenance or refueling activities may alternatively be disposed
in international waters
and may form a floating distribution center/transfer station and the like. One
or more such hubs may
be located proximal to specific regions so that smaller vessels could service
the needs of the region
through the floating station. In jurisdictions where the nuclear power system
may be required to shut
down in order to enter port, the onboard alternative power source will be used
to power the vessel and
maneuver it in and out of territorial jurisdictions. Once in international
waters, the Micro-PV will be
switched back to up to 100% nuclear power.
[0005] Yet other examples include a semi-permanent, non-self-propelled and
stationary-deployed
maritime vessel suitable for international deployment. The vessel may house
Small Modular Reactors
(SMR)s, as well as the necessary auxiliary power systems required to
constitute a single-integrated,
turnkey nuclear power generating station. No land-based facilities installed
at the deployment site are
required for electricity generation. The vessel can integrate different types
of SMRs, including those
designed for civil power generation that may optionally use non-military
enriched uranium for energy
production (e.g., HALEU and the like), and SMRs can be bundled to generate
electrical power ranging
anywhere from 30 MWe to 600 MWe. Manufactured and outfitted with nuclear
components in a
controlled environment, such as a shipyard, the vessel may be either dry- or
wet- towed to a
deployment location. At the deployment location, the vessel can either be
installed near shoreline or
2
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
outside territorial waters (e.g., greater than 12 nmi from shoreline), as
either a seafloor-supported
structure or one which is floating moored in place. Once commissioned, the SMR-
MPS may generate
electrical and thermal energy for offshore industrial purposes, or supply
energy directly to land. The
vessel is easily transportable and could be de-installed for redeployment to
secondary sites, at any
point during its nearly 60-year lifetime.
[0006] Disclosed herein are methods and systems of microreactor deployment
including a
microreactor cassette that includes a plurality of arrayed compaiiments, each
of the plurality of arrayed
compaiiments constructed to receive and securely anchor a modular microreactor
enclosure. The
microreactor cassette further may include a plurality of thermal channels
disposed to facilitate thermal
transfer from a modular microreactor enclosure in one of the arrayed
compaiiments to a heat sink
medium; the plurality of thermal channels disposed along at least one vertical
surface of the modular
microreactor enclosure, wherein the plurality of thermal channels are
interconnected to provide
redundancy. The microreactor cassette further may include a plurality of anti-
proliferation
containment layers disposed between the arrayed compaiiments, below a
lowermost compaiiment,
above an uppermost compaiiment, and along at least two vertical sides of the
arrayed compaiiments.
The microreactor cassette further may include an encapsulation layer disposed
to encapsulate the
plurality of arrayed compai intents. The microreactor cassette further may
include vessel compaiiment
anchoring features disposed at least at each of an upper extent and a lower
extent of the plurality of
arrayed compaiiments. In embodiments, the heat sink medium is convective air.
In embodiments, the
heat sink medium is seawater. In embodiments, the heat sink medium is
mechanically forced air. In
embodiments, the thermal transfer channels may include a plurality of
convection airflow channels
disposed to facilitate convective airflow along the at least one vertical
surface of the modular
microreactor enclosure. In embodiments, the microreactor cassette further may
include an HVAC
system disposed in a first of the plurality of arrayed compaiiments, wherein
the HVAC system
facilitates thermal regulation of at least one modular microreactor disclosed
in a second of the plurality
of arrayed compaiiments. Yet further the microreactor cassette may include an
electricity delivery
system that facilitates connection among electricity output connectors for a
plurality of microreactors
disposed in the plurality of arrayed compaiiments and further connection to a
vessel propulsion
system. In embodiments, the modular microreactor enclosure may be a twenty-
foot equivalent (TEU)
cargo container.
3
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0007] In the drawings, like reference characters generally refer to the same
parts throughout the
different views. Also, the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis
instead generally being
placed upon illustrating the principles of the present disclosure.
[0008] Reference throughout the specification to "one embodiment" or "an
embodiment" means that
a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection
with an embodiment is included
in at least one embodiment of the subject matter disclosed. Thus, the
appearance of the phrases "in
one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" in various places throughout the
specification is not
necessarily referring to the same embodiment.
[0009] In the following description, various embodiments of the present
disclosure are described with
reference to the following drawings, in which:
[0010] FIG. 1 shows schematically a first stage of the installation procedure,
where two rows of
aligned pilings in spaced relation are established according to the present
disclosure;
[0011] FIG. 2 shows schematically a base structure to be supported by the
pilings is towed into
position between the two, spaced-apart, aligned rows of pilings by a towing
vessel according to the
present disclosure;
[0012] FIG. 3 shows schematically in perspective seen from below embodiments
of a base structure
according to the present disclosure;
[0013] FIG. 4 shows schematically in perspective embodiments of the base
structure positioned and
supported by the pilings in aligned position on at least both sides of the
base structure according to the
present disclosure;
[0014] FIG. 5 shows schematically in perspective two seabed base structures
installed upon seabed
base structures according to the present disclosure;
[0015] FIG. 6 shows schematically seismic isolation units upon a seabed base
structure according to
the present disclosure;
[0016] FIG. 7 shows schematically removable panels of the side walls of a
seabed base structure
according to the present disclosure;
[0017] FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C show schematically and by stages the docking of a
floatable aircraft
impact shield module in the artificial harbor proffered by a seabed base
structure according to the
present disclosure;
[0018] FIG. 9 shows schematically the operation of a door in the side of an
aircraft impact shield
module installed upon a seabed base structure according to the present
disclosure;
4
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0019] FIG. 10 shows schematically in cross-section portions of a reactor
module that is to be installed
within an aircraft impact shield module installed upon a seabed base structure
according to the present
disclosure;
[0020] FIG. 11 shows schematically two modules installed upon two seabed base
structures according
to the present disclosure;
[0021] FIG. 12 shows schematically two modules installed upon two seabed base
structures and a
cooling tower installed upon pilings according to the present disclosure;
[0022] FIG. 13 shows schematically in vertical cross-section a nuclear power
plant module and a
power conversion module according to the present disclosure;
[0023] FIG. 14 shows schematically in horizontal cross-section the nuclear
power plant module and a
power conversion module of FIG. 13;
[0024] FIG. 15 shows schematically in side view portions of an SMR of the
CAREM type according
to the present disclosure;
[0025] FIG. 16 shows schematically in top-down view portions of an SMR of the
CAREM type
according to the present disclosure;
[0026] FIG. 17 shows schematically in perspective portions of an SMR of the
CAREM type according
to the present disclosure;
[0027] FIG. 18 shows schematically in vertical cross-section portions of an
SMR of the CAREM type
installed within a floatable module according to the present disclosure;
[0028] FIG. 19 shows schematically in vertical cross-section portions of a
floatable module containing
SMRs of an integral pressurized water reactor with internal passive coolant
circulation (IPW/IPC) type
and installed upon a seabed base structure according to the present
disclosure;
[0029] FIG. 20 shows schematically in horizontal cross-section portions of a
floatable module
containing SMRs of an IPW/IPC type and installed upon a seabed base structure
according to the
present disclosure;
[0030] FIG. 21 shows schematically in horizontal cross-section portions of a
floatable module
containing SMRs of the IPW/IPC type as well as turbine-generator units and
installed upon a seabed
base structure according to the present disclosure;
[0031] FIG. 22A shows schematically in side view portions of an SMR of the UK
(Rolls Royce) type
according to the present disclosure;
[0032] FIG. 22B shows schematically in top-down view portions of an SMR of the
UK (Rolls Royce)
type according to the present disclosure;
5
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0033] FIG. 23 shows schematically in horizontal cross-section portions of a
floatable module
containing an SMR of the UK type and installed upon a seabed base structure
according to the present
disclosure;
[0034] FIG. 24 shows schematically in horizontal cross-section portions of a
floatable module
containing an SMR of the SMART type and installed upon a seabed base structure
according to the
present disclosure;
[0035] FIG. 25 shows schematically in horizontal cross-section portions of a
floatable module
containing an SMR of the mPower type and installed upon a seabed base
structure according to the
present disclosure;
[0036] FIG. 26 shows schematically in perspective two seabed base structures
installed upon seabed
base structures, one of which includes a central opening according to the
present disclosure;
[0037] FIGS. 27A, 27B, and 27C show schematically in vertical cross-section
portions of a floatable
module containing an SMR of the UK type and installed upon a seabed base
structure as the SMR is
lowered in stages through a central opening in the seabed base structure
according to the present
disclosure;
[0038] FIG. 28 shows schematically in vertical cross-section portions of an
SMR of the IPW/IPC type
installed below waterline including a central opening in a seabed base
structure according to the
present disclosure;
[0039] FIG. 29 shows schematically in vertical cross-section portions of an
SMR of the Integrated
Modular Water Reactor type installed below waterline including a central
opening in a seabed base
structure according to the present disclosure;
[0040] FIG. 30 shows schematically two modules installed upon seabed base
structures in an
artificially dredged channel according to the present disclosure;
[0041] FIG. 31 shows schematically four modules installed upon seabed base
structures and
interconnected by utility bridges according to the present disclosure;
[0042] FIG. 32 shows schematically in vertical cross-section the stabilization
of an embankment with
the anchor-block slope stabilization technique according to the present
disclosure;
[0043] FIG. 33 shows schematically in vertical cross-section the stabilization
of an embankment
including bulkheads and piers according to the present disclosure;
[0044] FIG. 34 shows schematically in vertical cross-section portions of a
module established upon a
seabed base structure adjacent to a stabilized embankment according to the
present disclosure;
6
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0045] FIG. 35 shows schematically in top-down view a nuclear power module and
power conversion
module installed within an artificially dredged U-shape channel according to
the present disclosure;
[0046] FIG. 36A shows schematically in top-down view portions of a coastal
power plant including
an offshore artificial channel dredged to receive floatable modules according
to the present disclosure;
[0047] FIG. 36B shows the coastal power plant of FIG. 36A with floatable
modules installed upon
seabed base structures in the prepared offshore channel;
[0048] FIG. 37A shows schematically in top-down view portions of a coastal
power plant including
an artificial channel dredged in a shoreline to receive floatable nuclear
power modules according to
the present disclosure;
[0049] FIG. 37B shows the coastal power plant of FIG. 37A with two floatable
nuclear power modules
installed upon seabed base structures in the prepared channel;
[0050] FIG. 38 shows a nuclear power station including two modules founded
upon seabed base
structures and located within an artificial cavern having stabilized walls and
ceiling according to the
present disclosure;
[0051] FIG. 39 is a schematic depiction of relationships among portions of an
illustrative deployment
or application of a nuclear power plant, such as a Micro-MPS, an SMR-MPS and
the like according
to the present disclosure;
[0052] FIG. 40 is another schematic depiction of relationships among portions
of an illustrative
deployment or application of a nuclear power plant, such as a Micro-MPS, an
SMR-MPS and the like
according to the present disclosure;
[0053] FIG. 41 is yet another schematic depiction of relationships among
portions of an illustrative
deployment or application of a nuclear power plant according to the present
disclosure;
[0054] FIG. 42 shows schematically submerged modular construction of a roadway
that can use or be
used to deploy submersible reactor modules according to the present
disclosure;
[0055] FIG. 43 shows schematically a typical submersible module according to
the present disclosure;
[0056] FIG. 44A shows schematically a first stage in the transport and
installation of submersible
modules according to the present disclosure according to the present
disclosure;
[0057] FIG. 44B shows schematically a second stage in the transport and
installation of submersible
modules according to the present disclosure; according to the present
disclosure
[0058] FIG. 44C shows schematically a third stage in the transport and
installation of submersible
modules according to the present disclosure according to the present
disclosure;
7
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0059] FIG. 44D shows schematically a fourth stage in the transport and
installation of submersible
modules according to the present disclosure according to the present
disclosure;
[0060] FIG. 45 shows schematically a method for sinking a module upon prepared
pilings according
to the present disclosure;
[0061] FIG. 46 shows schematically the firming of a module established upon
pilings according to the
present disclosure;
[0062] FIG. 47 shows schematically a method for sinking a module upon a
prepared foundation
according to the present disclosure;
[0063] FIG. 48A shows schematically a stage in the mating of two submerged
modules according to
the present disclosure;
[0064] FIG. 48B shows schematically another stage in the mating of two
submerged modules
according to the present disclosure;
[0065] FIG. 49 shows schematically portions of a power generating station
according to illustrative
embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0066] FIGS. 50A and 50B show schematically portions of a power generating
station according to
other illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0067] FIGS. 51A and 51B show schematically portions of a floating data center
associated with a
power generating station according to the present disclosure;
[0068] FIGS. 52A and 52B show schematically portions of a data center founded
on pilings and
associated with a power generating station according to the present
disclosure;
[0069] FIGS. 53A and 53B show schematically portions of a fulfillment center
for unmanned aerial
vehicles that are associated with a power generating station according to the
present disclosure;
[0070] FIG. 54 is a relational block diagram depicting illustrative
constituent systems of a marine
nuclear plant according to the present disclosure;
[0071] FIG. 55 is a schematic depiction of portions of illustrative
embodiments of the nuclear power
plant systems of FIG. 54;
[0072] FIG. 56 is a schematic depiction of portions of an illustrative unit
configuration of a marine
nuclear plant and an illustrative deployment thereof according to the present
disclosure;
[0073] FIG. 57 is an overhead-view schematic depiction of portions of a first
illustrative offshore
nuclear plant system arrangement according to the present disclosure;
[0074] FIG. 58 is an overhead-view schematic diagram depicting portions of a
second illustrative
prefabricated nuclear plant system arrangement according to the present
disclosure;
8
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0075] FIG. 59 is an overhead-view schematic diagram depicting portions of a
third illustrative
prefabricated nuclear plant system arrangement according to the present
disclosure;
[0076] FIG. 60 is an overhead-view schematic diagram depicting portions of a
fourth illustrative
prefabricated nuclear plant system arrangement according to the present
disclosure;
[0077] FIG. 61A schematically depicts illustrative simple prefabricated
nuclear plant configuration
scenarios according to the present disclosure;
[0078] FIG. 61B schematically depicts illustrative compound prefabricated
nuclear plant
configuration scenarios according to the present disclosure;
[0079] FIG. 62 is a schematic depiction of a high-level schema for the
modularization of a
prefabricated nuclear plant according to the present disclosure;
[0080] FIG. 63 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional depiction of
prefabricated nuclear plant modules
of a floating cylindrical type prefabricated nuclear plant according to the
present disclosure;
[0081] FIG. 64 is a schematic depiction of an illustrative nuclear fuel cycle
according to the present
disclosure;
[0082] FIG. 65 is a schematic depiction of an illustrative set of fuel
services according to the present
disclosure;
[0083] FIG. 66 is a first schematic depiction of portions of a cooling system
according to the present
disclosure;
[0084] FIG. 67 is a second schematic depiction of portions of a cooling system
according to the present
disclosure;
[0085] FIG. 68 is a third schematic depiction of portions of a cooling system
according to the present
disclosure;
[0086] FIG. 69 is a fourth schematic depiction of portions of a cooling system
according to the present
disclosure;
[0087] FIG. 70A is a schematic, top-down, cross-sectional view of portions of
a prefabricated nuclear
plant canister magazine spent fuel storage system according to the present
disclosure;
[0088] FIG. 70B provides two aligned, close-up, schematic, cross-sectional
views of portions of an
illustrative canister magazine spent fuel storage system according to the
present disclosure;
[0089] FIG. 71A is a schematic, vertical, cross-sectional view of portions of
an illustrative
prefabricated nuclear plant spent-fuel tank system according to the present
disclosure;
[0090] FIG. 71B depicts the system of FIG. 71A in an unlocked state of
operation;
9
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0091] FIG. 72A is a schematic, vertical cross-sectional depiction of portions
of an illustrative cooled
and shielded apparatus according to the present disclosure;
[0092] FIG. 72B is a schematic, vertical cross-sectional depiction of portions
of the manipulator of
FIG. 72A;
[0093] FIG. 72C depicts a state of operation of the manipulator of FIG. 72A;
[0094] FIG. 73 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional depiction of portions
of a prefabricated nuclear
plant according to the present disclosure;
[0095] FIG. 74 is a schematic cutaway depiction of portions of an illustrative
refueling canal system
according to the present disclosure;
[0096] FIG. 75 is a schematic depiction in top and side views of portions of
an illustrative
compaiimentalized coolant tank according to the present disclosure;
[0097] FIG. 76A is a schematic depiction in top and side views of portions of
an illustrative spent fuel
pool sub-compaiiment according to the present disclosure;
[0098] FIG. 76B is a top view of portions of an illustrative spent fuel pool;
[0099] FIG. 76C is a view of a spent fuel pool according to the present
disclosure;
[0100] FIG. 77 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional depiction of portions
of an illustrative spent fuel
prefabricated nuclear plant storage system according to the present
disclosure;
[0101] FIG. 78A and FIG. 78B are schematic vertical cross-sectional depictions
of portions of an
illustrative spent-fuel prefabricated nuclear plant storage system according
to the present disclosure;
[0102] FIGS. 79A, 79B, 79C and 79D are schematic cross-sectional views of
portions of an illustrative
gated fuel assembly transfer valve according to the present disclosure;
[0103] FIG. 80 is a schematic depiction of portions of an illustrative core
refueling coolant system
according to the present disclosure;
[0104] FIG. 81 is a first schematic depiction of portions of an illustrative
coolant stabilizing system
according to the present disclosure;
[0105] FIG. 82 is a second schematic depiction of portions of an illustrative
coolant stabilizing system
according to the present disclosure;
[0106] FIG. 83 is a third schematic depiction of portions of an illustrative
coolant stabilizing system
according to the present disclosure;
[0107] FIG. 84 is a fourth schematic depiction of portions of an illustrative
coolant stabilizing system
according to the present disclosure;
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0108] FIG. 85 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional depiction of portions
of an illustrative coolant
stabilizing system according to the present disclosure;
[0109] FIG. 86A schematically depicts an illustrative fuel movement canister
or enclosure according
to the present disclosure;
[0110] FIG. 86B schematically depicts an illustrative fuel movement enclosure
according to the
present disclosure;
[0111] FIG. 87 is a first schematic depiction of portions of an illustrative
system for moving fuel
assemblies in enclosed volumes according to the present disclosure;
[0112] FIG. 88 is a second schematic depiction of portions of an illustrative
system for moving fuel
assemblies in enclosed volumes according to the present disclosure;
[0113] FIG. 89 schematically depicts first portions of an illustrative quick-
return prefabricated nuclear
plant mechanism according to the present disclosure;
[0114] FIG. 90 schematically depicts second portions of an illustrative quick-
return prefabricated
nuclear plant mechanism according to the present disclosure;
[0115] FIG. 91 schematically depicts an illustrative system for providing
sustained, adequate cooling
to a mobile fuel assembly canister or enclosure according to the present
disclosure;
[0116] FIG. 92 schematically depicts a first illustrative fuel assembly
canister or enclosure according
to the present disclosure;
[0117] FIG. 93 schematically depicts a second illustrative fuel assembly
canister or enclosure
according to the present disclosure;
[0118] FIG. 94 schematically depicts top and side views of an illustrative
fuel assembly canister or
enclosure according to the present disclosure;
[0119] FIG. 95 is a schematic depiction of a prefabricated nuclear plant
including an illustrative fuel
assembly storage system that avoids unintended fission in fresh fuel
assemblies according to the
present disclosure;
[0120] FIG. 96 is a schematic depiction of portions of an illustrative fuel-
handling system according
to the present disclosure;
[0121] FIG. 97 is a simplified depiction of portions of an illustrative system
for loading fuel assemblies
according to the present disclosure;
[0122] FIG. 98 is a schematic cross-sectional depiction of portions of an
illustrative mechanism for
moving an illustrative fuel assembly load through a coolant-filled vertical
transfer tube according to
the present disclosure;
11
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0123] FIG. 99 is a schematic cross-sectional depiction of portions of an
illustrative mechanism for
moving an illustrative fuel assembly load through a vertical transfer tube
according to the present
disclosure;
[0124] FIG. 100 is a schematic cross-sectional depiction of portions of an
illustrative mechanism for
permitting an illustrative fuel assembly load to descend through a vertical
transfer tube according to
the present disclosure;
[0125] FIG. 101 is a schematic depiction of portions of an illustrative
prefabricated nuclear plant fuel-
handling machine according to the present disclosure;
[0126] FIG. 102 is a schematic cross-sectional depiction of portions of an
illustrative prefabricated
nuclear plant fuel-handling machine according to the present disclosure;
[0127] FIG. 103 provides top and side schematic cross-sectional views of
portions of an illustrative
prefabricated nuclear plant fuel-handling alignment guide according to the
present disclosure;
[0128] FIG. 104A shows schematically a marine bulk carrier including a heat-
pipe-cooled
microreactor (HPM) power system according to the present disclosure;
[0129] FIG. 104B depicts schematically a bulk carrier vessel including an HPM
power system
according to the present disclosure;
[0130] FIG. 105 depicts schematically a container ship including an HPM power
system according to
the present disclosure;
[0131] FIG. 106 schematically illustrates a Floating Production Storage and
Offloading (FPSO) vessel
including an HPM power system according to the present disclosure;
[0132] FIG. 107 depicts schematically a semi-submersible drilling rig
including two HPM power
systems according to the present disclosure;
[0133] FIG. 108 depicts schematically a power barge including HPM power
systems according to the
present disclosure;
[0134] FIG. 109 schematically depicts a system for converting thermal power
output of an HPM into
electrical and mechanical power according to the present disclosure;
[0135] FIG. 110A shows schematically, in both side and top views, portions of
a marine microreactor
platform according to the present disclosure;
[0136] FIG. 110B shows schematically, in top views, the two decks of the
platform of FIG. 110A
according to the present disclosure;
[0137] FIG. 110C schematically depicts portions of a deployment scenario for
the platform of FIG.
110A according to the present disclosure;
12
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0138] FIG. 111A shows schematically, in side and top views, portions of a
partially submersible
marine microreactor platform according to the present disclosure;
[0139] FIG. 111B shows schematically, in top view, the main interior deck of
the platform of FIG.
111A according to the present disclosure;
[0140] FIG. 112A shows schematically, in side and top views, portions of a
fully submersible marine
microreactor platform according to the present disclosure;
[0141] FIG. 112B shows schematically, in top view, the main interior deck of
the platform of FIG.
112A according to the present disclosure;
[0142] FIG. 112C schematically depicts the platform of FIG. 112A and FIG. 112B
during overland
.. transport according to the present disclosure;
[0143] FIG. 112D depicts a table of power demand for large marine vessels
under varying cargo loads
at different speeds according to the present disclosure;
[0144] FIG. 112E schematically depicts the platform secured in natural and/or
human-made cave
structures according to the present disclosure;
[0145] FIG. 113A schematically depicts, in top-down and cross-sectional view,
portions of a
microreactor platform according to the present disclosure;
[0146] FIG. 113B schematically shows, in side view, portions of a platform of
FIG. 113A;
[0147] FIG. 114 schematically depicts aspects of a marine microreactor farm
according to the present
disclosure;
[0148] FIG. 115 is a schematic depiction of nuclear operation exclusion zones
and sea-based
microreactor servicing according to the present disclosure;
[0149] FIG. 116 is a schematic depiction of nuclear reactor congestion limit
zones according to the
present disclosure;
[0150] FIG. 117 is a schematic depiction of portions of a conventionally
powered container ship
according to the present disclosure;
[0151] FIG. 118 is a schematic depiction of portions of a conventionally
powered bulk carrier ship
according to the present disclosure according to the present disclosure;
[0152] FIG. 119 is a schematic depiction of portions of the power system of a
large conventionally
powered ship according to the present disclosure;
[0153] FIG. 120A is a schematic depiction of portions of a primarily
propulsive power system housed
within a large maritime vessel according to the present disclosure;
13
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0154] FIG. 120B is a schematic depiction of portions of a large, primarily
propulsive hybrid-nuclear
power system housed within a large maritime vessel according to the present
disclosure;
[0155] FIG. 120C is a schematic depiction of portions of a large, primarily
propulsive nuclear-power
system housed within a large maritime vessel according to the present
disclosure;
[0156] FIG. 121 is a schematic depiction of portions of a large, primarily
propulsive hybrid-nuclear
power system housed within a large maritime vessel according to the present
disclosure;
[0157] FIG. 122 is a schematic depiction, in side view and partial top-down
view, of portions of a
nuclear-powered container ship according to the present disclosure;
[0158] FIG. 123 is a schematic depiction, in side view and partial top-down
view, of portions of a
nuclear-powered bulk carrier ship according to the present disclosure;
[0159] FIG. 124A is a schematic depiction, in partial top-down view and
partial side view, of portions
of a nuclear-powered ship according to the present disclosure;
[0160] FIG. 124B is a schematic depiction of a state of the vessel during an
illustrative recovery
operation according to the present disclosure;
[0161] FIG. 125A is a schematic depiction in side view of portions of a
nuclear-powered ship
according to the present disclosure;
[0162] FIG. 125B is a schematic depiction of a state of the vessel during an
illustrative recovery
operation according to the present disclosure;
[0163] FIG. 126 is a schematic depiction of variable positioning of a nuclear
reactor for generating
electrical power for propulsion of a vessel according to the present
disclosure;
[0164] FIG. 127A is a schematic depiction of portions of microreactor-powered
pathways or systems
for synthesis of ammonia as a maritime energy carrier according to the present
disclosure;
[0165] FIG. 127B is a schematic depiction of portions of another microreactor-
powered pathway or
system for synthesis of ammonia as a maritime energy carrier according to the
present disclosure;
[0166] FIG. 128 is a schematic depiction, according to an illustrative example
of the prior art, for the
use of NH3 as a propulsive fuel for a vessel according to the present
disclosure;
[0167] FIG. 129 is a first schematic top-down depiction of portions of a
system using nuclear power
to produce NH3 on board a vessel as a propulsive fuel according to the present
disclosure;
[0168] FIG. 130 is a second schematic top-view depiction of portions of the
system using nuclear
power to produce NH3 on board a vessel as a propulsive fuel according to the
present disclosure;
[0169] FIG. 131 is a schematic depiction of portions of the system using
nuclear power to produce
NH3 on board a vessel as a propulsive fuel according to the present
disclosure;
14
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0170] FIGS. 132A and 132B are schematic top-down depictions of portions of an
offshore bunkering
platform with optional associated distribution center according to the present
disclosure;
[0171] FIG. 133 is a schematic depiction of the use of a platform such as the
platform of FIG. 132A
and FIG. 132B;
[0172] FIG. 134 is a schematic depiction of a system for control of on-vessel
ammonia generation
according to the present disclosure;
[0173] FIG. 135 is a schematic depiction of utilization of on-vessel ammonia
storage and generation
according to the present disclosure;
[0174] FIG. 136 is a relational block diagram depicting constituent systems of
an illustrative
prefabricated nuclear plant (PNP) and associated systems with which the PNP
interacts according to
the present disclosure;
[0175] FIG. 137 is a schematic depiction of a manner in which forms and
functions of a PNP can be
categorized according to the present disclosure;
[0176] FIG. 138 is a relational block diagram depicting the relationship of
defense systems to other
systems of a PNP according to the present disclosure;
[0177] FIG. 139 is a relational block diagram depicting the relationships
between primary and
auxiliary defense systems of PNP according to the present disclosure;
[0178] FIG. 140 is a visual schematic depiction of categories of threat
against a PNP according to the
present disclosure;
[0179] FIG. 141 is a tabular schematic depiction of categories of threat
against a PNP according to the
present disclosure;
[0180] FIG. 142 is a schematic depiction of exclusion zones around a marine
PNP installation
according to the present disclosure;
[0181] FIG. 143 is a schematic depiction of exclusion zones around a near-
shore PNP installation
according to the present disclosure;
[0182] FIG. 144 is a schematic depiction of aerial and marine exclusion zones
around a marine PNP
installation according to the present disclosure;
[0183] FIG. 145 is a schematic depiction of a PNP defense perimeter including
barges according to
the present disclosure;
[0184] FIG. 146 is a schematic depiction of a PNP defense zone including
windmills as illustrative
obstacles to intruder navigation according to the present disclosure;
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0185] FIG. 147 is a schematic depiction of defensive barges with netting
suspended therefrom
according to the present disclosure;
[0186] FIG. 148 is a schematic depiction of a defensive barge and a buoy with
netting suspended
therefrom according to the present disclosure;
[0187] FIG. 149 is a schematic depiction of defensive buoys with netting
suspended therefrom
according to the present disclosure;
[0188] FIG. 150 is a schematic depiction of a mooring method for defensive
buoys and netting
according to the present disclosure;
[0189] FIG. 151 is a schematic depiction of defensive perimeter posts with
netting and fencing
suspended therefrom according to the present disclosure;
[0190] FIG. 152 is a schematic depiction of a hybrid defense perimeter barrier
including barges and
fencing according to the present disclosure;
[0191] FIG. 153 is a schematic depiction of a near-shore PNP installation with
a hybrid defense
perimeter according to the present disclosure;
[0192] FIG. 154 is a schematic depiction of a marine PNP installation with a
hybrid defense perimeter
according to the present disclosure;
[0193] FIG. 155 is a schematic depiction of a defense barge of a PNP
installation capable of housing
and deploying aerial and subsurface drones according to the present
disclosure;
[0194] FIG. 156 is a schematic depiction of surface and aerial drone swarms
confronting an intruding
vessel according to the present disclosure;
[0195] FIG. 157 is a schematic depiction of surface drones seeking to foul the
propellers of an
intruding vessel according to the present disclosure;
[0196] FIG. 158 is a schematic depiction of defensive hardpoints on a PNP
according to the present
disclosure;
[0197] FIG. 159 is a schematic depiction of a pressurizable defensive
cofferdam according to the
present disclosure;
[0198] FIG. 160 is a schematic depiction of PNP interior regions partly
secured by pressurizable
cofferdams according to the present disclosure;
[0199] FIG. 161 is a schematic depiction of a citadel (interior PNP volume
wrapped in protective
cofferdams) according to the present disclosure;
[0200] FIG. 162 is a schematic depiction of a topside countermeasure washdown
system according to
the present disclosure;
16
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0201] FIGS. 163A and 163B depict aspects of a topside countermeasure washdown
system releasing
foam according to the present disclosure;
[0202] FIG. 164 is a schematic depiction of a countermeasure washdown system
for an interior space
according to the present disclosure;
.. [0203] FIG. 165 is a schematic depiction of the stages of fluid flow in a
generalized countermeasure
washdown system according to the present disclosure;
[0204] FIG. 166 is a schematic depiction of a protective artificial fogbank in
relation to defensive
zones of a PNP according to the present disclosure;
[0205] FIG. 167 is a schematic depiction of part of a PNP flow barrier defense
system according to
the present disclosure;
[0206] FIG. 168 is a schematic depiction of the overall layout of a PNP flow
barrier defense system
according to the present disclosure;
[0207] FIG. 169 is a schematic depiction of a waterjet PNP defense system in
action according to the
present disclosure;
.. [0208] FIG. 170 is a schematic depiction of a boarding-resistant cornice of
a PNP deck according to
the present disclosure;
[0209] FIG. 171 is a schematic depiction of a first type of passive reactive
armor according to the
present disclosure;
[0210] FIG. 172 is a schematic depiction of a second type of passive reactive
armor according to the
present disclosure;
[0211] FIG. 173 is a schematic depiction of passive reactor armor deployed on
the exterior of a PNP
according to the present disclosure;
[0212] FIG. 174 is a schematic depiction of an integral cyberdefense system of
a PNP according to
the present disclosure;
.. [0213] FIG. 175 is a schematic depiction of a microreactor cassette
according to the present disclosure;
[0214] FIG. 176 is a schematic depiction of loading microreactors into a
microreactor cassette
according to the present disclosure;
[0215] FIG. 177 is a schematic depiction of a hydraulic lift for facilitating
microreactor installation
and removal from a microreactor cassette according to the present disclosure;
[0216] FIGS. 178A, 178B, 178C, and 178D are schematic depictions of structural
and shielding
features of a microreactor cassette according to the present disclosure;
17
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0217] FIG. 179 is a schematic depiction of a lattice structure for submerged
deployment of a
microreactor according to the present disclosure;
[0218] FIG. 180A and FIG. 180B are schematic depictions of a dock-based
microreactor
transportation containment system showing generally horizontal insertion
according to the present
disclosure;
[0219] FIGS. 181A, 181B, and 181C are schematic depictions of embodiments of
land-based
microreactor storage according to the present disclosure;
[0220] FIG. 182 is a schematic depiction of a microreactor storage facility
control system according
to the present disclosure;
[0221] FIG. 183 is a schematic depiction of microreactor allocation control
system according to the
present disclosure;
[0222] FIG. 184A and FIG. 184B are schematic depictions of two views of
microreactor demand and
allocation according to the present disclosure;
[0223] FIG. 185A and FIG. 185B are schematic depictions of the impact of
nuclear reactor-based
ionized radiation on ballast water according to the present disclosure; and
[0224] FIG. 186 is a schematic depiction of a hierarchical diagram of marine
vessel types according
to the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0225] The present disclosure will now describe several contemplated
embodiments. The discussion
of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the scope of the present
disclosure. To the contrary,
the discussion of several embodiments is intended to illustrate the broad
scope of the present
disclosure. In addition, the present disclosure is intended to encompass
variations and equivalents of
the embodiments described herein.
[0226] Provided herein are systems, methods, devices, components, and the like
for rapid
establishment of power-generating systems, such as offshore nuclear power
platforms. Further,
provided herein are systems, methods, devices, components, and the like for
deploying power-
generating systems, such as coastal and/or underwater power-generating
stations. Yet further,
provided herein are systems, methods, devices, components, and the like for
nuclear fuel handling,
such as nuclear fuel handling in a marine manufactured or prefabricated
nuclear platform. Still yet
further, provided herein are systems, methods, devices, components, and the
like for defense of power-
generating systems, such as defense of manufactured or prefabricated nuclear
plants. Additionally,
18
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
provided herein are systems, methods, devices, components, and the like for
power production, such
as marine power production using heat-pipe cooled microreactors. Yet
additionally, provided herein
are systems, methods, devices, components, and the like for portable power-
generating systems, such
as portable microreactor platforms for remote enterprises. Still yet
additionally, provided herein are
systems, methods, devices, components, and the like for production of maritime
fuels, such as
production of hydrogen and/or ammonia via a small nuclear reactor for maritime
fuels. Also, provided
herein are systems, methods, devices, components, and the like for propulsion
of large vessels, such
as propulsion of maritime vessels via small nuclear reactors. References to
"offshore" and "marine"
as used herein do not suggest proximity to a landmass. These and similar terms
used herein merely
facilitate distinguishing embodiments from, for example, land-based
deployments. Proximity to a
landmass is indicated in the description and/figures where it is relevant to
the understanding of the
embodiments herein. Further applying these and similar terms to a vessel,
structure, platform and the
like does not convey any requirement that the vessel, structure, platform and
the like be buoyant and
therefore floating. Therefore, as an example, an offshore vessel may be a
floating vessel; a marine
vessel may be moored to a structure or seabed and independent of an ability to
float unless context of
the corresponding embodiments indicate one or the other.
[0227] Power generating stations may be installed within or associated with
vessels or may be
emplaced. Vessels may be configured to be moved with power generating systems
(e.g., microreactors
in various configurations) remaining fixed to the vessel. Emplacements may be
configured to receive
the power generating station or reactor indefinitely to provide power to
installations or deployments.
[0228] In embodiments, vessel installations may be for stationary vessels
and/or for mobile vessels.
Mobile vessel installations may be configured to use at least a portion of the
power harvested from the
power generating system to provide propulsive power of the vessel containing
the power generating
system. For example, one or more power generating systems may be installed
within a commercial
shipping vessel to provide at least propulsive power to the commercial
shipping vessel.
[0229] In embodiments, stationary vessel installations may be configured to
receive power from the
power generating system and provide the received power to connected facilities
or equipment.
Stationary vessels may further be configured to be stationary during use and
include, for example,
offshore platforms (e.g., oil rigs), semi-submersible platforms, drilling
ships, crane ships, barge
platforms, etc. For example, one or more power generating systems may be
permanently or semi-
permanently installed within a semi-submersible platform to provide
operational power to the semi-
submersible platform. In embodiments, the power generating system remains
secured to the semi-
19
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
submersible platform when the semi-submersible platform is deballasted (e.g.,
during movement
between locations for deployment). The stationary installation may provide
dedicated power to the
buildings or grid or may provide supplementary power to the grids or buildings
(e.g., provide
additional electrical power to an existing grid). In some aspects, the power
generating system may be
configured to be deployed in multiple stationary installations at subsequent
times and may be
configured to provide propulsive force to move the power generating system to
and from subsequent
stationary installations.
[0230] References to nuclear reactor fuels and fuel types herein are not meant
to be limiting for use
by and with small nuclear reactors and the like. While not all fuel types may
be suitable for all
deployments and configurations described herein. Where such applicability
exists, a subset of fuel
types may be referenced. However, unless described otherwise, nuclear fuels
that are suitable for use
with a nuclear reactor should be considered to be included herein. Below are
examples of nuclear
fuels.
[0231] Oxide fuels: For fission reactors, the fuel (typically based on
uranium) is usually based on
metal oxide; the oxides are used rather than the metals themselves because the
oxide melting point is
much higher than that of the metal and because it cannot burn, being already
in the oxidized state.
Examples include: (i) UOX - Uranium Oxide; and (ii) MOX - Mixed Oxide.
[0232] Metal fuels: Metal fuels have the advantage of a much higher heat
conductivity than oxide
fuels but cannot survive equally high temperatures. Metal fuels have a long
history of use, stretching
from the Clementine reactor in 1946 to many test and research reactors. Metal
fuels have the potential
for the highest fissile atom density. Metal fuels are normally alloyed, but
some metal fuels have been
made with pure uranium metal. Uranium alloys that have been used include
uranium aluminum,
uranium zirconium, uranium silicon, uranium molybdenum, and uranium zirconium
hydride (UZrH).
Any of the aforementioned fuels can be made with plutonium and other actinides
as part of a closed
nuclear fuel cycle. Metal fuels have been used in water reactors and liquid
metal fast breeder reactors,
such as EBR-II. Exemplary metal-based fuels may include (i) TRIGA fuel; (ii)
Actinide fuel; (iii)
Molten plutonium.
[0233] Non-oxide ceramic fuels: Ceramic fuels other than oxides have the
advantage of high heat
conductivities and melting points, but they are more prone to swelling than
oxide fuels and are not
understood as well. Examples include (i) Uranium nitride and (ii) Uranium
carbide.
[0234] Liquid fuels: Liquid fuels are liquids containing dissolved nuclear
fuel and have been shown
to offer numerous operational advantages compared to traditional solid fuel
approaches. Liquid-fuel
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
reactors offer significant safety advantages due to their inherently stable
"self-adjusting" reactor
dynamics. This provides two major benefits: (1) virtually eliminating the
possibility of a run-away
reactor meltdown, (2) providing an automatic load-following capability which
is well suited to
electricity generation and high-temperature industrial heat applications.
Another major advantage of
the liquid core is its ability to be drained rapidly into a passively safe
dump-tank. This advantage was
conclusively demonstrated repeatedly as part of a weekly shutdown procedure
during the highly
successful 4-year Molten Salt Reactor Experiment. Another advantage of the
liquid core is its ability
to release xenon gas which normally acts as a neutron absorber and causes
structural occlusions in
solid fuel elements (leading to the early replacement of solid fuel rods with
over 98% of the nuclear
fuel unburned, including many long-lived actinides). In contrast, Molten Salt
Reactors (MSR) are
capable of retaining the fuel mixture for significantly extended periods,
which not only increases fuel
efficiency dramatically but also incinerates the vast majority of its own
waste as part of the normal
operational characteristics. Examples include (i) Molten salts, and (ii)
Aqueous solutions of uranyl
salts.
[0235] Common physical forms of nuclear fuel: Uranium dioxide (UO2) powder is
compacted to
cylindrical pellets and sintered at high temperatures to produce ceramic
nuclear fuel pellets with a high
density and well-defined physical properties and chemical composition. A
grinding process is used to
achieve a uniform cylindrical geometry with narrow tolerances. Such fuel
pellets are then stacked and
filled into the metallic tubes. The metal used for the tubes depends on the
design of the reactor.
Stainless steel was used in the past, but most reactors now use a zirconium
alloy which, in addition to
being highly corrosion-resistant, has low neutron absorption. The tubes
containing the fuel pellets are
sealed: these tubes are called fuel rods. The finished fuel rods are grouped
into fuel assemblies that
are used to build up the core of a power reactor. Cladding is the outer layer
of the fuel rods, standing
between the coolant and the nuclear fuel. It is made of a corrosion-resistant
material with low
absorption cross-section for thermal neutrons, usually Zircaloy or steel in
modern constructions, or
magnesium with a small amount of aluminum and other metals for the now-
obsolete Magnox reactors.
Cladding prevents radioactive fission fragments from escaping the fuel into
the coolant and
contaminating it.
[0236] Other common forms of nuclear fuel include (i) Pressurized Water
Reactor (PWR) fuel, (ii)
Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) fuel; and (iii) CANDU fuel.
[0237] Less-common fuel forms: Various other nuclear fuel forms find use in
specific applications but
lack the widespread use of those found in BWRs, PWRs, and CANDU power plants.
Many of these
21
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
fuel forms are only found in research reactors or have military applications
and may include Magnox
(magnesium non-oxidizing) fuel.
[0238] TRISO fuel: Generally, TRISO fuel consists of a fuel kernel composed of
UOX (sometimes
UC or UCO) in the center (in case of an eVinciTM reactor it is HALEU), coated
with multiple layers
of three isotropic materials deposited through chemical vapor deposition
(FCVD). The four layers are
a porous outer layer made of carbon that absorbs fission product recoils,
followed by a dense inner
layer of protective pyrolytic carbon (PyC), followed by a ceramic layer of SiC
to retain fission products
at elevated temperatures and to give the TRISO particle more structural
integrity, followed by a dense
outer layer of PyC. TRISO particles are then encapsulated into cylindrical or
spherical graphite pellets.
TRISO fuel particles are designed not to crack due to the stresses from
processes (such as differential
thermal expansion or fission gas pressure) at temperatures up to 1600 C, and
therefore can contain
the fuel in the worst of accident scenarios in a properly designed reactor.
[0239] Two such reactor designs are (i) the prismatic-block gas-cooled reactor
(such as the GT-MHR)
and (ii) the pebble-bed reactor (PBR). Both of these reactor designs are high
temperature gas reactors
(HTGRs). These are also the basic reactor designs of very-high-temperature
reactors (VHTRs), one of
the six classes of reactor designs in the Generation IV initiative that is
attempting to reach even higher
HTGR outlet temperatures.
[0240] TRISO fuel particles were originally developed in the United Kingdom as
part of the Dragon
reactor project. Currently, TRISO fuel compacts are being used in the
experimental reactors, the HTR-
10 in China, and the High-temperature engineering test reactor in Japan. Fuels
similar to TRISO may
include (i) QUADRISO fuel; (ii) RBMK fuel; (iii) CerMet fuel; and (iv) Plate-
type fuel.
[0241] Sodium-bonded fuel: Sodium-bonded fuel is actively developed and
consists of fuel that has
liquid sodium in the gap between the fuel slug (or pellet) and the cladding.
This fuel type is often used
for sodium-cooled liquid metal fast reactors. It has been used in EBR-I, EBR-
II, and the FFTF. The
fuel slug may be metallic or ceramic. The sodium bonding is used to reduce the
temperature of the
fuel.
[0242] Accident tolerant fuels: Accident tolerant fuels (ATF) are a series of
new nuclear fuel concepts,
researched in order to improve fuel performance under accident conditions,
such as loss-of-coolant
accident (LOCA) or reaction-initiated accidents (RIA). These concerns became
more prominent after
the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan, in particular regarding light-
water reactor (LWR)
fuels performance under accident conditions. The aim of the research is to
develop nuclear fuels that
can tolerate loss of active cooling for a considerably longer period than the
existing fuel designs and
22
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
prevent or delay the release of radionuclides during an accident. This
research is focused on
reconsidering the design of fuel pellets and cladding, as well as the
interactions between the two.
ATF's are active R&D projects.
[0243] Fusion fuels: Fusion fuels include deuterium (2H) and tritium (3H) as
well as helium-3 (3He).
In embodiments, marine deployment of fusion reactors could be constructed to
be similar to fission
type reactors. Many other elements can be fused together, but the larger
electrical charge of their nuclei
means that much higher temperatures are required. Only the fusion of the
lightest elements is seriously
considered as a future energy source. Fusion of the lightest atom, 1H
hydrogen, as is done in the Sun
and other stars, has also not been considered practical on Earth. Although the
energy density of fusion
fuel is even higher than fission fuel, and fusion reactions sustained for a
few minutes have been
achieved, utilizing fusion fuel as a net energy source remains only a
theoretical possibility as of this
writing.
I. Rapid Establishment of Offshore Nuclear Power Platforms using pilings
[0244] FIGS. 1-41 illustrate some embodiments of methods and systems for the
flexible, rapid
installation of premanufactured nuclear plants (PNPs), for example, including
small modular reactors
(SMRs) by using staged pilings to establish one or more base structures upon
the sea floor and then
affixing one or more modules containing a nuclear reactor or ancillary
facilities to the one or more
base structures. SMRs may optionally be powered by low-enrichment uranium,
such as HALEU, oxide
fuels, non-oxide ceramic fuels, liquid fuels, and the like. In embodiments,
PNPs may utilize and/or
integrate multiple SMRs that use differing fuel types, such as a HALEU SMR and
a non-oxide ceramic
fuel SMR. As an example, a PNP may utilize a high output SMR (e.g., 170MWe) as
well as a lower
output SMR for backup, emergency, or isolated power distribution purposes and
the like. Unless
context dictates otherwise, the terms "premanufactured nuclear plant" and
"prefabricated nuclear
plant" may be interchangeable with the term "offshore nuclear plant" (ONP) as
used, for example, in
PCT Application Ser. No. PCT/U519/23724 (published as WO 2019/183575) claiming
the benefit of
U.S. Provisional Pat. App. Ser. No. 62/646,614, the entire content of each is
hereby incorporated by
reference.
A. Installation
1. First stage ¨ Drive temporary pilings into seabed
[0245] FIG. 1 shows schematically a first stage 100 of an installation
procedure according to
illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure, where two rows of aligned
pilings (e.g., pile or
piling 104) are arranged, an additional pile or piling 106 being in process of
being forced into the
23
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
seabed 108 with a piling barge 110 with a crane 112 and a pile driving device
114 suspended from the
crane 112. It is noted that the term "seabed" as used herein is intended to
encompass any bed for any
body of water and should not be understood to limit the present disclosure. In
embodiments, pilings
are of steel or reinforced concrete and are driven to an approximate common
depth 116 whose value
depends on pile and seafloor physical characteristics and anticipated force
loads. During this stage
100, the barge 110 may be moored with conventional seabed anchors and mooring
lines. Numbers,
sizes, and arrangements of pilings depicted in all figures herein are
illustrative only; various
embodiments depart from depicted embodiments in these and other respects.
2. Second stage ¨ tow base into pilings and install
[0246] FIG. 2 shows schematically a second stage 200 of the installation
procedure of FIG. 1. In FIG.
2, a base structure 202 is being towed into position between the two rows of
aligned temporary pilings
104, 106 by a towing vessel 204 and a pair of towing lines 206. The base
structure 202, whose structure
shall be further clarified with reference to FIG. 3, is provided with two
outwards-projecting
cantilevered ledges 208, 208' that extend outwards from the top of the base
structure 202 along two
parallel top sides thereof, each ledge 208, 208' being configured to rest atop
a corresponding row of
pilings 104, 106. The ledges 208, 208' are provided with strong points (e.g.,
strong point 210), each
shaped (e.g., as a downward-facing socket) so as to rest securely atop a
piling 104, 106 and collectively
able to sustain the weight of the base structure 202 as well as other
anticipated loads, forces, and
bending moments that might impinge on the strong points (arising, e.g., from
wave action upon the
base structure 202), at least during the installation stage of the base
structure 202 until the base
structure 202 is more securely piled to the seabed 368. In the state or stage
of installation depicted in
FIG. 2, the base structure 202 is not yet aligned with the pilings 104, 106
upon which it is intended to
rest; moreover, the volumetric displacement of the base structure 202 is such
that the ledges 208, 208'
and their strong points ride above the tops of the pilings 104, 106,
notwithstanding vertical
displacements due to wave action during acceptable sea conditions for
performing the installation
stage 200. Also, various portions of the seabed base structure 202 are
provided with buoyancy devices,
where such buoyancy mechanisms may be in the form of floodable tanks and
compaiiments. Thus,
the seabed base structure 202 may be towed into place above the pilings
intended to support it, then
ballasted down upon the pilings by, e.g., allowing water to enter buoyancy
compaiiments. Thereafter,
strong points may be affixed securely and reversibly to pilings 104, 106
(e.g., by transverse thole pins)
to prevent untoward motion of the base structure 202.
24
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
i. Seabed base structure description
[0247] The seabed base structure 202 also includes an inwards-projecting beam
framework or
structure 212, also conceivable as a perforated horizontal platform, and
upwards-extending wall
structures 214, 214', 214" arranged along three sides of the periphery of the
base structure 202. The
wall structures 214, 214', 214", together with the beam structure 212 and
ledges 208, 208', together
constitute the bulk of the seabed base structure 202. The longitudinal and
transverse beams of the
illustrative beam structure 212 form open rectangular compaiiments; these
compaiiments may be
closed at their lower ends by a nether slab or the compaiiments may be open
downwards. The upper
edges of said longitudinal and transverse beams or walls are typically
submerged when the seabed
base structure 202 is resting atop the pilings, and thus may serve as a
supporting, strengthening
structure for a module (e.g., a reactor module, such as a micro-MPS, SRM-MPS
and the like) that can
be docked in the seabed base structure 202, e.g., floated between the upwards-
extending wall structures
214, 214', 214" and over the submerged beam structure 212, then ballasted down
to rest on the upper
surface of the beam structure 212.
ii. Seabed base structure functionality and Piling connection points
[0248] The seabed base structure 202 is intended to be placed on or just above
the seabed 368,
supported and affixed by a number of permanent pilings (not shown in FIG. 2)
driven through the
beam structure 212 as the latter is held in position by the temporary pilings
portrayed in FIG. 2. The
base structure 202 may rest on the seabed, fixed thereto by said permanent
pilings. As clarified in FIG.
3, there are perforations in the beam structure 212 for receipt of permanent
pilings, intended to be
driven into the seabed. Also, in various embodiments, the upward extending
wall structures 214, 214',
214" have perforations or ducts/sleeves that accommodate optional and/or
additional pilings. The
ducts and accessories for receiving the pilings are described in International
Pat. App.
PCT/N02015/050156 (International PCT Pat. App. Publication No. WO
2016/085347), which hereby
is incorporated in its entirety by reference.
iii. Seabed base structure description with temporary and permanent pilings
[0249] FIG. 3 shows schematically in perspective, as seen from below, the
illustrative seabed base
structure 202 of FIG. 2. As shown, the lower sides of the cantilevered ledges
208, 208' are provided
with strong points (e.g., strong point 302) that are configured, designed and
dimensioned to receive
the upper ends of the temporary pilings depicted in FIG. 2 which will support
the seabed base structure
202 at least until a sufficient number of permanent pilings are provided. For
example, strong point 302
is provided with an aperture 304 for accommodating the upper portion of a
temporary piling. As also
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
shown in FIG. 3, the upwards projecting walls 214, 214" (wall 214' of FIG. 2
is not visible in the
view of FIG. 3) are interconnected by a beam structure 212 whose beams forming
upwards open cells
without a top or a bottom slab. The beam structure 212 is configured to
support a module that may be
floated into position and deballasted to rest upon the upper surface of the
beam structure 212. Channels
or apertures (e.g., aperture 306) are provided in the beams of the beam
structure 212 to accommodate
permanent pilings. In a typical installation procedure, the piling apertures
306 in the beam structure
212 pass completely through the beam structure 212 and allow permanent pilings
to be driven from
above, through the beam structure 212, and into the seafloor. In typical
embodiments, the number of
permanent pilings will be greater than the number of temporary pilings, as the
permanent pilings must
support not only the weight of the seabed base structure 202 but also that of
a module (e.g., reactor
module) installed thereupon, and must enable the combined structure to
withstand all plausible force
loads (from, e.g., hurricane winds, rogue waves, tsunamis) with an acceptable
margin of safety. In
various embodiments, apertures for permanent pilings are also provided in the
cantilevered ledges 208,
208', enabling a greater number of permanent pilings to be employed than could
be accommodated by
the beam structure 212 alone. Of note, "temporary" pilings are not necessarily
removed upon the
installation of permanent pilings, but are in some embodiments allowed to
remain; they are termed
"temporary" herein because the reliance of the seabed base structure upon them
for stability is
temporary, being superseded for the most part by reliance upon the permanent
pilings.
iv. Substage ¨ Permanent piling installation
[0250] FIG. 4 shows schematically in perspective the seabed base structure 202
of FIG. 2 and FIG. 3
positioned and supported by temporary pilings (e.g., piling 402) that are in
an aligned position along
at least both sides of the base structure 202. A portion of the water surface
404 is depicted. Permanent
pilings may now be installed by driving the pilings vertically through the
apertures or ducts of the
beam structure 212 down into the seabed sufficient depth for stably supporting
the base structure 202
and its future loads. Once driven, pilings may be affixed to the seabed base
structure 202 by various
mechanisms, e.g., thole pins, notched insteps, or the like. The base structure
202 may thus be
permanently fixed to the seabed by permanent pilings while the base structure
202 is stably held in
position and supported by the rows of temporary pilings. The number of
temporary and permanent
pilings used and their position, diameter, and length depend on the weight to
be supported and on the
seabed soil condition. An advantage of embodiments of the present disclosure
is that the seabed base
structure 202, constituting a support for one or more floatable modules, such
as a reactor module
according to the present disclosure, can not only be installed offshore or
nearshore but can also be
26
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
detached from its pilings, floated off them, and be moved to a new location or
replaced by another
seabed base structure. An additional advantage of a seabed structure is that
it provides a landmass-
based anchoring for the reactor module. This may facilitate, such as for
regulatory purview,
recognition of the reactor as a fixed to the land deployment even though it is
disposed offshore. This
may be similar to onshore near-sea level construction that places a structure,
such as a home or office
building, on a set of pilings to permit tidal flows there under without
impacting the home or office
building.
v. Two base structures ¨ First with reactor and second with power conversion
module (e.g., receives heat and converts to energy)
[0251] FIG. 5 shows schematically an illustrative installation 500 including
two seabed base structures
502, 504 that have been installed upon a seabed 506 by a number of permanent
pilings (e.g., piling
508) driven through the beam structures 510, 512 of the two base structures
502, 504. In an example,
the first base structure 510 is intended to accommodate a reactor module and
the second base structure
is intended to accommodate a power conversion module including turbines and
generators. Some
features, including strong points and temporary pilings, have been omitted for
clarity.
vi. Single square of modular base
[0252] FIG. 6 shows schematically portions of an illustrative seabed base
structure 600, including the
beam structure 602, of illustrative embodiments similar to that of FIG. 2. The
base structure 600 is
founded upon the seabed with a number of permanent pilings, e.g., piling 604.
Moreover, the base
structure 602 has been prepared for receipt of a module (e.g., a reactor
module) by the installation of
a number of architectural seismic isolators (e.g., isolator 606), here
represented in simplified schematic
form as buttonlike objects. Seismic isolators similar to those already
employed in some architectural
settings are contemplated. Once a nuclear power module is floated into place
above the beam structure
602, it may be ballasted down upon the isolators and affixed thereto.
Alternatively, or additionally,
seismic isolators may be placed between the upper ends of the pilings and
their points of contact with
the beam structure 602.
vii. Walls can include removable sheets to reduce imparted forces from wave
action
prior to full installation
[0253] FIG. 7 shows schematically portions of an illustrative seabed base
structure 700, including the
beam structure 702, of illustrative embodiments. The base structure 700 is
founded upon the seabed
by a number of permanent pilings, e.g., piling 704, and includes three upwards
projecting walls 706,
708, 710 that together approximate an artificial harbor open on side. In the
illustrative structure 700,
27
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
the walls are of relatively great height and aerial extent; this may enable
wind or wave to exert
excessive forces upon the structure 700, e.g., prior to installation of
permanent pilings and/or prior to
installation of one or more modules (e.g., a nuclear power module) upon the
beam structure 702,
whereupon the one or more modules, by their relatively great mass, will tend
to stabilize the
installation against environmental forces. To reduce such forces to an
acceptable range, the vertical
walls 706, 708, 710 are in this example equipped with a number of slotted bays
or cutouts (e.g., bay
712) some or all of which are, in an initial state of the structure 700, open
to passage of wind and
wave. After installation of permanent pilings and/or one or more modules, the
slotted cutouts are filled
by the insertion from above of fitted sheets (e.g., sheet 714, shown in a
state of partial insertion), which
then defend the interior of the seabed base structure 700 from the lateral
action of wind and wave.
viii. Another Stage ¨ Floating reactor module arrives.
[0254] FIG. 8A depicts schematically aspects of a stage in the assembly of
illustrative embodiments
at 800. In FIG. 8A, only the portions of objects that rise above the waterline
are depicted. A floating
module (e.g., an aircraft impact protection structure or reactor module) 802
is in the process of being
towed or propelled toward the artificial harbor 804 proffered by a seabed base
structure 806 that is
similar to those shown in FIGS. 8B and 8C and is founded upon the seabed by a
number of permanent
pilings. The module 802 may be sized and shaped to occupy some or all of the
harbor 804 and floats
at a level that permits entry into the harbor 804 with at least slight
clearance above the upper surface
of the beam structure of the seabed base structure 806.
ix. Another Stage ¨ Floating module moved through open side of artificial
harbor
[0255] FIG. 8B depicts schematically another stage in the assembly of the
illustrative embodiments at
800 of FIG. 8A. In FIG. 8B, the module 802 is in the process of being floated
into the harbor 804
proffered by the seabed base structure 806.
3. Third Stage ¨ Module installed into artificial harbor and ballasted.
[0256] FIG. 8C depicts schematically a third stage in the assembly of the
illustrative embodiments at
800 of FIG. 8A. In FIG. 8C, the module 802 has been fully inserted into the
harbor proffered by the
seabed base structure 806. In further stages of installation of the module
802, it is ballasted down upon
the beam structure of the base structure 806, e.g., by allowing water to enter
internal chambers, coming
to rest upon seismic isolators or other force-transmitting supports. In
another example of ballasting
method, the module 802 is ballasted by externally attached pontoons or floats,
which may be detached
in sections and/or emptied and filled with water by pumps, changing their
specific gravity and raising
28
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
or lowering the module 802 in a controlled manner. Such external ballasting
methods are also used, in
various embodiments, for raising and lowering seabed base structures.
B. Installed structures
1. Aircraft-impact shield
[0257] FIG. 9 depicts schematically portions of an illustrative installation
900 according to
embodiments. The installation 900 includes a seabed base structure 902 that is
founded upon the
seabed with a number of permanent pilings, e.g., piling 904. It also includes
a module 906 that has
been installed within the seabed base structure 902 as, for example, by a
process similar to that
illustrated in FIGS. 8A-8C. In the illustrative installation 900, the module
906 is an aircraft impact
shield, e.g., a large box of reinforced concrete. In various embodiments, the
aircraft impact shield
includes concrete, steel, composite materials, rock or earth, ice, solid foam,
and various other materials
arranged in layers, ribs, blocks, mixtures, or other configurations that
enhance the shield's ability to
absorb or deflect the effects of impact by an aircraft, missile, projectile,
explosion, or other threat to
nuclear plant integrity. The module 906 having been installed, a sliding,
hinged, or otherwise
.. moveable doorway 908 of the module 906 facing toward the open side of the
base structure 902 may
be opened, as depicted in FIG. 9. As hinged movement of a massive structure
requires massive hinge
hardware, in various embodiments, the door or portions thereof are lifted into
and out of place by a
crane, slid sideways as guided by tracks or grooves, or slid up or down
vertically as guided by tracks,
towers, or grooves. Also, in various embodiments, the door or portions thereof
are omitted. As shall
be shown in FIG. 10, an additional floatable module may then be installed
within the shield module
906 and the opening closed behind the additional module to complete aircraft-
impact coverage.
Alternatively, the opening of the module may be wholly or partly closed and
opened by the attachment
and detachment of a set of panels rather than the operation of a single door
panel. Also, additional
permanent and/or openable and closeable openings and perforations in any or
all of the side surfaces
of the rectangular-solid-shaped module 906 are included with various
embodiments. Also, in various
embodiments, the aircraft impact shield module 906 is shaped otherwise than as
depicted in FIG. 9
(e.g., with an arched top), or is delivered to the base structure 902 in two
or more floatable portions.
These and other variations on the installation 900 and other installations
depicted herein, and on the
methods of assembly of such installations depicted and discussed, are
contemplated and within the
scope of the present disclosure.
29
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
i. Floatable reactor module installed within the aircraft-impact shield
[0258] FIG. 10 shows schematically and in cutaway view portions of an
illustrative installation 1000
according to embodiments. The installation 1000 includes a seabed base
structure 1002 that is founded
upon the seabed with a number of permanent pilings, e.g., piling 1004. It also
includes an aircraft
impact shield module 1006 that has been installed within the seabed base
structure 1002, as depicted
in FIG. 9. Also, an opening at an unobstructed end of the base structure 1002
is open in the state
depicted in FIG. 10 and a floatable reactor module 1008 is approaching the
opening. The reactor
module includes an SMR 1010 and additional facilities for the extraction of
heat energy from the SMR
1010. The floatable reactor module 1008 is preferably inserted wholly within
the aircraft impact shield
module 1006, after which the opening by which the reactor module 1008 entered
is sealed by a section
of the shield. In various embodiments, the interior of the aircraft shield
1006 is partly flooded during
an installation of the reactor module 1008, enabling the reactor module 1008
to be floated within the
shield 1006 and then ballasted down, after which the entry to the shield 1006
is at least partly blocked
and its interior pumped out. Note, given the large mass of a typical reactor
module or other modules,
the draft of a typical module may be significantly deeper than that depicted
or implied by schematic
Figures herein.
2. Two-base-structure installation
[0259] FIG. 11 schematically depicts portions of an illustrative nuclear power
generation station 1100
according to embodiments. The station 1100 includes two seabed base structures
1102, 1104
supporting two modules 1106, 1108, where one module 1106 is a reactor module
and the other module
1108 is a power conversion module. Because the modules 1102, 1104 are close to
each other, it is
straightforward to bridge the gap between them to convey steam from the
reactor module 1106 to the
power module 1108, condensate and electrical power from the power module 1108
back to the reactor
module 1106, and communications, control signals, and human and mechanical
traffic in both
directions.
I. Cross-section of two-base-structure installation
[0260] FIG. 13 depicts cross-sectionally and schematically portions of an
illustrative nuclear power
generating station 1300 that incorporates a version of the emergency cooling
method. Station 1300
includes a reactor module 1302 and a power conversion module 1304, each
founded upon the seabed
.. 1306 by a seabed base structure 1308, 1310 and a number of permanent
pilings (e.g., piling 1312).
The two modules 1302, 1304 are close enough to each other so that bridge
connections (e.g., bridge
connection 1314) can convey steam, condensate, power, and other flows between
them. The reactor
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
module 1302 creates high-pressure steam that is conveyed via a bridge
connection to the power
conversion module 1304, which includes one or more turbines and generators,
condensers, coolant
pumps for the condensers, and other power-conversion machinery. The reactor
module 1302 includes
an SMR housed in a reactor pressure vessel 1316; the reactor vessel 1316 is in
turn housed within a
.. containment 1318 of the pressure-suppression type (indicated by a heavy
black rectangle). That is, the
reactor pressure vessel 1316 is surrounded, within the containment 1318, by a
dry (air-filled volume)
and a wet (water-containing) volume or pressure-suppression pool 1320. In the
event of a loss of
coolant accident that produce fuel-element damage in the reactor core and high-
pressure steam release
from the reactor vessel 1316, the released steam encounters the much greater
mass of the water of the
.. pool 1320 and is condensed, raising the temperature of the pool but
mitigating pressure rise in the
containment, with the ultimate goal of preventing environmental release of
radioactive material from
the reactor. Additional water in tanks (e.g., tank 1322) housed within the
containment can be released
under gravity feed to supply coolant to the interior of the reactor. In an
example, the containment has
walls of reinforced concrete 1.2 meters thick with an 8 mm steel inner liner.
ii. Top down view of two-base-structure installation
[0261] FIG. 14 schematically portrays portions of the system 1300 of FIG. 13
in top-down view
(horizontal cross-section). The reactor vessel 1316 is contained, along with
pressure-suppression
mechanisms, inside the containment vessel 1318. Lines 1314 conducts steam from
the reactor vessel
1316 to components in the power conversion module 1304 and condensate in the
opposite direction.
.. A pipe detour coupler 1402 provides for acceptable flexure of the high-
pressure steam/condensate
lines 1314 in case of seismic, weather-driven, or other displacements of the
reactor module 1302 or
other portions of the system 1300.
3. Cooling tower installed on pilings
[0262] FIG. 12 schematically depicts portions of an illustrative nuclear power
generation station 1200
.. according to embodiments. The station 1200 includes two seabed base
structures 1202, 1204
supporting two modules 1206, 1208, where one module 1206 is a reactor module
and the other 1208
is a power conversion module. The station 1200 also includes a cooling tower
1210 (also referred to
generally as a cooling module) that is stationed upon a number of seabed
pilings similar to those
supporting the modules 1206, 1208. The illustrative cooling tower 1210 could
be constructed in situ
.. but is preferably constructed elsewhere and floated to the site of the
station 1200. A prefabricated
cooling tower 1210 can be transported to a prepared set of pilings and
installed upon pilings using a
variety of techniques; in an example, a cooling tower 1210 could be floated
upon a temporary ring-
31
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
shaped barge including two C-shaped major sections from its place of
manufacture to a position above
the pilings, then ballasted down upon the pilings. After ballasting down, the
ring-shaped barge would
surround the pilings, whereupon its two C-shaped portions could be detached
from each other, towed
away from the pilings, deballasted for towage, and preferably re-used. Other
methods of installation
of a cooling tower module 1210 are also contemplated for various embodiments:
in another example,
a cooling tower is installed atop a floatable rectangular module similar to
the reactor and power
modules 1206, 1208 and is docked into a seabed base structure using a
procedure similar to that
depicted in FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C.
4. Integral Reactor ¨ Steam generators within the reactor vessel
[0263] Mention is now made of an illustrative passive cooling method that is
contemplated for a
number of embodiments including SMRs. The method is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
6,795,518 B1
(hereinafter "U.S. 6,795,518 Bl"), "Integral PWR with Diverse Emergency
Cooling and Method of
Operating Same," the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its
entirety by reference. Herein,
an "integral" reactor is one whose steam generators are enclosed in the
reactor vessel. In the
methodology, passive emergency cooling in response to a loss of coolant
accident in a pressurized
water reactor having an integral reactor pressure vessel incorporating the
steam generators and housed
in a small high-pressure containment vessel is provided by circulating cooling
water through the steam
generators and heat exchangers in an external tank to cool the reactor vessel,
limiting the pressure in
the containment and preferably lowering the pressure in the reactor vessel
below that in the
containment to induce coolant flow into the reactor vessel and so keep the
reactor core covered with
water without the addition of makeup water. Water-containing suppression tanks
inside the small high-
pressure containment structure limit peak blowdown pressure in the
containment. Gravity-fed makeup
water can also be supplied from tanks to cool the core. The passive cooling
methods of U.S. 6,795,518
B1 can be preferred, but not required, for embodiments of the present
disclosure. Integral reactors may
utilize low enriched uranium, such as HALEU and the like.
C. SMR descriptions
[0264] Next, a number of Figures depict illustrative embodiments including
SMRs of various designs.
These Figures illustrate the feasibility of accommodating a wide variety of
SMR designs in
embodiments of the present disclosure, including designs not yet extant, and
are in no way restrictive
of the SMRs or other nuclear reactor types or classes contemplated for
inclusion in embodiments of
the present disclosure.
32
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
1. CAREM
[0265] Mention is now made of the CAREM (Spanish: Central Argentina de
Elementos Modulares)
reactor, which is illustrative of a class of SMRs that is contemplated for
inclusion in a number of
embodiments, e.g., some embodiments incorporating the passive cooling system
described with
reference to FIG. 13 and FIG. 14. The CAREM reactor is an approximately
cylindrical integral SMR
with 12 symmetrically arranged steam generators inside the reactor vessel.
Side view of CAREM
[0266] FIG. 15 is a schematic side-view depiction of portions of an
illustrative CAREM reactor 1500
including portions of its passive cooling system, showing the reactor vessel
1502, the weight-bearing
mounting skirt 1504, a number of steam circulation lines (e.g., line 1506), a
steam manifold 1508 with
which at least some of the steam circulation lines are in fluid communication,
and steam lines 1510 in
fluid communication with a power generation module. In embodiments, coolant
condensate lines may
return from the power generation module to the 12 steam generators within the
reactor vessel 1502.
H. Top view of CAREM
[0267] FIG. 16 is a schematic top-down depiction of portions of the
illustrative CAREM reactor 1500
of FIG. 15. Twelve steam lines (e.g., line 1506) are arranged radially around
the reactor vessel 1502,
corresponding to 12 integral steam generators inside the vessel 1502. Six of
the steam lines
communicate with a first circular manifold 1602 and the other six lines
communicate with a second
circular manifold 1604. The manifolds 1602, 1604 communicate via additional
lines 1606, 1608 with
turbines of a power plant module. In embodiments, coolant condensate lines may
return from the
power generation module to the 12 steam generators within the reactor vessel
1502.
Hi. CAREM with Second Shutdown System
[0268] FIG. 17 is a schematic perspective depiction of portions of the
illustrative CAREM reactor
1500 of FIG. 15, including portions of an emergency cooling system termed the
Second Shutdown
System (SSS). In this view, two circular steam manifolds 1602, 1604 are
visible. The SSS includes
two tanks 1702, 1704 containing borated water, with gravity-feed pipes 1706,
1708 that can supply
water to the reactor vessel 1502 without active pumping and pipes 1710, 1712
for return of heated
coolant to the tanks 1702, 1704. In embodiments, coolant condensate lines may
return from the power
generation module to the 12 steam generators within the reactor vessel 1502. A
flexure relief bow
1714 communicates with one manifold 1602 via steam pipe 1606 and with the
other manifold 1604
via steam pipe 1608. The flexure relief bow 1714 allows for the accommodation
of a greater degree
of non-damaging lateral movement of the system 1500 or components thereof,
relative to other
33
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
components (e.g., a power generation module), as well as of thermal expansion
and contraction. The
two pipes 1606, 1608 merge on the distal side of the flexure relief bow 1714
to form a single pipe
1716 in fluid communication with a power generation module. In an example, the
two tanks 1702,
1704 of the SSS each contain ¨1 m3 of borated water which can be dropped into
the reactor pressure
vessel 1502 under the action of gravity in less than 35 minutes. The water
acts both as a coolant and
as a vehicle for boron, typically used to extinguish nuclear chain reactions.
Either tank 1702, 1704
suffices to produce complete extinction of the nuclear chain reaction in the
reactor.
a. x-section of CAREM and shutdown systems
[0269] FIG. 18 depicts in vertical, cross-sectional, schematic form portions
of an illustrative nuclear
module 1800 including a CAREM-type nuclear reactor 1802 according to
embodiments. FIG. 18
particularly highlights illustrative safety features included with the reactor
1802, which are safety
systems designed on the basis of simplicity and reliability and are mainly of
the passive type, since
these do not need any external power or fluid inputs to operate and thus
reduce the number of possible
failure modes. Illustrative forms of some safety systems included with the
module 1800 in various
embodiments may include, for example, a first shutdown system (FSS) 1804 (in
examples,
alternatively referred to as a fast shutdown system), a second shutdown system
(SSS) 1806 (in
examples, alternatively referred to as a passive shutdown system), pressure
relief valves (PRV), a
passive decay heat removal system (PHRS) 1810, an emergency injection system
(EIS) 1812, a
containment system, combinations thereof, and the like.
b. Fast Shutdown System
[0270] The fast shutdown system 1804 provides, for example, absorbing elements
that can be
introduced to the core to produce substantially immediate extinction of the
nuclear chain reaction.
Each absorbing element within the reactor 1802 may be made of, for example, a
set of Ag-In-Cd
absorbing rods that move as a single unit. In examples, the FSS has 25
absorbing elements that can be
dropped into the core by the action of gravity to produce immediate extinction
of the nuclear chain
reaction therein.
c. Second Shutdown System
[0271] The second shutdown system (SSS) 1806, portions of which have been
depicted in FIG. 17,
provides, for example, gravity-pressurized emergency boron injection. In
examples, when the SSS is
triggered, the storage tanks (e.g., two tanks, each with about 1 m3 capacity)
release borated water into
the pressure vessel of reactor 1802 by the action of gravity, for example, in
less than about 35 minutes.
Although the SSS is a backup for the FSS, each tank may be able to produce the
complete extinction
34
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
of the reactor without additional elements (e.g., a single tank is able to
stop the chain reaction while
additional tanks are included to provide a desired level of redundancy). As an
example, only one SSS
tank is depicted in FIG. 18.
d. Pressure Relief Valves
[0272] The pressure relief valves (PRV), e.g., valve 1808, are in fluid
communication with the
pressure vessel of the reactor 1802 and are actuated in response to sensing a
pressure greater than a
predetermined threshold. Each pressure relief valve may be, for example, in-
line with a pipe of the
SSS 1806 that is in fluid communication with the pressure vessel of the
reactor 1802. The pressure
relief valves 1808 may be constructed to open in an active manner (e.g.,
electronic actuation), a passive
manner (e.g., mechanical actuation in response to predetermined physical
conditions), or both active
and passive manners. For example, the pressure relief valves 1808 may be
commanded to open by a
control system, may be actuated in response to a temperature difference
between the interior and
exterior of the valve surpassing a certain threshold, or under either
condition. Each pressure relief
valve 1808 may be separately capable of passing sufficient coolant flow and
thus pressure relief to
protect the mechanical integrity of the reactor 1802 pressure vessel against
overpressure arising from,
for example, imbalance between power generated in the core and power extracted
from the core by
the heat-removal system (steam circulation system). The pressure relief valves
may remain in the open
position until being replaced or manually reset or may automatically return to
the closed position upon
the pressure falling below the predetermined threshold.
e. Passive Decay heat removal
[0273] The passive decay heat removal system (PHRS) 1810 is a heat-removal
device designed to
reduce the pressure on the primary coolant system and to remove radioactive
decay heat in response
to a loss-of-heat-sink accident by condensing steam from the primary system in
emergency
condensers. The emergency condensers of the PHRS 1810 are heat exchangers
consisting of an
arrangement of parallel horizontal U tubes between two common headers. The top
header is connected
to the steam dome of reactor 1802 and the lower header is connected to the
reactor 1802 at a position
below the water level (e.g., at the bottom). Features of the PHRS 1810 are
described as follows, though
not all are separately and particularly depicted in FIG. 18: The condensers
are located in a pool filled
with cold water inside the containment building and are, in a non-triggered
state, cold and filled with
water. The inlet valves in the PHRS steam line (from the top of the reactor
1802) are always open,
while the outlet valves are normally closed. When the PHRS 1810 is triggered,
the outlet valves open
automatically. The water drains from the tubes and steam from the primary
system enters the tube
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
bundles and condenses on the cold inner surfaces of the PHRS' s tubes. The
resulting condensate
returns to the reactor 1802, closing a natural circulation circuit. During the
condensation process, heat
is transferred from the condenser tubes to the water of the pool. Evaporated
pool water is then
condensed in the suppression pool of the containment (to be described further
herein).
f. Emergency Injection System
[0274] The emergency injection system (EIS), e.g., low-pressure EIS 1812,
prevents core exposure in
case of a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA). In response to the LOCA, the
primary system is
depressurized and, given participation of the passive heat removal system
and/or the boron injection
system, pressure inside the reactor 1802 goes down to less than 1.5 MPa with
the core fully covered.
At 1.5 MPa, the low-pressure EIS 1812 comes into operation. The system
consists of two borated
water tanks connected to the pressure relief valves. In the event of a LOCA,
tank pressure of 2.8 MPa
produces the breakup of a 1.5 MPa pressure seal, flooding the pressure vessel
of the reactor 1802. In
examples, the emergency injection system provides 36 hours of protection to
the core.
g. Containment System
[0275] The containment system is, for example, a pressure-suppression type
containment system. The
containment system includes, for example, a sealed containment structure 1814
(indicated by heavy
black rectangle) surrounding the reactor 1802 that includes both a dry
enclosed volume (e.g., an air-
filled volume) and a wet enclosed volume (e.g., a water-filled volume). In the
illustrated embodiment,
the wet enclosed volume is a pressure suppression pool (PSP) 1816, indicated
by the stippled area of
the illustration. Leaks in the primary system increase pressure within the dry
volume. The rise in
pressure of the dry volume forces vapor into the PSP 1816. The vapor
introduced into the PSP 1816
is condensed to thereby increase the temperature in the PSP 1816. In case of a
LOCA with fuel element
damage, a high portion of fission products are retained in the PSP 1816, which
in an example can be
built with 1.2 m thick walls made of reinforced concrete with an 8 mm steel
liner.
[0276] Any or all of the safety systems disclosed herein, as well as others
described herein and the
like, are included with various embodiments in association with either CAREM-
type SMRs or other
types of SMR.
2. NuScaleTm SMR
[0277] Mention is now made of a NuScaleTM SMR, an integral pressurized water
reactor with internal
passive coolant circulation (IPW/IPC) that is illustrative of a class of SMRs
that is contemplated for
inclusion in a number of embodiments, e.g., some embodiments incorporating the
passive cooling
36
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
system described with reference to FIG. 13 and FIG. 14. The IPW/IPC reactor is
an approximately
cylindrical integral SMR.
[0278] FIG. 19 depicts in vertical, cross-sectional, schematic form portions
of an illustrative nuclear
module 1900 including four IPW/IPC-type reactors (two of which are clearly
visible in this cross-
sectional view, e.g., a first reactor 1902 and a second reactor 1904)
according to embodiments. The
four SMRs are housed in a reactor module 1906 that is protected by an aircraft
impact shield 1908,
both modules being supported by a seabed base structure 1910 that is founded
upon the seabed 1912
with a number of permanent pilings (e.g., piling 1914). The reactor module
1906, shield 1908, and
base structure 1910 can be delivered to the site by flotation and stepwise
assembly similar to those
described herein. The four SMRs are housed in a flooded reactor hall, pool, or
gallery, as shall be
made clear with reference to FIG. 20, which communicates with a flooded
handling pool 1916 through
an opening that can be sealed off by a door 1918. In embodiments, the flooded
handling pool 1916
may be in fluid communication with the seawater.
[0279] FIG. 20 depicts in horizontal, cross-sectional, schematic form portions
of the illustrative
nuclear module 1900 of FIG. 19. The four SMRs 1902, 1904, 2002, 2004 are
housed in a flooded
reactor hall, pool, or gallery 2006 that is divided into single-SMR
compaitments by bulkheads (e.g.,
bulkhead 2008) that can be isolated or placed into communication by moveable
doors (e.g., door
2010). The reactor hall 2006 can be isolated or placed into communication with
a flooded handling
pool 1916 by moveable doors 1918. The reactor module 1906 also contains an
overhead crane system
including a crane of the trolley-crossbeam type, capable of moving the SMRs
and components thereof
(e.g., pressure vessel heads) about in at least a portion of the flooded
reactor hall 2006 and the handling
pool 1916. The module 1906 also includes various devices and provisions, e.g.,
for controlling
operations, exchanging fuel and/or SMRs with ships or other outside
facilities, moving fuel assemblies
internally, laying down and standing up SMRs, extracting fuel from SMRs and
inserting fuel into
SMRs, and the like. The module 1906 includes a flooded spent-fuel storage area
2012. In various
embodiments, the number of SMRs included is greater than or equal to 1. In
embodiments, nuclear
fuel exchanged, moved, inserted, and the like described herein and above may
be High Assay Low
Enriched Uranium (HALEU) and the like, such as low enrichment uranium of less
than 20%
enrichment. In embodiments, the flooded reactor hall 2006 may be in fluid
communication or in
indirect communication via a closed two loop system utilizing a heat-exchanger
with the proximal
seawater, thereby providing a potentially limitless thermal sink for
dissipating reactor heat.
37
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0280] FIG. 21 depicts in horizontal, cross-sectional, schematic form portions
of an illustrative power
conversion module 2100 including four IPW/IPC-type SMRs 2102, 2104, 2106,
2108. Provisions
included with power conversion module 2100 for a flooded reactor pool,
handling pool, waste storage
pool, and other devices pertaining to handling SMRs and fuel are similar to
those already portrayed
.. and described for nuclear module 1900 of FIG. 19. The illustrative power
conversion module 2100,
however, in addition to all these features, includes four turbine-generator
units 2110, 2112, 2114,
2116, each of which exchanges steam and condensate with one of the four SMRs
2102, 2104, 2106,
2108 via corresponding piped circuits 2118, 2120, 2122, 2124 and generates
power. In contrast, the
nuclear module 1900 of FIG. 19 exchange steam and condensate with one or more
turbine-generator
units housed in a separate power module. In various embodiments, a power
conversion module
includes any number of turbine-generator units greater than or equal to 1.
3. Rolls Royce SMR / UK SMR
[0281] Mention is now made of the Rolls Royce or the United Kingdom (UK) SMR,
another SMR
that is illustrative of a class of SMRs contemplated for inclusion in a number
of embodiments, e.g.,
some embodiments incorporating the passive cooling system described with
reference to FIG. 13 and
FIG. 14. The UK SMR is a three-loop, close-coupled pressurized water reactor
(PWR) providing a
power output of 450 MWe from 1200-1350 MWth using industry standard UO2 fuel.
Coolant is
circulated via three centrifugal reactor coolant pumps to three corresponding
vertical u-tube steam
generators. The design includes multiple active and passive safety systems,
each with substantial
internal redundancy.
[0282] FIG. 22A depicts schematically in side view portions of a UK SMR 2200.
SMR 2200 includes
three vertical u-tube steam generators, two of which 2202, 2204 are visible in
the view of FIG. 22A.
Pressurized hot water is conducted to each steam generator from the reactor
pressure vessel 2206 by
piping, and cool water is pumped from each steam generator back into the
pressure vessel 2206 via
.. additional piping and a dedicated pump: e.g., hot water is conducted from
the pressure vessel 2206 via
piping 2208 to the steam generator 2204, and cool water is returned to the
pressure vessel 2206 via a
pump 2210 and piping 2212. Steam from the three steam generators is conducted
via piping to one or
more turbine-generators to generate electricity. Moreover, a pressurizer 2214
is connected via piping
2216 to the reactor coolant system pipework hot leg. Primary circuit pressure
is controlled by use of
electrical heaters located at the base of the pressurizer 2214 and spray from
a nozzle located at the top
of the pressurizer 2214. Steam and water are maintained in equilibrium to
provide the necessary
overpressure. The pressurizer 2214 is a vertical, cylindrical vessel with top
and bottom heads
38
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
constructed of low alloy steel. The UK SMR 2200 employs surge-induced spray
whereby primary
coolant passively expands into the spray line causing spray. This provides a
simple and safe
configuration. The pressurizer 2214 is sized to provide robust and passive
fault response for bounding
faults, with accidents causing either rapid and significant cooldown or heat-
up accommodated. The
reactor pressure vessel 2206 is surmounted by a control rod drive mechanism
2218.
[0283] The steam generators of UK SMR 2200 are located asymmetrically around
the reactor pressure
vessel 2206 so that access is provided to support removal and movement of the
reactor pressure vessel
head and internals to storage locations within the containment boundary in
support of refueling
operations. The reactor coolant system uses pumped forced flow at power, but
is also configured to
provide natural circulation flow for passive decay heat removal, by virtue of
steam-generator elevation
above the reactor pressure vessel 2206, which ensures a robust thermal driving
head between the
thermal centers of the core and the steam generators.
[0284] FIG. 22B depicts the UK SMR 2200 of FIG. 22A from a top-down
perspective. Visible are
three steam generators 2202, 2204, 2220, the reactor pressure vessel 2206, the
control rod drive
mechanism 2218, and the pressurizer 2214. The piping 2216 that connects the
pressurizer 2214 to the
pipework hot leg 2222 is depicted.
[0285] FIG. 23 depicts in vertical, cross-sectional, schematic form portions
of an illustrative nuclear
module 2300 including a single UK SMR 2302 according to embodiments. The SMR
is housed in a
reactor module 2304 that is protected by an aircraft impact shield 2306, both
modules being supported
by a seabed base structure 2308 that is founded upon the seabed with a number
of permanent pilings
(e.g., piling 2310). The SMR 2302 is housed within a sealed containment
structure 2312.
4. System Integrated Modular Advanced Reactor (SMART) SMR
[0286] Mention is now made of the System Integrated Modular Advanced Reactor
(SMART), a small
integral PWR with a rated power of 330 MWth or 100 MWe. To enhance safety and
reliability, the
design configuration has incorporated inherent safety features and passive
safety systems. The design
aim is to achieve improvement in the economics through system simplification,
component
modularization, reduction of construction time and high plant availability. By
introducing a passive
residual heat removal system and an advanced mitigation system for loss of
coolant accidents,
significant safety enhancement can be expected.
[0287] FIG. 24 depicts in vertical, cross-sectional, schematic form portions
of an illustrative nuclear
module 2400 including a single SMART SMR 2402 according to embodiments. The
SMR is housed
in a reactor module 2404 that is protected by an aircraft impact shield 2406,
both modules being
39
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
supported by a seabed base structure 2408 that is founded upon the seabed with
a number of permanent
pilings (e.g., piling 2410). The SMR 2402 is housed within a sealed
containment structure 2412
(indicated by heavy black rectangle) that includes both a dry (air-filled)
enclosed volume and a wet
(water-filled) volume, the latter being the pressure suppression pool 2414
(stippled area).
5. mPower SMR
[0288] Mention is now made of the mPower SMR, an integral PWR designed by
Generation mPower
and its affiliates Babcock & Wilco mPower, Inc. and Bechtel Power Corporation,
to generate a
nominal output of 180 MWe per module. Aspects of the mPower-type SMR have been
disclosed in,
for example, U.S. Pat. No. 9,343,187, "Compact nuclear reactor with integral
steam generator," the
entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. In a standard
plant design, each mPower
plant is included of two mPower units, generating a nominal 360 MWe. The
design adopts internal
steam supply system components, once-through steam generators, pressurizer, in-
vessel control rod
drive mechanisms, and horizontally mounted canned motor pumps for its primary
cooling circuit and
passive safety systems. The mPower SMR uses eight internal integrated coolant
pumps with external
motors to drive primary coolant through the core. The steam generator
assemblies are located within
the annular space formed by the inner reactor pressure vessel walls and the
riser surrounding and
extending upward from the core. The control rod drive mechanism design is
fully submerged in the
primary coolant within the reactor pressure vessel boundary, excluding the
possibility of control rod
ejections accident scenarios. Reactivity control of the mPower SMR is achieved
through the electro-
mechanical actuation of control rods only (e.g., no soluble boron).
[0289] FIG. 25 depicts in vertical, cross-sectional, schematic form portions
of an illustrative nuclear
module 2500 including a single mPower SMR 2502 according to embodiments. The
SMR is housed
in a reactor module 2504 that is protected by an aircraft impact shield 2506,
both modules being
supported by a seabed base structure 2508 that is founded upon the seabed with
a number of permanent
pilings (e.g., piling 2510). The SMR 2502 is housed within a sealed
containment structure 2512
(indicated by heavy black rectangle) that includes both a dry (air-filled)
enclosed volume and a wet
(water-filled) volume, the latter being the pressure suppression pool (2514,
stippled area in Figure).
6. Sodium Cooled Fast Reactors
[0290] Sodium cooled fast reactors include a reactor vessel in which a liquid
metal coolant is
accommodated, a core disposed substantially at a lower central portion of the
reactor vessel in an
installed state, a core support structure secured to the reactor vessel for
supporting the core, the core
support structure dividing an interior of the reactor vessel into a high-
pressure plenum below the core
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
and a low-pressure plenum above the high pressure plenum, a circulation pump
unit for applying a
discharge pressure to the liquid metal coolant and circulating the same, and
an intermediate heat
exchanger for performing a heat exchanging operation of the coolant in the
reactor vessel. The
circulation pump unit is composed of an electromagnetic circulation pump
provided with a discharge
.. port and a closed gas space, which is filled up with a closed gas, defined
above and communicated
with the discharge port. The discharge port is also communicated with the high-
pressure plenum,
wherein the liquid metal coolant above the discharge port flows into the high-
pressure plenum by the
discharge gas pressure of the gas accumulated in the closed gas space by the
actuation of the
electromagnetic circulation pump at a time of trip thereof. Sodium cooled fast
reactors have been
disclosed in the prior art, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,136, "SODIUM-
COOLED FAST
REACTOR"; U.S. Pat. No. 9,093,182 B2, "FAST REACTOR"; and U.S. Pat. No.
5,190,720, "Liquid
metal cooled nuclear reactor plant system," the disclosures of all of which
are incorporated herein by
reference in their entireties.
7. Lead Cooled fast rectors
[0291] Lead-cooled Fast Reactors (LFRs) feature a fast neutron spectrum, high-
temperature operation,
and cooling by either molten lead or lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE), both of
which support low-pressure
operation, have very good thermodynamic properties, and are relatively inert
with regard to interaction
with air or water. The LFR has excellent materials management capabilities
since it operates in the
fast-neutron spectrum and uses a closed fuel cycle for efficient conversion of
fertile uranium. It can
also be used as a burner to consume actinides from spent light water reactor
(LWR) fuel and as a
burner/breeder with thorium matrices. An important feature of the LFR is the
enhanced safety that
results from the choice of molten lead as a relatively inert and low-pressure
coolant. In terms of
sustainability, lead is abundant and hence available, even in case of
deployment of a large number of
reactors. More importantly, as with other fast systems, fuel sustainability is
greatly enhanced by the
conversion capabilities of the LFR fuel cycle. Because they incorporate a
liquid coolant with a very
high margin to boiling and benign interaction with air or water, LFR concepts
offer substantial
potential in terms of safety, design simplification, proliferation resistance
and the resulting economic
performance. Molten lead has the advantage of allowing operation of the
primary system at
atmospheric pressure. Despite the high density of lead, the pressure loss can
be kept relatively low
(about one bar across the core for a total of about 1.5 bar across the whole
primary system) because
low neutron energy losses in lead allow for a larger fuel-rods pitch. This
provides for significant
natural circulation of the primary coolant, which results in a suitable grace
time for operation and
41
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
simplification of control and protection systems. The use of a coolant (lead)
that is chemically inert
with air and water and operating at atmospheric pressure greatly enhances
physical protection.
[0292] Corrosion of structural materials in lead is one of the main issues for
the design of LFRs;
therefore, a large effort has been dedicated to short/medium term corrosion
experiments in both
stagnant and flowing LBE. Few experiments have been carried out in pure Pb,
resulting in a lack of
knowledge, particularly on medium/long term corrosion behavior in flowing
lead. The use of
multilayer metal composite materials on reactor components (e.g., fuel
assemblies) to prevent
corrosion is being investigated. The use of such materials has been described
in, for example, U.S.
Pat. App. Publication No. 2017/0159186 Al, "Multilayer composite fuel clad
system with high
temperature hermeticity and accident tolerance," the entire content of which
is incorporated herein by
reference. Multilayer metal composites can (a) minimize or prevent buildup of
unidentified deposits
and hydrogen pickup, which in turn will increase the lifetime, stability, and
power density of the fuel,
(b) improve hardness to prevent grid-to-rod fretting, which occurs when the
spacer grid (a metal piece
which separates the fuel rods) and the rods themselves vibrate and wear holes
into the metal, and (c)
maximize critical heat flux (pertaining to the thermal limit of a phenomenon
where a phase change
occurs during heating) to improve heat transfer. Another response to the
corrosion problem is the use
of single-alloy, corrosion-resistant steel for components exposed to liquid
lead, as disclosed, for
example, in EP3194633A1, "A steel for a lead cooled reactor," the entire
content of which is
incorporated herein by reference.
8. Heat-Piped reactors
[0293] Heat pipes are often proposed as cooling system components for small
fission reactors. For
example, heat-pipe-cooled configurations such as SAFE-300Tm, STAR-CTm,
configurations by Oklo
Inc., and eVinciTM are among reactor concepts that use heat pipes as an
integral part of the cooling
system. In embodiments, the core is built around a solid monolith with
channels for both heat pipes
and fuel pellets. Each fuel pin in the core is adjacent to heat pipes for
efficiency and redundancy. The
large number of in-core heat pipes is intended to increase system reliability
and safety. Decay heat
also can be removed by the heat pipes with the decay heat exchanger. In
embodiments, the core is built
around a uranium monolith with channels for both heat pipes and fuel pellets.
In embodiments, liquid
metal heat pipe technology is mature and robust with a large experimental test
database to support
implementation of the technology into commercial nuclear applications. Use of
the heat pipes in a
reactor system addresses some of the most difficult reactor safety issues and
reliability concerns
present in current Generation II and III (and to some extent, Generation IV
concept) commercial
42
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
nuclear reactors, in particular, loss of primary coolant. Heat pipes operate
in a passive mode at
relatively low pressures, less than an atmosphere. Each individual heat pipe
contains only a small
amount of working fluid, which is fully encapsulated in a sealed steel pipe.
There is no primary cooling
loop, hence no mechanical pumps, valves, or large-diameter primary loop piping
typically found in all
commercial reactors today. Heat pipes simply transport heat from the in-core
evaporator section to the
ex-core condenser in continuous isothermal vapor/liquid internal flow. Heat
pipes offer distinctive
approaches to remove heat from a reactor core. Such techniques have been
disclosed in, for example,
U.S. Pat. App. Publication No. 2016/0027536 Al, "Mobile heat pipe cooled fast
reactor system," the
entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
High-Temperature Gas Reactors (HTGR)
[0294] In embodiments, high temperature gas reactors are good sources of
electrical and heat energy.
HTGRs may be used to supply high-temperature processes like hydrogen
production, coal gasification,
or steel production with high temperature process heat. Likewise, HTGRs can be
combined with steam
cycles, gas turbine processes and the like to produce electrical energy. Some
characteristics of HTGRs
of interest include wide thermal spectrum, use of helium as a coolant, employs
graphite as structural
material and moderator, consumes coated particle fuel (e.g., TRISO), high
burnup and helium outlet
temperature, safety characteristics such as self-acting decay heat removal
with limitation of maximal
temperature during accidents, and as noted above used in a range of different
applications.
[0295] The examples of embodiments including specific SMR designs are
illustrative. It is emphasized
that any nuclear reactor capable of being physically supported by modules
delivered by flotation and
installed on pilings upon a seabed, artificial or natural, is contemplated and
within the scope of the
present disclosure.
[0296] Many illustrated embodiments include SMRs installed above the waterline
upon seabed base
structures. Installing SMRs below the waterline is accomplished in some
embodiments of the present
disclosure and can have certain advantages, as also depicted herein.
D. Seabed Structures w/pilings for underwater reactor placement
[0297] FIG. 26 depicts schematically portions of two illustrative seabed base
structures 2602, 2604
founded upon a seabed by a number of permanent pilings, e.g., piling 2606. The
beam structure 2608
of the first base structure 2602 features a central opening 2610 that extends
down to the seabed (e.g.,
there are no pilings or other obstructions beneath the opening 2610). In a
typical power generating
station of this type, the first base structure 2602 houses a reactor module
and the second base structure
2604 houses a power conversion module. As shall be shown below, the opening
2610 in the first
43
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
seabed structure allows the below-waterline installation of an SMR that is
first floated to its installation
site in the artificial harbor proffered by the base structure 2602.
Cross-section of seabed, pilings, w/ UK SMR reactor below waterline
[0298] FIG. 27A depicts cross-sectionally and schematically portions of an
illustrative seabed
assembly 2700 that includes a single UK SMR 2702 according to embodiments and
that is capable of
installing the SMR 2702 below waterline. The SMR is housed in a reactor module
2704 that is
protected by an aircraft impact shield 2706, both modules being supported by a
seabed base structure
2708 that is founded upon the seabed with a number of permanent pilings (e.g.,
piling 2710). The
seabed base structure 2708 includes a lacuna or central opening 2712 similar
to the opening 2610 in
FIG. 26. The SMR 2702 is housed within a reactor containment structure 2714
that is in turn housed
within an approximately bucket-shaped reactor platform 2716 (crosshatched
area). The reactor
platform 2716 is upheld by four jack shoes (e.g., jack shoe 2718) which
embrace and can be raised
and lowered upon four jackets (a.k.a. towers or columns), e.g., jacket 2720.
Four jack shoes and four
jackets are included in these embodiments but only two of each are depicted in
the cross-sectional
view of FIG. 27A. The reactor module 2704 also includes an overhead crane 2722
that is capable of
moving loads vertically and horizontally within at least a portion of the
module 2704, e.g., removing
a lid or head 2724 from the containment 2714. Also, the containment 2714
rests, within the reactor
platform 2716, upon a reactor support 2726 which may include seismic
isolators. The jack shoes of
the reactor platform 2714 can be raised or lowered upon the jackets by various
mechanical methods
of offshore jack-up rigs. A seabed cavity 2728 is prepared to receive some
portion of the reactor
platform 2714 in its fully jacked-down state, and may include durable (e.g.,
reinforced concrete) walls
and floor.
First installation step ¨ reactor generally above waterline within movable
structure.
[0299] In the state of operation depicted in FIG. 27A, the reactor platform
2716 with its contents is at
an initial Up position where the bottom of the reactor platform 2716 is
approximately on a level with
the upper surface of the seabed base structure 2708. If, for example, the
nuclear module 2704 is
delivered (complete with major interior components as depicted in FIG. 27A) by
flotation to the seabed
base structure 2708 as described with reference to FIGS. 8A, 8B, 8C, then the
reactor platform 2716
will perforce be in the Up position to enable flotation of the nuclear module
2704 into the artificial
harbor proffered by the seabed base structure 2708.
Second installation step ¨ reactor being lowered under waterline via jacks
44
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0300] FIG. 27B depicts the seabed assembly 2700 of FIG. 27A in a second
station of operation
wherein the reactor platform 2716 has been lowered through the opening 2712,
e.g., by ratcheting the
jack shoes of the platform 2716 down upon the jackets. The platform 2716 is,
here, ballasted
sufficiently so that it sinks of its own accord into the water.
Third installation step ¨ reactor installed on seabed
[0301] FIG. 27C depicts in cross-sectional perspective view portions of the
seabed assembly of FIG.
27A in a third station of operation wherein the reactor platform 2716 has been
lowered through the
opening 2718 of FIG. 27A to a lowest position. As depicted, the bottom of the
reactor platform 2716
is in fact below seabed grade 2730, that is, the platform 2716 has been
lowered into the prepared
seafloor cavity 2728 of FIG. 27A. In the position depicted, the reactor 2702
is entirely below the
waterline and seabed grade 2730 and is thus shielded by the sea and seabed as
well as by the bulk of
the nuclear module 2704 and aircraft impact shield 2706. This is advantageous
because, in accord with
safety regulations, a reactor so shielded typically does not require as
massive (and thus as expensive)
an aircraft impact shield 2706 as a reactor not so shielded.
Lowered below seabed grade within foundation
[0302] FIG. 28 depicts schematically and in cross-section portions of an
illustrative seabed assembly
2800 similar to the seabed assembly 2700 of FIG. 27A but housing an mPower SMR
reactor 2802
rather than a UK SMR reactor. The reactor vessel 2804 is depicted in a fully
jacked-down state that
places it within a prepared foundation 2806 that is below seabed grade 2808.
The reactor 2802 itself
is, in this illustrative setting, wholly below waterline 2810 and partly below
seabed grade 2808, and
thus derives impact shielding from its environment.
E. Integrated Modular Water Reactor
[0303] Mention is now made of the Integrated Modular Water Reactor (IMR), a
medium sized power
reactor with a reference output of 1000 MWth and 350 MWe. This integral
primary system reactor
employs the hybrid heat transport system, which is a natural circulation
system under bubbly flow
conditions for primary heat transportation, and avoids penetrations in the
primary cooling system by
adopting the in-vessel control rod drive mechanism. These design features
allow the elimination of
the emergency core cooling system.
IMR below seabed grade
[0304] FIG. 29 depicts schematically and in cross-section portions of an
illustrative seabed assembly
2900 similar to the seabed assembly 2700 of FIGS. 27A-27C but housing an IMR-
type reactor 2902
rather than a UK SMR-type reactor. The reactor vessel 2904 is depicted in a
fully jacked-down state
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
that places it within a prepared foundation 2906 that is below seabed grade
2908. The reactor 2902
itself is, in this illustrative setting, wholly below waterline 2910 and
seabed grade 2908, and thus
derives impact shielding from its environment.
F. Two seabed assemblies in an artificially dredged channel
[0305] FIG. 30 depicts schematically and in cross-section portions of an
illustrative power generating
station 3000 according to embodiments. The station 3000 includes two seabed
assemblies 3002, 3004,
the first 3002 including a power plant module and the second 3004 including a
power conversion
module. The assemblies 3002, 3004 are stationed in an artificially dredged
channel 3006, e.g., an
extension into a shoreline of a natural body of water. The channel 3006
includes a sub-channel 3008
dredged to a deeper depth. The assembly 3002 including a power plant module is
stationed in the
deeper sub-channel 3008: this has the effect of placing the reactor 3010
entirely below the waterline
3012, enabling the reactor 3010 to derive aircraft impact shielding from its
environment and so tending
to reduce cost and weight of the aircraft impact shield 3014. In various other
embodiments, the
functions of the power conversion module here housed in the second seabed
assembly 3004 can be
performed by a land-based installation adjacent to the channel 3006. Of note,
seabed material dredged
in the construction of a channel 3006 and/or sub-channel 3008, or earth
material from some other
source, can be piled upon land adjacent to the channel 3006 to create raised
terrestrial barriers and/or
used to construct party or wholly submerged in-water barriers in the channel
3006 and/or sub-channel
3008. Terrestrial barriers can confer additional aircraft impact protection
and in-water barriers can
reduce the security threat posed by deep-draft vessels that might deliberately
or inadvertently approach
the seabed assemblies 3002, 3004.
G. Daisy chain of seabed structures
[0306] FIG. 31 is a schematic depiction of portions of an illustrative power
generating station 3100
according to embodiments. The station 3100 includes a first seabed assembly
3102 including a first
reactor module, a second seabed assembly 3104 including a first power plant
module, a third seabed
assembly 3106 including a second reactor module, and a fourth seabed assembly
3108 including a
second power plant module. The modules are linked by utility bridges 3110,
3112, and 3114, which
enable the conveyance of steam, condensate, power, and other materials or
substances between the
seabed assemblies. The assemblies are founded upon a seabed with pilings as
shown herein in various
Figures. The station 3100 illustrates that various embodiments include
multiple seabed assemblies
performing a variety of functions (not restricted to steam generation and
energy conversion).
46
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
H. Site preparation
[0307] Mention is now made of geoengineering techniques for site preparation
for the installation of
power generating stations according to embodiments of the present disclosure.
Stable proximate
environments of adequate size are required for the safe and durable
installation of seabed assemblies
according to embodiments. To achieve stability and safety, geoengineering
techniques may be
employed in modifying natural seabed and shoreline features (e.g., reshaping,
stabilizing) or artificial
features such as cavern walls or banks of dredged channels. Several relevant
techniques are now
discussed.
Slope stabilization
[0308] In embodiments, the installation site preparation includes slope
stabilization. On soil-covered
slopes, soil is constantly moving downslope due to gravity. Movement can be
barely evident or
devastatingly rapid. Slope angle, water, climate, and slope material
contribute to movement. Slope
stability is relevant to the slopes earth and rock-fill dams, slopes of other
types of embankments,
excavated slopes, and natural slopes in soil and soft rock. Slope stability is
typically evaluated through
the performance of a geology or geotechnical engineering study.
[0309] Steep slope angles are often desirable to maximize the level land at
the top or bottom of the
slope: e.g., the volume of an artificial channel (and thus the effort required
to blast and/or dredge the
channel) is minimized by steeper, as opposed to more sloping, channel
embankments. However, slope
stability decreases with increasing slope angle. Moreover, water plays a major
role in slope failure, as
rivers and waves erode the base of slopes and remove support. Water can also
increase the driving
force by filling previously empty pore spaces and fractures, adding to the
total mass. Increased pore
water pressure can also decrease resistance by decreasing the shear strength
of the slope material.
Chemical weathering slowly weakens slope material, reducing its shear strength
and thus reducing
resisting forces. Where integrity of an embankment is vital or in areas
subject to detrimental hydraulic
forces, additional embankment protection is often required. In granular soils,
soil improvement could
be performed to increase slope stability.
[0310] Stabilization can be achieved through slope reinforcement by
constructing structural elements
(anchors) through the failure plane. Structural elements could consist of
conventional piles or drilled
shafts, jet grout or soil mi columns, or reinforced rigid inclusions. In
general, anchors are slope
stabilization and support elements that transfer tension loads using high-
strength steel bars or steel
strand tendons. For example, the Micropile Slide Stabilization System (M53) is
a slope stability
technique that utilizes an array of micropiles sometimes in combination with
anchors. The micropiles
47
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
act in tension and compression to effectively create an integral, stabilized
ground reinforcement
system to resist sliding forces in the slope. In another example, soil nailing
is a slope stabilization or
an earth retention technique using grouted tension-resisting steel elements
(nails) that can be designed
for permanent or temporary support. Soil nails can also be installed in
restricted access sites, existing
bluffs or retaining wall, and directly beneath existing structures adjacent to
excavations. Care should
be exercised when applying the system underneath an existing structure since
some slope movement
occurs before the nails begin resisting the load. Soil nailing has been used
for slope remediation and
landslide repair, to provide earth retention for excavations for buildings,
plants, parking structures,
tunnels, deep cuts, and repair existing retaining walls. In a third example,
gabions are an earth-
retention technique in which gravity retaining walls are formed using
rectangular, interconnected,
stone-filled wire baskets. Gabion walls have been used to construct temporary
or permanent retaining
walls and where slope protection or erosion control is required such as
channel linings.
1. Illustration of anchor-block slope stabilization
[0311] FIG. 32 depicts schematically in vertical cross-section portions of an
illustrative application
3200 of the anchor-block slope stabilization technique, which stabilizes a
slope or retaining wall 3202
using anchored reaction blocks (e.g., blocks 3204, 3206, 3208). The block
layout pattern is typically
in rows across the slope or embankment wall; in FIG. 32, three blocks are
shown in a vertical row.
Initially, anchors 3210, 3212, 3214 are installed at the planned center of
each block location, typically
drilled at right angles to the slope to be stabilized (as depicted in FIG.
32). Reaction blocks 3204,
3206, 3208 are either precast or cast-in-place around the heads of the anchors
3210, 3212, 3214.
Bearing plates are then installed between the blocks and the heads of the
anchors 3210, 3212, 3214
and the latter are tensioned against the blocks. The finished anchored
reaction blocks 3204, 3206, 3208
resist the movement of the retained wall 3202.
I. Stabilization of bulkheads and piers
[0312] Mention is now made of various stabilization techniques that apply
particularly to bulkheads
and piers, that is, to vertical interfaces between water and solid ground,
such as might be included with
the site of power generating station according to embodiments.
[0313] Ground improvement techniques such as soil mixing and jet grouting can
stabilize soft soils by
introducing cementitious binder, for planned or remedial work. Vibro
replacement stone columns can
be constructed behind bulkheads to densify soils to reduce lateral pressures
on the bulkhead. Voids
behind bulkheads can be filled by jet grouting and cement grouting. Soil loss
around pier support piles
48
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
can be remedied with surgical jet grouting. Tieback anchors can be installed
through sheet pile
bulkheads to permanent lateral support.
103141 Bulkheads (here referring to vertical dividing walls between water and
solid ground)
commonly require remediation due to the need to deepen their dredge line
(e.g., the height where the
seabed surface encounters the bulkhead) to accommodate larger ships or due to
deterioration
experienced over their service life. Improper bulkhead design may lead to
lateral deformation or failure
of global or toe stability. Jet grouting erodes the soil with high-velocity
fluids and mixes the eroded
soil with grout to create in situ cemented geometries of soilcrete (full or
partial columns, panels, or
bottom seals); it underpins and structurally upgrades existing wharves or
bulkheads. Compaction
grouting densifies liquefiable soils between sections of bulkhead and anchors.
Vibro replacement
densifies surrounding liquefiable soils to mitigate lateral spreading. Anchors
are steel bars or strands
grouted into a predrilled hole to resist lateral and uplift forces; they can
be added to increase lateral
stability, and existing, corroded anchors can be replaced. Soil mixing
stabilizes soils behind bulkheads
to greatly reduce earth pressures and provides stable platforms along
bulkheads. Cement grouting, also
known as slurry grouting, is the injection of flowable particulate grouts into
cracks, joints, and/or voids
in rock or soil, and creates stabilized, low-permeability masses behind walls
to stop soil loss through
corroded sheet piles. Secant or tangent piles are columns constructed adjacent
(tangent) or overlapping
(secant) to form structural or cutoff walls.
1. Illustration of bulkhead-restrained embankment
[0315] FIG. 33 depicts schematically and in cross-section portions of an
illustrative bulkhead-
restrained embankment 3300 of a power generating station site according to
embodiments. A body of
earth material 3302 extends partly over a natural or artificial (dredged)
seafloor 3304, upon which
various seabed assemblies may be founded upon pilings, e.g., as depicted
herein, and is separated from
a sea or other body of water 3306 by a solid panel or bulkhead 3308 that is
buttressed by a line of
tangent pilings (e.g., piling 3310). The wall formed by the bulkhead 3308 and
the tangent pilings is,
in this example, stabilized in part by the use of an anchor 3312 embedded in a
grout-filled void 3314
in the earth material 3302. Additional techniques, such as soil mixing, are
used in various embodiments
to create further stability.
[0316] The trench remixing and cutting deep wall (TRD) method produces mixed-
in-place in-ground
walls from in situ soil using a vertical cutter post or ground saw. The post
is moved laterally through
the ground, mobilizing soil that is mixed with a binding agent and left in
place to harden as the saw
moves on, forming a continuous vertical barrier. TRD is a relatively quiet,
efficient way to construct
49
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
continuous soil-mi walls from 0.5-1 m thick and up to 55 m long in nearly all
subsurface conditions,
from soft organics to cobbles and some rock formations. To prepare prodigy's
deployment site, TRDs
can be used for (1) groundwater cutoff walls, to avert seepage and erosion
through levees, dams, and
reservoir perimeters, (2) foundation support, to strengthen soft soils beneath
structures to increase
bearing capacity, (3) pollution control, where a TRD barrier serves as a
containment structure for
subsurface containments or barriers to protect against migration from off-site
sources, e.g., prevent the
communication of water layers, water bodies, (4) earth retention support. In
the latter application, after
construction, soil may be excavated from part of one side of the TRD wall to
enable access to the TRD
wall (e.g., for anchor installation) or to shape the earth surface for various
purposes.
2. Illustration of seabed assembly and bulkhead
[0317] FIG. 34 depicts schematically and in cross-section portions of an
illustrative power generating
station 3400 according to embodiments. A seabed assembly 3402 is founded upon
pilings 3404 within
a sea or other body of water 3406 that is separated from a mass of earth
material 3408 by a solid panel
or bulkhead 3410. The bulkhead 3410 is buttressed by grout-firmed anchors
3412. In the mass of earth
material is a TRD wall 3414, also buttressed by an anchor structure 3416.
Aircraft impact protection
for the assembly 3402 is provided by a vertical wall 3418 atop the TRD wall
3414.
J. Illustrating couplings with onshore facilities.
[0318] FIG. 35 depicts in schematic top-down view portions of an illustrative
power generating station
3500 according to embodiments. This Figure introduces elements of illustrative
embodiments that
couple seabed assemblies installed nearshore, or in artificially created
seabed inlets, or otherwise
protected artificial settings, with on-shore facilities that include, for
example, grids, power conversion
(turbine-generator) facilities, administration and security facilities, and
other. The environment of
station 3500 includes a landmass 3502, water body 3504, and shoreline 3506
(row of angled line
segments) that are part of the coastal environment. An artificial channel 3508
is included that is at
least during an installation phase of the station 3500 in free liquid
communication with the water body
3504. The channel 3508 is deep enough to enable the movement by flotation of
seabed base structures
and other modules to positions within the channel 3508, where such structures
may be founded upon
permanent pilings, e.g., in the manner described herein. At least parts of the
embankments of the
channel 3508 are stabilized by walls of secant pilings 3510. Within the
channel 3508 are established
seabed assemblies, e.g., a first seabed assembly 3512 including a reactor
module, a second seabed
assembly 3514 including a power plant module, and a third seabed assembly 3516
including an
auxiliary module. In embodiments, the seabed assemblies may be linked by
utility bridges to enable
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
exchanges of steam, condensate, electricity, and other utilities; also, the
station 3500 may be linked to
an electrical grid on the landmass 3502.
K. Physical mockups
[0319] FIGS. 36A-38 are schematic depictions of portions of illustrative
embodiments where the
physical layout of the embodiments is emphasized, rather than the functional
relationships between
components.
1. Coastal station prepared prior to seabed assemblies
[0320] FIG. 36A is a schematic, top-down view of portions of another
illustrative coastal power
generating station deployment 3600 including some number of SMRs in reactor
modules. FIG. 36A
depicts the site prior to the arrival of seabed assemblies housing, e.g., a
reactor module and an auxiliary
module; FIG. 36B depicts the site after installation of seabed assemblies.
I. Power Generating Station arrangement
[0321] The power generating station deployment 3600 includes a landmass 3602,
water body 3604,
and shoreline 3606 (row of angled line segments) that are part of the coastal
environment. The power
generating station deployment 3600 also includes a dock 3608. The dock 3608
includes a number of
grounded concrete caissons (e.g., caisson 3610) that define a barrier or
housing that is closed on the
seaward side and open on the shoreward side. In embodiments, caissons can be
floated into place and
ballasted to ground on a natural or prepared portion of the seafloor.
Moreover, the dock 3608 can be
constructed in such a way that substantial routine mixing or circulation of
water in the dock with water
in the surrounding water body 3604 is prevented. Various other embodiments
omit caissons, relying
instead on the structural stability of seabed assemblies to withstand
environmental forces.
a. Approach channel left for installation of reactor, caissons surrounding
site
with one moveable/floatable caisson installed after reactor placement, and
description of connection points to onshore facilities.
[0322] A natural or dredged approach channel 3611 constitutes a marine
interface for power
generating station deployment 3600, being of sufficient breadth and depth to
permit delivery of seabed
base structures and modules by flotation to a stationing area 3612 optionally
floored by a prepared
foundation. A relocatable (e.g., floating or easily de-ballasted) caisson 3614
may be moved to
constitute part of the dock 3608, closing off the approach channel 3611, e.g.,
after delivery of seabed
base structures and module to the stationing area 3612. Aircraft impact
shielding is incorporated in
one or more nuclear modules installed upon seabed base structures. A rail
transfer system 3618
connects the dock 3608 to an emergency response facility 3650 and a cask yard
3622, and both
51
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
interface with a security facility 3620 before further transport onshore,
enabling controlled exchange
of nuclear and other materials (e.g., dry casks of cooled spent nuclear fuel)
between the external on-
shore facilities and the dock 3608. A tank yard 3624 houses fluids such as
purified water for reactor
operations and low-level liquid radioactive waste. A power plant (turbine
house) 3626 exchanges heat-
transfer fluids (e.g., steam, water) with the nuclear module (depicted in FIG.
36B) via a pipe bundle
that terminates in a flange 3630 for quick interfacing of with the nuclear
module upon installation of
the latter. Flows of steam and condensate through the pipe bundle 3628 are
controlled by valves, e.g.,
shutoff valves at each end of the pipe bundle 3628. The pipe bundle 3628 is
supported by a pipe bridge
and hangers that accommodate thermal expansion and contraction. The power
plant 3626 converts to
electricity a portion of the thermal energy thus delivered, and this
electricity is distributed to a grid or
other consumers via a switchyard 3634. Also, liquids are conveyed between the
tank yard 3624 and
the modules by piping 3636 supported by an additional pipe bridge 3638.
Coolant water is collected
from the environmental water body 3604 via a coolant intake 3640 from which
debris and other
harmful objects or materials are excluded by inlet strainers 3642; water from
the inlet 3640 is conveyed
to the power plant 3626 via inlet piping 3644 and associated pumps. Heated
coolant from the power
plant 3626 is returned via outlet piping 3646 with watertight integrity
provided by isolation valves to
the water body 3604 via an outlet 3648 that can be closer to the shore 3606
than the inlet 3640 and far
enough from the inlet 3640 to prevent untoward mixing of heated outlet water
with cool inlet water.
An Emergency Response Facility 3650 acts as a backup control center for the
power generating station
deployment 3600 and its associated facilities and may also stage other
contingency systems, e.g., rail-
mounted or other equipment for responding to emergencies. The Emergency
Response Facility 3650
ensures that sufficient coolant is delivered from the tank yard 3624 to one or
more of the nuclear
reactors (e.g., sufficient coolant to support passive convective cooling);
also, it enables lower impact
protection standards for other control facilities included with the station
deployment 3600, since
diversification of control points is functionally interchangeable with
heightened hardening of a single
control point: either diversification or higher hardening can only be disabled
by larger or multiple
attacks, which are more difficult to mount and therefore less likely to be
mounted.
b. Sheltering of onshore facilities
[0323] The on-shore facilities of the power generating station deployment 3600
are sheltered by a
defensive perimeter 3652 that may include various barriers, devices,
personnel, drones, and the like to
defend the power generating station deployment 3600; additional defensive
measures may be included
with the power generating station deployment 3600 to defend against aerial and
marine threats.
52
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
Whether or not named or depicted herein, such various defensive arrangements
can be included in any
embodiments of the present disclosure.
c. View with platforms installed
[0324] FIG. 36B is a schematic, top-down view of portions of the illustrative
power generating station
deployment 3600 of FIG. 36A after installation of two seabed assemblies. In
the state of construction
of deployment 3600 depicted in FIG. 36B, a first seabed assembly 3654
including a nuclear module
has been ensconced in the dock 3608 beneath the lengthwise arching portion
3616 of an impact shield.
The pipe bundle 3628 and the liquids-transfer pipe 3636 have been connected to
modules. The impact-
shielded seabed assembly 3654 includes the nuclear plant (e.g., SMR gallery,
control room module,
fuel storage module, fuel-handling module). SMRs may be installed and removed
from the nuclear
module via an unshielded auxiliary module 3658; SMRs may arrive and depart via
a land route for the
directness of access to the unshielded modules 3658, being conveyed locally on
the rail system 3618,
which is supported by a causeway or bridge 3660, or may arrive and depart via
flotation through the
channel 3611. The moveable caisson 3614 has, after delivery of the seabed
assemblies 3654, 3658,
been stationed across the channel 3611, reversibly blockading the assemblies
3654, 3658 within the
dock 3608.
d. Benefit ¨ non-permanent placement/float in, float out
[0325] An advantage of deployment 3600, as of various other embodiments, some
discussed herein,
is that all components delivered in a modular fashion may be removed as they
were delivered, by
flotation, whether for decommissioning at a specialized facility or deployment
at a different location,
and one or more replacement units may be installed at the power station
deployment 3600. Mobility
and modularity thus are features of the nuclear power station as a whole:
moreover, SMRs may be
small enough to be removed from the nuclear module, redeployed, decommissioned
remotely, and/or
replaced in a manner analogous to the nuclear module itself. Thus, advantages
are obtained from
modularity and mobility both at the station scale and at the scale of the
individual small modular
reactor.
e. Terrestrial Powerplant Replaced by Power Conversion Module in Dock;
Multiplicity of Elements
[0326] Of note, various embodiments include features of the power generating
station deployment
3600 but depart from it in many ways. For example, the terrestrial power plant
3626 is in some
embodiments replaced by a seabed assembly including a power conversion module
that is established
within the dock 3608. Embodiments include multiple channels, multiple nuclear
units, multiple power
53
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
conversion modules, various terrestrial facilities (or none at all), and so
forth. All such variations and
combinations are contemplated and within the scope of the present disclosure.
2. Reactor placed in Channel dredged into Landmass
[0327] FIGS. 37A and 37B are schematic, top-down views of portions of an
illustrative power
generating station 3700 including some number of SMRs. FIG. 37A depicts the
site prior to the arrival
of seabed assemblies; FIG. 37B depicts the site after installation of seabed
assemblies. The power
generating station 3700 includes a landmass 3702, water body 3704, and
shoreline 3706 that are part
of the coastal environment. The power generating station 3700 also includes a
water-filled basin 3708
(e.g., depression cut into the landmass 3702 and in fluid communication with
the environmental water
body 3704) whose walls are defined and stabilized on at least two sides by
rows or barriers of pilings
(e.g., barrier 3710). Pilings may be conventionally driven or formed in situ,
e.g., of pre-tensioned
concrete poured in drilled shafts and/or tubes. Walls of the basin 3708 may be
stabilized using any of
the methods of geoengineering stabilization discussed herein, or similar
methods. The basin 3708 is
of sufficient breadth and depth to permit delivery of modules by flotation. A
relocatable caisson 3712
may be moved to close off the basin 3708, e.g., after delivery of modules to
the basin 3708. Aircraft
impact is incorporated in one or more nuclear modules installed upon a seabed
base structure. A rail
transfer system 3716 connects the area of the basin 3708 to an administration
and security facility
3718 onshore, to the emergency response facility 3734, and to a cask yard
3720, enabling controlled
exchange of nuclear and other materials (e.g., dry casks of cooled spent
nuclear fuel) between the on-
shore facilities and the basin 3708. A tank yard 3722 houses fluids such
purified water for reactor
operations and low-level liquid radioactive waste.
i. Power Plants configured to Receive Thermal Energy
[0328] Two power plants (turbine houses) 3724, 3726 exchange heat-transfer
fluids (e.g., steam,
condensate) with nuclear modules (depicted in FIG. 37B) via pipe bundles
(depicted in FIG. 37B) and
convert a portion of the thermal energy thus delivered to electricity that is
distributed to a grid or other
consumers via switchyards 3728, 3730.
IL Coolant from Adjacent body of water
[0329] Coolant water is collected from the environmental water body 3704 via a
coolant intake 3732;
heated coolant from the power plants 3724, 3726 is returned to the water body
3704 via an outlet 3734
that may be closer to the shoreline 3706 than the inlet 3732 and far enough
from the inlet 3732 to
prevent untoward mixing of heated outlet water with cool inlet water.
Screening and piping for the
coolant inlet 3732 and outlet 3734 can be included. An Emergency Response
Facility 3738 acts as a
54
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
backup control center for the power generating station 3700 and its associated
facilities, much as the
Response Facility 3638 of FIG. 36A functions for power generating station
deployment 3600. A
support deck 3736 supports interface of the rail transfer system 3714 with the
edge of the basin 3708.
Installed reactor view ¨ dual reactors
[0330] FIG. 37B is a schematic, top-down view of portions of the illustrative
coastal power generating
station 3700 of FIG. 37A after installation in the basin 3708 of two seabed
assemblies 3742, 3744
including nuclear modules. Two pipes (e.g., pipe 3746) exchange heat-transfer
fluids between the
nuclear-module seabed assemblies 3742, 3744 and the two power plants 3724,
3726. Liquids are
conveyed between the tank yard 3720 and an auxiliary systems module 3750 of
the MNP-B 3742 by
piping 3752 supported by the support deck 3736. The moveable caisson 3712 has,
after delivery of the
seabed modules 3742, 3744, been stationed across the basin 3708, reversibly
sealing the seabed
modules 3742, 3744 into the basin 3708. The rail transfer system 3716 enables
exchange of nuclear
and other materials (e.g., dry casks of cooled spent nuclear fuel, SMRs)
between the onshore facilities
and the seabed module 3742; case casks and other loads are exchanged by
flotation with the seabed
module 3744.
iv. Variability of part locations
[0331] Of note, various embodiments include features of the power generating
station 3700 but depart
from it in many ways. For example, the terrestrial power plants 3724, 3726 are
in some embodiments
replaced by seabed assemblies including power conversion modules that are
established within the
basin 3708 or similar, nearby basins. Embodiments include multiple basins,
multiple nuclear units,
multiple power conversion modules, various terrestrial facilities (or none at
all), and so forth. All such
variations and combinations are contemplated and within the scope of the
present disclosure.
3. Reactor placed within undercut of landmass (e.g., naturally or artificially
created
cavern within steep face of landmass)
[0332] FIG. 38 schematically depicts in vertical cross-section portions of
another illustrative power
generating station 3800 according to embodiments. Station 3800 is exemplary of
a class of
embodiments that feature the installation of seabed assemblies in highly
defensible, natural or artificial
settings such as caverns, fjords, canyons, and the like. A landmass 3802 has a
bold coast adjacent to a
water body 3804. A cavern 3806, either natural or artificially excavated by
techniques familiar in the
fields of mining and tunneling, is open to the water body 3804 extends into
the landmass 3802. The
floor of the cavern 3806 is sufficiently below the level of water body 3804 to
enable the delivery by
flotation of seabed base structures and other modules to the interior of the
cavern 3806, where such
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
structures can be installed upon permanent pilings, e.g., as described and
depicted herein. The
illustrative power generating station 3800 includes a first seabed assembly
3808 including a nuclear
module and a second seabed assembly 3810 including a power plant module. The
roof and walls of
the cavern 3806 are stabilized by grouted anchors (e.g., anchor 3812) and/or
other geoengineering
mechanisms. Power generated by the station 3800 is delivered to a grid or
other consumer.
L Variations
[0333] Of note, various embodiments include features of the power generating
station 3800 but depart
from it in many ways. For example, various other embodiments include multiple
caverns or basins
within a single cavern, multiple nuclear modules, multiple power conversion
modules, various
terrestrial facilities (or none at all), modules stationed outside one or more
caverns as well as within,
and so forth. All such variations and combinations are contemplated and within
the scope of the present
disclosure.
4. Schematics for processing facilities and material flow
[0334] FIGS. 39 and 40 are schematic depictions of portions of facilities
included with illustrative
power generating stations built according to embodiments of the present
disclosure, and of some flows
of material and energy between the facilities.
L Agro-industrial complex supporting local population center
[0335] FIG. 39 depicts portions of an illustrative agro-industrial complex
3900 that includes one or
more modular seabed-based units and includes, minimally, a seabed assembly
unit containing a
nuclear module or power conversion module, including without limitation any of
a micro-MPS, an
SMR-MPS and the like. The complex 3900 is designed to realize advantages of
locating various
productive facilities and energy-consuming activities in the vicinity of a
power generating station 3902
that supports a local population center 3904. The population center 3904 may
be an existing
conurbation, a temporary city or work camp, a military or research base, an
artificial offshore or seabed
community, city, or offshore metropolitan area, or one or more combinations
thereof.
[0336] The nuclear power generating station 3902, in embodiments, includes
both a nuclear module
and power conversion module, or more than one of either or both; or, a nuclear
module founded upon
pilings and a terrestrial power conversion module; or a power conversion
module founded upon pilings
and a terrestrial nuclear power plant; or various combinations of and
variations upon such
arrangements, all of which are contemplated and within the present
disclosure's scope. In
embodiments, the nuclear power generating station 3902 produces electrical
power, thermal energy,
or both. Other facilities depicted in FIG. 39, to be enumerated below, are (1)
facilities, denoted by
56
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
plain rectangles, that receive, stage, or produce inputs of the complex 3900,
(2) facilities, denoted by
capsule-shaped forms, that are typically involved in the transformation or
processing of inputs or
internal flows of the complex 3900, and (3) facilities, denoted by bold
rhombuses, that receive, stage,
or produce outputs of the complex 3900. Various facilities included with the
complex 3900 are, in
embodiments, modules (e.g., are manufactured and delivered, preferably by
flotation, to the location
of complex 3900), non-modular (e.g., are constructed on site), or
hybridizations of modular facilities
with non-modular facilities.
a. What's not illustrated (ancillary components such as grids and defense)
[0337] FIG. 39 does not depict systems or facilities (e.g., grids,
transportation networks) not included
with the complex 3900, nor various aspects of the complex 3900 (e.g.,
defensive systems), nor some
aspects of the local environment of the complex 3900. The latter typically
includes both a landmass,
herein termed the "terrestrial environment," and a relatively large body of
water, e.g., lake, river, or
ocean ("marine environment"), from which water is drawn by a seawater intake
facility 3906.
Moreover, non-nuclear sources of energy (e.g., natural gas generators, solar
panels) may be included
with the complex 3900. In these examples, the primary source of energy in the
complex 3900 is the
nuclear power generating station 3902.
b. Receipt of material inputs
[0338] Some material inputs to the complex 3900 arrive from (1) a secured
receiving facility 3908,
which handles the arrival of nuclear fuel for the power generating station
3902, (2) a seawater intake
facility 3906 drawing from some body of water which, if an ocean, is a source
of water as a coolant,
of salt water for freshening, and of useful substances in solution (e.g., CO2,
salt), (3) a raw industrial
materials receiving facility 3910, and (4) a hydrocarbon receiving facility
3912 (e.g., liquefied natural
gas terminal or petroleum receiving facility).
c. Material alteration/processing
[0339] Materials are altered in form, typically in a manner that adds value
for export or makes the
materials useful to a local population center, in a number of process
facilities, including a desalination
plant 3914 producing freshwater and brine, an electrolysis plant 3916
producing purified freshwater,
H2, 02 , and/or other outputs, an industrial process plant 3918, an
agricultural or food facility 3920, a
manufacturing facility 3922, a petrochemical process plant 3924, a facility
for treating agricultural,
industrial, and urban wastes 3926, and an emergency accommodation facility
3928.
[0340] Material and energy outputs (e.g., products and wastes) of the complex
3900, which may exit
the complex 3900 and/or return to other portions thereof, are handled by a dry
cask storage facility
57
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
3930, an electrical transmission and distribution facility (a.k.a. substation)
3932, a thermal storage and
distribution facility 3934, a products storage, distribution, and export
facility 3936, a food packaging,
storage, and refrigeration facility 3938, a freshwater storage and
distribution facility 3940, a fuel
storage facility 3941, and an agricultural, industrial, and urban waste
treatment facility 3926. Some or
.. all of the plants and facilities disclosed herein (except inherently
stationary resources) are, in various
embodiments, produced and delivered to the complex 3900 as MP units, realizing
advantages
including those enumerated herein for MP units. Various embodiments omit one
or more of the
facilities included with illustrative complex 3900 and include facilities not
included with complex
3900.
[0341] Some of the energy forms and materials that flow between elements of
the complex 3900
include fresh nuclear fuel 3942; cooled spent nuclear fuel 3944; coolant water
3946; electrical power
3948 for transmission to the population center 3904 and all other facilities
included with complex
3900; thermal energy 3949 delivered to the thermal storage and distribution
facility 3934; heat and/or
electrical power 3950 for use by the desalination plant 3914; desalinated
water (freshwater) 3952 for
use by the electrolysis plant 3916; desalinated water 3954 for use by the
industrial process plant 3922;
desalinated water 3956 for use by the agricultural or food facility 3920;
brine 3958 for use by an
industrial process plant 3918; raw industrial materials (e.g., feedstocks)
3960 for use by the industrial
process plant 3918; fertilizer 3962 for use by the agricultural facility 3924;
industrial products 3964
for handling by the storage and distribution facility 3936; agricultural
products 3966 for handling by
.. the food handling facility 3938; hydrocarbons 3968 from the hydrocarbon
receiving facility 3912 for
processing by the petrochemical plant 3924; petrochemical outputs 3970 (e.g.,
resins, synthetic fuels)
for handling by the storage and distribution facility 3936; petrochemical
outputs 3972 for use in the
manufacturing facility 3922; electrolysis gases 3960 (e.g., H2, 02) for use by
the industrial process
plant 3918; manufactured products 3976 for use in the population center 3904;
wastes 3978 from the
population center 3904 for treatment in the waste treatment facility 3926;
processed industrial
materials 3980 (e.g., metal, plastics) from the industrial process plant 3918
to the manufacturing
facility 3922; organic outputs 3982 from the agricultural or food production
facility 3920 to the
petrochemical process plant 3924 (e.g., wastes or crop feedstocks for
conversion to synthetic fuel);
synthetic or processed fuel 3984 from the petrochemical process plant 3924 to
the fuel storage facility
3941; and synthetic or processed fuel 3986 from the fuel storage facility 3941
to the population center
3904. Heat 3988 and power 3990 are delivered to the population center 3904. Of
note, electricity,
thermal energy, freshwater, purified water, fuels, electrolysis gases, and
other materials are typically
58
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
distributed to many facilities included with complex 3900, although only
selected transfers are
explicitly depicted in FIG. 39. For example, all facilities will receive
electricity from the substation
3932, and thermal energy from the thermal storage and distribution facility
3934 may be delivered for
district heating, process heat, or the like to various facilities. In another
example, "distribution" of
products from the product storage, distribution, and export facility 3936 will
typically be local (e.g.,
to other facilities of the complex 3900 and to the population center 3904),
e.g., via pipelines or local
trucking, while "export" of products will typically entail transfer to
relatively remote destinations, e.g.,
by air, maritime container shipping, or long-haul rail.
[0342] In another example, materials to a population center and processes
supportive thereof may be
extracted from seawater as a byproduct of desalination as performed, for
example, by the desalination
plant 3914, electrolysis plant 3916, and additional processes. For example,
carbonates (MgCO3) can
be extracted from seawater and converted to oxides for cement manufacture or
refractory materials.
Also, sea salts (primarily sodium chloride) or uranium from seawater are a
marketable byproduct of
desalination, given appropriate quality controls.
[0343] In another example, the power generating station 3902 also supplies
power to a facility
including a data center and/or supercomputing facility 3992 requiring large
amount of electricity,
where the facility 3992 may be installed offshore, e.g., as a module founded
upon the seafloor with a
seabed base structure as described herein.
[0344] In another example, the power generating station 3902 also supplies
power to an offshore or
seabed mining facility or operation 3994 requiring large amount of
electricity, where the facility 3994
may include modules founded upon the seafloor with a seabed base structure as
described herein.
[0345] In another example, the power generating station 3902 also supplies
power to an offshore ocean
cleaning facility or operation 3996 requiring large amounts of electricity for
extended periods of time
(e.g., several years at least), wherein the facility 3996 may include modules
floating or propelled as
needed to identify and address areas of ocean contamination, such as aggregate
of plastics and the like.
[0346] FIG. 40 depicts portions of another illustrative complex 4000 including
one or more nuclear
and/or power conversion modules including without limitation micro-MPS
module(s), SMR-MPS
module(s), and the like established by seabed base structures and including,
minimally, a nuclear
module. Complex 4000 is designed to realize advantages of locating various
resource extraction or
production facilities and energy-consuming processes related to such
extraction in the vicinity of a
nuclear power generating station 4002 and one or more extractable natural
resources (e.g., coal, gas,
or petroleum fields or solid-mineral mines). The nuclear power generating
station 4002, in
59
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
embodiments, includes both a nuclear module and power conversion module, or
more than one of
either or both; or, a nuclear module founded upon pilings and a terrestrial
power conversion module;
or a power conversion module founded upon pilings and a terrestrial nuclear
power plant; or various
combinations of and variations upon such arrangements, all of which are
contemplated and within the
present disclosure's scope. In embodiments, the power generating station 4002
produces electrical
power, thermal energy, or both. Other facilities depicted in FIG. 40, to be
enumerated below, are (1)
various modular or non-modular facilities, denoted by plain rectangles, which
receive, stage, or
produce inputs of the complex 4000, (2) facilities, denoted by capsule-shaped
forms, that are typically
involved in the transformation or processing of inputs or internal flows of
the complex 4000, and (3)
facilities, denoted by bold rhombuses, that receive, stage, or produce outputs
of the complex 4000.
[0347] FIG. 40 does not depict systems or facilities (e.g., grids,
transportation networks) not included
with the complex 4000, nor various aspects of the complex 4000 (e.g.,
defensive systems), nor some
aspects of the local environment of the complex 4000. The latter typically
includes both a terrestrial
environment and a marine environment. In examples, the primary source of
energy in the complex
4000 is the power generating station 4002.
[0348] Some material inputs to the complex 4000 arrive from (1) a secured
receiving facility 4006,
which handles the arrival of nuclear fuel for the power generating station
4002, (2) a seawater intake
facility 4004 drawing upon a body of water which is a source of water as a
coolant and (if an ocean)
of salt water for freshening and of useful substances in solution (e.g., CO2,
salt), (3) a fossil fuel
resource 4008 (e.g., oil field), and (4) a mineral resource 4010 (e.g., mine).
[0349] Materials are altered in form, often in a value-adding manner, in a
number of process facilities,
including a desalination plant 4012 producing freshwater and brine, an
electrolysis plant 4014
producing purified freshwater, H2, 02 , and/or other outputs, a resource
production facility plant 4016,
a petrochemical processing plant 4018, a mineral processing plant 4020, a
resource production waste
treatment facility 4022, a refining process byproduct treatment facility 4024,
an environmental
monitoring and remediation facility 4026, a dock and/or site construction
support facility 4028, and a
deployment crew accommodations and logistics facility 4030.
[0350] Material and energy outputs (e.g., products and wastes) of the complex
4000, which may exit
the complex 4000 and/or return to other portions thereof, are handled by a dry
cask storage facility
4032, an electrical transmission and distribution facility (a.k.a. substation)
4034, a thermal storage and
distribution facility 4036, a product storage, distribution, and export
facility 4038, and a freshwater
storage and distribution facility 4040. Of note, the resource production
facility 4016 performs
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
functions supportive of resource extraction from the fossil fuel resource 4008
and the mineral resource
4010; these functions include the refining of hydrocarbons from the fossil
fuel resource 4008 and the
separation, concentration, and refining or reducing of minerals from the
mineral resource 4010. Some
or all of the plants and facilities disclosed herein (except inherently
stationary resources) are, in various
embodiments, produced and delivered to the complex 4000 as modular units
established upon seabeds
on pilings, realizing advantages including those enumerated herein for modular
units. Various
embodiments omit one or more of the facilities included with illustrative
complex 4000 and/or include
facilities not included with complex 4000.
[0351] Some of the energy forms and materials that flow between elements of
the complex 4000
.. include fresh nuclear fuel 4042; cooled spent nuclear fuel 4044; coolant
water 4046; electrical power
4048 for transmission to other facilities included with complex 4000; thermal
energy 4050 delivered
to the thermal storage and distribution facility 4036; heat and/or electrical
power 4052 for use by the
desalination plant 4012; desalinated water (freshwater) 4054 for use by the
electrolysis plant 4014;
desalinated water 4056 for use by the resource production facility 4016; brine
4058 for use by the
electrolysis plant 4014; raw fossil fuel resources 4060 for handling by the
resource production facility
plant 4016; raw mineral resources 4062 for handling by the resource production
facility plant 4016;
heated fluids 4064 and/or chemical reactants and/or other outputs of the
resource production facility
4016, delivered to the fossil fuel resource 4008 to assist in extraction;
heated fluids 4066 and other
outputs of from the resource production facility 4016, delivered to the
mineral resource 4010 to assist
.. in extraction; electrolysis gases (e.g., H2, 02) for use by the
petrochemical processing plant 4018,
resource production facility 4016, and mineral resource facility 4020; refined
hydrocarbons 4070 from
the resource production facility 4016 (derived from the fossil fuel resource
4008) for processing by
the petrochemical plant 4018; separated, concentrated, and/or refined or
reduced minerals or metals
4072 (derived from the mineral resource 4010) from the resource production
facility 4016 for
.. processing by the mineral processing plant 4020; directly useful
hydrocarbon or mineral outputs 4074
of the resource production facility 4016, delivered to the production storage,
distribution, and export
facility 4038; petrochemical outputs 4076 (e.g., resins, synthetic fuels) of
the petrochemical processing
plant 4018 for handling by the storage, distribution, and export facility
4038; and refined metallic or
mineral outputs 4078 for handling by the storage, distribution, and export
facility 4038. Of note,
electricity, thermal energy, freshwater, purified water, fuels, electrolysis
gases, minerals (e.g.,
carbonate minerals) extracted from brine by the electrolysis plant 4014, and
other materials are
61
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
typically distributed to many of the facilities included with complex 4000,
although only selected
movements are explicitly depicted in FIG. 40.
[0352] In another example, the power generating station 4002 also supplies
power to a facility
including a data center and/or supercomputing facility 4080 requiring a large
amount of electricity,
where the facility 4080 may be installed offshore, e.g., as a module founded
upon the seafloor on a
seabed base structure as described herein.
[0353] In another example, the power generating station 4002 also supplies
power to a local population
center 4082. The population center 4082 may be an existing conurbation, a
temporary city or work
camp, a military or research base, an artificial offshore or seabed community,
city, or offshore
metropolitan area, or one or more combinations thereof.
[0354] Of note, in embodiments, the storage and distribution facility 4038
enables the export of
products from the complex 4000; the secured receiving facility 4006 has
safeguards such as secure
tracking and reporting to appropriate regulatory authorities as fuel is
received, as well as a secure
physical fuel-transfer connection to the power generating station 4002; H2
from the electrolysis plant
4014 can also be an input to the petrochemical process plant 4018 (or transfer
connection); and other
substances may be variously moved between facilities of complex 4000 for
various purposes. The
resource production waste treatment facility 4022 copes primarily with wastes
from extraction from
the mineral resource 4010 and the fossil fuel resource 4008. The refining
process byproduct treatment
facility 4024 copes primarily with wastes of the mineral processing plant 4020
and petrochemical
processing plant 4018, enabling (e.g., by various treatments) such wastes to
be recycled, neutralized,
and/or sequestered. The environmental monitoring and remediation facility 4016
copes primarily with
effluents, leaks, and spills from all the facilities of the complex 4000,
whether nuclear or
nonradioactive, chronic or emergent, and foreseen or unforeseen.
[0355] In an example of an energy-intensive industrial process benefiting from
proximate access to
the heat and electrical output of the power generating station 4002, magnesium
carbonate (MgCO3) to
magnesium oxide (MgO) and CO2 by the addition of heat, the CO2 being either
utilized in a process
or persistently sequestered in a hydro-carbon bearing geologic formations
enabling enhanced oil
recovery or carbon capture-and-storage scheme, e.g., one that pumps
supercritical CO2 into a saline
aquifer vertically segregated by a low-permeable cap-rock for long-term
geologic storage. Such
sequestration will be more economically feasible where the energy inputs to
magnesite conversion and
sequestration are more economically obtained, as in the complex 4000. The MgO
thus obtained may
be used in the reduction of other metals from ore, e.g., in Kroll processing
of titanium or zirconium
62
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
carried out by the mineral processing plant 4020. In another example, Bayer
processing of bauxite to
produce aluminum is known as an electricity-intensive process and would
benefit by proximity to the
power generating station 4002. In another example, process steam from the
power generating station
4002 can be used to mobilize high-viscosity fossil fuels (e.g., bitumen) in an
unconventional fossil
fuel resource 4008 or a conventional reservoir depleted of readily extractable
fossil fuel. In another
example, magnesium is present as a soluble salt in seawater (-1.3 x 36-3
kg/liter Mg2+ ions,
associated with chloride and sulfate ions), and can be produced as a suitable
industrial compound, e.g.,
magnesia, as a byproduct of the desalination plant 4012.
[0356] Numerous other examples can be adduced of energy-intensive processes
that would benefit by
integration in a complex 4000 or other embodiments, e.g., oxygen liquefaction
from air, electric steel
and iron production, ferromanganese refinement, and more. All such processes
are contemplated.
[0357] Various modular units included with complexes 3900 and 4000, including
the nuclear power
plants, may be located in a littoral, near-shore, or off-shore manner,
realizing environmental and social
advantages by minimizing disruption of landmass and coastal environments and
human settlement
patterns. The complexes 3900 and 4000 can, in an example, serve regions that
have growing energy,
water and transportation fuel needs, but do not wish or cannot afford to
develop the massively
expensive infrastructure that is required to produce them indigenously. For
various embodiments,
initial installation of can be rapid, as floatable modules are transported
from shipyards to the site, with
minimal site preparation required compared to traditional terrestrial power
and water projects. If a
worldwide fleet of floatable modules is available, production could be
initiated within months as
compared to years or decades for conventional development approaches. Capacity
and capabilities of
the complexes 3900 and 4000 or other embodiments can be modified flexibly
during the lifetime of
the project by adding or subtracting floatable modules. The customer does not
have to commit to a
60-80-year project, and the host country does not need to own the
infrastructure. In an example of the
advantages realizable from such deployments, given a nuclear power source,
desalinated water and
synthetic fuels production occurs with essentially zero direct CO2 emissions.
[0358] Moreover, various industrial and agricultural processes can realize
advantages by integration
with the nuclear plants in complexes 3900 and 4000, since closer proximity of
facilities to the primary
energy source and to each other reduces all losses and costs associated with
transport of electricity,
heat, water, gasses, industrial material, products, and the like. Pipelines,
which tend to be expensive
and vulnerable, are reduced by proximity to minimal lengths, enabling the more
efficient transfer of
liquids (e.g., desalinated water for agriculture and other processes) and
gasses (e.g., H2, notoriously
63
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
difficult to contain) and the more economic exploitation of heat (the primary
energetic output of a
nuclear power plant) in, e.g., industrial, agricultural, production, and fuel
extraction processes.
Transmission losses for electrical power to points of use are also reduced,
and shorter electrical
transmission lines connecting the nuclear power plant to various facilities of
the complexes 3900 and
4000 are less costly and more reliable than long-haul lines. Security and
defense are advantageously
realized in complexes 3900 and 4000 by tasking defensive systems (e.g.,
barriers, surveillance and
sensor gear, oversight personnel, response teams, drones) with the security of
a relatively unified and
restricted area, e.g., that occupied by complexes 3900 and 4000, in contrast
to securing a number of
disparately located facilities connected by relatively long, costly, and
vulnerable pipelines, transport
routes, and power lines. Environmental benefits are also realized, e.g., by
decreased land consumption
for pipelines, power lines, and the like; by the increased feasibility of
energy-intensive,
environmentally beneficial processes such as manufacture of synthetic fuel
from atmospheric carbon,
dissolved oceanic carbon, fossil-fuel feedstocks, and/or H2 from electrolysis;
by increased feasibility
of carbon sequestration from industrial processes and fuel synthesis; and the
like.
[0359] In an illustrative use case, a coastal industrial enterprise of
foreseeably temporary nature (e.g.,
mining of a finite resource) can realize advantages from the deployment of
floatable module units in
an agro-industrial complex, as these can be deployed rapidly and economically
un-deployed by similar
mechanisms at the end of project lifetime, again with potential realization of
environmental benefits.
These and other advantages are realized by various embodiments. Including of
floatable module units
by the proposed agro-industrial complex is unique and distinctive from all
prior proposals for nuclear-
powered complexes, e.g., Nuclear Energy Centers: Industrial and Agro-
Industrial Complexes, Oak
Ridge National Laboratory ORNL-4290, Nov. 1968, the teaching of which is
incorporated herein by
reference.
IL Natural gas processing center powered by PGS
[0360] FIG. 41 is a schematic depiction of relationships between portions of
an illustrative Power
Generating Station-powered natural gas processing facility 4100, illustrative
of a class of embodiments
in which Power Generating Stations supply power for the extraction and/or
processing of fuels. The
facility 4100 includes a Power Generating Station (PGS) 4102 that supplies
energy 4104 (heat and/or
electricity) to a gas treatment process 4106 and a natural gas liquefaction
process 4108. In examples,
the treatment and liquefaction processes 4106, 4108 are located proximally to
a coastal or littoral
setting where the PGS 4102 (e.g., a nuclear reactor and the like) can be
delivered by flotation, but may
be located anywhere to which transmission facilities may effectively deliver
the energy 4104 output
64
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
of the PGS 4102. The gas treatment process 4106 includes, per standard
industrial practice, devices or
processes for feed gas compression 4110, condensate removal 4112,
dehydration/mercury removal
4114, acid gas removal 4116, and lean gas compression 4118. Acid gas 4120 is
delivered to a
geological sequestration process 4122, which includes an injection compressor.
Energy for the
geological acid gas sequestration process 4122 may be supplied by the PGS
4102. The gas treatment
process 4106 is supplied by a source or feed gas process 4126, e.g., a
pipeline or well field, and delivers
treated natural gas 4128 to the natural gas liquefaction process 4108. The
liquefaction process 4108
includes devices or process for refrigeration 4130, end flash gas compression
4132, and boil off gas
compression 4134. The primary outputs of the liquefaction process 4108 are
liquefied natural gas
(LNG) 4136 and fuel gas 4138.
II. Underwater Installation
[0361] FIGS. 42-53B illustrate some embodiments of methods and systems for the
flexible, rapid
installation of underwater premanufactured power plants (PNPs) upon the sea
floor and for enabling
unobstructed access to such underwater PNP installations from adjacent land.
In embodiments, the
PNPs are small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) that may utilize conventional
light water reactor
(LWR) fuel and/or other uranium-based fuels, such as HALEU for reaction.
[0362] FIG. 42 depicts portions of an illustrative transportation facility
4200 that can include a number
of submersible modules (e.g., module 4202) supported upon pilings (e.g.,
piling 4204) founded upon
a seabed 4206 beneath a body of water 4208. The modules are mated end-to-end
to form an at least
partly air-filled underwater roadway 4210. At its ends, the underwater roadway
4210 communicates
with access tunnels 4212, 4214 that ascend to surface access ports 4216, 4218,
where surface roadways
4220, 4222 lead to and from the tunnels 4212, 4214. The submersible modules
4202 of the underwater
roadway 4210 are often constructed in a temporary floodable, artificial or
modified natural harbor near
to the site of the transportation facility 4200, floated thereto, sunk upon
previously prepared pilings
4204, and mated to each other to produce a secure tube through which move
traffic, air, power, and
the like. With this structure, submersible reactor modules 4408, 4410 can
easily be deployed on known
infrastructure or modular components of such a structure can be used to deploy
one or more reactor
modules.
[0363] FIG. 43 depicts portions of an illustrative submersible module 4300.
Such a submersible
module 4300 is typically on the order of tens of meters tall and scores of
meters long. The cross-
sectional form of the submersible module 4300 may be rectangular (as
depicted), elliptical, circular,
or other, and it typically includes a number of internal chambers or volumes
(e.g., chamber 4302).
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
Various bulkheads may divide the internal chambers one from another and/or cap
the end ward
portions of the submersible module 4300 to exclude the sea (e.g., during
installation). One, two, or
more of the faces or sides of the submersible module 4300 include one or more
openings that can be
mated to similar openings in other modules or structures. In the illustrative
submersible module 4300,
a single opening occupies the forward end of the submersible module 4300 and a
similar opening
occupies the opposite end. It will be appreciated in light of the disclosure
that such submersible
modules 4300 may be mated, end-to-end, to produce an extended underwater
structure.
[0364] FIG. 44A schematically depicts portions of one stage of an illustrative
method for adding
submersible modules 4408, 4410 to an illustrative power generating facility
4400. The submersible
modules 4408, 4410 are constructed employing principles similar to those
described herein with
reference to FIG. 42 and FIG. 43 and, in the completed state of the facility
4400, are submerged
beneath a body of water 4402. An artificial or modified natural harbor 4404,
separable from the body
of water 4402 by a floodgate 4406, contains facilities for pumping the harbor
4404 free of water. In
its emptied state, as depicted in FIG. 44A, the harbor 4404 is used as a stage
for manufacturing or
assembling submersible modules, e.g., a reactor module 4408 and a power
conversion module 4410,
both resting on the floor of the harbor 4404 in FIG. 44A. The modules 4408,
4410, depicted in side
view, are air-filled, and their transverse ends can be sealed against water
ingress by openable-closeable
bulkheads. In embodiments, interior module components can include SMRs and
turbine generators.
An access tunnel 4412 provides communication between the seabed installation
site of the modules
4408, 4410 and an access port 4414. Pilings capable of supporting the modules
4408, 4410 (e.g., piling
4416) are founded upon the seabed 4418. Only three pilings 4416 are depicted
in FIG. 44A, but there
is no restriction on the number of pilings 4416 that may be employed. The
methods for installing
prefabricated modules of a nuclear power generating station upon pilings 4416
that are shown and
depicted in PCT App. Ser. No. PCT/US19/23724 (published as WO 2019/183575)
claiming the benefit
of U.S. Provisional Pat. App. No. 62/646,614, entitled, "SYSTEMS AND METHODS
FOR RAPID
ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFSHORE NUCLEAR POWER PLATFORMS," the entire disclosure of
each is incorporated herein by reference, are among those used in various
embodiments of the present
disclosure for the installation of prefabricated modules upon a seabed.
[0365] FIG. 44B, depicts the facility 4400 of FIG. 44A in a later stage of
assembly. In the state
depicted in FIG. 44B, water from the body of water 4402 has been permitted to
fill the harbor 4404 to
a matching depth. The modules 4408, 4410 are depicted floating upon the water
4420 admitted to the
66
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
harbor 4404. Barges, supportive floats for the modules 4408,4410, vessels used
to guide and otherwise
manipulate the modules 4408, 4410, and various other components.
[0366] FIG. 44C depicts the facility 4400 of FIG. 44A in a still later stage
of assembly. In the state
depicted in FIG. 44C, the modules 4408, 4410 have been maneuvered through the
opened floodgate
4406 and moved upon the surface of the body of water 4402 to a position above
the seabed assembly
site.
[0367] FIG. 44D depicts the facility 4400 of FIG. 44A in a yet later stage of
assembly. In the state
depicted in FIG. 44D, the modules 4408, 4410 have been lowered through the
body of water 4402 to
rest upon the pilings 4416 at the assembly site. Moreover, the modules 4408,
4410 have been mated
both with each other and with the underwater opening of the access tunnel
4412. Appropriate
bulkheads have been opened and other connections established to enable
transfer of power, fluids, air,
personnel, various materiel, vehicles, and the like among the modules 4408,
4410 as well as between
the underwater portion of the installation 4400 and facilities on the land
surface. In the state depicted
in FIG. 44D, the basin 4404 has been pumped dry again in preparation for the
manufacture of
additional modules. In various other embodiments, modules are manufactured at
a shipyard rather than
in a local, special-purpose harbor 4404; or, are manufactured in a harbor
4404, floated to a shipyard
for outfitting, and then floated to the installation site. Various embodiments
include any number of
modules 4408, 4410 equal to or greater than 1, one or more access tunnels
4412, one or more surface
access ports 4414, various ancillary facilities and security measures upon the
land surface, or the water
surface, or under the water, and various other components. These and many
similar variations upon
the procedure of FIGS. 44A-44D may be readily imagined without entailing
significant inventive
novelty, and all such are contemplated and within the scope of the present
disclosure.
[0368] FIG. 45 depicts, in schematic cross-section, portions of illustrative
methods for lowering a
prefabricated submersible module 4500 of a power generating facility to the
module's final position
in the facility. Pilings (e.g., piling 4502) have been previously established
upon the seabed 4504
beneath a body of water 4506, preferably in a prepared channel, bed, or
depression 4507. The
illustrative module 4500 is presumed to have a specific gravity at least
slightly greater than one and,
thus, to sink unless supported by a barge, floats, or other devices; in
various other embodiments, the
submersible module 4500 has a specific gravity less than 1 and must therefore
either be ballasted (e.g.,
by filling internal ballast tanks with water) to cause it to sink, or winched
into place using pulldown
cables, or otherwise caused to descend through the body of water 4506. In FIG.
45, the submersible
module 4500 is supported via cables 4508, 4510 from a barge 4512 that includes
hulls or floats 4514,
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
4516 sufficiently buoyant to support both the barge 4512 itself and the
submersible module 4500, the
latter being at least partly immersed. In a typical installation procedure,
the barge 4512 with
submersible module 4500 is maneuvered to a position above the pilings, lowered
into place, and
secured to the pilings 4502. Precision positioning of the module 4500 upon the
pilings 4502 may be
achieved by various methods, including the use of guidance fenders or computer-
controlled guidance
cables or submersible tug drones. After the submersible module 4500 has been
secured to the pilings
4502, the cables 4508, 4510 are detached from the submersible module 4500 and
the barge 4512 is re-
used elsewhere.
[0369] FIG. 46 depicts the submersible module 4500 of FIG. 45 after the
submersible module 4500
has been installed upon the pilings 4502. To stabilize the submersible module
4500 against water
currents, ship strikes, earthquake, piling shift, and other forces that may
tend to dislodge it from the
pilings 4502, the submersible module 4500 is stabilized by an illustrative
supportive bed 4600. The
supportive bed 4600 may be injected under and around the submersible module
4500 in the form of
fluidized sand, concrete, or other able sufficiently substances. Although
depicted as lying mostly under
the submersible module 4500, the supportive bed 4600 is in various embodiments
deepened to partly
or completely cover the submersible module 4500. Additionally or
alternatively, embankments or
coverings of different materials (e.g., crushed rock) be combined to protect
and stabilize the
submersible module 4500.
[0370] FIG. 47 depicts, in schematic cross-section, portions of illustrative
methods for lowering a
prefabricated submersible module 4500 of a power generating facility to the
module's correct position
in the facility. A foundation or prepared bed 4700 consisting of concrete,
compressed crushed rock, or
other sufficiently stable material has been previously established upon the
seabed 4504 beneath the
body of water 4506 in, for example, a prepared channel, bed, or depression
4702. The barge 4512 of
FIG. 45 is again depicted in FIG. 47, here too lowering the submersible module
4500 to its resting
position. The submersible module 4500 is affixed to the prepared bed 4700 by
bolts, augurs, or other
mechanisms. In various embodiments, the submersible module 4500 is further
stabilized and protected
by the addition of an embankment or covering of one or more materials (sand,
concrete, crushed rock,
etc.) as discussed herein with reference to FIG. 46. FIG. 47 illustrates that
there is no restriction with
regard to the mechanisms by which submersible modules 4500 of an underwater
nuclear power
generating station are, in various embodiments, stabilized and protected upon
the seabed 4504.
[0371] FIG. 48A depicts, in schematic cross-section, portions of a stage in an
illustrative method for
mating two illustrative submerged modules 4800, 4802 (e.g., a reactor module
and a power conversion
68
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
module) in a secure manner. The facing ends of the two submerged modules 4800,
4802 are depicted.
The submerged modules 4800, 4802 are surrounded by water 4804 at pressure
(e.g., pressure such as
is produced at tens of meters or more of depth) significantly greater than
surface atmospheric pressure.
Each submerged module 4800, 4802 includes an air-filled interior space 4806,
4808 at a pressure (e.g.,
atmospheric pressure) significantly lower than that of the surrounding water
4804. In the state depicted
in FIG. 48A, water at ambient pressure fills the intermodular space 4810. The
edges of the two
submerged modules 4800, 4802 are of matching shape and size and form an
uninterrupted annular
contact zone when the two submerged modules 4800, 4802 are aligned and brought
together, e.g.,
during the addition of one of the submerged modules 4800, 4802 to an
underwater power station as
exampled herein. A crushable gasket 4812 is attached to one of the submerged
modules (here, module
4802) and interposes itself along the entire annular contact zone between the
two submerged modules
4800, 4802. Further, a flexible internal fluid barrier 4814, attached to both
of the submerged modules
4800, 4802, runs around the entire annular contact zone. Further, openable or
removable bulkheads
4816, 4818 form at least a portion of the facing end walls of the two
submerged modules 4800, 4802
and separate the interior air-filled spaces 4806, 4808 of the submerged
modules 4800, 4802 from the
intermodular space 4810. In the state depicted in FIG. 48A, submerged module
4800 is stationary
(affixed to pilings or a foundation, not shown) and the submerged module 4802
is mobile (in the
process of installation). In the state depicted, the two submerged modules
4800, 4802 have been
approximated so that the crushable gasket 4812 is in contact with the
stationary, submerged module
4800 with a force sufficient to form a water-tight seal between the submerged
modules 4800, 4802.
103721 FIG. 48B depicts the submerged modules 4800, 4802 of FIG. 48A in a
later stage of
installation. In the state depicted in FIG. 48B, the water in the intermodular
space 4810 has been
pumped out with pumps and channels, and air has been introduced into the
intermodular space 4810
at a pressure (e.g., atmospheric) significantly lower than that of the
surrounding water 4804. As a
result, differential hydrostatic pressure on the exterior of the two submerged
modules 4800, 4802
forces them together, compressing both the crushable gasket 4812 and the fluid
barrier 4814. Since
the submerged module 4800 is stationary and the submerged module 4802 is
mobile, this closer
approximation of the two submerged modules 4800, 4802 has occurred through a
shifting of the mobile
submerged module 4802 toward the stationary submerged module 4800. In a later
stage of the
illustrative method, the mobile submerged module 4802 is affixed to pilings or
a foundation and the
removable bulkheads 4816, 4818 are opened or removed to enable communication
between the
interior spaces 4806, 4808 of the submerged modules 4800, 4802. Additional
modules may be
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
similarly mated to other surfaces of either or both of the submerged modules
4800, 4802. It will be
appreciated in light of the disclosure that by such mechanisms, a linear, two-
dimensional, or three-
dimensional array of submersible modules may be interconnected so as to form a
seabed installation
that includes power generation and other functions.
[0373] FIG. 49 depicts in schematic cross-section portions of an illustrative
underwater power-
generating installation 4900 according to embodiments. A nuclear power module
4902 is installed into
a seabed base structure 4904 that is founded upon a number of pilings 4906
driven into a seabed 4908
beneath a body of water 4910. The methods of installation upon pilings using
seabed base structures
are described in PCT App. Ser. No. PCT/US19/23724 (published as WO
2019/183575) claiming the
benefit of U.S. Provisional Pat. App. No. 62/646,614, identified above, and
incorporated by reference
herein. In the setting of the installation 4900, the geography of the coast
4912 is steep and rocky. In
this case, access to the land-side surface can be advantageously provided with
a first, horizontal access
tunnel 4914 and a second, vertical or steeply sloping access tunnel 4916. The
installation 4900 of FIG.
49 is illustrative of a class of embodiments whose methods of modular
installation and arrangements
for surface access differ in some respects from those depicted in FIGS. 48A
and 48B.
[0374] In FIGS. 50A and 50B, portions of an illustrative seabed installation
5000 including power
generation facilities are depicted in schematic cross-section and in aligned
top-down view. The
installation 5000 is stationed upon pilings 5002 founded upon a seabed 5004
beneath a body of water
5006 and includes six modules 5008, 5010, 5012, 5014, 5016, 5018. The module
5010 is a nuclear
power module including several SMRs (e.g., SMR 5011), the module 5008 is a
power conversion
module including turbine-generator equipment 5009, and the other modules
perform various other
functions, e.g., control, personnel housing, spent-fuel storage, and server
farm housing. The modules
5008, 5010, 5012, 5014, 5016, 5018 are interconnected at their adjacent or
abutting surfaces so as to
create a common intercommunicating interior space: e.g., module 5016 is
connected to modules 5010,
5014, and 5018. Removable or closeable bulkheads permit the closure of
intercommunicating
openings between modules. Also, the two modules 5012, 5018 that are landward
(e.g., proximate to
the shoreline 5019) are connected to parallel surface access tunnels 5020,
5022 that ascend to surface
roadways 5024, 5026 which in turn ascend upon a sloped surface access port
5028. Pipelines,
powerlines, rail lines, and other facilities for transporting power, fluids,
materiel, and the like to and
from the underwater portion of the installation 5000 are also included.
[0375] It will be appreciated in light of the disclosure that many variations
on the number, disposition,
and functions of the elements depicted in the illustrative installations of
FIG. 50A and FIG. 50B are
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
contemplated, because they are within the knowledge of those skilled in the
art. All such variations
are contemplated and within the scope of the present disclosure. In an
example, an enclosed (e.g., steel
compaitment) nuclear power module, such as without limitation an IPW/IPC
module may be attached
laterally to the tunnel 5028. In the example, steam and condensate return
lines may be interfaced with
underwater components and the like.
[0376] In FIGS. 51A and 51B, portions of an illustrative seabed installation
5100 including power
generation facilities are depicted in schematic cross-section and in aligned
top-down view. The
installation 5100 is stationed upon pilings 5102 founded upon a seabed 5104
beneath a body of water
5106 and includes modules 5108, 5110, 5112, 5114, 5116, 5118. Module 5110 is a
nuclear power
module including several SMRs (e.g., SMR 5111), module 5108 is a power
conversion module
including turbine-generator equipment 5109, and the other modules perform
various other functions,
e.g., control, personnel housing, spent-fuel storage, and server farm housing.
The modules 5108, 5110,
5112, 5114, 5116, 5118 are interconnected as for the similar modules of the
installation 5000 in FIGS.
51A and 51B. The two landward modules 5112, 5118 are connected to parallel
surface access tunnels
5120, 5122 that ascend to surface roadways 5124, 5126 which in turn ascend
upon a sloped surface
access port 5128. Pipelines, powerlines, rail lines, and other facilities for
transporting power, fluids,
materiel, and the like to and from the underwater portion of the installation
5100. The system 5100 of
FIGS. 10A and 10B also includes an illustrative "server farm barge (super-
computing center, data
center)" 5130 that includes a service or barge portion 5132 and a bulk
computational facility 5134.
The bulk computational facility 5132 may store data, perform intensive
computations, or perform other
computational or communicative tasks requiring a significant amount of energy.
Advantages
realizable by locating a bulk computational facility on a floating platform in
various embodiments
include but are not limited to proximity to a non-variable source of
electricity, freedom from on-land
siting constraints, efficient shipyard production of multiple identical units
as opposed to on-site
construction of customized on-land facilities, easy relocation of the
facility, easy swap-out for an
updated facility, immunity to earthquakes, and enhanced security due to the
relatively greater difficulty
of attack over water.
[0377] The barge 5132 is connected by at least one mooring cable 5136 to at
least one seabed anchor
or mooring 5138 and receives power from the generator module 5108 via a
suspended cable 5140. The
barge 5132 includes supportive machinery, crew quarters, security measures,
backup generators, and
other features that support the functioning of the bulk computational facility
5134. Data are exchanged
between the data barge 5130 and one or more networks via wireless
communications (e.g.,
71
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
microwaves), via high-speed solid-state data links (e.g., optical fibers)
routed through portions of the
facility 5100 or independently thereof, or via some combination of various
communication methods.
[0378] Floating bulk computational facilities have been proposed in the prior
art (e.g., in U.S. Pat. No.
7,525,207, "WATER-BASED DATA CENTER," whose entire disclosure is incorporated
herein by
reference), but such disclosures have not featured the provision of power by
underwater generating
facilities such as those depicted and described herein. Various other
embodiments include two or more
data barges, data barges configured otherwise than as depicted in FIGS. 10A
and 10B, data centers
housed in one or more piling-supported underwater modules of the system 5100
(e.g., modules 5114,
5116, 5118), and data centers coexisting with other enterprises housed in the
system 5100.
[0379] FIGS. 52A and 52B depict portions of an illustrative seabed
installation 5200 in schematic side
view and aligned top-down view according to embodiments. System 5200 resembles
system 5100
except that the data barge 5130 is replaced by a bulk computational facility
5202 that is supported by
pilings 5204 and a seabed base structure 5206 according to methods similar to
those disclosed in WO
2016/085347 Al and WO 2017/168381 Al, referenced herein. Advantages realizable
by an installation
such as the installation 5200 are similar to those realizable by installation
5100 of FIGS. 10A and 10B.
[0380] FIGS. 53A and 53B depicts portions of an illustrative seabed
installation 5300 in schematic
cross-section and in aligned top-down view according to embodiments. The
installation 5300 includes
an illustrative multi-level fulfillment center 5302 for unmanned aerial
vehicles (UAVs), e.g., UAV
5304. The fulfillment center 5302 includes ports 5306 through which UAVs 5304
carrying loads (e.g.,
consumer goods or raw materials) to points of destination may depart and
through which UAVs 5304
may return after having delivered their loads. The center 5302 is founded upon
pilings 5308 and a
seabed base structure 5310 according to methods similar to those disclosed in
WO 2016/085347 Al
and WO 2017/168381 Al, referenced herein. The center 5302 includes an access
hub 5312 stationed
within a gap in the pilings array and accessed through an underwater
transportation roadway 5314
similar to the underwater roadway 4210 of FIG. 42. Goods and materials are
delivered to the
fulfillment center 5302 through the roadway 5314 for distribution by the
fulfillment center 5302. The
center 5302 receives power from the power conversion module 5316. The
fulfillment center 5302
resembles that disclosed in U.S. Pat. App. No. 2017/0175413 Al, "MULTI-LEVEL
FULFILLMENT
CENTER FOR UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES," whose entire disclosure is incorporated
herein
by reference. Advantages realizable by locating a fulfillment center on a
floating or piling-founded
platform associated with an underwater power generation facility in various
embodiments include but
are not limited to proximity to a non-variable source of electricity, freedom
from on-land siting
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
constraints, efficient shipyard production of multiple identical fulfillment
center units as opposed to
on-site construction of customized on-land facilities, easy relocation of the
fulfillment center, easy
swap-out for an updated fulfillment center, immunity to earthquakes, proximity
to coastal urban areas,
and enhanced security due to the relatively greater difficulty of attack over
water.
III. Nuclear Fuel Handling
[0381] FIGS. 54-102 illustrate some embodiments of methods, systems,
components, and the like for
the handling of fresh and spent nuclear fuel assemblies (FAs) and of bodies of
water associated with
such handling in offshore nuclear power units.
A. Offshore nuclear Plant
[0382] FIG. 54 is a relational block diagram depicting illustrative
constituent systems of a marine
nuclear plant, also herein termed a Unit, and illustrative associated systems
that interact with the Unit
and each other. A Unit Deployment 5400 includes a Unit Configuration 5402 and
the associated
systems with which the Unit Configuration directly interacts via material and
non-material
mechanisms. In the illustrative Unit Deployment 5400 of FIG. 54, the
associated systems with which
the Unit Deployment 5400 interacts are Operation 5404, Deployment 5406,
Consumers 5408, and
Environment 5410. Overlap of the boundaries of associated systems 5404, 5406,
5408, 5410 with the
Unit Configuration is shown to indicate that the Configuration 5402 and its
associated systems (5404,
5406, 5408, 5410) overlap in practice, and cannot be meaningfully considered
in isolation from one
another. The Unit Configuration 5402 includes Unit Integral Plant 5412, the
primary constituent
physical systems of the PNP; the Unit Integral Plant 5412 is a supports the
operation of the PNP unit
regardless of the particulars of the Unit Deployment 5400. The Unit
Configuration 5402 incorporates
the Unit Integral Plant into a form factor suitable for a given Unit
Deployment 5400. In examples, the
Unit Integral Plant 5412 is designed, built, assembled, and maintained as a
structure of discrete
physical modules, where the sense of "module" shall be clarified with
reference to Figures herein. The
Unit Integral Plant in turn includes nuclear power plant systems 5414, which
produce energy from
nuclear fuel and manage nuclear materials such as fuel and waste; power
conversion plant systems
5416, by which energy from the nuclear power plant systems 5414 is, typically,
converted to
electricity; auxiliary plant systems 5418, which support the operation of the
individual PNP unit; and
marine systems 5420, which enable the PNP to subsist and function in a marine
environment.
1. Interface Systems interconnect the PNP with externals
[0383] The associated systems (5404, 5406, 5408, 5410) interact with the Unit
Configuration via
Interface Systems 5422, 5424, 5426, 5428. In embodiments, the terms
"interface," "interface system,"
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
and "interfacing system" may be understood to encompass, except where context
indicates otherwise,
one or more systems, services, components, processes, or the like that
facilitate interaction or
interconnection of systems within a PNP or between one or more systems of the
PNP with a system
that is external to the PNP, or between the PNP and associated systems, or
between systems associated
with a PNP. Interface Systems may include software interfaces (including user
interfaces for humans
and machine interfaces, such as application programming interfaces (APIs),
data interfaces, network
interfaces (including ports, gateways, connectors, bridges, switches, routers,
access points, and the
like), communications interfaces, fluid interfaces (such as valves, pipes,
conduits, hoses and the like),
thermal interfaces (such as for enabling movement of heat by radiation,
convection or the like),
electrical interfaces (such as wires, switches, plugs, connectors and many
others), structural interfaces
(such as connectors, fasteners, inter-locks, and many others), or legal and
fiscal interfaces (contracts,
loans, deeds, and many others). Thus, Interface Systems may include both
material and non-material
systems and methods. For example, the Interface System 5422 for interfacing
the Unit Configuration
5402 with Operation 5404 will include legal arrangements (e.g., deeds,
contracts); the Interface system
5428 for interfacing the Unit Configuration 5402 with the Environment 5410
will include material
arrangements (e.g., tethers, tenders, sensor and warning systems, buoyancy
systems).
[0384] The Operation 5404 system includes Operators 5430 and Interface Systems
5422; the
Deployment system 5406 includes Deployers (e.g., builders, defenders,
maintainers) and Interface
Systems 5424; the Consumers system includes Consumers 5434 and Interface
Systems 5426; and the
Environment system includes the natural Physical Environment 5436 and
Interface Systems 5428. The
physical environment for a PNP may be characterized by various relevant
aspects, including
topography (such as of the ocean floor or a coastline), seafloor depth, wave
height (typical and
extraordinary), tides, atmospheric conditions, climate, weather (typical and
extraordinary), geology
(including seismic and thermal activity and seafloor characteristics), marine
conditions (such as
marine life, water temperatures, salinity and the like), and many other
characteristics. Associated
systems may also be included with a Unit Deployment; stakeholders informing
the design,
manufacture, and operation of a PNP unit may include power consumers, owners,
financiers, insurers,
regulators, operators, manufacturers, maintainers (such as those providing
supplies and logistics), de-
commissioners, defense forces (public, private, military, etc.), and others.
Moreover, the systems
(5404, 5406, 5408, 5410) interact with each other through one or more
additional Interface Systems
5438.
74
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
2. Nuclear Plant includes Fuel and containment systems
[0385] FIG. 55 is a schematic depiction of portions of illustrative
embodiments of the nuclear power
plant systems 5414 of FIG. 54, which are part of the unit integral plant 5412.
The portions of the power
plant systems 5414 depicted in FIG. 55 pertain to the handling of FAs within
the PNP and include fuel
systems 5502 and containment systems 5504. Fuel systems 5502 include systems
for (Fuel Assembly)
FA receiving and shipping 5505, fuel storage 5506, and general handling (e.g.,
rotating and translating)
5508 outside the containment. Containment systems 5509 include one or more
nuclear reactors 5510
and systems for primary heat transport 5512, in-containment fuel handling
5514, in-containment
auxiliary functions 5516, and in-containment contingency functions 5518.
Inputs and outputs of the
fuel systems 5502 include fresh fuel 5520 and spent fuel 5522 exchanged with
non-integral
deployment interface systems 5424 of FIG. 54 as well as exchanges of fuel,
both fresh and spent, with
the in-containment fuel handling system 5514. Heat is also typically exported
by the fuel storage
system 5506 to the PNP environment. Inputs and outputs of the containment
systems 5504 include
heat (e.g., heat exported to the power conversion plant systems 5416 of FIG.
54) and other wastes.
3. Deployment and unit configuration details
[0386] FIG. 56 is a schematic depiction of portions of an illustrative unit
configuration 5402 of FIG.
54 and of an illustrative deployment 5406. In particular, the relationships
are depicted of fuel-handling
systems and methods that include but are not limited to the systems and
methods discussed herein to
the schema of FIG. 54. The unit configuration 5402 includes the unit integral
plant 5412 of FIG. 54
and auxiliary plant systems 5606. The unit integral plant 5412 includes
nuclear power plant systems
5414, which in turn includes integral fuel-service systems 5602 and auxiliary
fuel-service systems
5604. The unit configuration 5402 also includes accessory fuel service systems
5608 and accessory
fuel service modules 5610. The fuel service systems 5608 in turn include
primary systems 5612 and
auxiliary systems 5614. The accessory fuel service systems 5608 and modules
5610 are included both
by the unit configuration 5402 and by the associated fuel service systems 5616
of the associated
deployment 5406. The associated fuel service systems also include onshore
facilities 5618 (both
primary 5624 and auxiliary 5626), offshore facilities 5620 (both primary 5628
and auxiliary 5630),
and transport systems 5622 (both primary 5632 and auxiliary 5634). Examples of
onshore facilities
include facilities for receiving and holding FAs and reprocessing or disposing
of FAs. Watercraft for
transporting fresh fuel and dry-casked spent FAs are examples of transport
systems 5622.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
B. PNP deployment coupled to land grid
[0387] An additional system associated with fuel is operation 5404. In the
illustrated embodiment,
operation 5404 includes fuel service agreements 5636.
1. Single PNP deployment coupled to land grid
[0388] FIG. 57 is an overhead-view schematic depiction of portions of an
illustrative Unit system
arrangement 5700 that can include embodiments of the present disclosure. A
single PNP unit 5702 is
located in a body of water 5704 (e.g., ocean, lake, artificial harbor). In
FIG. 57, a power transmission
line 5706 conducts electricity and/or thermal energy to and from a body of
land 5708 (e.g., island,
mainland) or, in some cases, a vessel, platform, or other artificial body. In
FIG. 58, the land body 5708
supports an electrical grid 5812 to which the line 5808 connects at a
connection facility 5814. All
PNPs depicted herein include at least one nuclear reactor with equipment for
producing heat and/or
electricity therefrom. Also herein, a "power transmission line" may include
provisions for the
transmission of electrical power, or thermal energy, or both.
2. Multi PNP deployment coupled to land grid
[0389] FIG. 58 is an overhead-view schematic diagram depicting portions of an
illustrative PNP
system arrangement 5800 including a multiplicity of PNPs 5802, 5804, 5806 that
exchange power
with a land body 5708 or other power-consuming location via a power
transmission line (e.g., line
5808). The PNPs 5802, 5804, 5806 also exchange power with each other via one
or more local power
transmission lines (e.g., line 5810). The cluster of PNPs interfaces with a
grid 5812 at a connection
facility 5814 that is associated with a support facility 5816. The support
facility 5816 has access to
both the body of water 5704 and the land body 5708. In the cluster-style
arrangement of FIG. 58, the
power lines interconnecting the PNPs and the power line 5808 connecting the
PNP cluster to the
mainland grid 5812 reduce, relative to the single-unit configuration of FIG.
57, the probability that
any PNP will be subject to a loss of external power or that the grid 5812 will
lose access to power
from the PNPs.
C. PNPs integrated with au. structures on land
[0390] FIG. 59 is an overhead-view schematic diagram depicting portions of an
illustrative PNP
system arrangement 5900 including two PNPs 5902, 5904 that exchange power with
a land body 5708
or other power-consuming location. Each PNP 5902, 5904 has been transported in
a floating manner
to its service location and the grounded sufficiently near the shore to be
integrated with an associated
auxiliary structure, e.g., structure 5906 for PNP 5902 and structure 5908 for
structure 5904. A shared
facility 5910 provides support functions (e.g., control, crew housing, onshore
fuel handling, defense,
76
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
maintenance and supply, other) to the two PNPs 5902, 5904. The auxiliary
structures 5906, 5908
exchange power with a grid 5912 via power lines (e.g., line 5914) and a power
connection facility
5916.
D. PNP coupled to land grid with offshore support facility
[0391] FIG. 60 is an overhead-view schematic diagram depicting portions of an
illustrative PNP
system arrangement 6000 including a multiplicity of PNPs 6002, 6004, 6006 that
exchange power
with a land body 5708 or other power-consuming location via a power
transmission line (e.g., line
6008). The PNPs 6002, 6004, 6006 also exchange power with each other via one
or more local power
transmission lines (e.g., line 6010). The cluster of PNPs interfaces with a
grid 6012 at a connection
facility 6014. An offshore support facility 6016 is located in relatively
close proximity to the cluster
of PNPs 6002, 6004, 6006. Functions provided by the support facility 6016 can
include control, crew
housing, offshore fuel handling, defense, maintenance and supply, and other.
E. Simple PNP configurations
[0392] Any of the PNPs of FIGS. 56, 57, 58, and 59 or similar arrangements may
be of any of the
basic types depicted herein with reference to other Figures, or of other PNP
types.
[0393] FIGS. 61A and 61B schematically depict aspects of illustrative Unit
Configuration scenarios
including embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 61A depicts three
illustrative simple
configurations, that is, configurations where the PNP Unit is deployed
substantially as a single
relocatable unit assembled in a modular manner in a shipyard and floated to
its service location. A
first simple configuration 6102 is herein denoted the "PNP-B" configuration,
where a PNP 6104 is
grounded on the seafloor 6106, e.g., by filling its ballast tanks with water
after being towed to the site.
The PNP-B configuration 6102 is typically suitable for relatively shallow
water (for example,
approximately 10-30 meters depth). A second simple configuration 6108 is
herein denoted the "PNP-
E" configuration, where a floating PNP 6110 having a relatively flat, wide,
barge-like form factor is
anchored to the seafloor 6106 at its service site by tethers, e.g., tether
6112. The PNP-E configuration
6108 is typically suitable for water of moderate depth (for example,
approximately 60-100 meters
depth). A third simple configuration 6114 is herein denoted the "PNP-C"
configuration, where a
floating PNP 6116 having a relatively cylindrical form factor is anchored at
its service site by tethers,
e.g., tether 6118. The PNP-C configuration 6114 is typically suitable for
water of greater depth (for
example, 100+ meters depth).
77
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
1. Complex/Compound configurations
[0394] FIG. 61B depicts four illustrative compound configurations, that is,
configurations where the
PNP Unit is deployed substantially as two units, at least one of which is a re-
locatable unit assembled
in a modular manner in a shipyard and floated to its service location. In the
three compound
.. configurations of FIG. 61B, a nuclear module is combined with an accessory
module to realize various
advantages (e.g., submersion of a nuclear reactor to realize protection from
aircraft or surface-vessel
impacts; or, capability of swapping out the nuclear module in order to prevent
long down-times during
refueling or other maintenance or repairs of nuclear systems).
I. Grounded on seafloor at shoreline
[0395] A first compound configuration 6118 is herein denoted the "PNP-D"
configuration, where a
nuclear module 6120 is grounded on the seafloor 6106 at a shoreline, e.g., by
filling ballast tanks of
the nuclear module 6120 with water after towing the module 6120 to the site.
The nuclear module
6120 is interfaced with an accessory unit 6122 and, in examples, may be
manufactured in a modular
manner at a shipyard, towed to the service location, and hauled ashore. The
PNP-D configuration 6118
is typically suitable for relatively shallow water (for example, approximately
0-10 meters depth).
H. Grounded on Pilings
[0396] A second compound configuration 6121 is herein denoted a "PNP-P"
configuration, where "-
P" refers to the fact that the facility is founded upon the seabed 6106 on a
number of pilings (e.g.,
piling 6125). The PNP-P deployment 6121 includes a seabed base structure,
founded upon pilings,
that proffers an artificial harbor into which a nuclear power unit has been
delivered by flotation. The
illustrative PNP-P 6121 includes a modular nuclear reactor 6123 that is
positioned below the waterline
and supported by the seabed 6106. In various other embodiments, PNP-Ps include
different types of
modular nuclear reactors than that depicted for PNP-P 6121, more than one
modular nuclear reactor,
and other structural geometries (e.g., modular nuclear reactors positioned
above the waterline).
Modular units having various functionalities may be established by such
methods, which are described
in detail in PCT App. Ser. No. PCT/US19/23724 (published as WO 2019/183575)
claiming the benefit
of U.S. Provisional Pat. App. Ser. No. 62/646,614, the entirety of each is
incorporated herein by
reference. In an example, a nuclear reactor unit, a power-generation unit, and
a support-functions unit
are delivered into separate seabed base structures founded upon pilings and in
proximity to each other,
then interconnected to establish a nuclear power generating station.
78
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
ill. Grounded on seafloor
[0397] A third compound configuration 6124 is herein denoted the "PNP-M"
configuration, where a
nuclear module 6126 is grounded on the seafloor 6106 and interfaced with an
accessory unit 6128,
which also may be manufactured in a modular manner at a shipyard and towed to
the service location.
The PNP-M configuration 6124 is typically suitable for water of moderate depth
(for example,
approximately 20-60 meters depth).
[0398] A fourth compound configuration 6130 is herein denoted the "PNP-S"
configuration, where a
floating nuclear module 6132 is interfaced with a floating accessory unit
6134, which also may be
manufactured in a modular manner at a shipyard and towed to the service
location. The floating
accessory unit 6134 is anchored to the seafloor 6106 at its service site by
tethers, e.g., tether 6136. The
PNP-S configuration 6130 is typically suitable for water of greater depth (for
example, 100+ meters
depth).
[0399] It will be appreciated in light of the disclosure that the categories
of "simplex" and "compound"
PNP configurations, and the particular examples shown herein, are illustrative
only, and not restrictive
of the range of PNP configurations in various embodiments.
[0400] In all examples herein where a floating nuclear power plant is
mentioned or depicted, or any
portion of a PNP in contact with a sea or other large body of water is
mentioned or depicted, similar
examples might be adduced that include modular nuclear reactor units and other
units supported by
seabed base structures according to the methods disclosed in PCT App. Ser. No.
PCT/US19/23724
(published as WO 2019/183575) claiming the benefit of U.S. Provisional Pat.
App. Ser. No.
62/646,614. These and various other forms of PNP configuration, construction,
and stabilization,
without restriction, are contemplated and within the scope of the present
disclosure.
F. Modular Unit Schema
[0401] FIG. 62 is a schematic depiction of an illustrative Unit Modularization
6200, that is, a high-
level schema for the modularization of a PNP. Systems included with a PNP are,
in embodiments,
classified as (1) integral, (2) accessory, or (3) associated. Integral systems
are typically part of the
PNP, regardless of configuration or deployment scenario. The two integral
systems are assigned in
this illustrative modularization to corresponding modules, e.g., the Power
Conversion Plant Module
6202 and the Nuclear Plant Module 6204. The Power Conversion Plant Module, in
turn, includes a
Turbine Module 6206 that employs high-pressure steam from the Nuclear Plant
Module 6204 to turn
one or more turbines and generators, a Condenser Module 6208 that condenses
steam from the Turbine
Module 6206 for return to the Nuclear Plant Module 6204, and some number of
Auxiliary Modules
79
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
6210. Accessory systems are systems that are typically included with or that
directly interface with a
PNP unit depending upon the particular configuration and deployment of the
PNP; for example,
seafloor tether systems are categorized as accessories because they may be
omitted from some
embodiments where the PNP is grounded on the seafloor. Associated systems are
those that typically
interface with one or more Units and are part of the greater context in which
a PNP Unit is deployed.
For example, power transmission systems conveying power between a PNP and an
on-land grid
perform an associated function.
G. Primary vs. Auxiliary systems
[0402] Also herein, primary systems are those performing functions definitive
of the purpose of the
PNP, e.g., generating steam from nuclear heat or generating electrical power
from steam; primary
systems are closely aligned with integral systems. Auxiliary systems
(typically instantiated in
corresponding Auxiliary Modules 6210) are those that typically support the
reliable operation of
primary systems, e.g., by cooling, lubricating, powering, controlling, and
monitoring primary systems,
and the like.
H. Containment Module
[0403] The Nuclear Plant Module 6204 includes a Containment Module 6212 that
contains the nuclear
reactor, a Fuel Module 6214 that performs fuel handling and spent-fueling
storage functions, and some
number of Auxiliary Modules 6216.
I. Accessory Modules
[0404] Accessory Modules 6218 are also included with the Unit Modularization;
these include
modularized systems for handling aspects of interaction with associated
systems of operation 6220,
deployment 6222, physical environment 6224, and consumers 6226, among others.
J. Unit Modularization description
[0405] In embodiments, unit modularization may be responsive to at least two
sets of criteria,
requirements, or constraints (collectively referred to simply as
"constraints"), which are in aspects
peculiar to the marine situation of a PNP and which may occasionally be in
tension: (1) internal
constraints on form and organization (e.g., it may be inherently advantageous
to locate turbines and
generators close together, or to have a direct interface between the
Containment Module 6212 and the
Fuel Module 6214), and (2) external constraints, such as those derived from
the PNP' s environment
(e.g., physical, electrical, operational, fiscal, or the like). In various
embodiments, a particular
Modularization may be configured to satisfy the criteria herein and others
while taking advantage of
shipyard assembly and manufacturability.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
1. Distinguishing Modules vs. systems
[0406] Of note, modules and systems are not synonymous. Although in many cases
a single system
may be implemented in a single module, a system may extend across multiple
modules, or a single
module may include more than one system, in whole or part. Moreover, in
embodiments, modules are
combinable and nestable.
2. Example PNP x-section
[0407] FIG. 63 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional depiction of the Block
and Megablock modules
constituting an illustrative PNP Unit 6300 of the floating cylindrical type
defined with reference to
FIG. 61A. In embodiments, the term "Block" or "Block module," may be
understood to encompass,
except where context indicates otherwise, a closed structural form assembled
from Panel modules,
Skid modules, and components in a factory at a shipyard and then relocated to
a drydock for further
assembly into the final PNP Unit. The block module may or may not have one or
more of its edges
acting as the hull of a unit. Also, the term "mega-block module" may be
understood to encompass,
except where context indicates otherwise, a closed structural form assembled
from multiple Block
modules, such as joined in a dry-dock. Megablock modules may be suitable for
transport between
shipyards; which may help distribute the construction work, such as between a
variety of shipyards.
Toroidal Blocks appear as symmetrically positioned shapes marked with a common
indicator number.
In FIG. 63, Block boundaries are denoted by dashed lines and Megablock
boundaries by solid lines.
The PNP 6300 includes an Upper Hull Megablock 6302 and Lower Hull Megablock
6304. The Upper
Hull Megablock 6302 includes a Power Conversion System Megablock 6306, a Crew
Accommodation
Block 6308, an External Access and Security Block 6310, an External Access and
Security Block
6312, a Turbine Generator Set Block 6314, a Condenser Block 6316, and an OP
(operations) Block
6318. The Lower Hull Megablock 6304 includes a Nuclear Island Megablock 6320,
a Ballast Tank
Block 6322, a Base Plate Block 6324, a Stability Skirt Block 6326, and two
Water Storage Blocks
6328, 6330. The Nuclear Island Megablock 6320 includes a Reactor Containment
Block 6332, an
Emergency Electrical Block 6334, a Nuclear Fuel Block 6336, a Chemical Volume
Control System
Block 6338, and a Cooling System Block 6340.
K. Example Nuclear Fuel Cycle
[0408] FIG. 64 is a schematic depiction of an illustrative nuclear fuel cycle
6400, including fuel-
related processes, manipulations, and transports, that are typical of various
nuclear power systems,
including systems including embodiments of the present disclosure. Fuel ores
(e.g., uranium ores)
undergo mining 6402 and refining into metallic form 6404. Refined fuel metal
then undergoes
81
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
enrichment 6406 in order to increase its concentration of more-fissile
isotopes. Enriched fuel is used
in fuel fabrication 6408, that is, in the manufacture of shaped fuel units
(e.g., cylindrical pellets) that
are combined and housed in fuel assemblies (FAs) suitable for installation in
a reactor core. Fabricated
FAs are transported to the vicinity of a reactor where they undergo fuel
staging 6410, that is, storage
in a system accessible to refueling mechanisms 6412 that can transfer the FAs
to a reactor 6414.
"Refueling" systems are also used for initial fueling of the reactor 6414.
L. Handling overview noting cooled and shielded handling
[0409] Notably, all exchanges of material up to this point in the nuclear fuel
cycle 6400, from mining
6402 to refining 6404 to enrichment 6406 to FA fabrication 6408 to staging
6410 to the refueling
mechanism 6412 typically occur in a non-shielded, non-cooled manner, as the
nuclides composing the
fresh fuel material have relatively long half-lives and emit radiation and
heat at a relatively low rate.
After exposure to neutron flux in the core of a reactor 6414, however, the
nuclide composition of the
fuel material changes, and the fuel becomes intensely radioactive and hot. The
heat emitted by a used
or "spent" FA can be sufficient to melt the FA itself, potentially leading to
environmental release of
radioactive nuclides. Therefore, after an FA has participated in nuclear chain
reactions in the reactor
6414, it is not typically extracted from the reactor 6414 or subsequently
moved, whether within a given
facility or between facilities, without being both continuously cooled and
often shielded as well. FA
cooling is typically provided by immersion of a hot FA in water, which
transfers heat from the hot FA
to the environment by convection, conduction, and phase changes (such as
boiling and condensation
of material that is in thermal contact with the FA). In FIG. 64, transfers and
transports that are cooled
and shielded are denoted by solid arrows, while those that are neither cooled
nor shielded are denoted
by dashed arrows.
M. Spent FA handling
[0410] When a spent FA is removed from the reactor 6414 by the refueling
mechanism 6412, it is
moved immediately via a cooled (e.g., submerged) transfer procedure to cooled
storage, e.g., either
in-containment storage 6416 or a spent fuel storage pool 6418. In typical
practice, a spent FA is kept
in spent fuel storage pool 6418 for a number of years (e.g., 5 years) to allow
its nuclide composition
to change and its radiation and heat output to decline correspondingly. When
it is deemed practical to
handle the FA, it is enclosed in a cooled transfer canister 1220 for movement
to a facility where the
FA may undergo casking 6422, that is, placement in a heavy container typically
consisting of
reinforced concrete. When filled with spent FAs, a cask is sealed and moved to
temporary dry storage
6424 ("dry" because the FA heat output is now low enough that the cask need
not contain water or
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
other liquids) and thence, ideally, to final disposal, such as in deep
subsurface geological storage 6426.
Alternatively, after canistering 6420 an FA may be transported to a facility
for reprocessing 6428, that
is, for the separation of useful nuclides from unwanted nuclides. Extracted
nuclides may be employed
in the production of reactor fuel (e.g., returned to the enrichment step 6406)
or of nuclear weapons.
Unwanted nuclides from reprocessing are directed, for example, to near surface
disposal 6430 or deep
subsurface geologic storage 6426.
N. Transfer and storage of fuel assemblies and refueling
[0411] The systems and methods disclosed herein pertain, in various
embodiments, to transfers and
storage of FAs within a PNP, and particularly to transfers between the reactor
6414 and refueling
mechanisms 6412, between the refueling mechanisms 6412 and in-containment
storage 6416 or spent
fuel pool storage 6418, from storage to canistering 6420, and from canistering
6420 to casking 6422.
Transfers of FAs and the management of water associated with FA cooling and
transport and of heat
produced by FAs during storage and transport are enabled with various
advantages by embodiments
of the present disclosure.
0. Fuel Services
[0412] FIG. 65 is a schematic depiction of an illustrative set of fuel
services 6500 provided by systems
and methods both integral to and associated with a PNP in various embodiments.
The fuel services
6500 include those provided both by primary systems 6502 and auxiliary systems
6504. Primary
systems 6502 include those enabling transfer 6506, transport 6508, storage
6510, and processing 6512
of FAs; auxiliary systems 6504 include those enabling cooling of FAs 6514,
control of FA-handling
systems 6516, security 6518, monitoring 6520, and chemistry filtration 6522 of
water associated with
fuel handling. In general, for a PNP as distinct from a typical terrestrial
plant, any given auxiliary
system can provide functions for any given primary system or for more than one
primary system,
enabling various economies (e.g., of space). The fuel services 6500 of FIG. 65
are provided by the
associated fuel service systems 5616, accessory fuel service systems 5608, and
integral fuel service
systems 5602 of FIG. 56. The systems and methods of this disclosure pertain
particularly, though not
necessarily exclusively, to the integral fuel service systems 5602 of FIG. 56,
that is, to the handling of
fresh and spent fuel and of associated bodies of water and flows of heat
within a PNP.
P. Spent Fuel Pool Cooling Systems
[0413] Cooling systems are critical in nuclear plant design. The purpose of a
spent fuel pool cooling
system is to prevent heat damage to FAs held in the pool. That is, the system
must prevent the FAs
from reaching a predetermined unsafe or damaging temperature at all times,
including and after all
83
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
plausible accident scenarios (e.g., a total station power blackout). Since
this is such a critical purpose,
it is desirable for the spent fuel pool cooling system to operate passively
(e.g., without an external AC
power source), indefinitely (e.g., with an effectively inexhaustible ultimate
heat sink and supply of
intermediate coolant), and durably (e.g., with resistance to breakage,
degradation, or external
interference). Herein, the body of water serving as the ultimate heat sink is
referred to as the "ocean,"
but there is no restriction to any particular form of water body. Also, where
coolant fluids are herein
referred to as "water," no restriction to H20 is intended.
Q. External water body heat sink for cooling fuel pools
[0414] Disclosed herein are methods and systems that can be deployed either
alone or in various
combinations to function as a system for cooling fuel pools and other heat-
generating PNP components
using an external body of water as the ultimate heat sink. Four categories of
systems according to
embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in FIGS. 66¨ 69. The present
disclosure offers a
passive system of rejecting heat indefinitely from a PNP without any
intervention from plant operators
or active powering of pumps or other devices. Although rejection of heat from
a spent fuel pool is
primarily depicted and discussed herein, rejection of heat from any and all
sources within a PNP is
contemplated and within the scope of the present disclosure.
R. Cooling system embodiments
[0415] FIG. 66 is a schematic depiction of portions of a cooling system 6600
according to an
illustrative embodiment. A PNP spent fuel pool compaiiment 6602 is located
between a containment
structure 6604 and the outer hull 6606 of the PNP. The pool compaiiment 6602
contains a body of
water 6608 and, typically, some number of spent FAs 6610. A pipe 6612 or
multiplicity of pipes
conveys a flow of intermediate coolant fluid, which is not in fluid
communication with the water 6608
within the pool compartment 6602, through a loop that passes through the
interior of the pool
compaiiment 6602, through the hull 6606, and through the ocean 6614. A first
heat exchanger 6616
that is internal to the pool compaiiment 6602 transfers heat 6618 from the FAs
6610 to the coolant in
the intermediate loop, and a second heat exchanger 6620 that is external to
the pool compaiiment 6602
transfers heat 6622 from the intermediate loop to the ocean 6614. The heat
exchangers 6616, 6620 are
at different elevations; moreover, loop fluid that has passed through the
external heat exchanger 6620
will be cooler and therefore have higher density, even without a phase change
(e.g., for water that
remains liquid throughout the intermediate loop), than loop fluid that is
passing through or has recently
passed through the interior heat exchanger 6616. The coolant fluid will
therefore circulate, driven by
84
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
convection, around the intermediate loop without the assistance of pumps,
conveying heat from the
pool compaiiment 6602 to the ocean 6614.
[0416] In embodiments, the system may be configured such that convective
circulation will occur
even if the system is inverted (e.g., if the PNP capsizes). Provision of
multiple loops with different
orientations can assure continued circulation in any PNP orientation (e.g., in
conditions of tilting or
listing that diminish the driving impact of gravitation between the heat
exchangers of any one
intermediate loop).
[0417] Various other embodiments resembling that depicted in FIG. 66
incorporate the following
variations. First, in various embodiments resembling that depicted in FIG. 66,
a working fluid is
employed in the intermediate loop that changes phase at a desired operational
temperature and
pressure, enabling the intermediate loop to operate passively (without pumps)
with a very small
gravitational driving head (e.g., elevation difference between the two heat
exchangers) due to the large
difference in density between the two phases of the working fluid. In
embodiments, a phase-changing
fluid also enables the intermediate loop to be tuned to begin operating at a
particular temperature
threshold. At temperatures below the threshold, the loop does not extract
significant heat from the
spent fuel pool, which may be extracted by one or more systems such as an
actively pumped system.
As temperatures rise above this threshold, the working fluid changes to a
lower density phase (boils);
pressure in the loop increases and the vapor-phase coolant rapidly (via
buoyancy) travels to the heat
exchanger 6620 immersed in the ocean 6614, where it cools and condenses back
to its original phase.
In embodiments, the condensing heat exchanger 6620 is located above the
boiling heat exchanger
6616. In embodiments, such a design may be configured to employ multiple
channels (e.g., two, as in
a thermosiphon) between the heat exchangers 6616, 6620 for the working fluid
to pass through or a
single channel (as is the case for a traditional heat pipe).
[0418] In embodiments, the heat exchanger 6616 inside the spent fuel pool
compartment 6602 may be
located near the highest elevation inside the compaiiment 6602, e.g., in a gas-
filled portion of the
compaiiment 6602, so that it condenses the steam that accumulates there. The
spent fuel pool
compat
_____________________________________________________________________________
intent 6602 may be configured such that this condensing water runs back into
the body of water
6608 within the compat
_____________________________________________________________ intent 6602,
such as to maintain a water level above the fuel assemblies 6610.
In embodiments, water is used as the working fluid of the heat-exchange loop.
In embodiments, a
water-ammonia mixture (such as the working fluid used in a Kalina cycle) is
used to export heat
through the heat-exchange loop. In yet other embodiments, other fluids are
employed with properties
favorable to heat-exchange by a loop having one end immersed in an effectively
ultimate heat sink
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
(e.g., ocean) and the other in a spent-fuel pool. In various embodiments, the
heat-rejection portion
6620 of the heat-exchange loop includes surfaces resistant to biofouling,
e.g., alloys of copper or
titanium.
[0419] In embodiments, a manual actuation valve (normally closed) and passive
actuation valve
(normally open) act in parallel to initiate flow through the heat-exchange
loop 6612. The passive valve
is actuated by a variety of initiating events that could lead to the heating
of the spent fuel pool
including, but not limited to, loss of offsite power causing a solenoid valve
to open or altered gas
pressure in the fuel pool compairnient 6602 causing a relief valve to open.
[0420] FIG. 67 is a schematic depiction of portions of a cooling system 6700
according to an
illustrative embodiment. These illustrative embodiments use an array of
thermally conductive pipes
or channels through which water from the external body of water flows to
exchange and transfer heat
from the spent fuel pool to the external body of water. In FIG. 67, a PNP
spent fuel pool compairnient
6702 is located between a containment structure 6704 and the outer hull 6706
of the PNP. The pool
compairnient 6702 contains a body of water 6708 and, typically, some number of
spent FAs 6710. A
network or multiplicity of pipes may form channels 6712 conveys a flow of
piped water, which is not
in fluid communication with the water 6708 within the pool compai
__________________ intent 6702, through a loop or
loops that pass within the thermally conductive walls of the comparnuent 6702,
through the hull 6706,
and to the ocean 6714. Pool water 6708 transfers heat from the FAs 6710 to the
walls of the
comparnuent 6702, which in turn convey them to heat exchangers (e.g., heat
exchanger 6716) within
_____________________________________________________________________________
the walls of the compai intent 6702. Ocean water is admitted to the pipe
network channels 6712 through
an intake 6718 and exhausted to the ocean 6714 through an outlet 6720. The
inlet 6718 and outlet
6720 are at different elevations; moreover, water that has passed through the
heat exchangers will be
hotter and therefore have lower density, even without a phase change, than
water entering the inlet
6718. Ocean water will therefore spontaneously convect through the pipe
network channels 6712
_____________________________________________________________________________
without the assistance of pumps, conveying heat from the compai intent 6702
to the ocean 6714.
Convective circulation will occur even if the system is inverted (e.g., if the
OP capsizes).
[0421] Various other embodiments resembling that depicted in FIG. 67
incorporate the following
variations. First, an air/steam outlet may be provided to prevent air bubbles
from forming inside the
channels 6712. In embodiments, check valves may be located on the outlet 6720
to the channels to
control the flow of water when the system is first started. In embodiments,
the channels 6712 may be
machined into the outside of the steel spent fuel pool walls. In embodiments,
the channels 6712 may
be welded onto the outside of the spent fuel pool. In embodiments, the
channels 6712 may be thermally
86
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
adhered to the outside of the spent fuel pool. In embodiments, the channels
6712 may pass through
the inside of the spent fuel pool 6702 along the pool walls.
[0422] In embodiments, a manual actuation valve (normally closed) and passive
actuation valve in
parallel may be provided to initiate flow through the channels 6712. The
passive valve may be actuated
by a variety of initiating events that would lead to the heating of the spent
fuel pool 6702, including,
but not limited to, loss of offsite power.
[0423] FIG. 68 is a schematic depiction of portions of a cooling system 6800
according to an
illustrative embodiment. These illustrative embodiments use water from the
ocean to directly fill the
spent fuel pool in cases where the water level inside the spent fuel pool has
nearly boiled off, e.g.,
been reduced to the point where it covers the tops of the FAs either shallowly
or not at all. In FIG. 68,
a PNP spent fuel pool compartment 6802 is located between a containment
structure 6804 and the
outer hull 6806 of the PNP. The pool compartment 6802 contains a body of water
6808 and, typically,
some number of spent FAs 6810. Provisions for removing heat from the spent
fuel compartment 6802.
An inlet 6812 permits entry of water from the ocean 6814 through pipe 6816
that passes through the
hull 6806 and into the interior of the spent fuel compartment 6802 via a valve
6818. The valve 6818
remains closed as long as water levels within the pool compartment 6802 are
within an acceptable
depth range. In embodiments, a sensor (e.g., a float sensor 6820) may
communicate by a control line
6822 (such as with a passive hydraulic or pressure-activated connection) with
the valve 6818. If the
sensor 6820 detects that the level of pool water 6808 has fallen below a
certain threshold, the valve
6818 opens, allowing ocean water to augment the water inside the pool
compartment 6802. FIG. 68
depicts a state of operation in which ocean water is being admitted to the
pool compartment 6802.
[0424] Various other embodiments resembling that depicted in FIG. 68
incorporate the following
variations. In embodiments, the valve 6818 in the ingress path of the external
water may include a
check valve, so that once the water enters the spent fuel pool compartment
6802 it cannot exit via that
same path.
[0425] In embodiments, two parallel paths may be provided for ingress of
external water: one path
with a manual valve that is normally closed (so that water can be let into the
pool manually) and a
second path with a manual valve that is normally open in series with a
passively actuated valve that is
normally closed but opens when the water level of the spent fuel pool drops
below a specified level.
In the latter path, the normally open manual valve allows the operator to
manually shut off flow
regardless of the state of the passively actuated valve.
87
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0426] FIG. 69 is a schematic depiction of portions of a cooling system 6900
according to an
illustrative embodiment. These embodiments include a watertight compaitment
enclosing the spent
fuel pool functioning as a heat pipe to expel heat to the external body of
water and maintain an
inventory of coolant in the spent fuel pool. As water in the pool boils off
from the decay heat of the
______________________________________________________________________________
spent FAs, steam travels up towards the cooled ceiling of the compai
intent, condenses, and then rains
and/or flows as liquid water back into the pool to keep the FAs fully
submerged. The ceiling is cooled
by spontaneous circulation of ocean water passing over it in sheets, passing
over or through it via
channels, or located above it en masse (e.g., in a volume open to or
interfacing with the ocean). The
geometry of the ceiling and walls of the spent fuel compaitment may be shaped
so as to encourage the
condensed liquid water to quickly flow back into the pool towards the spent
FAs and so as to induce
rapid heat transfer between the spent fuel pool and the cooling water. In FIG.
69, a PNP spent fuel
pool compaitment 6902 is located between a containment structure 6904 and the
outer hull 6906 of
the PNP. The pool compaitment 6902 contains a body of water 6908 and,
typically, some number of
spent FAs 6910. A network or multiplicity of pipe network 6912 conveys a flow
of water, which is
not in fluid communication with the water 6908 within the pool compaitment
6902, through a loop or
loops that pass within the thermally conductive ceiling of the compattment
6902, through the hull
6906, and to the ocean 6914. Pool water 6908 is boiled by heat from the FAs
6910; steam rises and
condenses upon the ceiling of the compaitment 6902, heating the ceiling, which
conveys the heat to
circulating ocean water in the pipe network 6912 via heat exchangers (e.g.,
heat exchanger 6916)
within the ceiling. Heat exchange may also be accomplished by direct
conduction to the pipe network
6912, without the assistance of discrete heat exchangers. Ocean water is
admitted to the pipe network
6912 through an intake 6918 and exhausted to the ocean 6914 through an outlet
677. The inlet 6918
and outlet 6920 are at different elevations; moreover, water that has passed
through the ceiling of the
compaitment 6902 will be hotter and therefore have lower density, even without
a phase change, than
water entering the inlet 6918. Ocean water will therefore spontaneously
convect through the pipe
network 6912 without the assistance of pumps, conveying heat from the
compaitment 6902 to the
ocean 6914. Condensed water 6922 will rain and/or flow back to the main body
of water 6908 in the
fuel pool compaitment 6902, maintaining an approximately constant water level.
S. Canister Magazine Spent Fuel Storage
[0427] The following figures pertain to a fuel storage system, according to
embodiments, that avoids
the need of a separate long-term spent fuel storage pool by using a smaller,
in-containment fuel pool
to temporarily cool FAs before transferring them through a tube to a storage
canister. These canisters
88
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
are kept on a rack or magazine in a flooded tank or chamber in the PNP, which
may be located, in
embodiments, near the outer hull of the PNP that can be removed at the end of
platform life. The free
water surface associated with spent fuel is thus minimized by such a system,
which is advantageous
in a floating PNP. Also, during decommissioning of a PNP, removal of spent
fuel is facilitated by
canistering of the FAs.
[0428] FIG. 70A is a schematic, top-down, cross-sectional view of portions of
a PNP canister
magazine spent fuel storage system 7000 according to an illustrative
embodiment. A short-term spent
fuel holding pool compatiment 7002 is located within a containment structure
7004. A canister
magazine 7006 is located between the containment structure 7004 and the outer
hull 7008 of the PNP.
Individual FAs (e.g., FA 7010) are removed from the temporary holding pool
compatiment 7002,
rotated to a horizontal position, and passed through the walls of the
containment structure 7004 and of
the magazine 7006 via a water-filled tube 7012. Provisions are made for
keeping FAs immersed in
water during all stages of such handling. In the magazine 7006, FAs are loaded
into steel canisters,
e.g., canister 7014. In embodiments, FIG. 70A depicts each canister 7014 as
holding a single FA, but
canisters 7014 may, in some examples, hold more than one FA. The magazine 7006
contains both
loaded canisters (e.g., canister 7014) and empty canisters (e.g., canister
7016). Provisions are made
for extracting individual canisters from the magazine 7006, as needed.
Canisters are registered or
aligned with the transfer tube 7012 by moving them on a conveyor belt or
equivalent system. Although
a single layer of canisters, one rank deep, is portrayed in FIG. 70A, in
various embodiments, canisters
are multiply layered and ranked. Both canisters and the space around them in
the magazine 7006 are
filled with water. Heat is removed from the magazine 7006 to the environment
(e.g., ocean) by various
mechanisms, systems and methods disclosed herein.
[0429] FIG. 70B provides two aligned, close-up, schematic, cross-sectional
views of portions of the
illustrative canister magazine spent fuel storage system 7000 of FIG. 70A. The
lower portion of FIG.
70B is a closer view of the view of FIG. 70A, and the upper portion of FIG.
70B is a vertical cross-
sectional view of the same mechanism. Depicted in greater detail in FIG. 70B
than in FIG. 70A is the
fuel pool compaiiment 7002, the transfer tube 7012, the water-filled canister
magazine 7006, a filled
canister 7014, an empty canister 7016, and a horizontally positioned FA 7010.
Vertically positioned
FAs (e.g., FA 7018) and a conveyor mechanism 7020 within the magazine 7006 are
also depicted in
FIG. 70B. Mechanisms for laying down an FA, keeping an FA submerged at all
times, moving an FA
through the transfer tube 7012, loading an FA into a canister, sealing a
canister, registering an empty
canister, and performing related tasks. For example, the transfer tube 7012
can be arranged to terminate
89
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
under the waterline in the fuel pool compaiiment 7002. A lay-down machine
similar to that found in
land-located nuclear plants can, in this example, be used to lay down FAs
under water in the
compaiiment 7002 and introduce them to a mechanism for transfer through the
tube 7012.
T. Access Controlled Passively Cooled Spent Fuel Tank
[0430] Because hot spent FAs are highly radioactive and toxic, and depriving
them of cooling can
result in significant environmental releases of radioactivity, it is desirable
to make human access to
spent FAs inherently difficult. Further, it is desirable to mitigate free-
surface effects that can arise in
open pool spent-fuel storage systems in a floating PNP rocked by waves.
Embodiments of the present
disclosure address these needs by providing a completely flooded tank for
spent fuel storage. In
embodiments, such embodiments may be provided with a selectively floodable
airlock for transferring
spent fuel into and out of the storage tank. The decay heat generated by the
spent fuel may be passively
transferred to seawater from the storage tank through natural thermal
conduction to tank walls or other
heat sinks, and thence, such as by convection, ultimately to the environment
(e.g., ocean).
[0431] FIG. 71A is a schematic, vertical, cross-sectional view of portions of
an illustrative PNP spent-
fuel tank system 7100. The system 7100 includes a spent fuel tank 7102 that
contains a number of
vertically oriented spent FAs (e.g., FA 7104). A number of hatches (e.g.,
hatch 7106) are positioned
in the ceiling of the tank 7102, which is filled with water 7108. In this
embodiment, each hatch 7106
is built to open downward, into the interior of the tank 7102; however, in
alternative embodiments,
hatches that open upward, or both upward and downward, may be provided. A
standpipe 7110 is in
fluid communication with the interior of the tank 7102 via a pipe 7112 by
which the tank 7102 is also
in fluid communication with a heat exchanger 7114, which transfers heat to the
environment (e.g.,
ocean). Circulation through the heat exchanger 7114 and tank 7102 may be
either driven by pumps or
may circulate by passive convection. The standpipe 7110 is partly filled with
water 7116. Water may
be pumped into, or withdrawn from, the standpipe 7110 via a makeup pipe 7118.
Water returns from
the heat exchanger 7114 to the tank 7102 via a second pipe 7120. In various
embodiments, separate
paths of fluid communication are provided for the standpipe 7110 and the tank
7102.
[0432] The system 7100 further includes a fuel-handling mechanism 7122 capable
of lifting an FA
vertically. The fuel-handling mechanism 7122 is housed inside an airlock 7124.
The fuel-handling
mechanism 7122 and its airlock 7124 can be both vertically and horizontally
translated; within limits,
vertical translation of the fuel-handling mechanism 7122 and the airlock 7124
are independent. The
operation of these two devices shall be further clarified with reference to
FIG. 71B.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0433] In the state of operation of the system 7100 depicted in FIG. 71A,
e.g., the locked state, the
level of water 7116 in the standpipe 7110 is significantly higher than the
ceiling of the tank 7102.
Thus, as indicated by open arrows (e.g., arrow 7126), there is significant
water pressure acting upward
on the ceiling of the tank 7102 and on the valves of the hatches. Closing
force may also be exerted on
the hatch valves by a spring or other mechanisms. Since the valves only open
downward, the hydraulic
force resisting the opening of each hatch 7106 is approximately proportional
to the water pressure at
the ceiling of the tank 7102 times the area of the hatch. The tank 7102 is
thus, in the locked state of
operation depicted, inherently resistant to entry. In embodiments, the airlock
7124 and fuel-handling
mechanism 7122 are designed so that their vertical translation mechanisms do
not have sufficient
strength to force a hatch 7106 open when the system 7100 is locked.
[0434] FIG. 71B depicts system 7100 of FIG. 71A in an unlocked state of
operation, that is, a state
where the level of water 7116 in the standpipe 7110 has been lowered to
approximately the level of
the ceiling of the tank 7102. In this condition, the upward closing pressure
exerted on the hatches by
the tank water 7108 is approximately zero.
[0435] In the unlocked condition, a fuel-handling machine and airlock can
access FAs inside the tank
7102 via one or more of the hatches.
[0436] Although, in embodiments, the system 7100 includes only a single
airlock and fuel-handling
machine, for clarity, FIG. 71B depicts four airlocks 7124, 7128, 7130, 7132
and four fuel-handing
machines 7122, 7134, 7136, 7138 accessing four FAs 7104, 7140, 7142, 7144
through four hatches
7146, 7106, 7148, 7150. Each of these ensembles is depicted in a different
stage of accessing an FA
and removing it from the tank 7102.
[0437] Stage 1. Hatch 7146 is closed. The airlock 7124 approaches by being
translated downward. Its
nether end, shaped to complement the upper surface of the hatch 7146, has not
yet made contact
therewith.
[0438] Stage 2. Hatch 7106 has been forced open by downward translation of the
airlock 7128, which
has passed therethrough. The sides of the airlock 7128 hold the valves of the
hatch 7106 open. Valves
(e.g., valve 7152) at the nether end of the airlock 7128 have opened after the
nether end of the airlock
7128 passed through the hatch 7106, admitting water into the interior of the
airlock 7128.
[0439] Stage 3. Fuel handling machine 7136 has been vertically translated
through the open airlock
7130 to enable its gripping end 7154 to grasp the FA 7142. Hatch 7148 is
similarly held open to hatch
7106 by an airlock.
91
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0440] Stage 4. Fuel handling machine 7138 has been translated upward into the
airlock 7132, drawing
with it the FA 7144, and the airlock 7132 has also been translated upward,
though not yet sufficiently
to allow self-closure of hatch 7150. The valves of airlock 7132 having been
closed while the airlock
7132 was still approximately at the depth shown in FIG. 71B for airlock 7130,
and the airlock 7132
contains trapped water sufficient to cover the captured FA 7144.
[0441] Stage 5. It will be appreciated in light of the disclosure that
withdrawing airlock 7132 entirely
from the opening of hatch 7150 will permit hatch 7150 to close. When all
airlocks have been
withdrawn and all hatches are closed, the water 7116 in the standpipe 7110 can
be raised and the
system 7100 returned to the Locked condition. After airlock closure around a
captured FA, the airlock
is free to ascend and deliver the FA to further handling mechanisms regardless
of whether or not the
system 7100 is locked or unlocked.
U. Cooled and Shielded Fuel Assembly Manipulator
[0442] Movement of hot FAs within a PNP will occasionally be necessary, e.g.,
during refueling,
when spent FAs must be removed from the reactor core. Handling and movement of
FAs fully and
continuously submerged in large pools of water is the norm in terrestrial
nuclear plants, but can be
disadvantageous in a PNP, particular a floating PNP, where free surface
effects are of concern.
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for the manipulation and
movement of spent FAs, such
as FAs that are contained in canisters. In embodiments, a cooling system is
provided for cooling the
FAs during manipulation and movement.
[0443] FIG. 72A is a schematic, vertical cross-sectional depiction of portions
of an illustrative cooled
and shielded apparatus 7200 including a fuel handling machine of a PNP, herein
referred to in some
cases as an "FA manipulator," according to embodiments. The vertically
oriented manipulator 7200
includes a tubular case 7202; an FA gripper 7204 mounted on a shaft 7206 that
can, within a limited
range, be translated vertically independently of the manipulator case 7200,
such as through a gasketed
feed-through 7208; a steam relief valve 7210; a water makeup line 7212 that is
in fluid communication
with the interior of the case 7202 and through which water may enter and/or
leave the case 7202; hoist
rings (e.g., ring 7214); and heat-dissipation fins 7216. The manipulator 7200
also includes openable
valves 7218 at its nether end (e.g., clamshell doors) that are capable of
sealing the interior of the case
7202 and containing pressurized fluids therein. Each valve 7218 turns upon a
hinge 7220. For each
valve 7218, a cable 7222 enters the interior of the case 7202 through a
gasketed feedthrough 7224,
runs over a pulley 7226, and attaches to the valve 7218. Retraction of the
cable 7222 causes the valve
7218 to rise. Opening the valves opens the nether end of the manipulator 7200.
The valves are
92
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
weighted so that they close gravitationally when the control cables are
relaxed; in various
embodiments, a spring-powered, hydraulic, or other closure mechanism can be
additionally provided.
[0444] Lifting cables are attached to the hoist rings 7214. The manipulator
7200 can be vertically
translated by shortening its lifting cables and horizontally translated by
horizontally translating the
attachment point of its lifting cables. In some states of operation, as shall
be made clear with reference
to FIG. 72B and FIG. 72C, the manipulator 7200 contains an FA suspended from
the gripper 7204 and
is filled partly or wholly with water, enabling an FA to be moved within a PNP
in a cooled manner.
Moreover, the walls and valves of the manipulator 7200 are, in embodiments,
shielded, to reduce
irradiation of objects approached by the manipulator 7200 while transporting a
hot FA.
.. [0445] FIG. 72B is a schematic, vertical cross-sectional depiction of
portions of the manipulator 7200
of FIG. 72A during retrieval of an FA 7228 from a reactor vessel 7230. In the
state of operation
depicted in FIG. 72B, the top of the reactor vessel 7230 has been removed and
the valves (e.g., valve
7220) of the manipulator 7200 have been retracted, opening the nether end of
the manipulator 7200,
which has been lowered partly into the water 7232 within the reactor vessel
7230. The FA gripper
.. 7204 has been lowered on its shaft 7206 to enable the gripper 7204 to
engage with an FA 7228. In
subsequent stages of operation, the gripper 7204 can be raised so that the FA
7228 is enclosed in the
manipulator 7200 and the valves closed, capturing both the FA and a sufficient
quantity of water to
keep the FA immersed within the manipulator 7200.
[0446] FIG. 72C depicts a state of operation of the manipulator 7200 in which
an FA 7228 and a
quantity of water 7232 have been captured and the valves at the nether end of
the manipulator 7200
have been closed, trapping the FA 7228 and the water 7232. Additional water is
being added through
the water makeup line 7212. Heat generated by the FA can escape from the
manipulator 7200 by one
or more of radiation from the sides of the case 7202 and the radiator fins
7216, release of gas through
the steam relief valve 7210, or circulation of water through the interior of
the manipulator 7200 via
the makeup line 7212, which may contain parallel conduits for bidirectional
flow.
[0447] The manipulator 7200 in the state of operation of FIG. 72C can be
translated vertically and/or
horizontally to any desired location in the PNP, where it can be immersed in
water and the capture
process reversed, such as to deliver the FA to another fuel-handling
subsystem, to a storage location,
or the like. Advantageously, the liquid free surface within the manipulator
7200 is minimal; further,
.. the water 7232 in the manipulator 7200 may be in fluid communication with
other bodies of water in
the PNP such as via the makeup line 7212, through which flow may be managed by
the narrowness of
the line 7212 and by valves.
93
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
V. Precluding or Mitigating the Free Surface Effect of Inventories of Water
Related to
Spent Fuel Removal or Reactor Cooling
[0448] Embodiments of this disclosure address the need in a PNP, particularly
a floating PNP, to
remove spent FAs from the core and perform critical safety-related core
cooling functions while
keeping the platform protected from large free surface effects. The
traditional refueling strategy of a
terrestrial light water reactor would, if transposed directly to a PNP, entail
risk for potentially
destabilizing free surface effect or large, rapid relocation of mass in an
offshore platform. Likewise,
the traditional strategy of maintaining large open pools of coolant in a
containment structure to serve
passive core-cooling functions would, if transposed directly to a PNP,
constitute another high-risk
source of a potentially destabilizing free surface effect. Therefore, various
embodiments of systems
and architectures are provided for transferring spent fuel assemblies and
maintaining liquid coolant
inventories while avoiding or mitigating large, rapid, or resonant mass
transfers that could compromise
the stability of the platform.
[0449] FIG. 73 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional depiction of portions
of a PNP 7300 according
to illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure, in which volumes of
water in the PNP are
arranged so that the PNP remains stable even if water routing systems fail. In
the illustrative
embodiment, every volume of liquid with a free surface open to a cofferdam or
compaiiment, the
containment volume, or connected by a fluid routing to another volume of water
is sufficiently small
in total volume so as to be incapable of applying a destabilizing moment to
the PNP relative to the
platform's metacenter if the total mass of each volume of liquid were to be
redistributed due to
contingency or failure of systems used to place the volumes in fluid
communication. Moreover, the
total number of discrete water volumes connected by potential flow paths, and
their total mass, is such
that even if all the discrete water volumes were to relocate through flow
paths upon failure of flow
control, the resulting moment on the PNP would not be destabilizing. FIG. 73
depicts a number of
cofferdams (e.g., cofferdams 7302, 7304), all of which are capable of
containing water. A flow path
7306 between a higher cofferdam 7302 and a lower cofferdam 7304 is depicted.
In example, the higher
cofferdam 7302 is a refueling makeup water reservoir and the lower cofferdam
7304 is a refueling
chamber within a reactor containment included with the PNP 7300. If water 7308
is present in the
higher cofferdam 7302, it may flow by gravity through the flow path 7306 to
the lower cofferdam
7304. While in the higher, centrally located cofferdam 7302 the water 7308
exerts no moment around
the metacenter "M" of the PNP 7300; upon moving to the lower cofferdam 7304,
the water 7310 does
exert such a moment. While any nonsymmetrical rearrangement of mass within a
floating vessel must
94
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
alter the vessel's orientation to some degree, the positions and masses of
water bodies in the PNP
7300, and the interconnections between them, include in various embodiments a
system such that no
possible rearrangement or movement thereof, gravitational, pumped, or
resonant, even in combination
with any other possible rearrangement of moveable materials aboard the PNP
(e.g., fuel, vehicles,
ballast), causes the PNP to list or oscillate beyond an acceptable safety
threshold. In an example, a
multiplicity of water-filled cofferdams constituting a first set A, arranged
around the perimeter of the
PNP 7300, is severally connected to a multiplicity of similar but empty
cofferdams constituting a
second set B. Each of the set B cofferdams is on the far side of the
metacenter M from the set B
cofferdam' s connected partner in set A. By elementary mechanics, the maximum
shift in the center of
gravity of the PNP 7300 achievable in such a counterpoised system by moving
water from any subset
of cofferdams in set A to any subset of cofferdams in set B is less than that
which would be achievable
if all the set A cofferdams were on one side of the metacenter M and all the
set B cofferdams were on
the other side. Indeed, given complete symmetry of the moment arms of the set
A and set B cofferdams
around the metacenter M, transferring all water from set A to set B would not
shift the PNP's center
of gravity at all. The number of specific PNP cofferdam shapes, locations,
sizes, and interconnections
that can meet the stated stability criteria is clearly without limit; however,
all such configurations are
contemplated and within the scope of the present disclosure.
[0450] FIG. 74 is a schematic cutaway depiction of portions of an illustrative
refueling canal system
7400 including a number of adjacent, coolant-filled compaiiments according to
embodiments.
Adjacent compaiiments have tall lock doors through which vertically oriented
FAs can pass. The doors
are equipped with interlock mechanisms such that every compaiiment remains
sealed and full of
coolant except for the 1 or 2 compai
_______________________________________________ intents in which a spent FA is
resident, or through which a spent
FA is passing, at any given moment. In FIG. 74, the canal system 7400 includes
an overhead crane
(refueling machine) 7402 that is capable of raising and lowering an FA 7404,
e.g., to remove the FA
_____________________________________________________________________________
7404 from a reactor vessel 7406, and a number of compai intents 7408, 7410,
7412, 7414 that are filled
largely or wholly with water. Four compaiiments are depicted in FIG. 74, but
various embodiments
include any number of compaiiments greater than zero. Each compaiiment is
topped by an openable
lid, e.g., lid 7416 (closed) and lid 7418 (open). Each compaiiment
communicates with two of its
neighbors via two openable doors shaped and sized to admit the passage of an
FA 7404; e.g.,
compatiment 7410 communicates with compatiment 7408 via a first door 7420 and
with compatiment
7412 via a second door 7422. To move an FA 7404 from one compaiiment to the
next, two lids and a
single door are opened, the FA 7404 is translated through the open door, the
lid of the first
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
compaiiment is closed, and the door is closed: e.g., to move the FA 7404 from
compaiiment 7410 to
compaiiment 7412, lids 7418 and 7424 are opened, door 7422 is opened, the FA
is translated through
the door 7422 by the refueling machine 7402, lid 7418 is closed, and the door
7422 is closed. Passage
of an FA or other load through a canal 7400 of any length or number of compai
______ intents can be achieved
by repeating such manipulations. In various embodiments, an interlock
mechanism enforces the rule
that a lid cannot open if both its neighbors are already open and/or if two
lids anywhere along the canal
are already open. The compaiimentalized and interlocked design of the
refueling canal 7400 assures
that free surface effect is minimized, most of the water in the canal 7400
being contained inside sealed
compaiiments at all times.
[0451] FIG. 75 is a schematic depiction in top and side views of portions of
an illustrative
compaiimentalized coolant tank 7500 of a PNP according to embodiments of the
present disclosure.
These illustrative embodiments include an arc-shaped, compaiimentalized in-
containment refueling
water storage tank 7500 with radial dividers defining compaiiments 7502, 7504,
7506, 7508. In
embodiments, an arc-shaped reservoir may be deployed due to the usually
cylindrical form of a
containment. Coolant flow between the tank's compaiiments 7502, 7504, 7506,
7508 is controlled by
a set of valves 7510, 7512, 7514. Each valve offers fluid communication
between two compaiiments,
passively opening when there is a pressure differential between the two
compaiiments above a certain
value for a certain duration of time. Thus, continued withdrawal of coolant
from any one chamber will
eventually enable withdrawal of coolant from all the chambers. The time
duration threshold for valve
activation is set to be longer than any natural period of sloshing for a given
overall tank geometry and
coolant type. The number of compaiiments and valves differs in various
embodiments, as does the
overall shape of the tank 7500 and of the compaiiments; various embodiments
include horizontal
dividers as well as, or instead of, vertical dividers.
[0452] FIG. 76A is a schematic depiction in top and side views of portions of
an illustrative spent fuel
pool sub-compaiiment 7600 of a PNP according to embodiments of the present
disclosure. These
illustrative embodiments include a spent fuel pool sub-compaiiment bounded by
tall grid-like walls
that prevent large transverse flow of coolant between adjacent compaiiments.
The sub-compaiiment
walls or dividers (e.g., divider 7602) extend from the floor 7604 of the spent
fuel pool to the free
surface 7606 of the coolant. The dividers also have vertically oriented
openable doors in the upper
portion of each dividing plane (e.g., door 7610) that enable FAs (e.g., FA
7612) to be moved between
into and out of each compai
________________________________________________________ intent. The dividers
and doors are perforated by holes 7614 near the bottom
and top of the sub-compaiiment 7600, enabling coolant to flow in and out of
the sub-compaiiment
96
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
7600 in a constrained manner, e.g., as driven by convection. In embodiments,
walls may be shared
between adjacent sub-compaiiments, as depicted in FIG. 76B, and doors may be
omitted from dividers
that are not adjacent to another sub-compai intent.
[0453] FIG. 76B is a top view of portions of an illustrative spent fuel pool
7616 including nine sub-
______________________________________________________________________________
compaiiments similar to the sub-compat intent 7600 depicted in FIG. 76A. An
outer wall 7618 confines
the coolant inventory of the fuel pool 7616. Open arrows indicate examples of
coolant flow 7620
between a body of water 7622 surrounding the nine sub-compaiiments and of
coolant flow 7624
between adjacent compaiiments. FIG. 76B also depicts movement of an FA 7626
from a first
compaiiment 7628 to a second compai __ intent 7630 through an opened door
7632.
[0454] FIG. 76C is a view of a spent fuel pool 7634 similar to the pool 7616
depicted in FIG. 76B but
including 16 sub-compat __ intents including an outer wall of the pool 7634.
[0455] FIG. 77 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional depiction of portions
of an illustrative spent-fuel
PNP storage system 7700 according to embodiments. The system 7700 includes a
spent fuel tank 7702
(e.g., a compai
____________________________________________________________________ intent
serving the same function as a spent fuel pool but with its volume entirely
filled
with coolant) connected to a refueling canal (transfer tube) 7704. The
refueling cavity 7706 and reactor
7708 are inside a containment 7710 and the spent-fuel tank is outside. The
spent-fuel tank 7702 is
positioned sufficiently far below the floor of a refueling cavity 7706, with
respect to the vertical axis
of the PNP, so that for a given angle theta of the refueling canal 7704, tip
or list of the PNP below
some design threshold does not cause the coolant in the spent fuel tank to
rise above the point of
connection of the canal 7704 to the refueling cavity 7706 relative to the
direction of gravity. The
elevation difference 7712 between the tank 7702 and the cavity 7706 is also
great enough to prevent
the coolant in the tank 7702 from passing substantially into the refueling
cavity 7706 by impetus, e.g.,
when subjected to wave-induced pitching, within a certain design threshold.
FIG. 77 depicts the
movement of an FA 7714 through the canal 7704, and the storage of some number
of FAs 7716 within
the spent fuel tank 7702.
[0456] FIG. 78A is a schematic vertical cross-sectional depiction of portions
of an illustrative spent-
fuel PNP storage system 7800 according to embodiments. The system 7800
includes a
compaiimentalized water-lock connection (e.g., water-filled refueling canal or
transfer tube) 7802
between a refueling cavity 7804 within a containment 7806 and a spent fuel
pool 7808. The transfer
tube 7802 provides an intermediate volume of water that is only in fluid
communication with either
the refueling cavity water 7810 or the spent fuel pool water 7812 at any given
time during transfer of
an FA 7814 from the refueling cavity 7804 to the spent fuel pool 7808 or in
the opposite direction. For
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
example, in passing an FA 7814 from the refueling cavity 7804 into the
transfer tube 7802, the first
door 7816 is opened. A mechanical interlock mechanism assures that the first
door 7816 can only open
if the second door 7818 is shut and likewise that the second door 7818 can
only open if the first door
7816 is shut, preventing free flow of water between the spent fuel pool 7808
and the refueling cavity
7804. The FA 7814 is then passed by a conveyor mechanism into the transfer
tube 7802, whereupon
the first door 7816 is closed. At some time during the residence of the FA
7814 in the transfer tube
7802, the second door 7818 is opened. This state of operation is depicted in
FIG. 78B. The conveyor
mechanism then transfers the FA 7814 into the spent fuel pool 7808, where a
standup machine and
fuel-handling machine add the FA 7814 to a set of other FAs 7820. The process
is reversed to extract
an FA from the spent fuel pool 7808. The water lock system just described
clearly precludes or
mitigates free surface effect by limiting the amount of coolant and mass that
can be exchanged between
these two watertight sectors of the PNP (e.g., the fuel pool 7808 and the
refueling cavity 7804) at any
given time.
[0457] FIGS. 79A-79D are schematic cross-sectional views of portions of an
illustrative gated FA
transfer valve 7900 located within a transfer tube 7902 of a PNP according to
embodiments of the
present disclosure. The transfer valve 7900 allows an FA to pass in either
direction but limits the
amount of coolant that can pass through the transfer tube 7902 during passage
of the FA 7904, thus
mitigating free surface effect between any bodies of coolant that are in fluid
communication through
the tube 7902. The valve 7900 includes two or more hinged flaps 7906, 7908
that substantially or
entire block passage of liquid through the tube 7902. The flaps 7906, 7908 are
capable of rotation in
either direction, enabling the valve 7900 to open. The opening thus created is
closely similar in size
and shape to the cross-sectional shape of the FA 7904. In embodiments, the
flaps 7906, 7908 may be
latched together by a mechanism that keeps the valve 7900 closed unless
impinged upon, from either
side of the valve 7900, by an FA 7904. When an FA 7904 does impinge upon the
closed valve 7900,
the latch is disengaged and the flaps 7906, 7908 are free to rotate when
pushed by the FA 7904. A
restorative mechanism (e.g., springs) may exerts a closing force on the flaps
7906, 7908 whenever
they are displaced from their closed position. FIG. 79A depicts a state of
operation before the FA 7904
has impinged on the valve 7900; FIG. 79B depicts a state of operation when the
FA 7904, moved by
a conveyor mechanism, has unlatched the flaps 7906, 7908 and forced them to
partially open; FIG.
79C depicts a state of operation when the FA 7904 has forced the flaps 7906,
7908 fully open and is
passing through the opening thus created; and FIG. 79D depicts a state of
operation when the FA 7904
has passed entirely through the valve 7900 and the flaps 7906, 7908 have been
restored to a closed
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
and latched condition. Latching prevents coolant flow through the valve 7900
up to some design
threshold of pressure difference across the valve 7900; the fitting of the
valve 7900 around the FA
7904 limits passage of coolant with and around the FA 7904 during the passage
of the FA 7904 through
the valve 7900. In an example, one or more valves similar to valve 7900 are
located in an FA transfer
tube connecting a refueling cavity to a spent fuel pool (e.g., the transfer
tubes depicted in FIG. 77 and
FIG. 78A). In various embodiments, the valve 7900 is located at the beginning
or end of a transfer
tube, rather than in a midwise location, as in FIGS. 79A-79D; also, while the
transfer tube 7902 of
FIGS. 79A-79D is depicted as fitting the FA 7904 closely, in various
embodiments the valve 7900
may fit the FA 7904 closely while the transfer tube 7902 does not. Also, the
number of flaps in various
embodiments may be one or any greater number. Also, the flaps need not be
rigid, as implicitly
depicted in FIGS. 79A-79D. Also, the flaps may be provided with a powered
opening and/or closing
mechanism, and may be activatable by a control system, not only by an
impinging FA.
[0458] FIG. 80 is a schematic depiction of portions of an illustrative core
refueling coolant system
8000 of a PNP according to embodiments of the present disclosure. In system
8000, the entire core
refueling operation is carried out in a single or multiple closed volumes of
coolant (e.g., volumes 8002,
8004, 8006) that are either filled to the top (e.g., function as tanks rather
than as open-surface pools)
or covered by roofs or coverings 8008, 8010, 8012 that are adjustable in
height and that prevent large
redistributions of coolant within or between the covered volumes 8002, 8004,
8006. In an example, a
reactor cavity, refueling canal, and spent fuel pool are all sealed and full
(or nearly full) of coolant.
This configuration prevents any large redistribution of coolant mass in the
platform while enabling
continuous immersion in coolant of spent FAs.
[0459] FIG. 81 is a schematic depiction of portions of an illustrative coolant
stabilizing system 8100
of a PNP according to embodiments of the present disclosure. The system 8100
includes baffles (e.g.,
baffle 8102) immersed in a coolant pool or tank 8104 to impede the movement of
coolant throughout
the volume. The baffles 8102 are perforated by openings (e.g., opening 8106)
to allow coolant to move
throughout the volume without resonating or building too much momentum, e.g.,
when the PNP is
moved by wave action. Free surface effect in such a coolant body is mitigated.
In various embodiments
the baffles are spaced and/or perforated so as to provide openings
specifically designed to allow FAs
to be moved through the volume, whether vertically (space 8108) or endwise
(opening 8110).
[0460] FIG. 82 is a schematic depiction of portions of an illustrative coolant
stabilizing system 8200
of a PNP according to embodiments of the present disclosure. System 8200
includes a coolant pool
8202 and a membrane, fabric, or highly articulate metal surface restraint 8204
that contacts and
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
envelops the free surface of the coolant contained within the pool 8202 in
order to effectively enclose
and/or dampen the surface dynamics of the coolant's free surface, e.g., waves
induced by the impact
of wave motion, winds, or other impacts on the PNP. The surface restraint 8204
may be retractable.
In the illustrative system 8200 of FIG. 82, the surface restraint 8204
includes a pair of flexible metal
shutters 8206, 8208 that can be retracted to enable a pipe 8210, fuel-handling
machine, or other devices
to access the interior of the pool 8202. Free surface effect in such a coolant
body is mitigated.
[0461] FIG. 83 is a schematic depiction of portions of an illustrative coolant
stabilizing system 8300
of a PNP according to embodiments of the present disclosure. System 8300
includes a coolant pool
8302 and flat horizontal surfaces or shelving 8304 approximately parallel to
and overhanging the
perimeter of the free surface of the coolant in the pool 8302. The shelving
8304 caps or interrupts
waves reflecting off the vertical side walls of the pool 8302, e.g., waves
induced by wave motion of
the PNP. Free surface effect in such a coolant body is mitigated.
[0462] FIG. 84 is a schematic depiction of portions of an illustrative coolant
stabilizing system 8400
of a PNP according to embodiments of the present disclosure. System 8400
includes a coolant pool
8402 whose walls have irregular, e.g., many-sided, shapes to prevent resonant
sloshing with the PNP
platform's period of tilt or heave. In FIG. 84 the irregular walls are
depicted as vertical and planar, but
in various embodiments the walls are non-planar. Free surface effect,
particularly resonant wave
motion, in such a coolant body is mitigated.
[0463] FIG. 85 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional depiction of portions
of an illustrative coolant
stabilizing system 8500 of a PNP according to embodiments of the present
disclosure. System 8500
includes a tank (e.g., spent fuel pool or refueling makeup water reservoir)
8502 having a primary
chamber 8504 and a smaller, secondary chamber 8506. The two chambers are
partly divided by a
barrier 8508, which includes a vertical lower portion 8510 and a tilted upper
portion or weir 8512.
Further, the two chambers 8504, 8506 are in fluid communication through a
makeup pipe 8514. When
waves are induced (e.g., by wave motion of the PNP) in the primary chamber
8504 that are of sufficient
amplitude, water will ride up the weir 8512 and spill over into the secondary
chamber 8506. Waves
induced in the secondary chamber 8506 will tend to be confined thereto, since
the smaller mass and
dimensions of the water in the secondary chamber will constrain wave
development; further, the
overhanging weir 8512 will tend to confine waves within the secondary chamber
8506. By elementary
hydrostatics, a quantity of water equal to any which crosses over into the
secondary chamber 8506
will return via the makeup pipe 8514 to the primary chamber 8504, maintaining
an approximately
equal surface height in the two chambers. In effect, the tank 8502 constitutes
a nonlinear system that
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
constrains the development of larger waves. In various embodiments, the weir
8512 is mounted on a
hinge 8516 that is adjustable in angle via a mechanism, or on a sprung hinge
that tends to return the
weir 8512 to a certain angle. Also, in various embodiments, the hinge spring
angle and/or resistance
are adjustable and/or the fixed divider 8510 can be raised or lowered in order
to adjust the height of
the weir 8512. Such adjustability enables the resonant properties of the tank
8502 to be altered, e.g.,
in response to changing ocean wave excitation spectra and directionality. In
embodiments, adjustment
may be provided by an electro-mechanical system, such as under control of a
processor, which may
occur automatically (such as according to a model, algorithm, or the like that
provides automated
adjustment in response to conditions, such as detected ocean wave conditions,
predicted conditions,
or the like) or under user control, such as via a user interface that allows a
user to set the angle,
resistance or other parameter of the system to optimize the properties of the
tank 8502. Free surface
effect in such a coolant body is mitigated.
[0464] FIGS. 86A-94 pertain to devices for moving spent FAs in a canister or
enclosed volume by
moving the enclosed volume within a PNP, as opposed to moving the FA within a
continuous volume
of coolant as is traditionally done for moving spent fuel assemblies in a
terrestrial nuclear power plant.
The fully enclosed volume, whether fully filled with coolant or not, ensures
that spent FAs within are
adequately cooled while the enclosure moves the FAs to a new location inside
the ONBP.
[0465] FIG. 86A schematically depicts an illustrative fuel movement canister
or enclosure 8600 with
the ability to transport a single spent FA 8602 according to embodiments of
the present disclosure.
The enclosure 8600 is in various embodiments thermally self-sufficient, that
is, radiates sufficient heat
to its environment (through, e.g., fins, vanes, a portable heat exchanger, or
the like) that no coolant
flow through the enclosure is required for thermal stability. In the
illustrative embodiments depicted
in FIG. 86A, the enclosure 8600 is fed coolant through an intake pipe 8604.
The coolant is removed
via an outlet pipe 8606. The enclosure 8600 may be attached to the pipes 8604,
8606 only while
stationary, and disconnected while in motion: or, the pipes 8604, 8606 may be
connected to an
umbilical or sliding-connection system that enables them to supply the
enclosure with coolant flow
throughout some allowed transport space. In the illustrative embodiments
depicted in FIG. 86A, the
pipes 8604, 8606 are connected to a flexible umbilical arrangement that
enables the enclosure 8600 to
translate along a conveyor mechanism 8608.
[0466] FIG. 86B schematically depicts an illustrative fuel movement enclosure
8610 with the ability
to transport four spent FAs, e.g., FA 8612, according to embodiments of the
present disclosure. Like
the single-FA enclosure 8600 of FIG. 86A, the four-FA enclosure of FIG. 86B is
supplied by a mobile
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
cooling pipes 8604, 8606 and capable of translation along a conveyor mechanism
8608. One FA and
four FAs are illustrative enclosure capacities only; FA enclosures in various
embodiments have
capacity for conveying a single FA or any greater number.
[0467] FIG. 87 is a schematic depiction of portions of an illustrative system
8700 for moving FAs in
enclosed volumes according to embodiments of the present disclosure. The
system 8700 loads one or
more spent FAs (e.g., FA 8702) inside a mobile FA enclosure 8704 under water
within a refueling
cavity 8706. Movement of the FA 8702 within the refueling cavity 8706 and
placement within the
enclosure 8704 is accomplished by a refueling machine 8708. The system 8700
raises the FA enclosure
8704 above the coolant level of the refueling cavity 8706 (e.g., by the
refueling machine 8708 or a
hydraulic lift 8710). An FA extracted from the refueling cavity 8706 (e.g., FA
8712) is then transported
horizontally (e.g., by a conveyor mechanism 8714) to another part of the PNP,
e.g., to a vertical
transport system such as will be discussed with reference to several figures
herein.
[0468] FIG. 88 is a schematic depiction of portions of an illustrative system
8800 for moving FAs in
enclosed volumes according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Rather
than moving a mobile
FA enclosure vertically out of a refueling cavity using a crane or lift,
followed by horizontal movement
on a conveyor mechanism, as shown in FIG. 87, the system 8800 performs both
vertical and horizontal
movements of FAs (e.g., FAs 8802, 8804) by an articulated arm or crane 8806.
[0469] FIG. 89 and FIG. 90 pertain to systems and methods having the ability
to quickly return any
spent FA that is in transit in a mobile enclosure (e.g., the mobile enclosure
depicted in FIG. 88A) to a
large pool or volume of coolant during any scenario in which the device moving
the mobile enclosure
loses power. This failsafe feature may be necessary if the enclosure requires
active cooling systems to
keep the enclosed spent FAs sufficiently cool. For quick-return systems to be
effective, moreover, the
FA fuel assembly enclosure must be able to passively expel heat at an adequate
rate when immersed
in coolant.
[0470] FIG. 89 schematically depicts portions of an illustrative quick-return
PNP mechanism 8900,
according to embodiments of the present disclosure, including an inclined
track 8902 along which a
mobile FA enclosure 8904 rolls back to the location of a pool 8906 of coolant
if the conveyor
mechanism moving the enclosure 8904 or the system cooling the enclosure loses
power. Upon being
braked to a standstill, for example, by an unpowered mechanism at the end of
the track 8902, the
enclosure 8904 is automatically (e.g., without human intervention or power)
lowered by a hydraulic
lift 8908 into the coolant pool 8906 for sustained passive cooling. The
coolant pool 8906, in turn, has
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
mechanisms (e.g., those described elsewhere herein) for passively rejecting
heat to the outside
environment indefinitely without the need for onsite or offsite power.
[0471] FIG. 90 schematically depicts portions of an illustrative quick-return
PNP mechanism 9000,
according to embodiments of the present disclosure, including an inclined rail
9002 along which a
crane 9004 carrying a mobile FA enclosure 9006 slides back to a location above
a pool 9008 of coolant
if the mechanism moving the crane 9004 and enclosure 9006, or the system
cooling the enclosure
9006, loses power. Upon being braked to a standstill by an unpowered mechanism
when the crane
9004 reaches a point above the pool 9008, the enclosure 9006 is automatically
(e.g., without human
intervention or power) lowered by the crane 9004 into the coolant pool 9008
for sustained passive
cooling. In examples, the lowering of the enclosure 9006 is braked in an
automatic, non-powered
manner so that the enclosure 9006 does not impact the floor of the coolant
pool 9008.
[0472] FIG. 91 schematically depicts an illustrative system 9100 for providing
sustained, adequate
cooling to a mobile FA canister or enclosure 9102 according to embodiments of
the present disclosure.
System 9100 includes a coolant umbilical cord 9104 that enables a
bidirectional flow of coolant
between the enclosure 9102 and a heat exchanger 9106 immersed in the ocean
9108, outside the PNP
hull 9110. The umbilical cord 9104 provides a flexible coolant loop that
adjusts its shape as the
enclosure moves about within the PNP (e.g., between the reactor vessel and the
spent fuel pool). This
coolant loop may be either actively pumped or powered by convection. For the
loop to operate by
convection, it is necessary that there be a height differential with respect
to gravity for the inlets and
.. outlets of both the heat exchanger 9106 and the umbilical connections to
the enclosure 9102, as
depicted in FIG. 91.
[0473] FIG. 92 schematically depicts an illustrative FA canister or enclosure
9200 according to
embodiments of the present disclosure. Enclosure 9200 includes a hollow main
cylinder 9202
containing a hot FA 9204 and a quantity of coolant 9206 sufficient to immerse
the FA 9204. The
enclosure 9200 also includes some number of hollow condensation tubes, e.g.,
tube 9208, whose upper
ends are sealed and whose lower ends are in fluid communication with the
interior of the main cylinder
9202. Moreover, a number of heat radiation fins 9210 are affixed to the
condensation tubes. As the
hot FA 9204 boils coolant 9206, steam is created above the liquid portion of
the coolant 9206 and rises
into the condensation tubes, as indicated by open arrows (e.g., arrow 9212).
Steam condenses in the
condensation tubes and runs back down into the interior of the main cylinder
9202, as indicated in
FIG. 92 by droplets (e.g., droplet 9214). The whole FA enclosure 9200 thus
acts as a heat pipe to
transport heat away from the FA 9204 and deliver it to the ambient environment
of the enclosure 9200.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0474] FIG. 93 schematically depicts an illustrative FA canister or enclosure
9300 according to
embodiments of the present disclosure. Enclosure 9300 includes a hollow main
cylinder 9302
containing a hot FA 9304 and a quantity of coolant 9306 sufficient to immerse
the FA 9204. The
enclosure 9300 also includes a number of horizontally oriented, air-cooled
heat radiation fins 9308
affixed along the length of the main cylinder 9302. The fins 9308 are cooled
by passive circulation of
air. The exterior of the FA enclosure 9300 thus acts as a radiator to
transport heat away from the FA
9304 and deliver it to the ambient environment of the enclosure 9300. Many
arrangements of fins or
vanes other than that depicted in the figure would serve the purpose in
various embodiments, as will
be clear to a person familiar with radiator engineering; all such are
contemplated and within the scope
.. of the present disclosure.
[0475] FIG. 94 schematically depicts top and side views of an illustrative FA
canister or enclosure
9400 according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Enclosure 9400
includes a hollow main
cylinder 9402 containing a hot FA 9404 and a quantity of coolant 9406
sufficient to immerse the FA
9404. The enclosure 9400 also includes a number of vertically oriented, air-
cooled heat radiation fins
9408 affixed along the length of the main cylinder 9402. The fins 9408 are
cooled by passive
circulation of air and/or by vertical airflow, such as driven by fans, e.g.,
electric fan 9410. Air flow
along the fins 9408 is indicated by open arrows, e.g., arrow 9412. The
exterior of the FA enclosure
9400 thus acts as a radiator to transport heat away from the FA 9404 and
deliver it to the ambient
environment of the enclosure 9400.
Staging of Fresh Fuel for a PNP
[0476] Fresh fuel FAs do not normally represent a direct hazard: they are only
mildly radioactive and
do not radiate significant heat. However, if immersed in a liquid (e.g.,
water) that acts as a neutron
flux moderator, fresh FAs can participate in an accelerated nuclear chain
reaction and become hot and
radioactive (as they do in a reactor core). Therefore, it is desirable that
fresh FAs do not become
immersed in water that can act as a neutron moderator. Onboard a PNP that is
itself immersed in water,
may provide for a need for facilitating avoidance of fresh fuel FA immersion.
[0477] Embodiments of the present disclosure facilitate avoidance of fresh
fuel FA immersion. In
particular, FIG. 95 is a schematic depiction of a PNP 9500 including an
illustrative FA storage system
that avoids unintended fission in fresh FAs. The illustrative system includes
a waterproof chamber
9502 in which a number of fresh FAs 9504 are stored. The chamber 9502 provides
a first line of
defense against entry by water from the environment of the PNP or from volumes
of water stored or
flowing aboard the PNP; however, it is possible that the chamber 9502 could be
breached or that access
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
hatches could be inadvertently opened. Therefore, a quantity 9506 of a dry
"poisoning" agent (e.g., a
block of an appropriate salt, such as a dry boron salt) is built into the
interior of the fresh FA storage
chamber 9502. The poisoning agent, when dissolved in water, reduces the
neutron-moderating efficacy
of the water. Thus, if water does enter the chamber 9502, the dry poisoning
agent will prevent
significant fission from occurring in the fresh FAs 9504. Since it is possible
that the chamber 9502
will, in an accident scenario, be repeatedly filled and emptied of water,
removing the original dose of
poisoning agent, in embodiments, a number of poisoning-agent units are
installed in the chamber 9502.
One of units (the primary unit) is open at all times and is operative the
first time the chamber 9502 is
invaded by water. The additional N units are in containers equipped with water
exposure locks that
open the container after a certain number of exposures to water followed by
exposures to air. The first
of the additional N units open after 1 such exposure cycle, the second after 2
such cycles, and so forth.
Poisoning is thus assured for N+1 flooding cycles. Additionally or
alternatively, a slow-release
mechanism can continue to release poisoning agent into water within the
chamber 9502 as long as the
water is present, mitigating the probability that water circulating through
the chamber 9502 will dilute
the poisoning agent to inefficacy during an accident scenario.
W. Vertical Transport of Spent Fuel Assemblies in a PNP
[0478] Fuel assemblies in a PNP must proceed through a series of storage and
movement stages. After
manufacture, fresh fuel must be transported to the PNP and staged for
refueling. In refueling, FAs are
placed into a reactor core. After an operational time, FAs are removed from
the reactor core, stored in
a cooled pool, and ultimately transferred off the PNP to long-term dry storage
or reprocessing
facilities. In contrast to terrestrial plants, where vertical movements of FAs
are few in number and
modest in scope, FAs in a PNP will typically travel relatively large vertical
distances both within the
PNP and during transfer to and from vessels. FAs will, between horizontal and
vertical movements
within the PNP, reside in various platform structures in various numbers and
for varying amounts of
time, depending on the design and operation of the PNP. For example, spent FAs
may be stored in
pool racks, canisters, and casks progressively as they age.
[0479] Typically, spent FAs on a PNP will go through some combination of one
or more of the
following steps after removal from the reactor: storage in a temporary in-
containment storage pool;
loading into canisters or mobile FA enclosures in the storage pool after an
initial decay interval;
movement up a lift access structure, whether as single assemblies or as loaded
canisters; arrival at a
staging area near the top deck of the platform; and finally, transfer to a
transport ship that brings the
canisters to a dock form whence they will be taken to a facility for casking
or reprocessing.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0480] Advantageous arrangements that address needs for vertical movement of
FAs in a PNP must
ensure that lifting mechanism failure modes are acceptable. In embodiments,
FAs, whether as
individual assemblies or canisters, may be lifted by hoist, worm gear,
elevator, hydraulic lift, crane,
buoyancy, magnetic lift, or other mechanisms along a vertical access tube with
appropriate measures
taken to safely lock the moving load into place or limit falling velocity upon
failure of power or any
other aspect or component enabling the movement mechanism. Features included
with embodiments
include flooding the lift access with water and having appropriate water locks
at each end to retain
water in tube during transport. Approximate sizing of a fluid-filled column or
tube to the objects
transported there within will tend to slow falling objects hydraulically if a
failure of lifting system
occurs.
[0481] FIGS. 96-103 pertain to systems and methods for vertical movement of
FAs within a PNP that
are included with embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0482] FIG. 96 is a schematic depiction of portions of an illustrative fuel-
handling system of a PNP
9600 according to embodiments. In embodiments, a fuel-exchange facility 9602
receives fresh FAs
via a transfer mechanism from a surface delivery vessel. The receiving
facility 9602 delivers fresh
FAs 9604 to a fresh-fuel storage chamber 9606, which may include provisions
for suppressing
unwanted fission, e.g., as depicted in FIG. 95. A fresh-fuel vertical transfer
tube 9608 transfers fresh
FAs (e.g., by gravity) from the storage chamber 9606 to a fresh-fuel elevator
9610 within the
containment 9612. The fresh-fuel elevator 9610 receives FAs and orients the
FAs vertically before
lowering them into the primary fuel-handling pool 9614 where they are loaded
into the reactor 9616
by a fuel-handling machine. Spent FAs extracted from the reactor 9616 are
delivered to an acute angle
laydown/standup machine 9618 submerged within the containment, which can
rotate FAs to any angle
for passage through the spent fuel vertical transfer tube 9620. The coolant-
filled spent fuel vertical
transfer tube 9620 conveys each spent FA to the coolant-filled spent fuel
storage module (a.k.a. spent
fuel storage tank, a.k.a. spent fuel storage pool) 9622, where spent FAs 9624
are stored. A second
acute angle laydown/standup machine 9626 handles FA orientation upon receipt
within the storage
pool 9622. A coolant-filled spent fuel vertical removal transfer tube 9628
moves spent FAs that have
cooled sufficiently for removal from the PNP 9600 from the spent fuel pool
9622 to the fuel-exchange
facility 9602. Various embodiments include alternative or additional
arrangements for storing dry-
casked FAs aboard the PNP 9600.
[0483] FIG. 97 is a simplified depiction of portions of an illustrative system
9700 for loading FAs
(e.g., FA 9702) into a spent-fuel vertical transport tube 9704 in a PNP
according to embodiments of
106
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
the present disclosure. The system 9700 includes a temporary storage and
cooling pool 9706 (only two
walls of which are depicted, for clarity) in which reside a number of spent
FAs. The pool 9706 is
mostly or entirely filled with water and is equipped with systems for the
rejection of heat to an external
heat sink (e.g., the ocean). The pool 9706 may be located inside a reactor
containment or between a
containment and outer hull of the PNP. The system 9700 also includes a fuel-
handling machine 9708
capable of movement along three orthogonal axes and a load-unload chamber 9710
at the base of the
vertical transport tube 9704 (only a nether portion of which is depicted). The
load-unload chamber
9710 includes an opening sized for the admission of an FA or of a canister
containing an FA or more
than one FA, as well a sliding shell door 9712 that can be rotated into place
to cover the opening. Both
the load-unload chamber 9710 and the transport tube 9704 are filled with
coolant. A lock valve 9714
(depicted in FIG. 97 as a simple disk) is closed when the chamber door 9712 is
open, separating the
loading chamber 9710 from the upper portion of the transport tube 9704 to
prevent the tube head from
raising the water level in the pool 9706. In embodiments, a mechanical
interlock prevents the lock
valve 9714 and the chamber door 9712 from being open simultaneously. The
nether end of the
transport tube 9704, approximately coincident with the floor of the pool 9706,
is closed.
[0484] The load-unload chamber 9710 contains a load carrier 9716, upon or
within which the FA or
FA canister is placed for transport. A suitable mechanism may install or
remove a load carrier 9716 in
the load-unload chamber 9710, as needed. In FIG. 97 the load carrier 9716 is
depicted as a simple
supportive disk; in various embodiments, the load carrier 9716 includes a
frame, hander, net, rack,
bucket, grip, pincer and/or capsule, fitting the load carrier 9710, into which
an FA or FA canister is
loaded. In various embodiments, a load carrier 9716 also typically includes
arrangements for securing
its load, communicating wirelessly with a control system (e.g., for telemetric
reporting of load status,
platform position, and other data), and mechanisms providing unpowered,
automatic self-braking (e.g.,
by lateral shoes, wedges, or the like) in the event that free fall through the
transport tube commences.
[0485] In a typical sequence of operations of system 9700, one or more FAs
have been stored in the
temporary pool 9706 until their radioactivity and heat output have declined to
levels which the
transport tube 9704 and other downstream FA-handling systems have been
designed to accommodate.
The fuel-handling machine 9708 picks up an FA 9702 and transports it through
the coolant in the pool
9706 to the loading chamber 9710, where the FA 9702 is placed upon the load
carrier 9716. The
chamber door 9712 is then rotated and locked in a closed position and the lock
valve 9714 is opened.
The load carrier 9716 with its associated FA, together designated a "load,"
now has access to an open,
water-filled path within the vertical access tube 9704 and is raised
therethrough. One or more of worm
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
gears, a cable hoist, water pressure, and other mechanisms are employed to
raise the load through the
vertical transport tube to a receiving system at a higher level in the PNP. In
embodiments, the receiving
system resembles the system 9700, except that it includes the upper rather
than the nether end of the
transport tube 9704 and the lock valve is below rather than above the load-
unload chamber; in such
case, unloading of a load by the receiving system is accomplished by
essentially reversing the loading
process described for system 9700. In other embodiments, the receiving system
may consist simply of
a fuel-handling machine capable of reaching down into the open upper end of
the transfer tube,
grasping a load, and lifting it out.
[0486] In various embodiments, the walls of the transport tube 9704 include
provisions for cooling
and/or shielding (e.g., a water sheath) and/or the tube 9704 is surrounded by
a larger body of water.
Also, in various embodiments, checkpoint lock valves similar to lock valve
9714 are located at
intervals throughout the length of the vertical transport tube 9704, opening
and closing in sequence to
allow passage of load carriers while constraining coolant flow through the
transport tube 9704. Various
embodiments include provisions for provisioning the transport tube 9704 with
coolant (e.g., by
recirculating coolant from the top of the tube to the bottom). Coolant may
pass around or through a
moving load or be circulated from one end of the tube to the other to
accommodate a moving load, or
both. Moreover, although the transport tube 9704 is depicted in FIG. 97 as
orthogonally vertical, a
transport tube in various embodiments need not be so throughout its length but
may turn through any
angle. Turns may be enabled by allowing slack space between load carriers and
in the walls of the tube
9704, either along the whole tube length or in selected turning zones; or by
making load carriers
suitably flexible; or by other mechanisms.
[0487] FIG. 98 is a schematic cross-sectional depiction of portions of an
illustrative mechanism for
moving an illustrative FA load 9800 through a coolant-filled vertical transfer
tube. An FA 9802 is
capped by two end pieces, an upper end piece 9804 and a nether end piece 9806.
Both end pieces
9804, 9806 serve as spacers to position the FA 9802 within the vertical
transfer tube 9808. Two
coolant-filled side tubes 9810, 9812 are positioned lengthwise along the
transfer tube 9808 and
connected thereto so that the lumens of the three tubes communicate. The
nether end piece 9806
includes teeth or projections (e.g., projection 9814). Each projection extends
horizontally from the end
piece 9806 into the lumen of a side tube: e.g., projection 9814 extends into
the lumen of side tube
9812. Each side tube contains a worm gear (e.g., worm gear 9816). The end
piece projections mesh
with the worm gears: e.g., projection 9814 meshes with worm gear 9816. As the
worm gears in the
side tubes are rotated, the projections are translated along the gear and the
load including the FA 9802
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
and end pieces 9804, 9806 is lifted or lowered through the vertical transfer
tube 9808. In embodiments,
components are sized and so that either worm gear alone is capable of safely
lowering or raising the
load.
[0488] FIG. 99 is a schematic cross-sectional depiction of portions of an
illustrative mechanism for
.. moving an illustrative FA load 9900 through a vertical transfer tube. An FA
9902 is capped by or
affixed to two end pieces, an upper end piece 9904 and a nether end piece
9906. Both end pieces 9904,
9906 serve as spacers to position the FA 9902 within the vertical transfer
tube 9908. Each end piece
also includes one or more cable connection points (e.g., cable connection
point 9910) which is attached
to a cable (e.g., cable 9912). As the cables are drawn up or down with respect
to the tube 9908, the
load 9900 is correspondingly raised or lowered. In case of cable failure,
fluid-driven safety flaps 9914
deploy to assure braking of the load and prevent free fall. The safety flaps
may either engage with the
inner walls of the transfer tube 9908 to halt FA motion or may serve as
hydraulic resistance breaks to
assure a slow fall.
[0489] FIG. 100 is a schematic cross-sectional depiction of portions of an
illustrative mechanism for
permitting an illustrative FA load 10000 to descend through a vertical
transfer tube. An FA 10002 is
capped by or affixed to two end pieces, an upper end piece 10004 and a nether
end piece 10006. Both
end pieces 10004, 10006 serve as spacers to position the FA 10002 within the
vertical transfer tube
10008. Each end piece is sized and perforated to allow coolant to pass from
one side of the end piece
to the other in a resistive manner. The hydraulic resistance of the end pieces
is gauged to permit the
load 10000 to descend through the vertical transfer tube 10008 at a desired
pace.
X. Improved Refueling Machine and Methods for a PNP
[0490] The proper operation of a PNP refueling machine inside the containment
and of a spent fuel
handling machine in the spent fuel storage area can be adversely impacted by
any tilting of the PNP
platform, such as caused by wave action, wind action, or other causes. Since
these refueling machines
typically use a telescoping mast or column to reach the tops of FAs that are
¨25 feet below a water
surface, tilt will result in lateral forces being applied to the extended
mast. These forces can cause the
mast to deflect or bend, especially when lifting or lowering an FA or other
heavy item. Another
problem is that the FA will hang vertically from the end of the mast, making
it even more difficult to
properly align the bottom of the FA correctly for insertion into a core matrix
and to keep the FA
properly aligned while it is actually being inserted into or withdrawn from
the core matrix, without
excessive contact and rubbing or scraping of the neighboring fuel assemblies.
Moreover, wave action
may introduce pendulum-like oscillations in a long mast suspending an FA.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0491] Various embodiments of the present disclosure include improved in-
containment refueling
machines and the spent fuel handling machines and improved controls for such
machines to prevent
excessive horizontal forces from being applied to their telescoping masts, to
allow these machines to
accurately connect and disconnect from FAs, to keep the connected FA aligned
with the core's vertical
axis while an FA is being withdrawn from or inserted into the core, and to
enable proper alignment
during other fuel handling operations.
[0492] FIG. 101 is a schematic depiction of portions of an illustrative PNP
fuel-handling machine
10100 according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Herein, the terms
"fuel-handling machine"
and "refueling machine" are used interchangeably to signify any machine
capable of grasping, lifting,
and moving an FA. The machine 10100 includes a telescoping fuel-handling mast
10102 having a
gripping head 10104 that is capable of retrieving an FA (e.g., FA 10106) that
is located, for example,
in a reactor pressure vessel 10108. To prevent significant horizontal forces
caused by any listing of
the PNP being applied to the mast, the mast is connected at its top end with a
socket-and-ball type
attachment 10110 so that the mast 10102 can rotate freely at its attachment
point and will always stay
aligned in a true vertical alignment due to gravity. In the state of operation
depicted in FIG. 101, the
PNP lists at an angle phi; thus, the mast 10102, aligned with gravity, hangs
at an angle with respect to
the vertical axis 10112 of the PNP and its major components, including the
reactor pressure vessel
10108. The fuel handling machine hoist 10114 can be translated along a bridge
10116 that can in turn
be translated orthogonally to its own length along runways, in the manner
typical of overhead cranes.
[0493] To enable the fuel handling machine 10100 to properly position itself
such that the bottom end
of the extended mast 10102 properly engages with the top end of the FA 10106
in preparation for
lifting, or so that the bottom end of an FA is properly positioned directly
above the empty location in
a core matrix or storage rack in preparation for assembly re-insertion, the
fuel-handling machine
positioning control is modified to account for the platform or ship tilt. In
an example, if the PNP
platform is tilted one degree to the left in the plane of the bridge 10116,
the extended mast 10102 (-41
feet long) will, if the attachment point of the mast 10102 is aligned with the
FA 10106 parallel to the
vertical axis of the PNP, hang ¨8.6 inches to the left of its intended
position (the head of the FA
10106). Therefore, the machine positioning control, based on measured tilt,
adjusts the hoist position
by L = 8.6 inches to the right so that the gripping head 10104 of the
vertically hanging mast 10102 is
properly positioned. This requires that system 10100 include tilt-measuring
instrumentation. In various
embodiments, the machine positioning control actively measures tilt of the PNP
and repositions the
hoist 10114 as the tilt of the PNP changes, such that the mast or the lower
end of the FA is kept in
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
position even as the platform/ship tilts from side to side and/or end to end,
such as due to wave motion.
Using a control algorithm such as a reflecting application of control theory,
movements of the bridge
10116 and hoist 10114 can be controlled, such as by taking inputs that
indicate the dynamic behavior
of the platform (such as rocking in response to periodic wave motion), and the
system can compensate
.. for not only static list of the PNP but for dynamic movement (e.g.,
rocking) of the PNP. Additionally
or alternatively, to bridge and hoist movements, devices included with the
hoist 10114 can apply
torques to the ball joint 10110 to enable compensation for static or dynamic
list, such as induced by
wave motion.
[0494] In embodiments, to assure that FAs in a tilted or rocking PNP are
lifted from or lowered (e.g.,
into a core, fuel transfer carriage, spent-fuel storage racks, or spent-fuel
shipping casks) without
excessive rubbing or scraping against nearby components, the tilt measuring
and positioning
compensation control may be interlocked such that fuel insertion (e.g., the
final 14 feet into the core
matrix or storage rack) and the removal (e.g., first 14 feet from the core
matrix or storage rack) is
permitted while the platform/ship tilt is near zero degrees. Thus, a fuel
insertion control system may
be provided that is based on measurement of static and/or dynamic tilt of a
PNP in which the fuel
insertion control system operates.
[0495] In embodiments, the fuel handling machine positioning control may be
interlocked with a
separate and independent local tilt measuring device, such that a global tilt
measurement device (such
as for the PNP as a whole) and the local tilt measuring device (or multiple
such devices) are required
to "agree" on a level of tilt, such as before the machine can lift or lower
FAs under control of a fuel
handling control system. In embodiments, this second, local measuring device
may be mounted
directly on fuel handling machine or on other structures of or on the PNP. One
way to provide this
local tilt measurement is to provide a measurement of the position of the free
hanging machine mast
at the base deck elevation that senses the mast position compared to its zero
degree tilt position. The
length of the mast (distance from the top of the mast to the machine deck just
above the water level)
amplifies the horizontal displacement caused by tilt; for example, a one
degree tilt causes a sin (1 ) x
14 ft x 12 in/ft = 2.9 inch displacement.
[0496] FIG. 102 is a schematic cross-sectional depiction of portions of an
illustrative PNP fuel-
handling machine 10200 according to embodiments of the present disclosure. The
machine 10200
includes a telescoping fuel-handling mast 10202 having a gripping head 10204
and suspended from a
hoist 10206 that is translatable along a bridge 10208 that can in turn be
translated orthogonally to its
own length along runways. Machine 10200 also includes a telescoping mast
support 10210 that moves
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
with the mast and is strong enough to provide the rigidity needed to support
the lateral forces created
by gravity acting on the mast 10202, the mast support 10210, and an FA
depending from the gripping
head 10204. The mast support 10210 includes collars or similar structures
(e.g., collar 10212) that
confer lateral support upon segments of the telescoping mast 10202 without
preventing the axial
telescoping motions thereof. The machine 10200 is rigid enough to remain
aligned with the vertical
axis of the PNP of its major components regardless of PNP tilt within some
design range. In various
embodiments, an extension of the support 10210 beyond the gripper head 10204
extends support to
an FA lifted by the machine 10200, creating an adequately rigid mast-and-FA
unit for FA movement.
[0497] FIG. 103 provides top and side schematic cross-sectional views of
portions of an illustrative
PNP fuel-handling alignment guide 10300 according to embodiments of the
present disclosure. The
fuel-handling guide 10300 includes a grid of beveled openings, e.g., opening
10302, and is positioned
near the top of a volume (e.g., reactor pressure vessel 10304) containing FAs
(e.g., FA 10306). The
gripper head 10308 and shaft 10310 of a fuel-handling machine, having passed
through an opening
10302 of the guide 10300, is constrained in its lateral movements by the guide
and is thus assisted in
aligning with a given FA and prevented from damaging adjacent components by
unexpected
movements of the PNP, within a certain design amplitude range. In various
embodiments, guide
fingers may be included with the mast or by a mast support structure extend
beyond the gripper head
10308 and pre-engaged with openings in the guide 10300 before mast insertion
through the guide,
increasing stability and accuracy of engagement.
[0498] The grid openings of the fuel-handling guide 10300 are depicted in FIG.
103 as square but in
various embodiments are circular or otherwise shaped. A guide having only four
openings is depicted,
but guides having any number of openings are contemplated. A single-level
guide is depicted, but
guides having multiple levels (e.g., stacked guides to enforce alignment along
the stacking axis) are
contemplated.
[0499] In embodiments, a NuScale power module or other reactor modules can be
integrated into a
marine power plant could by utilizing a marine structure similar to the Goliat
FPSO. In examples, the
insertion of the reactor module, the assembly, as well as the reactor
refueling and maintenance
operations can be similar to terrestrial protocols. Specific to the NuScale
reactor operations, the
reactors power modules are deployed below the water-plane area within the
marine structure, allowing
the use of an unlimited heat sink. Specifically, the lower part of a
cylindrical FPSO may enclose a
waterpool similar in fashion as the NuScale terrestrial power plant or others
may require it. In
examples, individual NuScale reactor modules can be delivered either as a
whole or as individual parts
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
and integrated into the structure after deployment. By way of these examples,
a platform internal
'upender' machine can assemble and vertically align the reactor. The structure
further allows the
integration of NuScale' s refueling equipment as well as a spent fuel pool.
[0500] In embodiments, a NuScale Power Module or other reactor modules can be
integrated into a
marine power plant. The insertion of the reactor module, the assembly, as well
as the reactor refueling
and maintenance operations can be equivalent to terrestrial protocols.
Specific to the NuScale reactor
operations, the reactors power modules are deployed below the water-plane area
within the marine
structure, allowing the use of an unlimited heat sink. In embodiments,
operation of two NuScale
reactor modules, in some examples, can include flanging areas to perform
refueling operations. A
polar crane or any other lifting/hoisting device may be utilized to lift
reactor into the reactor bay (for
normal operation/power generation) and out for refueling and maintenance
purposes. Spent fuel may
be temporarily stored within the structure in an industry common spent fuel
pool. Generally, the
structure can house a single or multiple power modules (up to twelve) and is a
turn-key-power plant,
meaning that all components which are (in a terrestrial setting) located in
separate buildings, are
integrated (vertically in this case) into one single structure. The geometry
of the structure may not be
limited to be cylindrical in nature. Elongated barge systems, similar to the
Russian Akademik
Lomonosov, may also be suitable for integration and operation of NuScale' s
power modules.
[0501] In embodiments, a structure supported by piles can incorporate the
NuScale power modules or
other reactor modules can be located lateral to the platform. In some
examples, lateral to the platform
includes protruding generally orthogonally from underneath the boat to a lower
depth and in some
examples like a keel arrangement. By way of these examples, the reactor power
modules can be
enclosed in a hardened steel structure and submerged below water plane area
during normal operation.
Decay heat removal systems (such as NuScale' s terrestrial concepts) allow
heat rejection into the
unlimited heat sink, the surrounding body of water. As illustrated, there is
no refueling equipment on-
board the vessel, requiring a service vessel, a specifically dedicated marine
vessel to meet structure at
deployment site to perform refueling operations. In embodiments, a marine
vessel can ben specifically
dedicated to refuel NuScale power modules or other applicable modules with
dedicated or shared fleet
infrastructure. By way of these examples, the refueling vessel can have all
refueling equipment and
maintenance systems required to perform the safe refueling of the integral
pressurized water reactor
onboard the vessel, such as the NuScale power module. As such, the internal
layout is equivalent to
NuScale' s terrestrial refueling layout and the refueling protocols are
consistent with terrestrial
operations. The refueling vessel would dock at a structure which does not have
refueling capability
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
on-board. After reactors are safely shut down, the nuclear reactor power
module is transferred from
the platform to the refueling vessel and docked underneath. This procedure has
the potential to avoid
any complicated lifting processes.
IV. Heat-Piped Microreactor
[0502] FIG. 104A shows schematically a marine bulk carrier vessel 10400
including a heat-pipe-
cooled microreactor (HPM) power system 10402. The HPM power system 10402
includes a heat pipe
cooled reactor 10404, e.g., an eVinciTM micro reactor from Westinghouse
Electric Company LLC, and
a power conversion system 10406 (e.g., a Brayton cycle). The heat pipe cooled
reactor 10404 may
utilize non-military enriched uranium, such as HALEU and the like. Thermal
energy from the HPM
10404 is converted by the power conversion system 10406 into mechanical energy
to propel the vessel
10400 with a propeller 10410. Various embodiments of the present disclosure
integrate any of the
state-of-the-art power-conversion systems used in marine vessels or
installations, including but not
limited to connecting the output shaft of a turbine to a gearbox 10408 to
reduce rotation speed of the
shaft connected to the vessel's propeller 10410. Another form of drive system
may include turbines
that turn an electrical generator, whose electric output is used to drive one
or more electric motors that
in turn drive the propeller 10410. The illustrative bulk carrier vessel 10400
includes several
compat __ intents (e.g., compat intent 10412) which contain bulk material
10414. The illustrative vessel
power system 10406 includes a single HPM 10404 and a single power conversion
system 10406, but
power systems including more than one HPM and/or more than one power
conversion system, and/or
ancillary or backup power generators such as diesel generators, are
contemplated and within the scope
of the present disclosure.
[0503] FIG. 104B depicts schematically a bulk carrier vessel 10416 similar to
the vessel 10400
depicted in FIG. 104A and including an HPM power system 10402 according to
illustrative
embodiments. Electric and/or thermal power (e.g., process heat up to 10900 C)
generated by the HPM
power system 10402 in excess of that needed to propel the ship and power its
various systems is, in
this illustrative embodiment, used en route to process materials in an on-
board processing facility
10418. Although energy available at onshore processing facilities may be
cheaper per kWh than that
provided at sea by an HPM system 10402 (or, in another example, by a HPM
system dedicated to the
processing facility 10418), en route processing eliminates the delay in
material delivery flow entailed
by onshore processing; this is advantageous whenever the additional energy
cost of en route processing
is offset by more rapid material flow. In this example, raw material 10420
from a first compaament
10422 is drawn into the processing facility 10416, processed, and delivered in
a processed form 10426
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
to a second compaitment 10424. In similar illustrative embodiments, a movable
divider may be
employed between the compaitment 10422 containing raw material 10420 and the
compaitment
containing processed material 10426, this divider being moved to increase as
required the size of the
compaitment 10424 receiving processed material 10426 and decrease that of the
compaitment 10422
providing raw material 10420, so that no significant portion of the ship's
volume need be empty at
any point in processing. Possible en route material transformation processes
include the pelletizing
copper or iron ore into a form suitable for smelting. In various other
embodiments, processing may
include manufacture of device components, chemical transformations, and any
other transformative
processes capable of being performed economically en route.
105041 FIG. 105 depicts schematically a container ship 10500 including an HPM
power system 10402
according to illustrative embodiments. The ship 10500 carries a large number
of containers, e.g.,
container 10502.
105051 FIG. 106 schematically illustrates a Floating Production Storage and
Offloading (FPSO) vessel
10600 including an HPM power system 10402 according to illustrative
embodiments. Power from the
HPM power system 10402 may be used for vessel propulsion and other systems
and/or for hydro-
carbon extraction, on-site processing, and handling. The FPSO vessel 10600 is
associated with a
tanker-offloading buoy 10602. Anchoring lines are for the vessel 10600 and
buoy 10602. Fluid outputs
from subsea wells (e.g., mixtures of oil, water, and natural gas) that
produced by subsea wells are
transported to the FPSO via subsea pipeline, flexible risers, etc. 10604
(depicted as thick black lines
.. in FIG. 106). After extraction of fuels to be retained by the FPSO, well
outputs can be redirected to
the original reservoir via injection lines 10606, which serves to both dispose
of these wastes and
maintain reservoir pressure for fuel recovery.
[0506] FIG. 107 depicts schematically a semi-submersible drilling rig 10700
including two HPM
power systems 10702, 10704 according to illustrative embodiments.
[0507] FIG. 108 depicts schematically a power barge 10800 including six HPM
power systems 10802,
10804, 10806, 10808, 10810, 10812 according to illustrative embodiments. The
barge 10800 may be
moored, grounded, mounted on pilings, or otherwise stationed or maintained at
given location, out to
sea or ear a shore, where a relatively large amount of power is required,
e.g., for a settlement or mining
operation. In embodiments, the barge 10800 includes an electrical system for
combining the electrical
power outputs of the HPM systems, and the bulk electrical power thus produced
can be transferred to
a load or consumer via power lines running from the barge 10800 to the load or
consumer. Given the
modularity of the HPM power systems, a given power barge similar to barge
10800 may be equipped
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
with a greater or lesser number of HPM power systems, depending on the power
requirements of the
served location.
[0508] It will be appreciated in light of the disclosure that various
embodiments of the present
disclosure include vessels of all types and classes, including submersibles,
that are at or above the
minimum size capable of housing a single HPM power system. Such shipping
classes include not only
the illustrative bulk and container vessels and FPSOs depicted in FIGS. 1, 2,
and 3, but heavy-lift and
construction vessels, liquid natural gas tankers and other tankers
transporting hydrocarbon fuels or
other fluids, and other classes. Also included are various classes of deep-
sea, near-shore, and
submerged platform installations, including but not limited to FPS0s, sea-
floor mining and processing
facilities, near-shore and/or offshore deployed warehouses and distribution
centers, and near-shore
and/or offshore deployed supercomputing centers and server farms.
[0509] Various advantages accrue from various embodiments and applications of
the disclosure.
These include, but are not limited to, the following:
[0510] Mobility. For stationary marine installations such as drill rigs, the
small size of HPMs allows
them to be delivered to the site and swapped in for aging units.
[0511] Simplicity. Because an HPM is essentially a sealed unit requiring no
management of internal
mechanics, reaction rate, or the like, minimal personnel with technical
qualifications lower than those
required for, say, the operation of light water reactors, such as a
pressurized water reactor (PWR) or a
boiling water reactor (BWR) are required. This provides cost savings compared
to other forms of
marine nuclear power.
[0512] Reliability. Because an HPM is simple, its reliability is high. The
overall reliability of an HPM
power system will be primarily constrained by its power-conversion system;
however, a range of
highly mature, reliable technologies are available for power conversion.
[0513] Refueling for Vessels. The refueling interval for a typical HPM may be
anywhere from 1 to 10
years, and may be dependent, at least in part on the type of fuel used, the
enrichment level and the
like. In some instances, the refueling interval can be dependent on the type
of fuel used and its
enrichment level. A fleet of HPM-powered mobile vessels need not refuel at
scattered facilities,
therefore, as it travels about the world, but can be serviced at a central
location. In embodiments, aging
HPMs are swapped out for fresh, ready-to-go units, minimizing vessel layover
time.
[0514] Refueling for Installations. Refueling will also be at long intervals
for stationary installations,
such as fixed location platforms and the like. While not an exhaustive list of
refueling approaches, the
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
following list of four flexible, optional approaches for refueling an HPM-
powered barge and or a
marine deployed offshore nuclear power plant provide guidance to possible
refueling approaches:
[0515] (1) On-site refueling with on-board refueling equipment. Requires
designing a site to include
refueling, lifting and handling equipment and facilities proximal to or within
the installation site;
[0516] (2) On-site refueling with refueling equipment transported to site.
Fueling performed at
installation site with e.g., a dedicated refueling vessel. Allows multiple
installations to individually be
serviced with single refueling vessel;
[0517] (3) Transport of swapped-out reactor modules (with a dedicated reactor
transport vessel) to a
refueling facility such as on-shore facility for refueling, a dedicated
offshore refueling facility. Swap-
out allows little downtime, if any at the deployment site while supporting,
without limitation use of a
single, central facility to service multiple deployment sites. In embodiments,
a dedicated reactor
transport vessel may also be configured to refuel swapped out reactors, such
as during transport to a
next site where, optionally the refueled reactor could be swapped out with a
reactor in need of refueling
at the next stop; and
[0518] (4) Transport of entire reactor plant (e.g., power barge of FIG. 108)
to and from a dedicated
refueling and maintenance facility, such as an on-shore or shoreline-based
facility. This option
supports deployments that are not modular in nature and therefore avoids the
need to separate reactor
modules from structures at site.
[0519] FIG. 109 schematically depicts a system 10900 for converting thermal
power output of an
HPM into electrical and mechanical power according to illustrative
embodiments. In this illustrative
embodiment, the system 10900 includes a recompression closed Brayton cycle
(RCBC) that uses
supercritical carbon dioxide (s-0O2) as its working heat-transfer fluid,
rather than steam. s-0O2
systems can be built compactly, making them suitable for marine applications,
where space is always
at a premium compared to onshore applications. Furthermore, an s-0O2 system
has significantly higher
conversion efficiency than a standard steam Rankine cycle of comparable size.
In general, increased
cycle efficiency delivers greater mechanical power output for the same thermal
input, regardless of
the thermal source (e.g., natural gas, nuclear, solar, or coal); where fuel
costs are a significant portion
of overall costs (e.g., coal and natural gas fired plants), the benefit is
reduced fuel costs. Where capital
investments are high (e.g., nuclear and concentrating solar power), the
benefit is increased power
output for a given initial investment. In marine applications, an RCBC offers
both higher mechanical
power output for a given HPM thermal output and smaller total system size than
rival power-
conversion approaches.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0520] The illustrative HPM power system 10900 includes an HPM 10902, a heat
exchanger 10904,
a secondary coolant loop 10906 (solid line), a tertiary coolant loop 10908
(dot-dash line), a high-
temperature (HT) turbine 10910, a gearbox 10912, an electric generator 10914.
The output of the
generator 10914 supplies the general electric power needs of a vessel or
installation as well as those
of an electrical propulsion system 10916. The system 10900 also includes an HT
recuperator 10918,
a cooler 10920, an electric motor 10922, and a compressor 10924 for the
secondary loop 10908
powered by the motor 10922.
V. Remote Enterprise applications
[0521] FIG. 110A shows schematically, in both side and top views, portions of
a marine microreactor
platform 11002 according to illustrative embodiments. The barge or platform
11002, as in various
other embodiments, may be dry- and/or wet-towed and/or self-propelled and
includes a utility
superstructure 11004 and two major interior decks 11006, 11008. It will be
appreciated in light of the
disclosure that two decks are illustrative only, and that various embodiments
include any number of
interior decks equal to or greater than one. The superstructure 11004 may or
may not include crew
housing, auxiliary power (e.g., diesel generators), communications and
navigation gear, and the like.
In general, platform 11002 includes all equipment required for safe traversal
of open seas, and has a
relatively shallow draft which enables it to be maneuvered and/or stationed in
a range of relatively
shallow coastal, river, and lake waters.
[0522] FIG. 110B shows schematically, in top views, the two decks 11006, 11008
of the platform
11002 of FIG. 110A. Both decks 11006, 11008 are divided into a number of
compaiiments by
bulkheads (e.g., bulkhead 11010). Four of the compaiiments on the upper deck
11006 contain (or
could contain) four microreactors apiece (e.g., microreactor 11012), a total
of 16 microreactors. Each
microreactor can produce, in this example, enough heat for 2 MW of electricity
generation (although
greater amounts are possible), for a total output of at least 32 MWe for the
platform 11002 as a whole.
In an example, each microreactor can be a heat-pipe-cooled eVinciTM
microreactor from Westinghouse
Electric Company LLC and each powerhouse (power conversion system) includes,
e.g., a Brayton
cycle. In embodiments, all microreactors included with a given platform in
various embodiments are
of similar or identical type; however, mixing of reactor designs is feasible.
Moreover, the placement
in FIG. 110B of reactors on the deck above the power-house deck is
illustrative only. Also,
microreactors and powerhouses need not in all cases be housed on separate
decks or segregated to
reactor-only and powerhouse only decks. Additionally, microreactors may
utilize a range of nuclear
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
fuel including, without limitation both military-enriched and non-military
enriched uranium, such as
civil reactor fuel comparable to HALEU and the like.
[0523] The four compaiiments of the lower deck 11008 that are directly beneath
the reactor
compaiiments of the upper deck 11006 contain discrete powerhouses (e.g.,
powerhouse 11014), each
.. of which may be in fluid communication with the microreactor above it in
order to receive heat from
the microreactor and to return cooler fluid (e.g., steam) to the microreactor
in a closed loop. Each
powerhouse contains machinery (e.g., a turbo-generator) for converting thermal
to electrical power,
as well as switch gear, transformers, and other devices needed for the
production of useful alternating-
current power having a standard frequency and amplitude. Additional switchgear
is included with the
.. platform 11002 in order to synchronize, combine, and regulate the outputs
of the 16 powerhouses into
a single power output of the platform 11002. The top deck of the platform
11002 is hardened (e.g., by
reinforced concrete) to meet standards for protection of the microreactors
from aircraft impact and
similar hazards.
[0524] There is no requirement that all compai intents or areas capable of
holding microreactors and/or
.. powerhouses, whether in the illustrative case of FIG. 110B or in various
other embodiments, actually
hold a microreactor and/or powerhouse at any given time. The carrying capacity
of platform 11002,
or of any other platform capable of accommodating one or more microreactor
systems, merely places
an upper limit on the number of microreactor systems actually installed. As
microreactor systems may
be configured variously, while it is possible to incorporate a 2MWe capable
reactor and power
conversion within a standard twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) container,
doing so may be based on
a range of factors related to the reactor design and the like. Therefore,
there is no requirement for the
methods and systems herein that a reactor plus power conversion be limited in
size and/or be
containerized into a single TEU.
[0525] Microreactors are designed to require no active cooling in order to
maintain a safe core
temperature: they are physically incapable of melting down, even if entirely
neglected. However, when
turned On, microreactors do produce heat energy, the majority of which, for
basic thermodynamic
reasons, cannot be turned into electricity. Therefore, in a microreactor
platform it will be desirable to
ultimately export non-converted heat to the environment in order to maintain
an interior platform
temperature that does not ordinarily exceed human comfort limits and in no
circumstance challenges
the safe operation of the platform. Persons familiar with heat transport in
power systems will know
that it is straightforward to reject heat from a power-generating system to
the environment (e.g.,
through a heat exchanger) using a variety of mechanisms, including passive
(non-pump-driven)
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
mechanism. Marine siting of a microreactor platform is advantageous in that
heat rejection to a body
of water is particularly efficient thanks to the high heat capacity and
thermal conductivity of water
compared to those of air and to the reliably low or moderate temperatures of
most large bodies of
water. It will be appreciated in light of the disclosure that the thermal
management mechanisms for a
mobile microreactor platform can be readily incorporated in various forms.
[0526] When the platform 11002 is traveling, its microreactors and powerhouses
are inactive and the
platform 11002 does not deliver power to any external system. When the
platform 11002 has reached
its place of deployment, it is anchored in position or ballasted to rest upon
a shallow bottom and its
power output is conveyed to a power-consuming system (e.g., nearby vessel,
drill rig, onshore
community, onshore mining operation, natural resources processing facilities)
by at least one
transmission line. The at least one transmission line is laid on the floor of
the body of water in which
the platform 11002 floats, or is supported on the surface of the water by a
series of buoys, or is slung
or bridged directly from the platform 11002 to a nearby quay or breakwater and
there connected to
further mechanisms of power transmission, conversion, and distribution (e.g.,
a local grid). In various
embodiments similar to this illustrative embodiment, between 1 and 16 power
transmission lines
connect the powerhouses of the platform 11002 to the electrical system of a
power consumer.
[0527] Refueling of deployed microreactor platforms (or replacement of
platforms in need of
refueling) can occur according to a number of schemes, including but not
limited to the following:
[0528] (1) The platform is fully outfitted, including fueled microreactors,
and is transported to its
deployment site as a turnkey unit. Once one or more of the reactors of the
platform need to be refueled,
one can (a) transport the entire platform back to a centralized
refueling/service facility, (b) extract the
reactors from the platform, replace them with freshly fueled reactors, and
transport the reactors in need
of refueling to a centralized or regional site for refueling or
decommissioning, (c) refuel the reactors
aboard the platform in situ, or (d) refuel the reactors aboard a special
refueling platform which travels
to the deployment site and performs refueling in situ.
[0529] (2) The delivered platform is fully outfitted except that there are no
reactors aboard. The
platform is transported to its service site, whereupon fully fueled reactors
are delivered by land, sea,
or air and installed therein. When refueling is required, possible methods are
as described above at (1).
[0530] (3) The delivered platform is fully outfitted except that there are no
reactors aboard. The
platform is transported to its service site, whereupon unfueled reactors are
delivered and installed
therein. Fueling (and, later, refueling) is both performed in situ, either
aboard the platform itself or
aboard a special refueling platform that travels to the site.
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[0531] In an illustrative deployment cycle at (1), the platform 11002 is first
prepared at a central or
regional service facility, such preparation including the fueling of its
microreactors. The platform
11002 is then moved to the vicinity of a remote enterprise. The form of
movement is dependent on the
construction of the platform 11002, such as self-propelled, or externally
propelled and the like. There
it is anchored and power connections are made to the enterprise's electrical
system. The microreactors
and powerhouses are activated and power is supplied to the remote enterprise
for a period of time.
When the microreactors' fuel loads approach the end of their lifespan,
individual microreactors are
removed one by one through the upper deck of the platform 11002 and replaced
by freshly fueled
microreactors delivered by ship. The ship delivers the old microreactors to a
distant facility for
refueling or decommissioning (refueling method (b) at (1) above). Fresh
microreactors can be
delivered either singly or more than one at a time, depending on the capacity
and other characteristics
of the delivery ship (e.g., its draft compared to the depth of the water where
the platform 11002 is
stationed). If only one microreactor at a time is disconnected for
replacement, the power output of the
platform 11002 is reduced by only ¨1/16 (6.25%) during the replacement
process, a distinctive
advantage of some embodiments that arises from using a multiplicity of modular
microreactors.
Similarly, individual microreactors needing repairs that cannot be performed
on-site can be replaced
at any time without gravely reducing the power output of the platform 11002.
(2) An entire fresh
microreactor platform can be delivered to the site to supply power, and the
old one towed or driven to
a refurbishment facility.
[0532] FIG. 110C schematically depicts portions of a deployment scenario for
the platform 11002
according to an illustrative embodiment. The platform 11002 is anchored off
the coast of a landmass
11016 whereon is located a remote enterprise 11018 (e.g., a natural resources
extraction and/or
processing facility). The body of water in which the platform 11002 floats can
be a sea, navigable
river, or lake; the platform 11002 can be anchored in open water or ensconced
for protection in a
natural embayment, modified embayment, artificial bay, breakwater, or the
like. The enterprise 11018
is "remote" in the sense that the cost of an overland or undersea grid-
connected power line is
prohibitive, mandating local power generation. Power is conveyed from the
platform 11002 to an
onshore connection facility or electrical house 11020 by a first power cable
or cable bundle 11022 and
thence to the enterprise 11018 by a second cable or bundle 11024.
[0533] When the platform 11002 is no longer needed by the remote enterprise
11018 (e.g., the mine
is played out), the platform 11002 can be disconnected and moved to another
service location or to a
service facility for refurbishing or decommissioning. In various embodiments,
removal of nuclear
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components can occur either by removal of the entire platform containing them
or via separate
transport. The only on-site infrastructure associated with the platform 11002
that requires removal and
cleanup are the power cable(s) 11022, 11024 and the connection facility 11020.
The complexity and
sensitivity of installing, running, and eventually removing the platform 11002
compares favorably to
that of installing, frequently refueling, and eventually removing conventional
diesel generators and
their associated fuel-delivery and -storage facilities (e.g., large tanks),
which also carry a risk of toxic
leakage or uncontrolled combustion during their whole service life. While
operating, the platform
11002 requires no conventional fuel deliveries, its microreactors need only be
replaced or refueled at
multi-year intervals, and it emits no air or other pollution.
[0534] The illustrative deployment scenario of FIG. 110C could also
accommodate various other
platform designs according to embodiments of the present disclosure including
other illustrative
embodiments shown and described herein.
[0535] FIG. 111A shows schematically, in side and top views, portions of a
partially submersible
marine microreactor platform 11102 according to illustrative embodiments. The
barge or platform
11102 may be towed and/or self-propelled and includes four utility
superstructures 11104, 11106,
11108, 11110 and a single major interior deck 11108. The superstructures
11104, 11106, 11108, 11110
include crew housing, auxiliary power (e.g., diesel generators),
communications and optionally
navigation gear, and the like. In general, platform 11102 includes all
equipment required for safe
traversal of open seas and has a relatively shallow draft which enables it to
be maneuvered and/or
stationed in a range of relatively shallow coastal, river, and lake waters.
[0536] Moreover, platform 11102 is designed to operate at least two levels of
immersion, indicated in
FIG. 111A by two waterlines 11112 and 11114. The first waterline 11112
corresponds to a first, mobile
operating mode of the platform 11102. In this first mode, the platform 11102
is afloat and seaworthy.
The second waterline 11114 corresponds to a second, grounded mode of operation
of the platform
11102. In this mode, the platform 11102 is ballasted so that its hull is
grounded on the floor of the
body of water where the platform 11102 is stationed and only the upper
portions of the superstructures
11104, 11106, 11108, 11110 are above the waterline 11114. Although indicated
by a single scalloped
line in FIG. 111A, the waterline 11114 does not have a fixed, exact height:
its height is determined
firstly by the average depth of the water in which the platform 11102 is
grounded and secondly by any
tidal or other variations in the water depth at the site. The design of
platform 11102 permits a range of
average heights of the grounded waterline 11114, i.e., the platform 11102 can
be grounded in a range
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
of water depths with a superimposed range of depth variations due to tide,
flood, storm surge, or other
causes.
[0537] An advantage realized by the partial submersion of the platform 11102
is the protective effect
of the water covering the portion of the platform 11102 in which the
microreactors are housed. In
embodiments, the depth of this water is sufficient to provide significant
shielding against aircraft
strikes and similar hazards. Immersion shielding reduces or eliminates the
need for armoring the top
and sides of the platform 11102 and/or adds an additional layer of protection
to such armoring.
[0538] FIG. 111B shows schematically, in top view, the main interior deck
11108 of the platform
11102 of FIG. 111A. The deck 11108 is divided into a number of compai
______________ intents by a bulkheads (e.g.,
bulkhead 11110). Two of the compaiiments contain two microreactors apiece
(e.g., microreactor
11112), for a total of 4 microreactors. Each microreactor, in this example, is
similar to those described
with reference to FIG. 110B. The two compartments that contain the
microreactors also contain
discrete powerhouses (e.g., powerhouse 11114), similar to those described with
reference to FIG.
110B. In embodiments, additional switchgear is included with the platform
11102 in order to
synchronize, combine, and regulate the outputs of the four powerhouses into a
single power output of
the platform 11102. Also, the platform 11102 includes four ballasting compat
_______ intents 11116, 11118,
11120, 11122 that can be filled with a ballasting material or air (and/or
another gas) as desired.
Possible ballasting materials include but are not limited to water, non-water
liquids, slurries, and finely
divided solids such as granular lead; the latter could also be used for
radioactive shielding purposes,
_____________________________________________________________________________
e.g., within bulkheads. When the ballasting compat intents 11116, 11118,
11120, 11122 are filled with
ballast, the platform 11102 ballasts itself down until it may or may not
ground. In this semi-submerged
mode, access to the reactor deck 11108 is through the superstructures 11104,
11106, 11108, 11110.
To return the platform 11102 to a floating, seaworthy mode, whether to swap
out microreactors or
perform refueling, to remove the platform 11102 entirely, or for some other
purpose, ballast in the
__________ ballasting compat intents 11116, 11118, 11120, 11122 is replaced
with air.
[0539] Considerations pertaining to deployment, installation, power lines,
refueling, removal, and
advantages over the prior art are similar for platform 11102 to those
discussed herein for platform
11002 of FIG. 110A, FIG. 110B, and FIG. 110C.
[0540] FIG. 112A shows schematically, in side and top views, portions of a
fully submersible marine
microreactor platform 11202 according to illustrative embodiments. The barge
or platform 11202 may
be towed and/or self-propelled and includes a utility superstructure 11204 and
a single major interior
deck 11206. The superstructure 11204 includes crew housing, auxiliary power
(e.g., diesel generators),
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
communications and navigation gear, and the like. In general, platform 11202
includes all equipment
required for safe traversal of open seas and has a relatively shallow draft
which enables it to be
maneuvered and/or stationed in a range of relatively shallow coastal, river,
and lake waters.
[0541] Moreover, platform 11202 is designed to operate at two levels of
immersion, indicated in FIG.
112A by two waterlines 11208 and 11210. The first waterline 11208 corresponds
to a first, mobile
operating mode of the platform 11202. In this first mode, the platform 11202
is afloat and seaworthy.
Preferably (and feasibly, because platform 11202 contains only a single
microreactor), the platform
11202 when afloat has a relatively very shallow draft, and is, therefore,
suitable for transport up
smaller waterways (e.g., smaller rivers) than are the heavier platforms of
various other embodiments.
In various other embodiments, platforms include more than one microreactor.
[0542] The second waterline 11210 corresponds to a second, fully submerged-and-
grounded mode of
operation of the platform 11202. In this mode, the platform 11202 is ballasted
so that its hull is either
(a) submerged but not grounded or (b) grounded on the floor of the body of
water where the platform
11202 is stationed and even the uppermost portion of the superstructure 11204
is approximately at a
depth D below the waterline 11210. In embodiments, the platform may be
ballasted but also slightly
positive buoyant, optionally being held in place with tension legs or the
like. Although indicated by a
single scalloped line in FIG. 112A, the waterline 11210 does not have a fixed,
exact height: the depth
D is determined firstly by the average depth of the water in which the
platform 11202 is grounded and
secondly by any tidal or other variations in the water depth at the site. The
design of platform 11202
permits a range of average depths D, i.e., the platform 11202 can be grounded
in a range of water
depths with a superimposed range of depth variations due to tide, flood, storm
surge, or other causes.
[0543] An advantage realized by the partial submersion of the platform 11202
is the protective effect
of the water covering the entire platform 11202 in which the microreactors are
housed, whose effects
are similar to those described with reference to FIG. 112A. An advantage
realized by dry-land final
deployment of the platform 11202 is minimal need for transmission lines. The
platform 11202, like
various other embodiments, thus constitutes a high flexible terrestrial/marine
platform capable being
deployed or re-deployed in a very wide array of geographic circumstances
without the need for
additional or supportive infrastructure on site (e.g., fuel tankage).
[0544] FIG. 112B shows schematically, in top view, the main interior deck
11206 of the platform
11202 of FIG. 112A. The deck 11206 is divided into a number of compaiiments by
a bulkheads (e.g.,
bulkhead 11212). One of the compaiiments contains a microreactor 11214. The
microreactor in this
example is similar to those described with reference to FIG. 110B. The compai
______ intent that contains the
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
microreactor 11214 also contains a powerhouse 11216, similar to those
described with reference to
FIG. 110A and FIG. 110B. Additional switchgear is included with the platform
11202 as described
with reference to platform 11002 of FIG. 110B. Also, the platform 11202
includes four ballasting
compatiments 11218, 11220, 11222, 11224 that can be filled with ballast or air
as desired to sink or
.. raise the platform 11202 as described with reference to platform 11102 of
FIG. 111A and FIG. 111B.
[0545] Considerations pertaining to deployment, installation, operation, power
lines, removal,
refueling, raising and lowering, and advantages over the prior art are similar
for platform 11202 as for
platform 11002 of FIG. 110A, FIG. 110B, and FIG. 110C and platform 11102 of
FIG. 111A and FIG.
111B as discussed herein. A distinctive advantage of platform 11202 is that it
is entirely shielded from
aircraft strikes and similar hazards by water of at least depth D. Of note,
accessing the interior of the
platform 11202 when it is submerged requires one or more of (a) passage
through an airlock, (b)
mating of an upper portion of the platform 11202 to a vertical access riser,
(c) raising the platform
11202 so that at least its superstructure 11204 protrudes above the water, or
(d) some other access
method. A fully submerged platform is, in various embodiments, either fully
autonomous during
normal operation or operates with a small onboard staff. Also of note, access
to a normally submerged
platform can be achieved by de-ballasting the platform so that it rises to the
surface for inspection,
repair, refueling, or other purposes.
[0546] The platform 11202, given its relatively small mass compared to multi-
microreactor platforms,
can in some embodiments be transported overland from a coastal delivery point
to a service site, either
.. on land or in another body of water. Overland transport can occur by a
variety of mechanisms, e.g.,
on a specialized sled or self-propelled vehicle, or on rollers, or by dragging
or pushing the platform
11202 over a prepared slideway or a natural surface (e.g., snow, ice, sand,
tundra). This flexibility is
characteristic not only of the illustrative platform 11202 but of various
other embodiments of the
present disclosure.
[0547] FIG. 112C schematically depicts the platform 11202 of FIG. 112A and
FIG. 112B during
overland transport between two bodies of water according to an illustrative
embodiment. In the
illustrative case of FIG. 112C, the platform 11202 is being dragged from a
first body of water 11226
to a second body of water 11228 over a landmass 11230. The landmass 11230 is
covered at least in
part by snow 11232 and the platform 11202 is being dragged by one or more
haulers 11234.
Additionally or alternatively, to dragging over snow or ice, wetted sand or
other materials may be used
to reduce friction and guard the hull of the platform 11202 from mechanical
damage during overland
dragging.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0548] Rollers (e.g., roller 11236) are in this case used, as depicted, to
transit the platform 11202 from
the first body of water 11226 to the snow 11232 over then intertidal zone, and
then again to transit the
platform 11202 from the snow 11232 to the second body of water 11228. Rollers
may be used for
crossing any snow-free interval of ground, e.g., by moving free rollers from
the back of the platform
11202 to the front as the platform 11202 moves forward. Having reached the
second body of water
11228, the platform 11202 may be deployed therein, either as a floating unit
or partially or wholly
submerged unit, or else transported thereover to a destination or to some
additional phase of its journey
(e.g., to another overland crossing).
[0549] In another deployment alternative applicable to platform 11202 or
various other embodiments,
a microreactor platform can be hauled any distance, as for example by the
method of FIG. 112C, to an
inland deployment site inland for deployment. Access to the platform 11202 and
the installation and
maintenance of power connections are simplified by on-land deployment.
[0550] If platform 11202 or a similar platform is to be moved overland by
dragging or pushing,
whether over a surface material or on rollers, it will likely require a
reinforced hull. If a sled or self-
propelled crawler is used to move the platform, reinforcement may be
unnecessary.
[0551] Refueling a submersible nuclear reactor platform may involve
utilization of a docking refueling
vessel. Such embodiments are depicted in FIG. 112D. In examples, the platform
11202 can be installed
on the seabed and in natural and/or human-made cave structures as depicted in
FIG. 112E. A
submerged or submersible reactor module, unit or platform may require
refueling. A refueling vessel
as generally described herein may be adapted to accommodate receiving a
submersible nuclear reactor
system through a docking port that facilitates refueling without requiring the
nuclear reactor to be
removed from the water and transported over land as depicted in FIG. 112C. An
adapted refueling
vessel 11240 may be constructed with a refueling docking port 11242 into which
a reactor system
11206 may be positioned, such as by increasing its buoyancy to effect raising
the system 11206 into
the docking port 11242. In embodiments, a docking port 11242 may comprise a
rapid transfer lock to
avoid seawater contamination of the nuclear water of the reactor.
[0552] FIG. 112C depicts the transport of a turnkey platform 11202, but the
illustrative transport
method of FIG. 112C could also be applied to the discrete components of a
modular platform: e.g.,
the powerhouse and microreactor could be moved separately. It will be
appreciated in light of the
disclosure that all transportation methods applicable to platforms in various
embodiments, including
airlift (by, e.g., a heavy transport helicopter) are applicable both to
turnkey and modular systems.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0553] In sum, FIG. 112C briefly indicates the very great flexibility of
various embodiments with
respect to water transport, overland transport, and turnkey-vs.-modular
delivery. It will be appreciated
in light of the disclosure that as a result of this flexibility, it is not
practical to enumerate all possible
delivery methods and scenarios; all, however, are contemplated and within the
scope of the present
disclosure. In embodiments, deployment may include delivery by hovercraft.
Hovercraft delivery may
support delivery where land-based transport is not suitable, such as over
tundra, desert, creeks, shallow
rivers, swamps, everglades, and the like. In embodiments, a deployment
location, or access thereto
may be by a water way that is not sufficiently deep for a conventional marine
transport vessel. A
hovercraft could overcome this challenge and transport either an entire barge
(e.g., an entire power
station) to the site, and or transport individual modules which can then be
assembled at site, for
example. A hovercraft may also provide access to regions during winter when
water ways freeze. In
embodiments, the hovercraft delivery vehicle may be powered by a microreactor.
Yet further,
hovercrafts may be configured for specific roles, such as reactor delivery,
reactor retrieval, cleanup,
fuel delivery, and the like.
[0554] FIG. 113A schematically depicts, in top-down and cross-sectional view,
portions of a
microreactor platform 11300 according to illustrative embodiments. The
platform 11300 is intended
to be completely submerged when deployed in a manner that is grounded and
covered by a depth of
water great enough to rule out collision with any surface vessel. The
advantages of complete
submersion at such depth include thorough shielding against aircraft strikes
and similar threats and
immunity from collisions with or attacks by surface ships.
[0555] The platform 11300 includes two pods 11302, 11304. The first pod 11302
houses a
microreactor 11306 and the second pod 11304 houses a powerhouse 11308. Fluids
(e.g., steam) are
exchanged between the microreactor 11306 and the powerhouse 11308, and the two
pods 11302,
11304 are stably mechanically joined, through two tubes 11310, 11312. The pods
11302, 11304 also
include end-cap ballast chambers 11314, 11316, 11318, 11320 that can be filled
with water to decrease
the buoyancy of the platform 11300 and filled with air to increase its
buoyancy. Within the pods 11302,
11304, support structures 11322, 11324 uphold and stabilize the microreactor
11306 and powerhouse
11308. In embodiments, the interiors of the pods 11302, 11304 are filled with
a pressurized gas (e.g.,
air or, in case of autonomous operation, with nitrogen to restrict fire
development) when the unit is
submerged.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0556] In embodiments, the platform 11300 is either towed on the surface to
its deployment site and
then sunk by filling its ballast compaiiments, or is carried on a cargo ship
and lowered by a crane
through the water to its resting place.
[0557] FIG. 113B schematically shows, in side view, portions of a platform
11300 of FIG. 113A as
deployed. The platform 11300 rests on the bottom 11326. In embodiments, a buoy
cable 11328
possibly with multiple tether attachments to the platform 11300 can rise from
the platform 11300 to a
submerged float 11330. A second buoy cable 11332 (or continuation of buoy
cable 11328) continues
upward to a surface float 11334. In embodiments, the surface float 11334,
among its other functions,
marks the location of the platform 11300 and simplifies its retrieval: buoy
cables 11328, 11332 are
strong enough so that the platform 11300 can, with its ballast tanks adjusted
to produce slightly
negative buoyancy, be raised and lowered thereby.
[0558] A power output cable 11336 (indicated by a double line), supported by
the buoy cable 11328,
rises from the platform 11300 to the submerged float 11330. The float 11330
serves partly to elevate
the power cable 11336 in order to prevent it being pinned by or entangled with
the platform 11300. In
embodiments, the float 11330 contains a quick-disconnect mechanism that safely
severs power cable
11336 in the event of cable tension exceeding a threshold value (e.g., in the
event of cable
entanglement with a moving vessel). From the submerged float 11330, the power
cable 11336 depends
to the sea floor and runs thereon to land; or, it ascends from the float 11330
to a further connection
point, whether on land or at the surface of the water.
[0559] In embodiments, the floats 11332, 11334 include communications
electronics (e.g., to support
telemetry and command-and-control wireless links) and batteries or alternative
generators (e.g., solar
cells, fuel cells) so that their active functions can continue if the platform
11300 is not producing
power; in normal operation, all power can be derived from the platform 11300.
In embodiments,
because radio communications through salt water are not generally practical,
high-speed data
.. communications between the platform 11300 and remote monitors or operators
(e.g., at the site of the
remote enterprise) may or may not be enabled by a hardwire link between the
platform 11300 and the
surface float 11334, the float 11334 bearing an antenna and being in wireless
communication with
remote operators. Additionally or alternatively, wired communications between
the platform 11300
and some above-water point are sustained by data cables paired with the power
cable 11336 and/or
separately run to shore. Of note, similar buoy-and-radio or line-to-shore
arrangements can be used for
telemetry and control of the platform 11202 of FIG. 112A and FIG. 112B when it
is completely
submerged. In general, various embodiments include arrangements for remote
monitoring and control.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0560] As will be clear to persons familiar with submarine installations, the
float, cable, and other
arrangements can in various embodiments all vary widely from the arrangement
shown in FIG. 113B.
There is no restriction to any aspect of the mechanical arrangements of
deployment or the form of the
submerged platform as shown in FIG. 113A and FIG. 113B.
.. [0561] FIG. 114 schematically depicts aspects of a marine microreactor farm
11400 and its context
according to an illustrative embodiment. The illustrative microreactor farm
11400 includes eight
submerged microreactor platforms similar to platform 11300 of FIG. 113A and
FIG. 113B. Power is
conveyed from the platforms of the microreactor farm 11400 (e.g., platform
11402) to an onshore
connection facility or electrical house 11404 by a first power cable or cable
bundle 11406 and thence
to the enterprise 11408 by a second cable or bundle 11410. The number of
microreactors shown in
FIG. 114 is illustrative only; there is no limit on the number of
microreactors in a microreactor farm.
[0562] The power output of a microreactor farm such as microreactor farm 11400
is limited only by
the number of microreactor platforms incorporated. An advantage of the
microreactor farm over other
facilities that could supply an equal amount of power, e.g., a single large,
conventional nuclear power
.. plant, is that one or a few microreactors can be taken offline for
refueling or repair without greatly
reducing the overall power output of the microreactor farm. Another advantage
is that the total power
output of a microreactor farm can be incremented or decremented at will, by
adding or removing
microreactors, to match any long-term growth or shrinkage in the power demand
of the enterprise or
community being served.
[0563] According to various embodiments, some or all platforms of a
microreactor farm may be
floating, or partly submerged, or entirely submerged in ordinary operation;
there is no restriction to
complete submergence, as depicted in FIG. 114.
[0564] In embodiments, the marine microreactor farm may further be combined
with marine deployed
IT facilities, e.g., such as subsea datacenters. An example of a subsea
datacenter enterprise is the
Microsoft Natick project. In embodiments, the marine microreactor farm may
further be combined
with marine deployed IT facilities such as subsea datacenters deployed above
the waterplane area,
e.g., on a floating vessel.
[0565] It will be appreciated in light of the disclosure that the numbers,
sizes, power ratings, and
arrangements of microreactors, powerhouses, decks, superstructures, and other
features of all
illustrative embodiments discussed herein are nonrestrictive.
[0566] Various advantages accrue from various embodiments and applications of
the present
disclosure. These include, but are not limited to, the following:
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0567] Mobility. The small size of microreactors allows them to be delivered
via integration in an
appropriate platform to a remote enterprise site and to be swapped in
individually for units needing
refueling or repair.
[0568] Flexibility. The small size and self-contained nature of microreactors
allows them to be
delivered in platform-integrated multiples whose output is closely sized to
the power requirements of
a given remote enterprise.
[0569] Simplicity. Because a microreactor is typically a sealed unit requiring
no management of
internal mechanics, reaction rate, or the like, few or no on-site personnel
are required for operation.
[0570] Safety. Microreactors cannot melt down, catch fire, explode, or leak
large quantities of toxic
fluids.
[0571] Compactness. Because microreactor energy density is high compared to
prior-art alternatives,
the footprint of a microreactor platform is relatively small for a given power
output. This increases the
range of viable siting options for many remote enterprises.
[0572] Reliability. Because a microreactor is simple, its reliability is high.
The overall reliability of a
microreactor power platform will be primary constrained by its power-
conversion system; however, a
range of highly mature, reliable technologies are available for power
conversion.
[0573] Refueling. The refueling interval for a typical microreactor is on the
order of up to 10 years. A
microreactor platform nearing the end of its fuel lifetime can be replaced in
situ by a fresh platform
and moved to a central location for servicing; or, fresh microreactors can be
swapped in one by one at
the service location.
A. Swapping Microreactors at Sea
[0574] In embodiments, microreactors, including without limitations
microreactors utilizing an MRC
may be constructed uniformly for direct or near-direct interchange, such as
swapping out reactors for
service or other reasons. This direct interchange construction enables a range
of service scenarios for
microreactors deployed on vessels, ocean-based structures and the like. In
embodiments, a
microreactor enclosure may be constructed to be compatible with existing
dockyard transport systems
(e.g., standard container sizes and at least a portion of standard container
features) so that the
movement of microreactors can be performed without requiring special handling
equipment. Such a
transport system compatible microreactor enclosure may obfuscate details of
the microreactor itself,
instead presenting a consistent size and shape with various interfaces. In
embodiments, a microreactor
using non-military enriched uranium (e.g., HALEU and the like) may be
configured in a first enclosure
that may be interchangeable using the methods and systems described herein
with a microreactor using
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
different types of nuclear fuel, including but not limited to oxide fuels,
metallic fuels, non-oxide
ceramic fuels, liquid fuels, and/or military-grade fuels. An exemplary service
scenario includes
removal/replacement/deployment of microreactors and/or MRCs when a vessel is
brought into port
for cargo loading/unloading. This scenario extends to any type of vessel-based
microreactor
removal/replacement/deployment, not just for service purposes. The modular
nature of microreactors,
when combined with the MRC, may support, among other things, vessel-journey-
specific dynamic
power plant configuration as noted herein.
[0575] An additional microreactor service scenario supported herein may
address jurisdictional
restrictions on nuclear reactor operation and/or transport, such as proximity
to busy dock operations
and the like. This scenario also addresses situations where land-based
microreactor servicing is limited
or not existent, such as in a jurisdiction that does not have nuclear reactor
service facilities and/or
transport infrastructure, and the like. Other constraints that make in-port
microreactor
removal/replacement/deployment impractical may also benefit from this service
scenario. Utilizing
some of the installation and on-vessel transport features described herein,
such as may be described in
association with the MRC, (e.g., exemplarily depicted in FIG. 177 and the
like), microreactors can be
moved to location(s) that are externally accessible, such as a top deck, side
loading portal, and the like.
This movement can be part of a reactor service protocol that can be performed
while a vessel is outside
of a nuclear exclusion zone. Generally, a reactor service protocol may be
based on proximity to a
microreactor service facility, such as a vessel, platform and the like. Based
on satisfying aspect of the
protocol (e.g., vessel is secured to a service vessel and the like), vessel-
based cranes and/or other
transportation mechanisms (vehicles, trailers and the like) may be used to
move the microreactors off
the vessel, such as to a nearby microreactor service-type vessel, platform and
the like. If needed, a
replacement microreactor may be transported onto the vessel using the same or
similar transportation
mechanisms. For time efficiency, a first transport mechanism (e.g., crane) may
be used to remove a
reactor from the vessel while a second transport mechanism (e.g., aircraft)
may be used to deliver a
reactor to the vessel. The microreactor service-type vessel may provide a
range of services, including
transport of microreactors, fueling and maintenance of microreactors, safe
capture of spent nuclear
fuel from microreactors moved off a vessel and the like.
[0576] Yet another service scenario enabled by modular, substantially directly
interchangeable
microreactors involves microreactor service for ocean-based structures (e.g.,
oil rigs and the like). All
materials, supplies, and personnel for such a structure are transported to the
structure by air, by sea or
some combination (e.g., personnel may be flown to the structure, whereas
material may come by sea).
131
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
With the advancement of microreactors, this now can include the power plant
for the structure,
exemplarily a microreactor-based power plant can be transported, such as via
microreactor service-
type vessel and/or aircraft to/from the structure, optionally using
conventional cargo transport
mechanisms.
[0577] FIG. 115 depicts a scenario where micro reactor service and/or
operation is not permitted
and/or not available in a first jurisdiction 11506. Additionally, nuclear
operation restriction may be
designated by established nuclear operation exclusion zones 11502 and 11504
around seaports of this
jurisdiction where vessels may operate. Within these zones nuclear reactor
power plants must at least
be disabled so that, for example, nuclear reactor breakdown risk is minimized.
An alternate jurisdiction
11508 may provide nuclear power plant (e.g., microreactor and the like)
storage, service, and/or
refueling and may include a port 11512 and a service / storage facility 11510.
The scenario of FIG.
115 depicts microreactor service (e.g., swap out and the like) being performed
proximal to at least one
route for vessels traveling to/from nuclear exclusion region ports 11502 and
11504 in the jurisdiction
11506. A microreactor service-type vessel 11514 may operate between a port
11512 in jurisdiction
11508 and a designated service point 11520 proximal to one or more vessel
routes to/from jurisdiction
11506. In embodiments, replacement microreactors may be retrieved from
service/storage facility
11508 and transported to the designated service point 11520 by the service-
type vessel 11514. Vessels
powered by microreactors, such as vessel 11516 and 11518 may dwell at the
designated service point
11520 on routes to/from the exclusion zones whereat microreactor service
(e.g., swapping and the
like) may be performed. In embodiments, swapping microreactors at sea, such as
between
microreactor powered vessels may be performed with motion compensating cranes
and/or gangways
that may be deployed on either or both vessels. Temporarily seafloor-connected
cranes, such as those
known to be used when constructing offshore wind farms may also be used.
[0578] In addition to complete exclusion of nuclear operated vessels in
proximity to a seaport, limits
on the number of vessels operating under nuclear power, such as by using one
or more microreactors
and the like, may be defined in a nuclear-powered vessel congestion policy.
Such a policy may be
based on standards for nuclear failure exposure safety zones and the like.
Such a policy may also be
based on vessel collision statistics and conditions, so as, for example, to
mitigate the likelihood of a
vessel-to-vessel collision and the like. Other factors that may impact
congestion constraints for vessels
may include individual vessel capabilities for avoiding collision. In
embodiments, vessels may be
configured with not only collision avoidance features, such as automated
navigation, vision systems,
LIDAR, radar, night vision and the like, but through networking techniques and
optionally through
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
regional or centralized control of vessels, information about vessel location,
trajectory, route, timing,
payload, nuclear power factors, and the like may be shared among vessels and
governing bodies for
jurisdictions impacted by and/or imposing congestion policies and the like.
This information sharing
may lead to computer controlled congestion region entry regulation, such as
allowing vessels that meet
certain congestion control standards to be permitted entry. Likewise,
scheduling of access to
congestion zones may be enhanced through such information sharing. In
embodiments, negotiation
among vessels needing access to a congestion zone may rely on such
information, such as by
automating activation of secondary power systems, vessel routing proximal to a
congestion zone, and
the like.
[0579] Such a policy may be affected by local concerns, such as local
political and legal rules and
regulations. In embodiments, operational control of nuclear-powered vessels,
whether it be individual
vessel operation (autonomous and/or semi-autonomous), multi-vessel control, on-
vessel human
control, remote control, and the like may require factoring in congestion
limits.
[0580] Referring to FIG. 116, a depiction of nuclear reactor-powered vessel
exclusion and congestion
zoning is presented. For a given jurisdiction 11600, nuclear-powered vessels
may be excluded from
operating under nuclear power in certain ports, such as ports in exclusion
zones 11604 and 11602.
Optionally, exclusion zones 11604 and/or 11602 may differentiate exclusion
based on nuclear fuel
type. A vessel that employs military-grade enriched uranium may be excluded
from operating in an
exclusion zone. Whereas that same zone may permit operation of vessels being
powered by, for
example, microreactor embodiments described herein, such as those that utilize
non-military enriched
uranium (e.g., HALEU) and/or advanced composition uranium (e.g., TRISO) and
the like. Vessels
operating in these zones must be operating under other than nuclear power or
must be tugged if no
alternate source of power is available. In embodiments, vessels without an
alternate power generation
capability may be configured with an external, tow along power generation
platform, such as a turbine
electricity producing barge that may be mechanically and electrically
connected to the vessel while
outside the exclusion zone. As such, the turbine electricity producing barge
may provide electricity to
the vessel to operate its electrical motors (typically powered by its on-board
microreactors and the
like). In embodiments, an electricity producing system, such as an ammonia
powered turbine and the
like may be lifted onto the deck of such a vessel, energized, and connected to
the vessel electrical
system for producing electricity while the vessel is within an exclusion zone.
[0581] In addition to or in place of nuclear energy producing exclusion zones
(e.g., zone 11602 and
11604), a nuclear energy congestion zone may be established. Generally, such a
zone may demark a
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
geographic region within which a limited number of vessels and/or reactors
(e.g., for vessels with
multiple reactors) can operate concurrently. Exclusion zone 11606 in FIG. 116
indicates a region
outside of exclusion zones 11602 and 11604 in which a quantity of operating
nuclear reactors, such as
microreactors and the like may dwell. Such a zone may be manually designated
and controlled.
However, nuclear vessel operation in a congestion zone, such as zone 11606 may
be automatically
controlled based on detectable presence of the vessels and/or their reactors.
One example may include
requiring all vessels approaching this congestion zone 11606 report to a
centralized control authority,
automatically, the type and quantity of nuclear reactors operating onboard.
Another example may
include each nuclear reactor determining its location relative to the
congestion zone and based on an
indication of a count of vessels within the zone and a nuclear power plant
congestion limit for the zone
11606, control its operation so that the congestion limit is not exceeded. A
vessel nuclear reactor
control circuit may receive a signal indicative of the number of activated
nuclear reactors the vessel is
permitted to bring into the zone 11606. If the number of nuclear reactors
operating on the vessel
exceeds the number permitted, the control circuit may adapt power output from
one or more nuclear
reactors, such as reducing output power below 100% (e.g., limit power output
temporarily to 20%),
disabling one or more nuclear reactors, optionally energizing alternate power
generation source(s),
such as a gas-based turbine, and the like. In embodiments, vessels approaching
and present in the
congestion zone 11606 may communicate with each other, and/or optionally with
a centralized
congestion zone negotiation facility to determine which vessel(s) and which
reactor(s) on which
vessels are to be disabled. This determination may be based on a range of
factors including, without
limitation, prioritization, hierarchy, market value, nuclear reactor operation
credits available and the
like. In an example, a vessel control system and/or operator approaching a
congestion zone may offer
to other vessels within or proximal to the zone, nuclear congestion allocation
credits in exchange for
disabling one or more on-board reactors. In another example, a central
congestion negotiation facility
may set a value for each operating nuclear reactor in a congestion zone that
must be paid (e.g., in the
form of accrued congestion allocation credits and the like) to operate the
vessel under nuclear power
in the congestion zone. In yet another example, a vessel operating within the
congestion zone may set
a value (e.g., a number of congestion zone allocation credits) that it is
willing to accept to turn off one
or more of its nuclear reactors. These and other market-based schemes for
managing nuclear reactor
operation in congestion zones, such as zone 11606 are contemplated by the
inventors and included
herein. Also, depicted in FIG. 116 is a nuclear power vessel congestion zone
11608 that may exist
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
without a further exclusion zone so that vessels may operate under nuclear
power while docking and
the like within the congestion zone, while observing any congestion limits of
the zone 11608.
VI. Vessel Propulsion
[0582] FIG. 117 is a schematic depiction of portions of a conventionally
powered container ship 11700
according to one form of the prior art. The container ship 11700 has length Li
and a bulbous bow
11702 that extends from a bow having, overall, a rounded cross-section 11704
and is slightly below
the laden waterline 11706. The length Li and bulbous bow 11702 of the ship
11700 and are designed
to enable the ship 11700 to cruise most profitably¨given constraints on both
fuel consumption and
shipping speed¨at a velocity of approximately Vi. For this illustrative
container ship, Li = 300 m
and a "normal" steaming speed would be V1 = 20 knots (10.2 m/s) or higher. For
this length and speed,
fuel consumption is not at minimum, since the Froude number is well above the
critical threshold of
F* = 0.16:
v [0583] F = ¨ ¨ , 10.2 m/s ¨ 0.18
,¨ VgL J(9.8 m/s2)x (11900 m)
[0584] The container ship 11700 is powered primarily by a large, slow-speed
diesel engine 11708,
whose shaft communicates through a reduction gear 11710 with a propeller
11712.
[0585] FIG. 118 is a schematic depiction of portions of a conventionally
powered bulk carrier ship
11800 according to one form of the prior art. The bulk carrier ship 11800 has
length L2 and a rounded
bow 11802, and a laden waterline 11804. A bulk carrier typically cruises the
length L2 of the ship
11800, and its rounded bow 22, are designed to enable the ship 11800 to cruise
most profitably¨given
the constraints both of fuel efficiency and shipping speed¨at a velocity of
approximately V2. For an
illustrative large bulk carrier ship 11800, L2 = 650 m and V2 = 14 knots (7.2
m/s). For this ship length
and speed, fuel consumption is low, since the Froude number for this condition
is ¨0.09, well below
the critical value of F* = 0.16:
v
[0586] F = i= ¨ , 7.2 m/s ¨ 0.09.
VgL J(9.8 m/s2)x (12250 m)
[0587] A ship of length L2 = 650 m can cruise at up to 18.24 kn (9.37 m/s)
without exceeding the
critical Froude number F* = 0.16, above which wave resistance becomes
significant and fuel
consumption increases more rapidly. However, bulk carriers, because of the low
charter rate on their
cargo, are sailed profitably at speeds well below those which would cause
their Froude number to
approach F* = 0.16. Low speed dictates the absence of a bulbous bow on such
vessels; at low speed,
a bulbous bow tends to confer a net increase in drag.
135
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0588] Similar to the container ship 11700 of FIG. 117, bulk carrier ship
11800 is powered primarily
by a large, slow-speed diesel engine 11806, whose shaft communicates through a
reduction gear 11808
with a propeller 11810.
[0589] FIG. 119 is a schematic depiction of portions of the power system of a
large conventionally
powered ship 11900 (stern section only depicted) according to one form of the
prior art. A large (e.g.,
20 MW) fuel-burning engine 11902 is housed within an engine room 11904. In
commercial practice,
the engine 11902 is most often a large slow-speed diesel engine such as a MAN
B&W S8OME-S. The
engine 11902 turns a crankshaft shaft 11906 which interfaces with a propeller
drive shaft 11908
through a reduction gear system 11910, causing a screw or propeller 11912 to
turn. Large marine
vessels typically include additional power sources or conversion systems, such
as one or more
auxiliary power units (engines), batteries, and electrical generators powered
by the main engine 11902
and/or by other engines. In an example, a ship may be powered primarily by
components such as those
depicted in FIG. 119 when cruising in international waters, but by a smaller,
natural-gas-powered
auxiliary engine when the ship is in a coastal zone where pollutive emissions
are regulated. Nuclear
powered propulsion may facilitate higher speeds due to the higher energy
output possible within a size
constraint comparable to or smaller than a conventional combustion engine as
noted above.
[0590] FIG. 120A is a schematic depiction of portions of a primarily
propulsive power system housed
within a large maritime vessel 12000 (stern section only depicted) according
to illustrative
embodiments. The drawing depicts some major components pertaining to the
generation of primary
power for propulsion and omits other components (e.g., fuel tanks, batteries).
The vessel 12000 is
powered by a hybrid-nuclear power system, which herein denotes a combination
of nuclear power and
one or more additional sources of power, e.g., a conventional (combustion)
engine. The power system
of the ship 12000 includes two modular reactors 12002, 12004, (e.g.,
microreactors and the like) each
of which produces primary energy in the form of heat, which is exchanged
through pipe loops 12006,
12008 with power conversion units 12010, 12012 that convert heat to mechanical
work and
mechanical work to electrical power. In a typical power conversion unit, heat
is used to produce steam,
which drives a turbine or other heat engine, which drives a conventional
electrical generator; however,
all forms of heat-to-electric conversion are contemplated. The electrical
power output of the
conversion units 12010, 12012 is conveyed by cabling 12014, 12016 to an energy
management system
12018. The energy management system 12018 supplies power to an electric motor
12020 whose shaft
12022 interfaces through a gear system 12024 with the propeller shaft 12026.
Moreover, a
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
conventional engine 12028 drives an electrical generator 12030 which supplies
power via cabling
12032 to the energy management system 12018 and ultimately to the propeller
shaft 12026.
[0591] Various embodiments include batteries that are charged by, and can feed
power to, the energy
management system 12018, and an electric motor in line with the propeller
shaft 12026. The batteries
can be charged either by the nuclear reactors 12002, 12004 or by the
conventional motor 12028. If the
ship 12000 must maneuver without the benefit of nuclear power (e.g., in a
regulated coastal zone
where the nuclear reactors 12002, 12004 must be turned off), power from
batteries and/or the
conventional engine 12028 can run the in-line electric motor and turn the
propeller shaft 12026.
[0592] In embodiments, a single conventional engine 12028 and two nuclear
reactors may be
constructed as power conversion units 12010, 12012 are depicted in FIG. 120A,
but there is no
restriction to one conventional engine or type of conventional engine or fuel,
or to only one or two
nuclear reactors, or to reactors of a single type. All nuclear and non-nuclear
power-generating systems,
and numbers of and combinations of such systems, are contemplated.
[0593] The hybrid power system of ship 12000 offers several advantages over
the prior art. One
.. advantage pertains to the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) for new
ships, a legally binding
climate-change standard of the IMO that promotes the use of more energy-
efficient (less polluting)
equipment and engines. The EEDI standard was mandated by the adoption of
amendments to
MARPOL Anne VI (resolution MEPC.11803x(62)) in 2011. EEDI specifies maximum
CO2 emissions
per capacity mile (e.g., per ton-mile), varying with ship type and size. Since
January 1, 2013, following
an initial two-year phase zero, some new ships¨including all large commercial
vessels propelled by
fuel oil¨have to meet the EEDI threshold for their type. The threshold is
decreased incrementally
every five years.
[0594] EEDI can be expressed or approximated by a number of formulae that vary
in complexity, but
in essence specifies an upper limit on grams of CO2 emitted per tonne-mile. It
is therefore not, despite
its name, a standard for energetic efficiency but a standard for CO2
emissions. For example, an oil-
burning ship might attain a low EEDI by capturing some or all of its carbon
output, but capture would
consume energy and therefore decrease the overall efficiency with which the
ship used fuel for
propulsion. In another example, a fuel-burning ship's EEDI can be reduced
(within limits) by slowing
the ship, reducing emissions per tonne mile. In yet another example, a ship's
EEDI at a given speed
can be reduced (e.g., compared to what its EEDI would be using 100% fuel-oil
power) by powering
the ship partly or wholly with a lower-carbon source, such as wind, natural
gas, or nuclear power.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0595] If the power that a vessel having a hybrid-nuclear power system (e.g.,
ship 12000 of FIG.
120A) derives from fuel-combusting PF is a fraction A (0 < A < 1) of the
vessel's total power P
and the power the vessel derives from nuclear power is PN, then P
- total = APF + (1 ¨ A)PN. In general,
a vessel's EEDI for a given o P 7 (e.g., at a given speed) is directly
proportional to PF. Therefore,
- tta.
assuming comparable lading and other relevant conditions, a ship with a hybrid-
nuclear power system
will have a lower EEDI at any given speed then the same vessel powered
entirely by combusting a
fuel. A ship powered entirely by nuclear power will have an EEDI of zero.
Thus, reduced EEDI is a
realized by various embodiments of the present disclosure whenever the nuclear
portion of a hybrid-
nuclear power system is supplying significant fraction of ship's power.
[0596] Moreover, wherever power for long-distance steaming is wholly or partly
(i.e., except for a
fixed quantity of conventionally generated power) derived from the nuclear
portion of a hybrid-nuclear
power system, vessel speed and pollutive emissions are independent of each
other: Up to the ship's
maximum viable operating speed, no more CO2 or other pollution is emitted at
any one speed than at
any other. Emissions-related constraints on speed become irrelevant.
.. [0597] Moreover, financial constraints on vessel operation and design tend
to be altered by the use of
a hybrid-nuclear power system. For non-military vessels, profit is the usual
goal of operation: and in
cargo transport, profit is the net difference between what a shipper is paid
to transport the cargo and
all costs of doing so, including insurance, financing, salaries, maintenance,
fuel, and many other terms.
A full accounting of costs would be complex, but if only income and expense
terms affected by vessel
velocity are considered, a few relatively simple relationships hold
(approximately and over a limited
a range of velocities), as follows.
[0598] (1) Income I for a cargo-carrying vessel is proportional to velocity:
the faster a ship goes, the
more cargo it delivers, on average, in a given period of time. This can be
seen by considering that a
ship which completes n cargo-carrying voyages carrying C tons of cargo per
voyage at a charter rate
of B $/ton earns a gross income of /g = n CB dollars. The number of voyages n
made in a given sailing
time t, assuming voyages of equal length L, and constant sailing velocity V,
is total distance sailed
divided by voyage length:
tv
[0599] n = ¨
[0600] Thus, average gross income for a vessel in time t is
[0601] I9 = ¨tV CO
[0602] The average rate (derivative with respect to time) of income, which an
owner or operator
generally wishes to maximize, is thus proportional to V:
138
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
dl V
[0603] = ¨ CO
dt Lv
[0604] or
dl
[0605] = aV
dt
[0606] where a = C 81, is a constant.
[0607] (2) The second velocity-dependent economic term to be considered is the
cost of power for
propulsion. Due to the effects of viscous drag and wave resistance, for a
vessel traveling at a velocity
that makes its Froude number F less than or equal to the critical value F* =
.16, propulsive power is
proportional to the cube of velocity: P
total OC V3. If it assumed that primary power is directly
proportional to velocity¨e.g., that to increase power output at the propeller
shaft by 10% it is
necessary to increase oil consumption by 10%¨and that primary power cost is
directly proportional
to power output, then the rate of spending Ps for primary power is also
proportional to the cube of
velocity: i.e., Ps = bV3 , where b is some constant.
[0608] The net rate of earning, therefore, insofar as this depends on vessel
velocity V(i.e., disregarding
all expenses that do not depend on ship velocity), herein termed "baseline
profit" IB, is given by
[0609] IB = Ig ¨ Ps = aV-bV3
[0610] To find the velocity V* that maximizes IB, one differentiates the
foregoing equation with
respect to V, sets d/B/dv equal to zero, and solves for V:
[0611] V* = (¨a)112
3b
[0612] Below V*, baseline profit IB increases with velocity, dominated by
linearly increasing income
4; above V* baseline profit IB decreases sharply, dominated by rising power
costs Ps that are
proportional to V3.
[0613] It can be shown by calculations similar to the foregoing that for a
vessel with a hybrid-nuclear
power system in which the dimensionless ratio pt of the cost of nuclear energy
fN ($/kWh) to the cost
of fossil-fuel energy fF ($/kWh) is given by
[0614] pt = f FY ' pt < 1,
fN
[0615] the least costly speed (for Froude number at or below F* = .16) is
a [0616] vi; = ()112
[0617] For pt < 1, Vi; > V*. That is, the velocity that maximizes baseline
profit IB for a nuclear-hybrid
vessel, where nuclear power costs less than conventional fuel power per kWh,
is greater than that
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
which maximizes /B for a conventionally powered vessel. The smaller u is, the
higher the optimal
speed. Therefore, the lower the cost of a vessel's nuclear power in terms of
$/kWh, the faster that
vessel should be designed to sail.
[0618] Moreover, at velocities above V* that produce a Froude number 0.16 <F
<0.18, it can be
shown that baseline profit includes a loss term proportional to the fourth
power of velocity:
[0619] 1B = ig ¨ C = aV- bV3 ¨ cV4 ,
[0620] where c is some constant. Therefore, exceeding V* is only compatible
with maximizing profit
where the gross income term /g is relatively high, the cost of power is
relatively low, or both. It is
notable that at any given speed, baseline income /B can be increased by
decreasing the coefficients b
and c, which depend partly on vessel design. In general, a vessel that
encounters less viscous friction
and/or wave resistance at a given speed will return higher /B than an
otherwise comparable vessel at
the same speed. Illustrative changes in vessel design that decrease resistance
are discussed herein with
reference to FIG. 122 and FIG. 123.
[0621] Microreactors are typically designed to run on a fuel load without
refueling or other major
.. service for some number of years, e.g., 5 to 10 years. At or near the end
of this time, the microreactor
must be refueled or replaced. In an illustrative operating procedure, the
reactors 12002, 12004 of FIG.
120A supply power from the time of their installation until five years have
passed. The vessel 12000
makes a scheduled service stop at a port equipped to extract the reactors
12002, 12004 and deliver
them to a facility or network of facilities where they are either
decommissioned or refueled, maintained
and refurbished, and their partially spent fuel is reprocessed and/or
sequestered. Further in
embodiments, other common reasons for vehicle maintenance, such as hull
cleaning may be
coordinated with refueling of an on-board nuclear reactor. Unlike with
conventional fuel-based vessel
propulsion systems, refueling can be deferred by several years, so that
multiple services that need to
be performed on the vehicle can be consolidated based on an earliest need for
one of the services;
refueling is a needed service that no longer dominates port access and usage
schedules. Embodiments
of microreactors described herein may utilize non-military grade uranium fuel,
such as oxide HALEU-
like fuel with an enrichment of less than 20%, metal fuels, non-oxide ceramic
fuels, as well as liquid
fuels. Meanwhile, fresh, newly fueled reactors are installed in the vessel
12000 and it is free to operate
without further refueling for another 5 years. The architecture of the vessel
12000 includes provisions,
.. e.g., a removable upper section, that facilitate access to the portion of
the ship containing the
microreactors. It is an advantage of various embodiments that vessels need no
refueling between
reactor replacement events. It is also an advantage of various embodiments
that less space is required
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
within nuclear or hybrid-nuclear powered vessels for the storage of fuel. It
is yet another advantage of
various embodiments that spills of fuel due to collisions, leaks, and other
mishaps are either
constrained in possible scale by the carriage of a much smaller volume of
liquid fuels, or are even
rendered essentially impossible by the robust nature of the reactor's internal
vessel and its other
rigorous provisions for containment of its radioactive materials.
[0622] FIG. 120B is a schematic depiction of portions of a large, primarily
propulsive hybrid-nuclear
power system housed within a large maritime vessel 12001 (stern section only
depicted) according to
illustrative embodiments. The power system of FIG. 120B is similar to that of
FIG. 120A, except that
the conventional engine 12028 does not produce electrical power but transmits
power through a shaft
12034 with an ancillary gear system 12036, which in turn communicates by a
second shaft 12038 with
the primary gear system 12024.
[0623] FIG. 120C is a schematic depiction of portions of a large, primarily
propulsive nuclear-power
system housed within a large maritime vessel 12003 (stern section only
depicted) according to
illustrative embodiments. The power system of FIG. 120C is similar in some
respects to those of FIGS.
120A and 120B, except that no conventional engine contributes to the primary
propulsion of the vessel
12003. Instead, battery banks 12040, 12042 communicate with the electrical
control system 12018 via
cabling 12044, 12046. The battery banks 12040, 12042 are charged by the
electrical control system
12018 while the nuclear reactors 12002, 12004 are operating: when the reactors
12002, 12004 must
be turned off (e.g., as required in some coastal zones), the batteries 12040,
12042 supply power to the
propulsive system. The power system of FIG. 120C includes additional
components such as
conventional motors, which support cold start, maneuvering, and the like. The
primary propulsive
arrangements of vessel 12003, for example, can be non-electrical.
[0624] FIG. 121 is a schematic depiction of portions of a large, primarily
propulsive hybrid-nuclear
power system housed within a large maritime vessel 12100 (stern section only
depicted) according to
illustrative embodiments. The power system of the ship 12100 includes a
modular nuclear reactor
12102, which produces primary energy in the form of heat, which it exchanges
through a pipe loops
12104 with a power conversion units 12106 that produces mechanical power, that
is, drives a rotating
shaft 12108. The shaft 12108 interfaces with a primary reduction gear system
12110 that in turn drives
the propeller shaft 12112. A conventional engine 12114 drives a shaft 12116
that interfaces with an
ancillary reduction gear system 12118, and the ancillary gear system 12118
communicates by a second
shaft 12120 with the primary gear system 12110. The power system of FIG. 121
includes additional
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
components including batteries and electric motors, which support cold start,
maneuvering, and the
like, but the primary propulsive arrangements of vessel 12100 are non-
electrical.
[0625] FIG. 120A, FIG. 120B, and FIG. 121 illustrate that power systems
including diverse
combinations of conventional motors and engines of various types, numbers, and
sizes; and of nuclear
reactors of various types, numbers, and sizes; and of various forms of energy
(heat, mechanical work,
and electricity), are contemplated and within the scope of the present
disclosure. It will be appreciated
in light of the disclosure that any number of such combinations and variations
might be described;
only a few are illustrated, but all are contemplated. All embodiments,
however, include at least one
small, modular source of nuclear power that contributes power at least some of
the time to propulsion.
There is no restriction to displacement vessels or modes of operation; other
vessels types and modes
of operation, including submarine, surface (e.g., planing), and hydrofoil
vessels or air-lubricated
vessels or other modes of operation are also contemplated. Also, there is no
restriction to the number
and type of propellers for propulsion: paddle wheels, water jets, and other
methods of applying power
to propel vessels are also contemplated.
[0626] Hybrid-nuclear propulsion or entirely nuclear-powered primary
(cruising) propulsion enables
advantageous operational and structural changes for large maritime vessels in
various embodiments.
In the illustrative case of entirely nuclear-powered primary propulsion,
constraints on ship speed that
pertain to pollutive emissions, which in the prior art leads frequently to the
use of slower steaming
speeds than vessels are capable of, are completely obviated. In the
illustrative case of hybrid-nuclear
powered primary propulsion, constraints pertaining to pollutive emissions are
relaxed, though not
necessarily completely obviated. Where nuclear energy is less costly per kWh
than conventional fuel
energy, faster steaming will also tend to be economical compared to propulsion
by conventional fuel
alone. In general, therefore, vessels propelled in part or whole by nuclear
power will be capable of
profitably and legally steaming at significantly faster speeds than
conventionally powered vessels.
Practical limits on vessel speed will still, however, be imposed by the power-
law nature of wave
resistance.
[0627] FIG. 122 is a schematic depiction, in side view and partial top-down
view, of portions of a
nuclear-powered container ship 12200 according to an illustrative embodiment.
The ship 12200 is
comparable in cargo capacity to the container ship 11700 of FIG. 117, but
includes a nuclear power
system that includes a reactor 12202, power conversion system 12204, electric
motor 12206, and
propeller 12208. The ship 12200, as well as the ship 12300 of FIG. 123,
exemplifies changes in vessel
architecture that enable faster cruising speed in various embodiments of the
present disclosure, which
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
remove or loosen constraints arising from pollutive emissions and/or fuel
costs. A nuclear power
system enables the container ship 12200 to cruise profitably and legally
(e.g., without violation of
EEDI regulations) at higher speed than ship 11700 of FIG. 117; i.e., the
conventional ship 11700
cruises optimally at velocity Vi, while the nuclear-powered ship 12200 cruises
optimally at a velocity
V3, where V3 > V1. Higher cruising speed, together with the increased need to
minimize wave
resistance, entails two major architectural changes from ship 11700 to ship
12200
[0628] (1) Length. According to the relationship
[0629] F = li _
[0630] the Froude number F can be kept constant (or its growth mitigated) for
faster velocity v by
increasing length L. Thus, to moderate the Froude number of ship 12200 at
increased speed V3, the
length L3 of ship 12200 is greater than the length Li of ship 11700 of FIG.
117.
[0631] 2) Bow. The actual wave resistance encountered by a vessel is not
determined by the Froude
number alone, but by viscous and wave resistances that depend on ship
characteristics. Also, vessel
length L cannot in practice be arbitrarily increased, because canals and ports
impose hard limits on
vessel length: e.g., a ship meeting the New Panema standard, and so able to
pass through the Panama
Canal, is restricted to a maximum length of 366 m (1,201 ft). Therefore,
design changes alternative or
additional to increased length may be needed to enable economical faster
sailing. The ship 12200
combines increased length L3 with a sharp, inverted bow 12210 (in this
example, similar to an Ulstein
X-Bow), which at speed V3 reduces wave resistance more than would the bulbous
bow of vessel 11700
of FIG. 117. In various other embodiments, other bow designs appropriate for
higher speed are
incorporated, e.g., a bow. The ship 12200 may be new built or may be
retrofitted from a with nuclear
power and a sharp bow. The ship 12200, and various other embodiments, can also
include friction-
reducing hull coatings, air lubrication systems, and other measure to reduce
viscous friction.
[0632] In embodiments, the nuclear propulsion systems described herein
utilizing heat pipe
microreactors can be shown to provide a simple design; modularity; long
refueling intervals;
autonomous operations; scalability in small net power output increments;
gravity-independent
orientation; and inherent safety whereby the possibility of meltdown is
entirely eliminated. It can be
shown that heat pipe microreactors can be the most viable nuclear reactor for
safe vessel propulsion.
Furthermore, the physical size and weight of heat pipe microreactors and
simplistic fuel handling
procedures, can permit enterprises to replace conventional propulsion system
with nuclear-powered
engines, without the need to redesign vessels' outer hulls. In many instances,
the entire speed range of
various enterprises could be accomplished by integrating multiple heat pipe
microreactors with power
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
delivered via a long-term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)-type model over the
vessel lifetime from
a nuclear owner/operator. In doing so, the enterprise can be shown to limit
exposure to liability for the
handling of nuclear assets and potentially shield the enterprise from fuel
price volatility. In turn, such
an offering permits for predictable, favorable, long-term business planning.
[0633] In PPA-type arrangement examples, a nuclear owner/operator may provide
full nuclear
oversight for the reactor integration, operation, refueling and
decommissioning, standardization and
simplification of reactor integration/retrieval practices, as well as
logistical handling.
[0634] In embodiments, the methods and systems of the present disclosure can
include a microreactor
Cassette (MRC) containment envelope which would be structurally separated
inside the vessel engine
room to contain the nuclear reactors and power conversion equipment, while the
reactors are in
operation. In these examples, the MRC is designed and manufactured to nuclear-
qualified codes and
standards, and can be shown to: 1) provide adequate shielding for the vessel,
crew, internal equipment,
materials, cargo and the environment (air and water), from exposure to
radioactive materials; 2)
provide adequate cooling for maximal nuclear safety, and additional safeguards
against thermal
pollution to the environment (air and water), including protecting the crew,
internal equipment,
materials, and cargo from exposure to high levels of thermal emissions; and 3)
provide a secure and
well-contained enclosure for the reactor, to protect the nuclear asset in the
event of collision, sinking,
hostile penetration or piracy. Furthermore, the MRC would, in embodiments,
provide a uniformed
electric interface to other infrastructure within the vessel; allow for weight-
balanced/symmetrical
integration of the reactors along the centerline of the vessel; simplify
logistics, including reactor
integration, as well as reactor retrieval for refueling; and also reduce the
amount of required physical
inter-faces between the nuclear reactor and the vessel. In embodiments, the
MRC would remain as a
sealed "black box" at all times, and be accessible only by the trained nuclear
operator on board, to
reduce interactions between the crew and the nuclear reactor, and limit
liabilities for the enterprise. In
embodiments, the MRC was purposefully deployed to be customizable to contain
any type of heat
pipe microreactor, licensed for civil power generation. Using the Westinghouse
eVinci brand as the
reactor design basis, in examples, it can be shown that integrating heat pipe
microreactors into the
assets of various enterprises with the MRC is technically and economically
feasible. By way of these
examples, exemplary vessels can be shown to achieve higher speeds and more
round trips per year,
eliminating refueling detours; and up to 18 kN, no modifications would be
required to the vessel's
outer hull. It will also be appreciated in light of the disclosure that
integrating an upscaled (on the
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
order of 4 MWe) version of a heat pipe microreactor such as eVinci branded
units, would affect
economics favorably.
[0635] In examples, vessels in the general size of about one thousand feet and
400,000 ton capacity
such as the world's largest Very Large Ore Carrier (VLOC), Very Large Crude
Carrier (VLCC), or
Ultra Large Crude Carrier (ULCC) vessels can include or be retrofit with the
propulsion and electrical
systems powered by the heat pipe microreactor systems disclosed herein. By way
of these examples,
current space in such vessels powered by liquified natural gas (LNG) could
have applicable tanks
removed and the MRC can be integrated into (and later retrieved from and
reinserted into) the aft
section of the vessel. An economically optimized design can look to ensure
where possible that the
most cost-competitive systems and components would be selected for use. In
such installations, the
platform can be deployed to provide one or more of the following and various
combinations thereof.
In embodiments, the MRC can be contained by internals in the aft of the vessel
including floor and
top containment bulkheads, reactor support systems, reactor enclosure
(providing containment for the
MRC), and systems for reactor integration and retrieval. In embodiments,
reactor integration/retrieval
systems within the MRC, including reactor exit from vessel and transfer of the
reactor from vessel to
port. In embodiments, the MRC includes reactor integration into the reactor
operating bay and
radioactive protection towards the centrally located reactor
integration/retrieval systems. In
embodiments, the MRC includes human access points for MRC internal reactor
interface systems
connections. In embodiments, the MRC includes applicable shielding
requirements, shielding
materials, needed dimensions, and required thicknesses for applicable
scenarios. In embodiments, the
MRC includes further predetermined system for routing of electric power
cables, data cables, and
routing of airflow, ducting and ventilation. In embodiments, the MRC includes
the purposeful
arrangement of crew equipment including protective, medical and life-saving
equipment, and sanitary
areas (as far as what would be required for nuclear propulsion). In
embodiments, the MRC includes a
routing system for cooling water. In some examples, water cooling, either
instead of or in addition to
air cooling, can be deployed in support of the MRCs. In embodiments, the MRC
systems can deploy
reactor transfer and interfacing systems within the vessel. In embodiments,
the MRC systems can
deploy in-vessel engine room human service access points, and in-vessel human
radiation protection
systems. In embodiments, the MRC systems can deploy hybrid propulsion system
components and
the MRC systems can deploy systems to balance electrical load and thermal load
with air and/or water
cooling. In these examples, conventionally-installed power generating
capacity, i.e., diesel generators
(or other power sources, if applicable) required onboard, can be integrated
with the MRC platform and
145
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
into the general engine room arrangements where the MRC is the containment
envelope for a single
or multiple heat pipe microreactors and the reactor power conversion
equipment. Multiple MRCs
could be bundled to generate electrical power up to 100 MWe. Once the MRC is
integrated, the
reactors can generate baseload power, while low power output diesel generators
or gas turbines can
serve as back-up power. As such, these vessels can be manufactured and
outfitted with the MRC and
needed nuclear components and equipment in a shipyard, and once commissioned,
can be propelled
by up to 100% nuclear power, sailing both in international waters, as well as
in sovereign jurisdictions.
[0636] In many embodiments, the compact size, and black box, self-contained
nature of the MRC
makes feasible the integration of the nuclear engine into many vessels, as
well as reactor operation
and logistical handling. In these examples, power range is up to 100 MWe but
various applications
can be fine-tuned for certain enterprise needs such as power range around 30
MWe. In these examples,
the physical size and weight of the MRC with nuclear components enclosed can
be shown to be
comparable to those of the conventional propulsion machinery at equivalent net
power output ranges
find current vessels. As such, integration of the MRC can be shown to only
require minimal
modifications to the stern section and only within the engine room, while
continuing to avoid any need
to modify the outer hull. In doing, the MRC allows many enterprises to easily
convert their vessels to
a carbon-free, steady baseload nuclear propulsion system without undergoing a
new vessel design
effort.
[0637] FIG. 123 is a schematic depiction, in side view and partial top-down
view, of portions of a
nuclear-powered bulk carrier ship 12300 according to an illustrative
embodiment. The ship 12300 is
comparable in cargo capacity to the bulk carrier ship 11800 of FIG. 118, but
includes a nuclear power
system that includes a reactor 12302, power conversion system 12304, electric
motor 12306, and
propeller 12308. The ship 12300 exemplifies changes in vessel architecture
that enable faster cruising
speed in various embodiments of the present disclosure, which remove or loosen
constraints arising
from pollutive emissions and/or fuel costs. A nuclear power system enables the
bulk carrier 12300 to
cruise profitably and legally at higher speed than ship 11800 of FIG. 118;
i.e., the conventional bulk
carrier ship 11800 cruises optimally at velocity V2, while the nuclear-powered
ship 12300 cruises
optimally at a velocity V4, where V4 > V2. As in the case of container ship
12200 of FIG. 122, higher
cruising speed, together with the increased need to minimize wave resistance,
entails two major
architectural changes from ship 11800 to ship 12300
[0638] (1) Length. To moderate the Froude number of ship 12300 at increased
speed V4, the length L4
of ship 12300 is greater than the length L2 of ship 11800 of FIG. 118.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0639] (2) Bow. The ship 12300 combines increased length L4 with a bulbous bow
12310, which at
speed V4 reduces wave resistance more than would the rounded bow of the ship
11800 of FIG. 118. In
various other embodiments, other bow designs appropriate for higher speed are
incorporated, e.g., a
bow. The ship 12300 may be new built or may be retrofitted from a with nuclear
power and a bulbous
bow. The ship 12300, and various other embodiments, can also include friction-
reducing hull coatings,
air lubrication systems, and other measure to reduce viscous friction.
[0640] FIG. 124A is a schematic depiction, in partial top-down view and
partial side view, of portions
of a nuclear-powered ship 12400 according to an illustrative embodiment. It is
desirable that the
nuclear reactor (or more than one reactor) aboard a nuclear-powered or hybrid-
nuclear powered ship
be recoverable from the ship after it has sunk. In general, whether a sunken
vessel can be raised in one
piece depends on whether the vessel is structurally intact, its disposition
(upright, overturned, etc.),
whether it was heavily laden when it sank (e.g., with a bulk cargo such as
coal), and the depth of water
where it sank, among other factors: it is thus not always feasible to raise a
ship in its entirety. It is
therefore desirable that provisions be made for raising a portion of the
vessel that contains its nuclear
reactor or reactors. The vessel 12400 includes with illustrative provisions
for separating and raising a
portion 12402 (herein termed "the breakaway") of the vessel 12400, where the
breakaway 12402
contains the one or more nuclear reactors aboard the vessel 12400. In
particular, the vessel 12400
includes a designed breakage plane or tear plane 12404 which enables the
vessel 12400 to break into
two sections when subjected to certain shear and/or torque forces greater than
those which the vessel
12400 would normally be designed to withstand: that is, the breakage plane
12404 does not make the
vessel 12400 structurally weaker than it would be if conventionally designed.
In this illustrative case,
the breakage plane 12404 is just aft of the house or superstructure 12410 and
includes a set of tear
points, e.g., tear point 12406, that normally transmit force loads between the
breakaway 12402 and
the remainder 12408 of the vessel 12400. Moreover, the breakaway 12402
includes a number of
recessed hoist rings, e.g., hoist rings 12412, 12414, that are disposed upon
the hull of the breakaway
12402 in such a way that at least one hoist ring is exposed regardless of the
orientation of the vessel
12400 (e.g., upright, on its side) when lying on a surface. The hoist rings
are of sufficient strength,
and integrated sufficiently with the structure of the breakaway 12402, that
the breakaway 12402 can
be separated from the remainder 12408 by applying sufficient force to at least
one hoist ring. Other
separation techniques may include use of demolition agents (explosive and or
non-explosive) activated
at breakaway points. In an example, this demolition agent (or the like) may be
present on board the
vessel at all times, and in the rare event of vessel sinking, agent is
activated so the stern is forced to
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
'break way'. Once broken away, the stern may remain afloat if sufficiently
buoyant. However, if the
stern doesn't remain afloat, recovering it from the seabed can be simplified
due to it being separated
from the main hull. Recovery could be performed by cranes disposed above the
stern. In embodiments,
maintaining buoyancy may be achieved by automatically inflated air-bags. In
embodiments, recovery
may be aided by air bags attached to the sunken stern or lifting mechanisms
attached thereto. An
alternative approach for breakaway and recovery may include a non-explosive
demolition agent
distributed to the sunken hull and filled into the bulk head release points
via a non-explosive agent
injection port that when permitted to linger, would cause the breakaway points
to separate, allowing
the stern to be separated from the hull. The entire operation of non-explosive
agent distribution and
stern recovery could be performed by a lifting mechanism adapted with an agent
delivery system.
While a few exemplary breakaway examples are described, these are not meant to
be limiting. In
embodiments, other separation techniques may be applied including, without
limitation critical heat
flux (CHF) metal separation actions and the like.
[0641] FIG. 124B is a schematic depiction of a state of the vessel 12400
during an illustrative recovery
operation. The vessel 12400 has sunk and is resting on the sea floor 12416. In
this example, the vessel
12400 is loaded with cargo and too heavy to lift as a unit. Lifting cables
12418, 12420 have been
secured (e.g., robotically) to two hoist rings 12414, 12422. Sufficient
lifting force has been applied to
the cables 12418, 12420 to cause the tear points and other structural
attachments (e.g., external hull)
on the breakage plane 12404 to break, separating the breakaway 12402 from the
remainder 12408 and
enabling the breakaway 12402 to be lifted. The nuclear reactor or reactors in
the breakaway 12402 are
thus recovered.
[0642] FIG. 125A is a schematic depiction in side view of portions of a
nuclear-powered ship 12500
according to an illustrative embodiment, exemplifying an alternative
arrangement for recovering
nuclear reactors from a submerged vessel without recovering the vessel as a
unit. The vessel 12400 is
includes eight microreactors (e.g., microreactor 12502) housed within a
structure, herein termed "the
plug" 12504, which includes a portion of the external hull and can be
separated from the vessel 12500.
The plug 12504 has innate positive buoyancy. It is housed within a chamber or
structure herein termed
"the jack" (12506). The plug 12504 and jack 12506 are structurally connected
by a number of tear
points (e.g., tear point 12508). Also, the plug 12504 includes at least one
external hoist ring 12510.
The reactors housed within the plug 12504 are connected via fluid heat-
transfer loops with a power
unit or set of power units 12512, which delivers electrical power to an
electrical control system 12514,
which powers an electrical motor 12516, which turns a propeller shaft 12518
through a gear system
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
12520. Heat-transfer loops, electrical cables, and other structures that
bridge the gap between the plug
12504 and jack 12506 are designed, as are the break points that structurally
couple the plug 12504 and
jack 12506, to break or tear when subjected to sufficient shear, such shear
being by design significantly
greater than any that can be experienced during non-catastrophic operation of
the vessel 12500.
[0643] FIG. 125B is a schematic depiction of a state of the vessel 12500
during an illustrative recovery
operation. The vessel 12500 has sunk and is resting on the sea floor 12522.
Sufficient force has been
applied to the hoist ring 12510 to separate the plug 12504 from the jack
12506, enabling the plug
12504 to exit the jack 12506 and begin to rise to the surface, either by to
its own buoyancy or as lifted
by cable. The nuclear reactor or reactors in the plug 12504 are thus
recovered. In various other
illustrative embodiments, the plug 12504 is not necessarily extracted by
applying force to the hoist
ring 12510; rather, a mechanism included with the vessel 12500 (e.g.,
compressed gas, generated gas,
springs) ejects the plug 12504 automatically when the vessel 12500 sinks below
a predetermined
depth. In the latter example, upon separation from the vessel 12500, the plug
12504 ascends buoyantly
to the surface, deploys navigational safety markers, and wirelessly signals
its location.
[0644] It will be appreciated in light of the disclosure that many other
methods and systems can be
devised for separating a portion of a sunken or distressed ship that contains
nuclear reactors, enabling
recovery of the reactors whether the ship as a whole is recoverable or not.
These include methods
which enable the extraction of reactors individually from a ship, rather than
as part of a breakaway or
plug. All such methods and systems are contemplated and within the scope of
the present disclosure.
[0645] It will be appreciated in light of the disclosure from the illustrative
systems of the Figures that
a diversity of energy-intensive industrial, computational, and other
enterprises may be advantageously
co-located, either by flotation or founded upon the seabed on staged pilings
or using other techniques,
with underwater generating facilities according to various embodiments. All
such embodiments are
contemplated and within the scope of the present disclosure.
A. Remotely located power system
[0646] In embodiments, a nuclear-powered vessel may be configured with an
electric motor that may
provide primary propulsion power for the vessel. The electric motor may be
powered from a
microreactor, such as an HPM and the like that may integrate a reactor and
power conversion to
produce electricity. A source of electrical power in the vessel may be located
proximal to the electric
motor or may be located elsewhere and connected through a conventional high
power electrical cable.
This may enable location of the electrical power generation for the vessel
(e.g., a microreactor) remote
from the electric motor. Without a requirement that the electricity generating
system be collocated
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
with the electric motor, location of, for example, a microreactor may be
determined by other factors,
such as accessibility for installation, service, or replacement, allocation of
portions of a cargo hold for
large cargo items, ballasting requirements for an upcoming shipping route,
anticipated location of a
port-based structure for accessing the microreactor, general safety and other
factors.
106471 FIG. 126 depicts embodiments of a microreactor powered vessel with
variable positioning of
one or more micro reactors and/or microreactor cassettes (MRCs) as determined
by the one or more
vessel-impacting factors for reactor placement described herein. A base
configuration for the vessel
12600 in FIG. 126 may include an engine room 12602 containing an electric
motor 12606 for driving
a propulsion shaft/propeller and a backup motor 12606, such as an ammonia gas
turbine and the like.
The engine room 12602 may include one or more electrical hook-ups 12610 to
which the motor 12606
may be connected for receiving electrical power. The extent of the engine room
12602 may be based
on propulsion engine equipment size and service accessibility needs rather
than on electrical
generation equipment size and the like. This may result in a smaller engine
room 12602 than
conventionally required.
106481 Engine room electrical hookup 12610 may be connected to an electrical
power supply line
12604 that extends from the engine room 12602 to an on-vessel electrical power
generating system,
such as a microreactor and the like. In embodiments, a microreactor or a
plurality of microreactors
disposed in a microreactor cassette 12612 may comprise the electrical power
generation system for
the vessel. Location of this cassette 12612 may be based on a range of
factors, described herein, that
may determine positioning the power generation system proximally 12608 to the
engine room 12602
(e.g., the cargo compartments are reserved for use during transport, such as
on an out-bound leg of a
vessel route). The power system may be positioned in a compaiiment that
facilitates more efficient
access to the microreactor for off-vessel movement. The power system may be
moved, such as through
the use of cargo lifting cranes and the like from the first position 12608 to
a second position 12608'
for satisfying a second leg of a route and the like. The power system may also
be disposed in an
alternate portion 12608" of the vessel, e.g., for a substantially empty return
route to ensure proper
ballasting and weight distribution for unloaded and/or lightly loaded vessels.
The electrical conduit
12604 may be constructed to facilitate safe, efficient connection between the
microreactor cassette
12612 and the engine room 12602, for a range of installation locations on the
vessel. Further, because
the nuclear-based power generation systems described herein may utilize low
enriched uranium (e.g.,
HALEU and the like) anti-contamination measures may be separated from the
vessel and assumed by
the nuclear reactor enclosure, such as an MRC and the like described herein.
Use of non-military
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
enriched uranium with the microreactors and other nuclear power generation
systems described herein
may further simplify vessel power generation system positioning due to the
reduced nuclear
contamination risks associated therewith.
[0649] In addition to positioning an entire electrical energy generating
system variably in a vessel,
when multiple systems are in use, one or more of the systems can be disposed
distal from another.
This may be beneficial for weight distribution and the like. In an example, a
vessel that is powered by
three microreactors may be configured for a portion of a route with the first
of the three reactors
disposed at location 12608, a second may be disposed at location 12608' and a
third may be disposed
at location 12608"; thereby distributing the weight of the three reactors
across a plurality of portions
of the vessel.
[0650] In embodiments, vessels may be configured without a backup source of
power generation (e.g.,
a single microreactor, or a cassette with multiple inter-operated reactors
without a viable backup or
without an alternate power generation source, such as turbine and the like).
When such a vessel
encounters power plant trouble or other conditions that necessitate shutting
down the reactor, the
.. vessel conventionally would need to be tugged to a safe harbor. However,
rather than sending one or
more manually operated tugs to retrieve the power-less vessel, a self-powered,
self-propelled,
autonomous (and/or human operation assisted) nuclear power generation vessel
may be dispatched to
the disabled vessel. Such an autonomous nuclear power generation vessel may
engage with the
disabled vessel to provide electricity for powering the vessel, including the
propulsion system and the
.. like. One or more such autonomous nuclear power generation vessels may be
positioned at points
along various routes or disposed at seaports and respond to calls for
assistance from vessels with
disabled nuclear power systems. The autonomous nuclear power generation vessel
may alternatively
be configured without a propulsion system. In such a scenario, the power
generation vessel (e.g.,
effectively a nuclear power plant barge) may be towed to the disabled vessel
and engaged therewith
for providing power to the disabled vessel that may tow the barge using the
power provided by the
barge to energize the propulsion system of the otherwise disabled vessel.
VII. Ammonia Production
[0651] FIG. 127A is a schematic depiction of portions of microreactor-powered
pathway or system
for synthesis of ammonia as a maritime energy carrier according to
illustrative embodiments. The
pathway includes two main phases, fuel production and fuel distribution. Fuel
production begins with
the generation by a microreactor 12700 of heat (e.g., 2 MWth at 750 C). This
heat is partly converted
to electricity 12704 by a power conversion system 12706 (e.g., a steam turbine
and generator) and is
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
partly utilized as process heat for a Haber-Bosch process 12708 that combines
H2 and atmospheric N2
to produce ammonia (NH3). The H2 for the Haber-Bosch process is produced by an
electrolysis system
12710 which cracks water to produce H2 and 02. Ammonia from the Haber-Bosch
process step is
stored (e.g., as anhydrous ammonia at ¨33 C, 1 atm) in a refrigerated,
pressurized tanking facility
12712. Electricity from the power conversion system 12706 is used to power
refrigeration for
ammonia storage. Fuel distribution begins with transfer or transportation
12714 of NH3 from its
original storage facility 12712. Transportation may be by pipeline, tanker
truck, tanker vessel, or any
other standard method for transporting liquid in bulk. The NH3 is delivered to
a bunkering facility
12716, e.g., at a major port. Additionally or alternatively, the original
storage facility 12712 can itself
be a bunkering facility. From the bunkering facility 12716, ammonia is
transferred to the fuel tanks
12718 of one or more maritime vessels, e.g., container ships or bulk carriers,
there to serve either as a
primary or complementary source of low-carbon energy.
[0652] A single microreactor 12700 is depicted in FIG. 127A, but it will be
appreciated in light of the
disclosure that any number of microreactors greater than one are also
contemplated. Indeed, an
advantage of various embodiments is that microreactors innately permit the
modular or incremental
addition (or subtraction) of power in relatively small units, e.g., several
megawatts, to scale power
supply with overall installation capacity, whether the latter is fixed or
changing over time.
Additionally, microreactors may be configured for civil deployment and
therefore may operate with
low enrichment uranium, such as HALEU-type fuels with enrichments below 20%.
[0653] FIG. 127B is a schematic depiction of portions of another microreactor-
powered pathway or
system for synthesis of ammonia as a maritime energy carrier according to
illustrative embodiments.
The system of FIG. 127B is similar to that of FIG. 127A, only H2 is not
produced by an electrolysis
system but by a thermochemical cycle powered by heat directly from the
microreactor 12700. Many
different thermochemical cycles are capable of producing H2 such as the US
Depaiiment of Energy
states ("Nuclear Hydrogen R&D Plan," DOE, March 2004) that thermochemical
cycles produce
hydrogen through a series of chemical reactions where the net result is the
production of hydrogen and
oxygen from water at much lower temperatures than direct thermal
decomposition. Energy is supplied
as heat in the temperature range necessary to drive the endothermic reactions,
generally 750 to 1,000
degrees or higher. All process chemicals in the system are fully recycled. The
advantages of
thermochemical cycles are generally considered to be high projected
efficiencies, on the order of 50%
or more (compared to ¨25% for electrolysis), and attractive scaling
characteristics for large-scale
applications. Doubling the energetic efficiency of hydrogen manufacture using
process heat from a
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
nuclear power source decreases complexity and increases cost-effectiveness of
the nuclear power
source: for a given quantity of fuel energy output, a system such as that of
FIG. 127B will require
about half as much nuclear power (e.g., a smaller microreactor, or a smaller
cluster of microreactors)
than the system of FIG. 127A.
[0654] The system of FIG. 127B will still consume some electricity, e.g., for
pumps, infrastructure,
and refrigeration. Electricity may be obtained from a power-conversion system
driven by heat from
the microreactor 12700, or from a grid, or from one or more microreactors
partly or wholly dedicated
to generating electricity, or batteries, or alternative or complementary
mechanisms (e.g., solar and/or
wind power finned by storage). Engineering economics and factors such as
location (e.g., far offshore
vs. near a developed port) will in practice dictate the electricity source or
sources used for a system
such as that of FIG. 127B. There is no restriction to using (or not using)
heat from the microreactor
12700 that drives the ammonia synthesis process to generate electricity for
use in the system of FIG.
127B or in other embodiments.
[0655] It will also be clear that the systems of FIG. 127A and FIG. 127B can
be readily adapted for
carriage aboard a vessel, e.g., by omitting transportation and bunkering or
considering these steps as
internal to the vessel. In such illustrative embodiments, produced ammonia may
be simply stored on
board for delivery to a customer (e.g., another vessel, or a bunkering
facility, or a land-based power
plant). Additionally or alternatively, ammonia produced on board a vessel can
be used by the vessel
as a primary or supplementary fuel. In embodiments, the methods and systems
described herein for
producing and/or controlling production of ammonia may be used to produce and
control the
production of hydrogen, optionally as part of the ammonia production process.
Hydrogen (H2) forms
a base for ammonia, and itself represents a valuable natural resource for
energy generation. Therefore,
the methods and systems for ammonia generation, use, distribution, storage,
and the like could further
include hydrogen as a supplemental produced good.
[0656] FIG. 128 is a schematic depiction, according to an illustrative example
of the prior art, for the
use of NH3 as a propulsive fuel for a vessel. NH3 can be stored in a tank
12800 (in an example, the
storage facility 12712 of FIG. 127A). NH3 is fed to a solid oxide fuel cell
(SOFC) 12802 and to a
cracker 12804. The SOFC produces electrical energy directly from the NH3 as
well as H20 and N2 as
harmless exhaust products. The waste heat output of the SOFC is directed to
the cracker 12804, which
uses it to produce H2 and N2 (the latter as an exhaust product). The H2 from
the cracker is fed to a
proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) 12806, which produces electrical
energy and H20 (the
latter as an exhaust product). Electrical energy from the SOFC and PEMFC is
directed to a switchboard
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
or electrical control system 12808, from whence it is conducted via busbar
12810 to an electric motor
12812 that produces rotary mechanical energy to drive a shaft and propeller.
Electricity from the
PEMFC and/or SOFC can be used to supply various needs of the system and vessel
infrastructure
including pumps, refrigeration, lighting, and the like. Typically, batteries
will be charged from the
switchboard 12808 to supply power for cold start of the SOFC 12802, cracker
12804, and SOFC
12806.
[0657] It will be appreciated in light of the disclosure that many other
systems and methods for using
NH3 as a maritime fuel are possible according to the prior art, including
burning NH3 in an internal
combustion engine. Various embodiments of the present disclosure include the
system of FIG. 128, or
a version thereof, while various other embodiments include other systems for
extracting energy from
NH3 for propulsion and other purposes. There is no restriction to the use of
any particular method of
extracting energy from NH3 or applying that energy to vessel propulsion.
[0658] FIG. 129 is a schematic top-down depiction of portions of a system
using nuclear power to
produce NH3 on board a vessel as a propulsive fuel according to illustrative
embodiments. On the stern
portion of the vessel is depicted. A microreactor 12900 produces heat that
12902 that is drives a
thermochemical reactor 12904 which produces H2 12906 from H20. In FIG. 129,
the heat-exchange
mechanism that transfers heat from the microreactor 12900 to the
thermochemical reactor 12904 is
signified as an arrow but in practice will typically include a secondary fluid
loop, a heat exchanger,
pumps, and other components. The H2 12906 is supplied to a Haber-Bosch process
12908 along with
heat 12902 from the microreactor 12900. Ammonia 12910 from the Haber-Bosch
process is conveyed
to a refrigerated and/or pressurized storage tank (or tanks) 12912. As needed,
ammonia 12914 from
the tanked supply is conveyed to an internal combustion engine 12916 (e.g., a
low-speed two-stroke
marine diesel engine) whose shaft 12918 interfaces with a reduction gear
system 12920 which in turn
turns a propeller shaft 12922 and propeller 12924. An electrical power system,
in various
embodiments, includes electrical power generated by a second internal
combustion engine that burns
ammonia and/or another fuel, by one or fuel cells reacting ammonia and/or
hydrogen derived from
ammonia, by a power-conversion system utilizing heat from the microreactor
12900, or by other
systems. All such variations are contemplated. Also, there is no restriction
to the use of a
thermochemical reactor 12904 for producing H2; other methods, e.g.,
electrolysis, are also
contemplated, in this and other embodiments. Also, various embodiments that
omit the onboard
nuclear microreactor 12900 and ammonia-manufacturing systems 12906, 12908 are
contemplated: the
ammonia tanked aboard an ammonia-powered vessel may be manufactured aboard
another vessel
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
using power from microreactors, or aboard an offshore platform or in a land-
based facility using power
from microreactors, as disclosed herein.
[0659] FIG. 130 is a schematic top-view depiction of portions of another
system using nuclear power
to produce NH3 on board a vessel as a propulsive fuel according to
illustrative embodiments. A
microreactor 13000 produces heat that 13002 that is drives a thermochemical
reactor 13004 which
produces H2 13006 from H20. In FIG. 130, as in FIG. 129, the heat-exchange
mechanism that transfers
heat from the microreactor 13000 to the thermochemical reactor 13004 is
signified, for example, as an
arrow. The H2 13006 is supplied to a Haber-Bosch process 13008 along with heat
13002 from the
microreactor 13000. Ammonia 13010 from the Haber-Bosch process is conveyed to
a refrigerated
and/or pressurized storage tank (or tanks) 13012. As needed, ammonia 13014
from the tanked supply
is conveyed to an internal combustion engine 13016 (e.g., a low-speed two-
stroke marine diesel
engine) whose shaft 13018 interfaces with a reduction gear system 13020 which
in turn turns a
propeller shaft 13022 and propeller 13024. Electrical power is generated by a
power-conversion
system 13026 utilizing heat 13002 from the microreactor 13000. Electrical
power from the conversion
system 13026 is conveyed to an electrical control system 13028. Some power
13030 is conveyed from
the electrical control system 13028 to a number of loads, including batteries
which can also supply
power to the electrical control system 13028. Other power 13032 is conveyed
from the electrical
control system 13028 to an electric motor 13034, whose shaft 13036 interfaces
with a reduction gear
system 13038 which in turn interfaces with the primary gear system 13020.
Thus, the ship may be
maneuvered using electrical power from the conversion system 13026 or from
batteries, without using
the internal combustion engine 13016. Additionally or alternatively, ammonia
from storage 13012 can
be reacted in one or more fuel cells, or burned in one or more additional
internal-combustion engines,
to produce electrical and/or mechanical power to supply electrical loads of
the vessel. All such
variations are contemplated.
[0660] FIG. 131 is a schematic depiction of portions of another system using
nuclear power to produce
NH3 on board a vessel as a propulsive fuel according to illustrative
embodiment. A microreactor 13100
produces heat that 13102 that is drives a thermochemical reactor 13104 which
produces H2 13106
from H20. In FIG. 131, as in FIG. 129 and FIG. 130, the heat-exchange
mechanism that transfers heat
from the microreactor 13100 to the thermochemical reactor 13104 is signified,
for example, as an
arrow. The H2 13106 is supplied to a Haber-Bosch process 13108 along with heat
13102 from the
microreactor 13100. Ammonia 13110 from the Haber-Bosch process is conveyed to
a refrigerated
and/or pressurized storage tank (or tanks) 13112. As needed, ammonia 13114
from the tanked supply
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
is conveyed to a fuel-cell system 13116 which produces electricity 13118. The
fuel-cell system 13116
may contain one or more fuel cells of one or more types: in an example, it
resembles the fuel-cell
system of FIG. 128. Electrical power is also generated by a power-conversion
system 13120 utilizing
heat 13102 from the microreactor 13100. Electrical power from the fuel-cell
system 13116 and the
conversion system 13120 is conveyed to an electrical control system 13122.
Some power 13124 is
conveyed from the electrical control system 13122 to a number of loads,
including batteries which can
also supply power to the electrical control system 13122. Other power 13126 is
conveyed from the
electrical control system 13122 to an electric motor 13128, whose shaft 13130
interfaces with a
reduction gear system 13132 which in turn turns a propeller shaft 13134 and
propeller 13136.
.. [0661] The use of nuclear microreactors as a source of primary or
supplemental energy for vessels
using ammonia as an energy carrier, as in the illustrative embodiments FIG.
129, FIG. 130, and FIG.
131 and in various other embodiments, offers several advantages over the prior
art. One advantage
pertains to the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) for new ships, a legally
binding climate-change
standard of the IMO that promotes the use of more energy-efficient (less
polluting) equipment and
engines. The EEDI standard was mandated by the adoption of amendments to
MARPOL Anne VI
(resolution MEPC.12803x(62)) in 2011. EEDI specifies maximum CO2 emissions per
capacity mile
(e.g., per ton-mile), varying with ship type and size. Since January 1, 2013,
following an initial two-
year phase zero, some new ships¨including all large commercial vessels
propelled by fuel oil¨have
to meet the EEDI threshold for their type. The threshold is decreased is
incrementally every five years.
[0662] EEDI can be expressed or approximated by a number of formulae that vary
in complexity, but
in essence specifies an upper limit on grams of CO2 emitted per tonne-mile.
For example, a fuel-
burning ship's EEDI can be reduced (within limits) by slowing the ship,
reducing emissions per tonne
mile. In another example, a ship's EEDI at a given speed can be reduced (e.g.,
compared to what its
EEDI would be using 100% fuel-oil power) by powering the ship partly or wholly
with a lower-carbon
source, such as wind, natural gas, or nuclear power.
[0663] Herein, a vessel is said to have a hybrid-nuclear power system if the
ship derives part of its
power from a conventional source (e.g., diesel fuel) and part from a nuclear
source, for example using
a nuclear-ammonia system such as that depicted in FIG. 129, FIG. 130, or FIG.
131 or as included
with various other embodiments. If the power PF that a hybrid-nuclear vessel
derives from combusting
fossil fuel is a fraction A (0 < A < 1) of the vessel's total power Ptotal,
and the power the vessel
derives from nuclear power (through a traditional power-conversion system, via
ammonia as an energy
carrier, or both) is PN, then P
- total = APF + (1 ¨ A)PN. In general, a vessel's EEDI for a given Ptotal
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
(e.g., at a given speed) is directly proportional to PF. Therefore, assuming
comparable lading and
other relevant conditions, a ship with a hybrid-nuclear power system will have
a lower EEDI at any
given speed then the same vessel powered entirely by combusting a fuel. A ship
powered entirely by
nuclear power will have an EEDI of zero. Thus, reduced EEDI is a realized by
various embodiments
of the present disclosure whenever the nuclear portion of a hybrid-nuclear
power system is supplying
significant fraction of ship's power.
[0664] Moreover, wherever power for long-distance steaming is wholly or partly
(i.e., except for a
fixed quantity of conventionally generated power) derived from the nuclear
portion of a hybrid-nuclear
power system, vessel speed and pollutive emissions can be independent of each
other: That is, if the
conventional portion of a ship's power supply is fixed, then up to the ship's
maximum viable operating
speed, no more CO2 or other pollution is emitted at any one speed than at any
other. Emissions-related
constraints on speed become irrelevant.
[0665] Other advantages arise from the relaxation by various embodiments on
vessel refueling
constraints. Microreactors are typically designed to run on a fuel load
without refueling or other major
service for some number of years, e.g., 5 years. At or near the end of this
time, the microreactor must
be refueled and maintained or replaced. In an illustrative operating
procedure, the microreactor 12900
of FIG. 129 supplies power from the time of its installation until 5 years
have passed. The vessel
including the system then makes a scheduled service stop at a port equipped to
extract the microreactor
12900, or rendezvouses at sea with a vessel or platform equipped to do so, and
delivers it to a facility
or network of facilities where it is either decommissioned or refueled and its
partially spent fuel is
reprocessed and/or sequestered, e.g., geologically sequestered. Meanwhile, a
fresh, newly fueled
reactor is installed in the vessel and it is free to operate without further
refueling for another 5 years.
The architecture of the vessel includes provisions, e.g., a removable upper
section, that facilitate access
to the portion of the ship containing the microreactor. It is thus an
advantage of various embodiments
that vessels need no refueling between reactor replacement events.
[0666] Other advantages arise from the effect of embodiments on relaxing
operational constraints.
E.g., in all the illustrative embodiments of FIG. 129, FIG. 130, and FIG. 131,
ammonia manufactured
and stored on aboard the vessel is not inherently restricted to use aboard the
vessel. A vessel including
one of these illustrative embodiments, or one of a number of other possible
embodiments, may produce
more ammonia than it requires for its own use. In an example, the vessel is a
tanker or bulk carrier
making a return journey after delivering cargo. It is common for such a vessel
making such a journey
to be ballasted with seawater and to carry no profitable cargo: all costs
associated with its return
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
journey and with the effective idleness of the vessel are thus overhead, and
to minimize them, such a
vessel on such a journey typically steams at higher speed. However, in this
class of examples, a tanker
or bulk carrier includes a microreactor-powered system for manufacturing
ammonia. Moreover, the
microreactor-powered system is sized to produce more power than is needed to
propel and otherwise
serve the needs of the vessel. Thus, on its otherwise profitless return
journey, the vessel can
manufacture and store a surplus of ammonia. The amount of ammonia produced on
such a journey is
constrained by available surplus power from the microreactor system,
throughput of the ammonia-
production system, ammonia consumption aboard ship during the journey, the
duration of the journey,
and tank space. In embodiments, tankage is sized to allow production of
ammonia at a steady maximal
rate during the whole voyage. Ammonia thus produced can either be delivered to
a bunkering facility
at the port of arrival, or transferred to other ships at the port of arrival,
or transferred to other ships at
sea or to other recipients. Transfer to consumers while at sea would not only
allow the production of
more ammonia aboard a producer ship than its tankage would otherwise permit,
but would allow
receiver ships to journey farther without visiting a bunkering facility than
would otherwise be feasible.
.. Also, the power capacity of a microreactor-powered ship can be adjusted
upward or downward in units
of (typically) several megawatts by installing or removing microreactors
therefrom. Also, a vessel
engaged in producing ammonia on its return journey might, depending on the
details of its particular
operational economics, be profitably operated at a lower speed than a vessel
merely returning for a
new cargo, and this may allow energy capacity savings that can be profitably
diverted to the further
production of ammonia. It will be appreciated in light of the disclosure that
these and other
opportunities for increased operational efficiency, not only of individual
vessels, but of fleets of
vessels, are offered by various embodiments.
[0667] It will be appreciated in light of the disclosure that a ship including
a microreactor-powered
system for manufacturing ammonia may be designed and operated primarily as a
mobile oceangoing
ammonia maker and deliverer, not only fueling itself but rendezvousing with
other ships (e.g., along
frequented routes) and transferring fuel to them. Ammonia can also be
delivered to facilities such as
fossil-fuel extraction platforms, offshore mining operations, sea-floor mining
operations, and similar
remotely located consumers of large amounts of energy. Because microreactors
typically run for 5 or
more years on a single fuel load, an ammonia-factory vessel could remain at
sea for years without
detouring to a port except for maintenance, meanwhile obtaining supplies and
rotating crew via vessels
other facilities with which it rendezvouses and to some of which it transfers
fuel.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0668] Moreover, there is no restriction to ordinary mobile vessels. FIGS.
132A and 132B are
schematic top-down depictions of portions of an offshore bunkering platform
13200 including a
microreactor-powered system for manufacturing ammonia according to an
illustrative embodiment.
The embodiments of FIG. 132B further include an offshore distribution center
13230 for commodities
and other goods. The platform 13200 may be a fixed platform standing on the
sea floor, an anchored
floating platform, a mobile floating platform that usually maintains a fixed
position at sea by active
propulsion and can be occasionally towed or self-propelled to a new location,
or a littoral installation.
The platform 13200 includes a microreactor set 13202 including one or more
microreactors that
produce heat 13204 that drives a thermochemical reactor set 13206 that
produces H2 13208 from H20.
Along with heat 13204 from the microreactor set 13202, the H2 13208 is
supplied to a Haber-Bosch
process 13210. Ammonia 13212 from the Haber-Bosch process is conveyed to
refrigerated and/or
pressurized storage tankage 13214 for bunkering. Vessels (e.g., vessel 13216)
in need of fuel, or tasked
to transfer ammonia in bulk from the platform 13200 to some destination,
obtain ammonia 13212 from
the tanks 13214 via fueling lines 13218. Heat 13204 from the microreactor set
13202 is also directed
to an energy conversion system 13220 that produces electricity 13222 which is
directed to an electrical
control system 13226 and then to various loads aboard the preference, as for
example batteries, pumps,
lighting, chillers, and the like. The platform 13200 will typically include
many systems and structures
such as seawater purification gear, crew quarters, emergency gear, propulsion
and stabilization
systems, telecommunications systems, helicopter reception and refueling
facilities, etc.
[0669] In another illustrative embodiment, a fossil-fuel extraction platform
includes a microreactor-
powered ammonia production system similar to that depicted in FIGS. 132A and
B. It will be
appreciated in light of the disclosure that a microreactor-powered ammonia
production system
according to various embodiments can be associated with any maritime facility,
vessel, platform, or
installation. The bunkering platform 13200 may be combined with one or more
offshore distribution-
.. type centers 13230, such as for facilitating distribution of goods,
commodities, and the like via vessel
13216. Electricity, heat, ammonia and other sources of energy supplied by
and/or accessible by the
bunkering platform 13200 may be supplied to the distribution center 13230 for
operation of
distribution and/or goods and commodity storage and handling functions,
including without limitation
vessel 13016 loading and unloading and the like.
[0670] FIG. 133 is a schematic depiction of the use of a platform such as
platform 13200 of FIG. 132
to achieve certain operational advantages according to an illustrative
embodiment. In this simplified
example, vessels normally ply a back-and-forth route (Route A) between two
ports 13300, 13302
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
located on different landmasses 13304, 13306. When in need of fuel, however,
ships must visit a
bunkering facility 13308 on a third landmass 13310. Ships must therefore
detour from route A, taking
a route including paths B and C (Route B+C). Such detours are, in fact, made
by thousands of vessels
according to the present practices of the global shipping industry. However,
if an offshore
microreactor-powered, ammonia-manufacturing bunkering platform 13312 (e.g.,
one similar to that of
FIG. 132) is stationed along Route A, a vessel 13314 can refuel mid-journey
along Route A, obviating
a journey along Route B+C. Although in this simple example it would be equally
effective to locate
the microreactor-powered bunkering platform 13312 at either end of Route A,
given the far more
complex routing realities of global shipping, it is advantageous that the
platform can be located at any
point in international waters, e.g., a point serving multiple routes that
intersect or approximately
intersect at that point, or that minimizes detours for additional routes, or
that can be changed to adapt
to changing shipping patterns. Moreover, many ports forbid the operation of
nuclear reactors in their
vicinity, whereas the platform 13312 can be located in international waters.
These and other
operational advantages arising from the embodiments herein will be clear to a
person familiar with the
art of transportation management optimization.
[0671] Moreover, the energetic production capacity of a platform 13200, or
other platforms and
vessels according to various embodiments, can be adjusted upward or downward
according to need,
within limits, by adding or removing modular microreactors. There is therefore
no need for significant
amounts of capacity to sit idle when demand is low, as there would be, for
example, if a unit such as
platform 13200 were powered by a single, large nuclear reactor or by some
other single, large power
source. As is known, conventionally propelled vessels require significant
storage (tank) capacity for
bunker fuel for conventional engines. In embodiments, a significant amount of
space frees up when
integrating a nuclear power source from areas where bunker fuel was stored in
previous designs. In
that, various instrumentation and control systems as well as other equipment
may be accommodated
in that space. In some examples, alignment of the Conex-II systems does not
need to be in immediate
proximity to the MRC.
A. Ammonia generation based on external factors
[0672] Vessel-based ammonia generation may be influenced by external factors,
such as external
demand for ammonia from other vessels. In embodiments, a vessel-based ammonia
production system
may generate and store ammonia for use by another vessel. The generation of
ammonia may be
controlled by a combination of on-vessel control logic and external, such as
centralized or distributed,
control logic that assesses and anticipates ammonia demand for vessels, ocean-
based platforms, and
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
the like. As an example, a vessel that is constructed and capable of producing
and/or storing ammonia
(e.g., a microreactor-powered vessel) travelling along a route that brings the
vessel proximal to an
ocean-based platform or another vessel and the like that uses ammonia as a
source of energy may have
its ammonia generation system controlled at least in part to generate ammonia
for transfer to the
proximal platform or vessel. Control of the ammonia production may be based on
an anticipated time
to transfer (e.g., how many hours/days until the ammonia producing vessel is
in position to transfer its
generated ammonia), a demand for nuclear-based energy for use by the ammonia
producing vessel for
operations other than ammonia production, an amount of stored ammonia on the
ammonia producing
vessel, an overall ammonia storage capacity of the vessel, an
anticipated/predicted demand for
ammonia by the ammonia producing vessel, and the like. In an example, an
ammonia generation and
consumption capable vessel may be transporting bulk material to a first
destination port. Regulations
at the first destination port may require disabling all nuclear reactors
onboard the vessel prior to
entering the first port. Therefore, the vessel will need to have available
sufficient ammonia to power
the vessel while in the first port. This ammonia demand for use in association
with the first port is
estimated and added to a total on-vessel ammonia production plan. The on-
vessel ammonia production
control system receives a request for ammonia delivery for an ocean-based
platform disposed proximal
to a route for the vessel from the first port to a second port. The request
may be generated by an
ammonia production control system that facilitates ammonia production and
delivery throughout a set
of vessel routes and the like. The amount of ammonia requested is processed
along with vessel energy
demands (e.g., nuclear and/or ammonia) to determine a portion of the requested
ammonia delivery to
be provided by the vessel (ammonia delivery commitment amount). When the
vessel departs the first
port it can resume production of ammonia by activating its nuclear power
systems. The vessel energy
production and demand management system may work collaboratively with a
navigation system and
delivery schedule facility to determine when to start generating the ammonia
delivery commitment.
Because energy diverted to ammonia production cannot be used for other vessel
energy demands, such
as propulsion, an impact on delivery schedule (e.g., arrival time at the ocean-
based platform and arrival
at the second port) is calculated and adjustments to energy production are
made. As an example, if the
time to reaching the ocean-based platform for ammonia delivery is X hours from
departing the first
port, sufficient nuclear energy may be diverted from use in propulsion to
generate the committed
ammonia amount in less than X hours. To make up for any slow down along the
route from the first
port to the ammonia delivery location resulting from diverting nuclear energy
from vessel propulsion,
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
the vessel may be operated at a higher speed during the remainder of the route
to the second port than
would otherwise have been necessary if the ammonia delivery commitment were
not required.
[0673] Because the ammonia delivery commitment amount may not be sufficient to
meet the ammonia
delivery request for the ocean-based platform, an additional ammonia producing
vessel may be
contacted to fulfill the remainder of the request.
[0674] In another example of off-vessel consumption of on-vessel produced
ammonia, a second vessel
travelling to the first port may be unable to divert energy from its nuclear
power system for ammonia
production. This may happen if the second vessel does not have ammonia
generating capabilities; if
the second vessel's ammonia generating capabilities are not working; if the
second vessel must devote
substantially all energy from its nuclear power system for propulsion; and the
like. A first vessel may
generate ammonia and engage the second vessel prior to it entering the first
port to transfer ammonia
to the second vessel for use as a power source while operating in the first
port.
[0675] Exemplary embodiments of a system for facilitating ammonia gas
generation for sharing
among vessels and other ammonia consumers are depicted in FIG. 134. An ammonia
gas generation
controller platform 13402 may be constructed to receive inputs from a
plurality of data sources 13406
including without limitation vessel master plan(s) for one or more vessels,
vessel(s) status and/or
schedule, such as vessel and power plant service and the like, nuclear reactor
regulations for a plurality
of ports, at least a portion of which are accessible by the vessel(s),
conditions at a plurality of port(s),
e.g., availability of micro reactor services, and the like. The ammonia gas
generation controller
platform 13402 may communicate with an ammonia demand collection circuit 13404
that may
communicate ammonia demand-related information electronically with a plurality
of vessels 13410
and a plurality of ocean-based facilities 13408. The ammonia demand collection
circuit 13404 may
process ammonia demand and/or request data received from the vessels 13410
and/or from the
structures 13408, optionally aggregating and adapting the received data based
on a set of demand
allocation criteria and the like. The optionally processed ammonia demand
and/or request data may be
forwarded to the controller 13402 where it may be further processed to, for
example, produce an
ammonia production and delivery plan, portions of which may be communicated to
some vessels
13410 and to some structures 13408. As an example, a production plan 13414 for
generating ammonia
by the vessels to meet the demand may include allocating the demand across
production capabilities
of some vessels. This portion of the plan may be communicated so that ammonia
generation
capabilities of the vessels 13410 may integrate the allocated portion of their
ammonia production
and/or storage capacity to meet the allocated demand. Likewise, a plan 13412
for meeting the demand
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
for ammonia by structures 13412 and/or vessels 13410 may be communicated.
Routes for vessels that
have been assigned to produce ammonia to meet a portion of the demand may be
automatically
changed to include collocating the ammonia supply (e.g., stored on a vessel)
and the ammonia
consumer (e.g., an ocean-based oil rig) for the purposes of transferring
ammonia there between. In
embodiments, ammonia storage systems may be constructed so that the entire
ammonia storage system
can be transferred (e.g., by conventional cargo transfer systems) from the
generation vessel to an
ammonia consuming structure. Optionally, an ammonia transfer vessel, itself
not necessarily capable
of producing ammonia from nuclear energy, may receive stored ammonia from an
ammonia producing
vessel for delivery to an off-route destination.
[0676] FIG. 135 depicts routes for a vessel and allocation of ammonia storage
capacity for the vessel
throughout a set of routes between seaports. An ammonia generation-capable
microreactor powered
vessel may be constructed with ammonia storage facility 13502. A portion 13504
of the storage facility
13502 may be allocated for ammonia gas to be consumed by the vessel when it
operates in nuclear
exclusion zone 13508. Operation of the vehicle between nuclear exclusion zone
13510 and exclusion
.. zone 13508 may be powered by an on-board microreactor, such as an HPM and
the like described
herein. In an example, the allocated ammonia portion 13504 may be generated
along the route 13506
from the first port in exclusion zone 13510 to a second port in exclusion zone
13508. In the example
of FIG. 135, the vessel may receive instructions to produce ammonia gas for
delivery to ammonia gas
consumer 13520, which may be a stationary structure, vessel, land port and the
like, when the vessel
.. is proximal to nuclear exclusion zone 13508. The portion to produce for
delivery may be represented
by ammonia storage portion 13512. This portion may be determined by an
allocation function that
identifies a portion to be reserved for operation of the vessel upon return to
the first port which is
inside nuclear exclusion zone 13510. Substantially the remainder of the
ammonia storage facility
13502 may be allocated for delivery. Another factor that comes into play when
determining the amount
of ammonia storage for delivery to be committed by the vessel is an estimate
of nuclear power that
can be diverted to generate ammonia once nuclear power is activated after the
vessel leaves exclusion
zone 13508. Factors to consider also include vessel energy demand required to
safely and timely
navigate from the second port to the gas consumer 13520 and further on to the
first port along route
13518. Yet other factors include an estimate of ammonia required for safe
operation within exclusion
.. zone 13510. Additionally, the rate of ammonia generation and the amount of
time along route 13516
between when ammonia generation can commence (e.g., after leaving exclusion
zone 13508) and
arrival at gas consumer 13520 also impacts an amount of ammonia to commit for
delivery to consumer
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
13520. With these factors taken into consideration, a vessel ammonia
generation plan is established
that dictates a commitment allocation of ammonia portion 13512 and a reserve
amount 13514. After
delivery of the committed ammonia to gas consumer 13520, the vessel may
produce an additional
amount of ammonia along the route 13518, such as an additional reserve 13522
beyond the amount
reserved 13514 for use while within exclusion zone 13510. However, if ensuring
that the vessel arrives
at the first port prevents diversion of nuclear power for ammonia production,
little or no additional
ammonia may be generated.
[0677] Besides Ammonia, fuel cells present alternative power generation
opportunities onboard the
vessel, e.g., in combination with a nuclear propulsion system. In embodiments,
electricity or process
heat generated by nuclear reactors may be used to generate hydrogen (H2) via
electrolysis or
thermolysis and stored onboard the vessel. If conditions require additional
power and/or require
nuclear power sources to be in shutdown mode, electricity may be generated via
a single or in parallel
running fuel cells, e.g., Proton-Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC). It will
be appreciated in
light of the disclosure that the storage of H2 in large amounts on board a
vessel may require highly
.. specialized H2 storage tanks given the well-known difficulties of
containing H2 which in turn may lead
to unfavorable economics.
[0678] To avoid the potential economic downside of the PEMFC, in some
examples, Direct
Borohydride Fuel Cells (DBFC) can be used and run on sodium borohydride
(NaBH4), an inorganic
solid compound. In the presence of a metal catalyst, sodium borohydride
releases hydrogen. Sodium
borohydride (NaBH4) hydrolysis can be shown to be an efficient way to store H2
because of its low
toxicity, controllable hydrogen generation process, and high hydrogen
capacity. In embodiments, the
hydrogen can be generated in a fuel cell system by catalytic decomposition of
the aqueous borohydride
solution.
[0679] NaBH4 +2 H20 ¨> NaB02 +4 H2 (AH <0)
[0680] If favorable and alternatively of using H2 in fuel cells, hydrogen gas
turbines may, in
embodiments, be used to generate electricity. In embodiments, there are
several ways to successfully
regenerate NaBH4 from sodium metaborate (NaB02). Depending on the amount of
reactor access
heat/thermal energy available onboard the vessel as well as depending on
process efficiency, sodium
borohydride may be regenerated, for example, by annealing magnesium hydrate
(MgH2) together with
the dehydrated byproduct sodium metaborate (NaB02) at ¨550 C. Sodium
borohydride may also be
regenerated, for example, by sourcing hydrogen from the hydrolysis byproduct
by ball milling Mg2Si
(reducing agent) and NaB02-4H20 mixtures at room temperature (within an inert
gas environment,
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
e.g., Argon) whereby the renewable hydrogen in the coordinated water in NaB02-
4H20 acts as the
sole hydrogen source and transforms to hydrogen¨ in NaBH during the ball
milling.
VIII. Defense of Nuclear Systems
[0681] FIGS. 136-174 illustrate some embodiments of methods, systems,
components, and the like
for responding to multifaceted threats to a marine PNP unit.
[0682] FIG. 136 is a relational block diagram depicting illustrative
constituent systems of a
prefabricated nuclear plant (PNP), also herein termed a Unit, and illustrative
associated systems that
interact with the Unit and each other. A Unit Deployment 13600 includes a Unit
Configuration 13602
and the associated systems with which the Unit Configuration directly
interacts via material and non-
material mechanisms. In the illustrative Unit Deployment 13600 of FIG. 136,
the associated systems
with which the Unit Deployment 13600 interacts are Operation 13604, Deployment
13606, Consumers
13608, and Environment 13610. Overlap of the boundaries of associated systems
13604, 13606,
13608, 13610 with the Unit Configuration is shown to indicate that the
Configuration 13602 and its
associated systems 13604, 13606, 13608, 13610 overlap in practice, and cannot
be meaningfully
considered in isolation from one another. The Unit Configuration 13602
includes Unit Integral Plant
13612, the primary constituent physical systems of the PNP; the Unit Integral
Plant 13612 is a supports
the operation of the PNP unit regardless of the particulars of the Unit
Deployment 13600. The Unit
Configuration 13602 incorporates the Unit Integral Plant into a form factor
suitable for a given Unit
Deployment 13600 scenario. In embodiments, the Unit Integral Plant 13612 is
designed, built,
assembled, and maintained as a structure of discrete physical modules, where
the sense of "module"
shall be clarified with reference to Figures herein. The Unit Integral Plant
in turn includes nuclear
power plant systems 13614, which produce energy from nuclear fuel and manage
nuclear materials
such as fuel and waste; power conversion plant systems 13616, by which energy
from the nuclear
power plant systems 13614 is, typically, converted to electricity; auxiliary
plant systems 13618, which
support the operation of the individual PNP unit; and marine systems 13620,
which enable the PNP to
subsist and function in a marine environment.
[0683] The associated systems 13604, 13606, 13608, 13610 interact with the
Unit Configuration via
Interface Systems 13622, 13624, 13626, 13628. In embodiments, the terms
"interface," "interface
system," and "interfacing system" may be understood to encompass, except where
context indicates
otherwise, one or more systems, services, components, processes, or the like
that facilitate interaction
or interconnection of systems within a PNP or between one or more systems of
the PNP with a system
that is external to the PNP, or between the PNP and associated systems, or
between systems associated
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
with a PNP. Interface Systems may include software interfaces (including user
interfaces for humans
and machine interfaces, such as application programming interfaces (APIs),
data interfaces, network
interfaces (including ports, gateways, connectors, bridges, switches, routers,
access points, and the
like), communications interfaces, fluid interfaces (such as valves, pipes,
conduits, hoses and the like),
thermal interfaces (such as for enabling movement of heat by radiation,
convection or the like),
electrical interfaces (such as wires, switches, plugs, connectors and many
others), structural interfaces
(such as connectors, fasteners, inter-locks, and many others), or legal and
fiscal interfaces (contracts,
loans, deeds, and many others). Thus, Interface Systems may include both
material and non-material
systems and methods. For example, the Interface System 13622 for interfacing
the Unit Configuration
13602 with Operation 13604 will include legal arrangements (e.g., deeds,
contracts); the Interface
system 13628 for interfacing the Unit Configuration 13602 with the Environment
13610 will include
material arrangements (e.g., tethers, tenders, sensor and warning systems,
buoyancy systems).
[0684] The Operation system 13604 includes Operators 13630 and Interface
Systems 13622; the
Deployment system 13606 includes Implementers 13632 (e.g., builders,
defenders, maintainers) and
Interface Systems 13624; the Consumers system includes Consumers 13634 and
Interface Systems
13626; and the Environment system includes the natural Physical Environment
13636 and Interface
Systems 13628. The physical environment for a PNP may be characterized by
various relevant aspects,
including topography (such as of the ocean floor or a coastline), seafloor
depth, wave height (typical
and extraordinary), tides, atmospheric conditions, climate, weather (typical
and extraordinary),
geology (including seismic and thermal activity and seafloor characteristics),
marine conditions (such
as marine life, water temperatures, salinity and the like), and many other
characteristics. Associated
systems may also be included with a unit deployment; stakeholders informing
the design, manufacture,
and operation of a PNP unit may include power consumers, owners, financiers,
insurers, regulators,
operators, manufacturers, maintainers (such as those providing supplies and
logistics), de-
commissioners, defense forces (public, private, military, etc.), and others.
Moreover, the systems
13604, 13606, 13608, 13610 interact with each other through one or more
additional Interface Systems
13638.
[0685] FIG. 137 is a schematic depiction of an illustrative manner in which
some of the Functions of
a PNP can in various embodiments be assigned to physical Forms, and of the
relationships of the
Functions and Forms so assigned to Integral, Accessory, and Associated
categories. In various
embodiments, a PNP Unit 13700 (double outline) includes one or more functional
Systems 13702,
which may include one or more Integral Systems 13704, Accessory Systems 13706,
and Associated
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
Systems ("systems associated with PNP unit fleet") 13708. In general, Integral
and Accessory Systems
are physically included with the PNP Unit 13700, while Associated Systems are
not. In embodiments,
the term "Accessory System" may be understood to encompass, except where
context indicates
otherwise, a secondary, supplementary or supporting system to help facilitate
a function.
[0686] The Systems 13702 may include one or more Plant Systems 13710. In
embodiments, the terms
"plant system" or "nuclear plant system" may be understood to encompass,
except where context
indicates otherwise, a system involved in the operation of a nuclear reactor,
the transport of heat, the
conversion and transmission of power, and the support of the normal operations
of the aforementioned.
[0687] In embodiments, PNP Systems 13702 may include one or more Marine
Systems 13712. In
embodiments, the term "marine system" may be understood to encompass, except
where context
indicates otherwise, a system associated with the function of the unit as a
marine vessel, including
navigation, stability, structural integrity, and accommodation of crew.
[0688] In embodiments, PNP Systems 13702 may include one or more Interface
Systems 13714.
Interface systems 13714 may include software interfaces (including user
interfaces for humans and
machine interfaces, such as application programming interfaces, data
interfaces, network interfaces
(including ports, gateways, connectors, bridges, switches, routers, access
points, and the like),
communications interfaces, fluid interfaces (such as valves, pipes, conduits,
hoses and the like),
thermal interfaces (such as for enabling movement of heat by radiation,
convection or the like),
electrical interfaces (such as wires, switches, plugs, connectors and many
others), structural interfaces
(such as connectors, fasteners, inter-locks, and many others), and others.
[0689] In embodiments, PNP Systems 13702 may include one or more Control
Systems 13716. In
embodiments, the term "control system" may be understood to encompass, except
where context
indicates otherwise, a system of devices or set of devices (including enabled
by various hardware,
software, electrical, data, and communications systems, that manages,
commands, directs or regulates
the behavior of other device(s) or system(s) to achieve desired results.
Control systems may include
various combinations of local and remote control systems, human-operated
control systems, machine-
based control systems, feedback-based control systems, feed-forward control
systems, autonomous
control systems, and others.
[0690] In embodiments, PNP Systems 13702 may include one or more Contingency
Systems 13718.
In embodiments, the terms "contingency system" or "emergency system" may be
understood to
encompass, except where context indicates otherwise, a system on or
interfacing with a PNP that
prevents, mitigates, or assists in recovery from accidents, which may include
design-basis accidents
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
(accidents that may occur within the normal operating activities of the PNP)
and beyond-design-basis
accidents and events, including both human initiated events (terrorism or
attacks), significant failure
of PNP facilities, environmental events (weather, seismic activity, and the
like) and "acts of God."
[0691] In embodiments, PNP Systems 13702 may include one or more Auxiliary
Systems 13720. In
embodiments, the term "auxiliary system" may be understood to encompass,
except where context
indicates otherwise, a system which, when included in or interfacing with a
PNP unit, tailors the unit
to operating in different deployment scenarios and/or that provides or enables
an accessory function
for the PNP (such as a function occurring episodically like maintenance,
refueling or repair that may
involve moving items around the PNP). Accessories may be related to the plant
functions, marine
functions, and contingency functions, among others. For example, an accessory
marine system could
improve the stability of the foundation of a seafloor mounted PNP or act as a
breakwater depending
on local wave conditions. An accessory plant system could provide an interface
for transport of
power/utility products or might use process heat to manufacture value-added
industrial products local
to the unit. An accessory system like a crane might be used to move units
around during refueling or
maintenance operations. These and many other accessory systems are encompassed
herein.
[0692] In embodiments, a PNP system may include one or more Associated Systems
13708. In
embodiments, the term "associated system" may be understood to encompass,
except where context
indicates otherwise, a system interfacing with a single unit or a fleet of PNP
units which performs a
function related to the design, configuration, awareness, defense, operation,
manufacturing, assembly,
and/or decommissioning of PNP units. In embodiments, this may include a system
that performs a
function that is not necessarily core to the operation of the PNP but that may
involve interaction with
a PNP, such as a weather prediction system, a tsunami or extreme-wave warning
system, a smart grid
system, an agricultural or industrial production system that uses power from
the PNP, a desalination
system, and many others.
.. [0693] In embodiments, a PNP system may also include Associated Vessels and
Facilities 13722 that
are associated with the system but are not inextricable physical portions of
it, e.g., tenders, crew
transports, fuel transports, vehicles of defensive forces, supply depots, on-
shore grid substations, and
many more.
[0694] As also indicated in FIG. 137, both the Integral and Accessory
components of a PNP Unit
13700, and the portions of various Systems physically included with a PNP Unit
13700, are, in various
embodiments, designed, constructed, and assembled as "modules" 13724, also
herein termed
"structural modules." Herein, a module is a standardized, discrete part,
component, or structural unit
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
that can be used to construct a more complex structure, with assembly
typically occurring in a
shipyard. Modules included with various embodiments are derived from
categories used in
shipbuilding, and include, among other units, Skids, Panels, Blocks, and
Megablocks. These terms
shall be clarified with reference to Figures herein. Systems (e.g., Marine
Systems 13712) may be
substantially confined to single modules, or distributed across multiple
modules; the terms "system"
and "module" are thus not interchangeable.
[0695] FIG. 138 is a schematic depiction of portions of an illustrative unit
configuration 13602 of FIG.
136 and of an illustrative deployment 13606. In particular, relationships are
depicted of defensive
systems and methods that include but are not limited to the systems and
methods discussed herein with
reference to the schema of FIG. 136. The unit configuration 13602 includes the
unit integral plant
13612 of FIG. 136; the unit integral plant 13612 includes internal defense
systems 13802, marine
systems 13804, auxiliary systems 13806, power conversion/generation plant
systems 13808, and
nuclear plant systems 13614. The unit configuration 13602 also includes
accessory defense systems
13810 and accessory defense modules 13812. The accessory defense systems 13810
in turn include
primary systems 13814 and auxiliary systems 13816. The accessory defense
systems 13810 and
modules 13812 are included both by the unit configuration 13602 and by the
associated defense
systems 13818 of the associated deployment 13606. The associated defense
systems 13818 include
onshore facilities 13820 (both primary 13822 and auxiliary 13824), offshore
facilities 13826 (both
primary 13828 and auxiliary 13830), defensive vehicular systems 13832 (both
primary 13834 and
auxiliary 13836) associated with one or more PNP units, and the accessory
defense systems 13810.
The accessory defense systems 13810 are modularized to be incorporated in a
PNP in its deployment
scenario and defense systems included with the unit integral plant 13612.
Accessory defense systems
13810 help other associated defense systems 13818 interface with PNP units.
Examples of primary
onshore facilities 13820 included with the associated defense systems 13818
include security
personnel housing, radars, perimeter detection devices, and facilities for
servicing drones; examples
of primary offshore defense facilities 13828 include barges, breakwaters,
buoys, and fencing. Host-
nation military aircraft and watercraft and PNP-stationed drones are examples
of primary defensive
vehicular systems 13832.
[0696] The associated defense systems 13818 also include defenders 13838.
Defenders 13838 include
organized groups of persons, with all their equipment and physical plant, that
in any manner defend
PNP units and parties servicing them. Defenders 13838 defend against both
violent threats such as
force attacks and against cyberattack, blackmail, bribery, and other non-force
attacks. Defenders
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
13838 include host-nation military and police forces 13840 and security
contractors 13842. Defense
agreements 13844 govern relationships and responsibilities between defenders
13838, operation
parties 13846 (e.g., subsidiary corporations, regulators, insurers, financers)
and deployment parties
13847 (e.g., those performing logistics, maintenance, fuel services,
operations, and other services
pertaining to PNP units). Defenders 13838 use defense systems whose functions
including detection,
identification, evaluation, and response. Local or onboard defenders will
preferentially delay attacker
access to the unit integral plant 13612 until a response can be coordinated
with external defense forces
(e.g., host military forces 13840), as opposed to continually maintaining the
capability to deal with
large threats onboard a PNP. Automation of primary defense systems 13814,
13822, 13828, 13834 is
a high priority, as will reduce staffing requirements for security on PNP
units¨a key economic
advantage for offshore operations, where personnel costs are very high
compared to terrestrial
operations.
[0697] All defensive activity takes place in a threat environment 13610 that
includes state actors 13848
and non-state actors 13850. Of note, not all threats are necessarily
deliberate: for example, out-of-
control vessels or aircraft, oil spills, and software errors may be as
threatening as deliberately guided
craft, chemical attacks, or cyberattacks. Herein, discussions of deliberate or
malicious attack should
be interpreted as including accidental or inadvertent threats, even where the
latter are not specified.
[0698] FIG. 139 is a schematic block diagram of defense systems 13900 for one
or more PNP units,
classified as primary systems 13902 and auxiliary systems 13904. Defense
systems 13900 are used by
defenders to defend PNP units and associated entities, as determined by the
defense agreements 13844
of FIG. 138. The primary defense systems 13902 perform functions that secure
zones in and around a
PNP unit: among the primary defense systems 13902 are systems for threat
detection and identification
13906, threat evaluation 13908, denial of access to the PNP and other
facilities 13910, direct response
13912 to threats, and command and coordination of defense 13914. The auxiliary
defense systems
13904 ensure proper provision of materiel and personnel to the primary defense
systems 13902: among
the auxiliary defense systems 13904 are systems for logistics support 13916,
personnel security 13918
(e.g., making sure that persons aboard a PNP are qualified to be there,
internal surveillance systems,
other internally directed defensive measures for human-mediated threats),
communications 13920, and
control and information technology 13922.
A. Multi-Faceted Threat Response
[0699] Embodiments include process elements for a threat response system that
addresses external
threats originating in three spatial zones (e.g., air, surface, subsurface),
internal threats and sabotage,
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
and cyber threats. This multi-faceted approach to secure and defend a PNP
includes the following
stages or aspects:
[0700] 1) Threat detection and identification. This includes the detection of
approaching agent and the
identification of whether the agent is a threat to PNP.
[0701] 2) Threat evaluation and determination of local response. The PNP
threat response system
establishes a tiered level of scaled response depending on the nature of the
detected agent or agents.
[0702] 3) On-platform and/or local response. Includes mechanisms to prevent an
intruder with or
without potential help by an adversary insider from gaining access to the PNP,
including cyberaccess.
[0703] 4) External response. Comprises external forces and mechanisms that
come to the assistance
of the plant security forces and mechanisms to prevent intruder force access
to the PNP and/or to gain
control of the PNP and its fissionable material.
[0704] FIG. 140 is a schematic depiction of a three-zone threat environment
14000 or threat taxonomy
to which various embodiments respond defensively in a multi-faceted manner. A
PNP 14002 is
stationed in a body of water 14004 and subject to general categories of
internal and external threat.
.. Internal threat possibilities include cyberattack 14006 and sabotage 14008.
Sabotage 14008 may be
carried out by internal agents (e.g., corrupted PNP staff), external agents
(e.g., persons planting
explosives in materiel delivered to the PNP), or attackers that have
surreptitiously boarded the PNP
14002. External force threat possibilities include air threats (e.g., aerial
drones 14010, aircraft 14012),
surface threats (e.g., small surface vessels 14014, large surface vessels
14016), subsurface threats (e.g.,
.. divers 14018, and large submarines 14020). Additional aerial threat
possibilities include but are not
limited to chemical clouds, missiles, balloons, and aircraft ranging in size
from parachutes and
ultralight aircraft to commercial jetliners and military aircraft. Appropriate
defensive countermeasures
will tend to vary with speed and size of attacking aircraft. Additional
surface threat possibilities include
but are not limited to chemical slicks, buoys, and marine surface drones.
Small surface craft 14014
tend to represent a distinct threat type from large surface craft 14016, as
the former are speedy and
agile while the latter may carry extremely large masses of explosives and/or
large numbers of attacking
personnel into the vicinity of the PNP 14002. Additional subsurface threat
possibilities include but are
not limited to mini-subs, torpedoes, and bottom crawlers. Attacking personnel,
having gained access
to the PNP, can potentially cause harm in various ways, including explosions,
killing, hostage-taking,
.. deliberately destructive operation of PNP nuclear or other system, and the
like. Attacking personnel
can gain access to the PNP 14002 by stealth, force, or ruse. Ruses (e.g.,
claims of authorization or
distress) may be combined with other forms of attack. Projectiles or missiles
may be directed at the
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
PNP 14002 from nearby landmasses. Moreover, this threat taxonomy is
illustrative and partial, not
exhaustive.
[0705] FIG. 141 is an illustrative table that partially specifies responding
defense authorities of a PNP
defense system by threat category and mechanism. In general, mechanical,
electronic, and structural
security features integral to and associated with a PNP, along with PNP
security personnel, are tasked
with stopping, deterring, or at least delaying or slowing all types of violent
attack most likely to be
available to non-state actors, including air attacks using light drones and
aircraft, chemical attacks,
surface attacks using non-military aircraft, and subsurface attacks using
divers, mini-subs, and other
relatively small-scale devices. Host nation military and police forces are in
general tasked with
ultimate response to all threat categories and with all aspects of response to
extreme or high-intensity
threats such as those posed by military aircraft, surface craft, and
subsurface craft and by hijacked
commercial aircraft. Onboard PNP systems and personnel are entirely
responsible for responding to
onboard threats, including sabotage, personnel corruption or collusion,
cyberattack, and the like.
[0706] FIGS. 142-144 depict aspects of illustrative zonal defense schemes for
a PNP faced by the
threat taxonomy described with reference to FIGS. 140 and 141. In general, the
overall geometry and
functional details of systems and methods for defending a PNP according to
embodiments of the
present disclosure will vary according to the geography of the PNP' s
deployment site, e.g., the PNP' s
proximity to land, the shape of any proximate coasts or landmasses, and water
depths in the vicinity
of the PNP.
[0707] FIG. 142 is a schematic top-view depiction of portions of an
illustrative zonal defense schema
14200 for physical surface threats only against a PNP 14202 stationed 8 or
more nautical miles from
any landmass. For a PNP so stationed, the entire surface area of concern to
defenses is a water surface,
so defense zones may be circular in shape and centered on the PNP 14202. A
first zone is the monitored
area 14204, which extends to a radius of ¨8 nautical miles (nmi) from the PNP
14202. The entire
monitored area 14204 is surveilled by radar. Circular areas of smaller radii
nested within the monitored
area 14204 may also surveilled by other sensing modalities, including sonar
and visual systems.
Radars and other gear for surveillance of the monitored area 14204 may be
based on the PNP or on
buoys, vessels, drones, artificial breakwaters, or other bases.
[0708] Within the monitored area 14204 is nested a large-ship exclusion area
14206, which extends
to a radius of ¨6 nmi from the PNP 14202. The large-ship exclusion area 14206
is sized to protect the
PNP from excessive blast effects from an explosion such as might be produced
by the largest possible
explosive cargo transportable by existing vessels.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0709] Within the large-ship exclusion area 14206 is nested a controlled
access area 14208 having a
radius of ¨1 nmi. Only authorized vessels, regardless of size, are permitted
within the controlled access
area. Finally, a protected area 14210 of radius <1 nmi is centered on the PNP
14202. Active defense
systems based on the PNP 14202 operate primarily within the protected area
14210. The protected
area 14210 may also be bounded, in part or whole, by barrier defenses such as
will be described with
reference to Figures below.
[0710] Primary defense systems for detection and identification 13906 (FIG.
139), as well as primary
systems for threat evaluation 13908 and command and coordination 13914,
operate throughout the
entire monitored area 14204 at all times. Access denial 13910 and direct
response 13912 for large
vessels entering the large-ship exclusion area 14206 of FIG. 142 are provided
by host nation military
forces. Access denial 13910 and direct response 13912 for any size or type of
vessels entering the
controlled-access area 14208 or protected area 14210 are provided by both host
nation military forces
and PNP security forces and features, both integral and associated. Threats
that make contact with the
PNP are stopped, deterred, or impeded by PNP security forces and integral
defense features.
[0711] FIG. 143 is a schematic top-view depiction of portions of an
illustrative zonal defense schema
14300 for physical surface threats only against a PNP 14202 stationed less
than one nautical mile from
a landmass 14302. For a PNP so stationed, only a portion of the surface area
of concern to defenses is
a water surface. In embodiments, surface defense zones overlying water may be
circular in shape and
centered on the PNP 14202; defense zones over land may be shaped to the
topography and other
features of the landmass (e.g., development and settlement patterns), hills).
A monitored area 14304,
large-ship exclusion area 14306, and controlled access area 14308 are centered
on the PNP 14202 and
defined over water as described with reference to FIG. 142. On land, a
monitored area 14310, possibly
irregular in shape, may be surveilled by radar and by other modalities as well
(e.g., visual methods).
Within the monitored area is an approach exclusion area 14312 from which all
non-authorized persons
and vehicles are excluded at all times. Finally, a protected area 14314 is
centered on the PNP as for
the open-water case shown in FIG. 142, within which area active defense
systems based on the PNP
14202 primarily operate and which is may be bounded, in part or whole, by
defensive barriers.
Additional zones of overland defense and/or zones variously adapted or
indifferent to geography and
terrain, are also contemplated. Typically, defensive system geometry and
operational parameters are
adjusted to accommodate the context of each particular PNP deployment.
[0712] FIG. 144 is a schematic side-view depiction of portions of an
illustrative zonal defense schema
14400 for aerial and subsurface physical threats only against a PNP 14202
stationed 8 or more nautical
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
miles from any landmass. For a PNP so stationed, aerial and subsurface defense
zones may be
approximately cylindrical in shape and centered on the PNP 14202. A first
aerial zone is the monitored
volume 14402, of height Al and radius R1 centered on the PNP 14202. The entire
monitored volume
14402 is surveilled by radar. Some or all of the monitored volume 14402 may be
surveilled by other
.. sensing modalities, such as visual systems. Radars and other gear for
surveillance of the monitored
volume 14402 may be based on the PNP or on buoys, vessels, drones, artificial
breakwaters, satellites,
aircraft, or other bases. A second aerial zone is the large-aircraft exclusion
zone 14404, of height A2
and radius R2. A third aerial zone is the aerial protected area 14406, of
height A3 and radius R3, from
which all unauthorized aircraft are excluded at all times.
[0713] A first subsurface zone is the monitored volume 14408, of radius R4
centered on the PNP
14202 and extending from the water surface to the sea floor 14410. The entire
monitored subsurface
volume 14408 is surveilled by sonar. Some or all of the monitored subsurface
volume 14408 may also
be surveilled by other sensing modalities, such as visual systems. A second
subsurface zone is the
subsurface-vessel exclusion zone 14412, of radius R5. A third subsurface zone
is the subsurface
protected area 14414, of radius R6, from which all unauthorized divers and
subsurface craft are
excluded at all times. Finally, a protected volume 14416 is defined around the
PNP both above and
below the water surface. Active defense systems based on the PNP 14202 operate
primarily within the
protected volume 14416.
[0714] Although FIGS. 142-144 depict defensive zones for single PNPs, it will
be appreciated in light
of the disclosure that similar zonal schemas can be appropriately devised for
installations including
multiple PNPs.
B. Multi-Purpose Defensive Barges for a PNP
[0715] The need for establishing and maintaining a protected area or No Entry
Zone around a PNP
may be served by positioning floating and/or semi-floating barges or pontoons
around the periphery
of the protected area. Thus, embodiments of the present disclosure include a
physical floating barrier
system partly or wholly circumferential to a PNP that protects the unit from
collision and/or any other
marine vessel induced damage. The floating barrier system may include any
floating object, including
barges and/or pontoons made of steel, composite, and/or concrete. Segments of
the barrier system may
be moored, e.g., to the seabed, each other, pylons, the PNP, or a landmass.
Herein, all such floating
objects are termed "barges." In various embodiments, partial filling of
individual floating segments
with liquid and/or solid substances enhances overall collision resistance by
increasing inertia and
absorbing collision energy. Storage room within components of a floating
barrier is used in some
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
embodiments to store PNP-related substances, devices, or materiel: for
example, floating barriers can
store drinking water, low-level radioactive liquid waste, or noxious or
hazardous liquid collected
during mitigation of a deliberate or accidental surface spill or after
defensive washdown of PNP decks
by a liquid repellent. Additionally or alternatively, floating barriers can
house drones, surveillance
equipment, and other devices pertaining to defense of a PNP.
[0716] FIG. 145 is a schematic top-down depiction of an illustrative defensive
barge perimeter system
14500 for a PNP 14502 according to embodiments of the present disclosure. A
number of barges (e.g.,
barge 14504) are positioned in a manner that circumscribes the PNP 14502. The
PNP 14502 is, in this
illustrative case, based far enough from any landmass that complete
encirclement of the PNP 14502
by the barges is appropriate: in general, the location and number of barges of
such a defensive system
is varied according to the topographical graphical of the PNP site.
[0717] In embodiments, individual barges may be moored, e.g., by mooring
cables attached to bottom
anchors. Depending on the amount of positional play permitted to each barge by
its mooring, the
geometry of the barge barrier system 14500 will vary slightly but
insignificantly over time, depending
on wind, currents, and waves. Also, barges may also be linked one to the next
(e.g., by cables or jointed
or gimbaled rods, e.g., linkage 14506) to constrain their relative positions
and assure that the distances
between individual barges remain within certain limits. Either the linkages
between barges constitute
a barrier or impediment to passage of vessels through the spaces between
barges, or the distances
between barges maintained by the linkages do not allow approaching marine
vessels/boats to pass
through the barrier without losing speed and inertia. In various embodiments
one or more gateway
barges (e.g., barges 14508, 14510 in FIG. 145) are positioned so as to allow
craft below a certain size
threshold (e.g., vessel 14512) to approach the PNP 14502, but only by making
an S-curve or detour at
low speed, mitigating the threat of deliberate or accidental collision with
the PNP 14502. Gateway
barges 14508, 14510 may be either permanently positioned outside of a gap in
the barge barrier, or
may be temporarily shifted out of the barrier to form such a gap, or may be
temporarily shifted, on
occasion, into the gap (e.g., if unauthorized approach is detected by the
defense system).
[0718] FIG. 146 is a schematic top-down depiction of an illustrative adjunct
system 14600 to a PNP
barge perimeter system such as the system 14500 of FIG. 145 according to
embodiments of the present
disclosure. In the adjunct system 14600, which is typically located inside a
protected area defined by
a barrier such as barrier system 14500 of FIG. 145, pylon-mounted wind turbine
towers (e.g., turbine
14602) are disposed at intervals in the vicinity of a PNP 14604. The turbine
towers present a barrier
to very large vessels and impede the rapid progress of relatively small
vessels in the vicinity of the
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PNP 14604, increasing PNP security. Moreover, large modern turbines with
maximum blade-sweep
heights on the order of 200 meters also present a defensive obstacle to aerial
approach by winged
aircraft, which must either dive at a steep angle to strike the PNP 14604
(with corresponding loss of
fine control) or attempt lower-angle approach through a wall of moving turbine
blades. Moreover,
underwater netting or cabling is, in some embodiments, supported between
turbine towers to impede
subsurface approach. In various other embodiments, some or all wind turbines
are omitted in favor of
pylons that can impede attack and provide other functions. Pylons deploying
barrage balloons, kites,
and other impediments to aerial navigation rather than supporting wind
turbines are also included with
various embodiments.
[0719] FIG. 147 is a schematic side-view of portions of an illustrative barge
barrier 14700 similar to
that depicted in FIG. 145. The barrier segment depicted includes two barges
14702, 14704 that are
joined by a jointed or gimbaled rod 14706. The barges 14702, 14704 may be
secured by mooring lines.
The water surface 14708 is indicated by a wavy dashed line. Above the surface,
fencing 14710 is
strung along the tops of (and between) the barges 14702, 14704, presenting an
impediment to attackers
who might attempt to board the barges 14702, 14704 and continue progress
toward a PNP on the far
side of the barrier, e.g., by swimming or by hauling lightweight craft over
the barge barrier. Herein,
fencings depicted may be of a single or multiple types, electrified, capable
of sensing contact, and
otherwise combined with security devices and features. Below the water surface
14708, netting 14712
is strung from the barges 14702, 14704. The netting 14712 may be strong enough
to stop or impede
the progress of swimmers and small subsurface vessels or devices and to resist
rapid cutting. Where
water depth permits, the netting 14712 may be deployed, in some embodiments,
to be extensive
enough to make contact with the sea floor even at high tide. In embodiments,
the nether edge of the
netting 14712 is anchored to the sea floor to prevent underwater attackers
from simply lifting its edge
and passing beneath.
C. Fence and Hybrid Barge-Fence Barriers for a PNP
[0720] The embodiments in this disclosure address the need of barrier systems
including fences,
including hybrid barge/fence barrier systems, to defend a PNP in shallower
waters. In embodiments,
the functionality of the hybrid physical barrier system may be maintained with
only low maintenance
during its lifetime. Disclosed are embodiments that physically separate a
protected area and a
controlled access area around a PNP. The barrier system may be suitable for a
variety of purposes; the
novelty resides in the flexible arrangement and deployment of the barge and/or
fence system around a
PNP. Aerial defenses, in contrast, will be radially symmetric around most PNP
installations, since
176
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
only unusually dramatic topography (e.g., nearby mountains) will significantly
modify the airspace
threat picture of its own accord.
[0721] FIG. 148 is a schematic side-view of portions of an illustrative hybrid
barge-fence barrier
14800. The barrier segment depicted includes a barges 14802 and a buoy 14804.
In embodiments, the
barge 14802 may be secured by mooring lines. Typically, the barge 14802 will
be joined to one or
more additional barges, continuing the barrier 14800 into deeper water, while
the buoy 14804 will be
joined to a series of one or more additional buoys, continuing the barrier
14800 into shallower water.
Above the surface, fencing 14806 is strung along the top of the barge 14802,
while below the water
surface, netting 14808 similar to that depicted in FIG. 147 is strung from the
barge 14802 and buoy
14804 and between additional barges and buoys. The buoy 14804 is moored by a
buoy line 14810. In
general, buoys are suitable for barrier maintenance in shallower waters whose
depth tends to exclude
vessels large enough to require blockade by a massive barge. Fencing runs
between adjacent buoys
may include spacing rods or members to prevent fence slacking as buoys drift
together; Additionally
or alternatively, fence tensioning or the method of buoy anchoring depicted in
FIG. 150 may be
employed to stabilize buoy positions and control slacking due to lateral buoy
drift.
[0722] FIG. 149 is a schematic side-view of portions of an illustrative hybrid
barge-fence barrier
14900. The barrier segment depicted includes buoys 14902, 14904 which support
fencing 14906 above
the waterline and netting 14908 below it. The buoys 14902, 14904 are moored to
the sea floor by lines
14910, 14912 and anchors 14914, 14916. The lines 14910, 14912 are preferably
of an elastic material
and/or are tensioned on reels (e.g., a reel within each buoy) in a manner that
can accommodate height
variations of the waterline caused by tides and waves while keeping a
sufficient portion of the fencing
14906 above water at all times. As for the fencing depicted in FIG. 149, fence
slacking due to lateral
buoy movement may be mitigated by rigid spacers and/or fence tensioning and/or
the mooring
technique depicted in FIG. 150. One end of the fencing 14900 preferably
interfaces, at a critical water
depth, with a barge that continues the defensive barrier into deeper water,
e.g., as depicted in FIG.
148. The other end of the fencing 14900 preferably interfaces either with
another barge or with a land-
based fence or fencing terminus.
[0723] FIG. 150 is a schematic top-down view of portions of an illustrative
hybrid barge-fence barrier
15000. The barrier segment depicted includes a number of buoys (e.g., 15002)
which support fencing
15004 above the waterline and netting below it. Each buoy is moored to
multiple anchors (e.g., anchor
15006) by one or more mooring lines (e.g., line 15008). The mooring lines may
be elastic, reel-
tensioned, catenary, or otherwise tensioned to further constrain buoy lateral
movement and thus
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
mitigate fencing slacking. The segment of the barrier 15000 depicted in FIG.
150 preferably interfaces
at one end with a barge that continues the defense barrier into deeper water
and at the other with either
another barge or with a land-based fence or fencing terminus.
[0724] FIG. 151 is a schematic side view of portions of an illustrative fence
barrier 15100. The barrier
segment depicted includes approximately rigid piles or stanchions 15102, 15104
which support
fencing 15106 above and below the waterline and netting 15108 below it. The
stanchions 15102,
15104 are driven into the sea floor and are preferably anchored by pilings.
The fencing 15106 is
positioned vertically so that at high tide a sufficient height of fencing
remains exposed to air to assure
adequate function. Like the segment of barrier depicted in FIG. 150, that
depicted in FIG. 151 is
preferably a portion of a larger barrier system including barges. As shall be
shown and discussed
further herein, barrier systems including components other than or additional
to fences and barges are
contemplated.
[0725] FIG. 152 is a schematic overhead depiction of aspects of an
illustrative hybrid defensive barrier
system 15200 for an illustrative near-shore PNP installation including a PNP
15202. The illustrative
.. system 15200 exemplifies the customization of a barrier system, as in
various embodiments, to site
geography and other installation characteristics. The PNP 15202 is located in
a channel between two
landmasses 15204, 15206 that deepens out to sea in one direction (leftward in
drawing) and becomes
shallower in the other (rightward in drawing), e.g., debouches into a bay. The
barrier system 15200
must thus address threats from a deep-water direction, a shallow-water
direction, and two landward
directions while enabling access to the PNP 15202 from at least the deep-water
direction (preferably
from all directions). The barrier system 15200 defines a protected zone around
the PNP 15202 and
includes two barges 15208, 15210 anchored at the channel inlet and connected
to each other by a
jointed or gimbaled rod 15212. The shoreward ends of the barges 15208, 15210
are connected to
shallow water fencing sections 15214, 15216 similar to the system 15100 of
FIG. 151. Fencing may
also be extended over the barges 15208, 15210. One shoreward fence 15216
includes a gate 15218
that can be opened to allow passage of relatively small authorized vessels
through a channel
(openability indicated by double-headed arrows). Additionally or
alternatively, one or both of the
barges 15208, 15210 can be temporarily rotated to allow passage of relatively
large authorized vessels.
Another shallow-water fencing segment 15220 defends the PNP 15202 against non-
aerial approach
.. from the shallow end of the channel. Also, two overland fencing segments
15222, 15224 restrict
overland access to the vicinity of the PNP 15202. The defensive barrier of
FIG. 152 is preferably
combined with various other defensive measures.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0726] FIG. 153 is a schematic overhead depiction of aspects of an
illustrative hybrid defensive barrier
system 15300 for an illustrative near-shore PNP installation including three
PNPs 15302, 15304,
15306. The PNPs 15302, 15304, 15306 are relatively close to (e.g., within a
kilometer of) a landmass
15308. A protected area around the PNPs 15302, 15304, 15306 is at least partly
enclosed by at least
three barrier components: (1) a fence 15310 of sufficient density, height, and
strength to impede
persons and at least small watercraft, (2) three large grounded blocks, piers,
or moles (e.g., block
15312), preferably touching or nearly touching end-to-end, and (3) an at least
partly hardened access
facility 15314 located on the landmass 15308. Buoys or stanchions (e.g., buoy
15316) support the
fencing 15310 over a water portion of the defended border, while posts (e.g.,
post 15318) support the
fencing 15310 over the block portion of the border. Underwater netting is
preferably slung below all
water portions of the fence 15310, and at least one fence segment (e.g.,
segment 15320) is gated to
admit passage of authorized vessels to and from the PNPs 15302, 15304, 15306.
In the illustrative
barrier system of FIG. 153, the blocks provide hard defense against both
surface and subsurface
approaches while the fenced water portion of the barrier is removable or
openable to enable PNPs to
added to or removed from the area within the barrier and to enable vessels to
come and go from the
PNPs.
[0727] FIG. 154 is a schematic overhead depiction of aspects of an
illustrative composite defensive
barrier system 15400 for an illustrative near-shore PNP installation including
three PNPs 15402,
15404, 15406. The PNPs 15402, 15404, 15406 are relatively close to (e.g.,
within several kilometers
of) a landmass 15408, but are in deeper water than that presumed for system
15300 of FIG. 153. A
protected area around the PNPs 15402, 15404, 15406 is at least partly enclosed
by at least three barrier
components: (1) a fence 15410 of sufficient density, height, and strength to
impede persons and at
least small watercraft, (2) six barges (e.g., barge 15412), and (3) three
artificial breakwaters (e.g.,
breakwater 15414). The PNPs 15402, 15404, 15406 communicate electrically
through a line 15416
with a power exchange point 15418 on the shore of a landmass 15408 that
interfaces with a grid 15420.
Buoys or piers (e.g., buoy 15422) support the fencing 15410 over a water
portion of the defended
border. In embodiments, inderwater netting may be slung below all water
portions of the fence 15410.
In embodiments, additional fence segments (e.g., segment 15424) may run
between and over the
barges. In the illustrative barrier system 15400 of FIG. 154, the breakwaters
and barges provide hard
non-aerial defense against approaches from deeper water while the fenced
portion of the barrier
provides non-aerial defense for threats approaching from landward.
179
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[0728] FIGS. 145-154 exemplify barrier systems included with illustrative PNP
installations
according to embodiments of the present disclosure. The barrier systems
depicted are primarily
directed to obstructing or impeding access by surface and subsurface threats,
but barriers (e.g., barrage
balloons) directed partly or wholly to aerial threats are also contemplated
and within the scope of the
present disclosure. Multilayered barrier systems (e.g., fences within fences)
are also contemplated.
Combinations of stationary or quasi-stationary barrier systems with active or
mobile barriers are also
contemplated.
[0729] FIG. 155 is a schematic depiction of portions of an illustrative
defensive perimeter barge 15500
that performs defensive functions additional to direct blockade. The barge
15500 serves as a platform
for landing and launch aerial drones (e.g., drone 15502) and subsurface drones
(e.g., drone 15504).
The barge 15500 also supplies auxiliary functions that support the defensive
drones (e.g., shelters
15506, 15508, charging/fueling 15510, and communications 15512). In examples,
surface drones can
also be deployed from the barge 15500. The interior of the barge 15500 is also
employed for storage
of liquids, gasses, or materiel in various embodiments. Security forces (e.g.,
security contractors 1692
of FIG. 138) are stationed on the barge 15500 in various embodiments.
Stationing of active defense
forces, both robotic and human, on portions of the defensive barrier is
advantageous in that (1) the
forces are more dispersed than if concentrated aboard the PNP, therefore more
difficult for an attacker
to neutralize, and (2) the forces are stationed closer to approaching threats
than forces concentrated
aboard the PNP.
Drone Defensive Systems for a PNP
[0730] The embodiments in this disclosure address the need for active, mobile
components of a PNP
defensive system to stop, delay, or deter mobile attackers. In embodiments,
drones are employed to
provide active, mobile defense. Drones included with embodiments include
aerial, surface, overland,
and subsurface vehicles that are directed autonomously, remotely, or both.
Swarm or collective
behavioral control algorithms deployed in the fields of artificial
intelligence and robotics are
employed, in some embodiments, to direct drone activities individually, in
swarms or groups, or in
hierarchically nested groups of groups. The primary goal of all such direction
is the defense of a PNP
and the personnel associated therewith. It is desirable that attacking or
apparently attacking persons or
machines be harmed to the minimum degree that is compatible with defending the
PNP, its associated
systems, and its personnel.
[0731] FIG. 156 is a schematic overhead depiction of an illustrative drone-
swarm defensive system
15600 deployed outside the protected zone of a PNP 15602. The drones are
depicted in an early stage
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
of response to an approaching apparent threat, e.g., a surface vessel 15604
that has crossed a marked
perimeter line 15606. A swarm of aerial drones (e.g., aerial drone 15608) and
a swarm of surface
vessel drones (e.g., surface drone 15610) have been dispatched to meet the
approacher 15604 with a
calibrated range of portable responses, as described below. In embodiments,
the drones are stationed
in a distributed manner upon barges defining a protected area around the PNP
15602 (e.g., barge
15612), and are dispatched toward an approaching threat from one or more
barges closest to the
approacher. The number and type of drones dispatched preferably depends on
information about the
character of the approacher derived from surveillance systems (e.g., radar and
imaging buoys stationed
near the perimeter line 15606). Drones are advantageous in comparison to human-
piloted craft, in this
application, in that they are expendable, less costly and therefore
potentially more numerous, subject
to real-time computer-controlled coordination, and in some cases more
maneuverable; however,
interception of approachers by human-guided craft is also contemplated.
[0732] In various embodiments, a threat response ladder is envisaged whereby
automated systems,
Additionally or alternatively, with direction by human overseers and in
cooperation with on-site
human responders, respond in an escalating way to apparent or possible threats
as they approach the
PNP. An illustrative series of escalations is as follows: (1) Authorization
status of all craft within a
monitoring radius of a PNP installation is monitored by one of the wireless
encrypted methods known
to persons familiar with the art of encrypted communication. (2) A defensive
zone outer perimeter is
defined within the monitoring radius. Marker buoys, navigation lights, warning
beacons, and other
.. standard methods of directing air and water vehicular traffic away from
sensitive sites are deployed to
deflect traffic around some or all of the outermost defensive zone perimeter.
(3) A vehicle (e.g., surface
vessel 15604) that passes the outermost warning line without confirmed
authorization is presumed to
be a possible threat. Since accidental trespass is a possibility, response to
the possible threat begins
with lowest-impact measures. Thus, first, direct communication by standard
mechanisms (e.g., marine
VHF mobile band) is attempted with the possible threat. For craft meeting site-
dependent dynamic
criteria (e.g., heading, speed), drones are dispatched to limit interception
time to a specified minimum,
should interception prove necessary. Drones may be aerial, surface,
subsurface, overland, amphibious,
or all of the above. (4) If communication is not established by standard
mechanisms, intercepting
drones are tasked with attempting nonstandard communications: e.g., one or
more drones may hail a
vessel using loudspeakers, display directional signals and warning lights,
form up as shaped, lighted
swarms to indicate directional symbols or other symbols, or land upon a
vessel's deck to act as point
relays for one-way or two-way audiovisual communications with personnel. (5)
If communications
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are not successful in altering an approache s behavior within a set time and
other parameters that will
in general depend on the range, speed, and nature of the approacher, minimal
interventions are
attempted while standard and nonstandard communications efforts continue. In a
series of examples,
drones deploy impediments such as tangle ropes (using, e.g., a version of the
BCB International
Buccaneer Ship-Borne Shore Launcher, which lays a propeller-entangling line
across the bow of a
threatening vessel); specially equipped drones occlude or foul combustion-air
intakes or feed them
with combustible gasses (e.g., propane) or noncombustible gasses (e.g., CO2)
that cause engines to
fail; water intakes are fed with fouler pellets that release entangling lines
once they have passed intake
gratings; a drone swarm makes coordinated direct contact with a vessel to
apply a thrust vector that
significantly opposes or diverts the vessel's progress; drone swarms, adapting
their behavior
intelligently to shifting winds and other conditions, release smoke that
hinders visual navigation;
drones release electromagnetic pulses that disable electrical equipment;
drones release chaff or deploy
radar reflectors that confound navigational radar; and drones employ nonlethal
weapons against
personnel such as tear gas, noise generators, and other measures known in the
field of security
engineering. The number of possible nonlethal interventions is large, as will
be clear to persons
familiar with the field of security engineering. Defending drones may act
autonomously under the
guidance of a centralized or distributed artificial intelligence, possibly
modified by real-time human
direction. Drones may act individually or as swarm members, their roles
changing over time; drones
of different physical types may cooperate with each other; entire swarms may
act as cooperating
entities. (6) When certain site- and threat-specific criteria are met with
high certainty, increasingly
hazardous and ultimately lethal mechanisms may be employed to stop an
approaching apparent threat.
Drones can deliver shaped charges, floating mines, gunfire, or other measures
to halt the imminent
approach of a threatening vessel. In various embodiments, dedicated PNP
defensive systems employ
no lethal methods, which remain entirely in the control of host-nation
military and police forces.
[0733] FIG. 157 depicts an illustrative low-impact defense measure 15700
deployed by two drones
15702 dispatched from a defensive barge against an unauthorized propeller-
driven vessel 15704 that
has crossed a security perimeter 15706. A tangler dragnet 15708 or dragline,
supported at or near the
water surface by alignment buoys (e.g., buoy 15710) and attached to the drones
by quick-disconnect
buoys 15712, 15714, is maneuvered across the path of the oncoming vessel
15704. As the vessel 15704
passes over the tangler dragnet 15708, it is likely that the dragnet 15708
will become entangled with
the propeller(s) of the vessel 15704. To this end, the drones 15702 will be
steered intelligently to
maintain tension on the dragnet 15708. If the vessel 15704 passes completely
over the dragnet 15708
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without entanglement, the drones 15702 reverse course and attempt entanglement
from aft of the
vessel 15704. The alignment buoys (e.g., buoy 15710) contain small explosive
charges that can be
detonated, automatically or remotely, when they are entangled with or
proximate to the propellers to
propulsively disable the vessel 15704.
[0734] In general, at each escalation level, any technical measure that can be
deployed by a single
drone of a given size and type, or by two or more cooperating drones, may be
employed by drone
swarm defenses, e.g., those depicted in FIG. 156. Drones will be more likely
to self-sacrifice as the
estimate of threat rises (e.g., as minimal time-to-contact decreases.
D. Defensive Hardpoints for a PNP
[0735] The embodiments of this disclosure address the need of integrated
defensive hardpoints on a
PNP to defend against surface and air originated threats. In particular,
threats that are not deterred by
barrier defenses, drone defenses, and other distributed defenses must be dealt
with as they approach
or make contact with a PNP. PNP design features, including defensive
hardpoints, increase PNP
defensibility in various embodiments. Embodiments include deck designs and
hardpoint locations
.. which provide a full visual 3600 free view around the platform, allowing
defenders to track and combat
threats approaching the PNP by air and/or by sea. Defensive hardpoints may be
human, autonomously
operated, or both. Hardpoints may be supported with radar and/or other sensor
technology to detect,
identify, evaluate, and counter threats. Hardpoints may have implemented and
automated targeting
systems and/or may receive target information with the awareness required to
respond to the highest
priority threat.
[0736] FIG. 158 schematically depicts portions of an illustrative PNP 15800
including integrated
defensive hardpoints according to embodiments. A number of hardpoints, e.g.,
hardpoint 15802, are
arrayed around the upper perimeter of the PNP 15800. The upper portion of the
PNP 15800 is beetling
or overhung and the hardpoints further project from the PNP's perimeter so
that clear lines of sight
(designated by dashed lines, e.g., line of sight 15804) are obtained from the
nether point of each
hardpoint to points on the sides of the PNP 15800, including the waterline.
Preferably the hardpoints
are numbered and positioned so that at least two hardpoints have a clear line
of sight to every point on
the side of the PNP 15800 and along its waterline, so that disabling a single
hardpoint does not create
a blind spot. Hardpoints perform an observational role and may be equipped
with a variety of technical
measures for deterring or repelling various attacking activities (e.g.,
attempted boarding). Such
security measures may include, for example, water cannon, noise cannon,
nonlethal electromagnetic
weapons, and many other devices. Hardpoints may be remote-controlled,
inhabited, autonomous, or
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some combination thereof. In embodiments, a centralized hardpoint or control
tower 15806 is
positioned on the upper surface of the PNP in a manner that provides it with
complete overview of the
PNP' s upper surface, the perimeter, and the hardpoints.
E. Access Control Cofferdams
[0737] Embodiments of this present disclosure address the need to distribute
cofferdams (fluid-fillable
chambers on a PNP in a manner that denies or delays access to various parts of
the PNP by intruders
and/or any non-authorized personnel. The novelty of the usage of cofferdams is
to secure system
and/or platform critical sectors from attackers that have gained access to the
surface or interior of the
PNP. Once activated, access control cofferdams may secure deck access points
as well as the system
critical interior of a PNP including the control room, safety rooms, and
sanitary facilities as well as an
emergency path to reach self-propelled lifeboats.
[0738] FIG. 159 is a top-down, cross-sectional, schematic depiction of
portions of an illustrative
defensive cofferdam 15900 according to embodiments. The cofferdam 15900 is
part of a barrier or
wall that can be interior to a PNP or part of its outer hull. The
continuations of the barrier or wall on
either side or both sides of the cofferdam 15900 may be additional cofferdams
or of another nature.
The cofferdam 15900 includes two parallel walls 15902, 15904 through which two
inward-swinging
doors 15906, 15908 can provide passage if both doors are opened. In an
unsecured state, the cofferdam
15900 is air-filled at a pressure approximately equal to that found on either
exterior side of the
cofferdam 15900 and the doors 15906, 15908 can open without obstruction. In a
secured state, the
.. cofferdam 15900 is filled with water and the pressure differential between
the outer air and the interior
water places a strong net closing force on both doors 15906, 15908. The
cofferdam 15900 thus
provides a reversible hardened security barrier between one of its sides and
the other. In embodiments,
a water supply communicates with the interior of the cofferdam 15900 through
piping that can supply,
up to some design rate, any losses of water from the cofferdam 15900 and that
pressurizes the interior
of the cofferdam 15900. Cutting through any portion of the cofferdam 15900
when it is in a secured
state will thus release a jet of water through the opening, and through
passage will continue to be
deterred. In general, the higher the relative pressure of the water within the
cofferdam 15900 compared
to the exterior air, and the more copious the makeup supply for the
pressurized water, the more
effective a barrier the cofferdam 15900 will present. Alternatively, the
cofferdam 15900 may be
pressurized with any fluid or fluids (e.g., steam, air, noxious gasses,
noxious or medicated liquids, or
the like) that places sufficient closing force upon the doors 15906, 15908 to
make the doors un-
openable by ordinary mechanisms and that, preferably, deters entry by
attackers if released.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0739] Cofferdams such as cofferdam 15900 of FIG. 159, or differing from
cofferdam 15900 in
various details of design but functioning as a reversibly hardenable barrier
in a similar manner, can be
positioned throughout the interior of a PNP so as to increase security in the
event or danger of a threat
interior to the PNP (e.g., boarding by persons or robots).
[0740] FIG. 160 is a schematic, cross-sectional depiction of portions of an
illustrative PNP 16000
including cofferdams for reversible hardening of access to critical areas. A
first cofferdam 16002 (seen
in endwise cross-section) is interposed between the deck 16004 of the PNP
16000 and a stairwell
16006 descending therefrom. A second cofferdam 16008 (also seen in endwise
cross-section) is
interposed between a passageway 16010 and an elevator 16012. The cofferdams
16002, 16008 can be
secured by pressurization with steam from a stem generation system 16014. The
cofferdams 16002,
16008, as depicted, secure against approach from a single direction only:
however, cofferdams in
various embodiments enwrap or encircle critical areas, hardening them against
access from a wider
range of directions or, potentially, from all directions. Cofferdam sections
not provided with doorways
are also contemplated.
[0741] FIG. 161 is a schematic, cross-sectional depiction of portions of an
illustrative PNP 16100
including cofferdams for reversible hardening of access to critical areas. The
PNP 16100 includes a
citadel or keep 16102, that is, an especially defensible portion of the PNP
that includes modules and
systems for critical function such as reactor control 16104, medical care
16106, crew quarters 16108,
a safe room 16110, a vertical transport capability 16112 (e.g., elevator and
stairwell), and an escape
route, and to which personnel would withdraw during an attack. A cofferdam
blanket 16114 enwraps
the citadel 16102; in typical practice, crew of a PNP thought to be under
attack would first withdraw
to the citadel 16102, after which the cofferdams including the cofferdam
blanket 16114 would be
pressurized. An escape vessel 16116 with an armored nose-plate 16118 that
normally acts as a portion
of the outer hull of the PNP 16100 provides failsafe, unpowered crew egress
through an opening in
the cofferdam blanket 16114 and mechanisms of subsequent escape from the
vicinity of the PNP
16100; alternatively, the escape vessel 16116 can be isolated from the
exterior of the PNP 16100 by a
cofferdam section that can be manually depressurized from within the citadel
16102, using a failsafe,
unpowered mechanism. The cofferdam blanket 16114 provides a hardened barrier
around most or all
of the surface of the citadel 16102, impeding attack from within the PNP 16100
as well as from exterior
.. threats (e.g., an aircraft 16120 landing on the upper deck).
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F. Countermeasure Washdown System
[0742] This disclosure addresses the need of a countermeasure washdown system
for a PNP to recover
from a containment failure or chemical, biological and/or radiological
warfare.
[0743] FIG. 162 schematically depicts a portion of a PNP 16200 and portions of
an illustrative
countermeasure washdown system including spray towers (e.g., tower 16202)
capable of projecting a
foam or liquid spray 16204 upon most or all of the upper deck of the PNP
16200. The towers are fed
by a piping system supplied by seawater and/or a specially formulated washdown
solution from tanks
located on the PNP 16200. In case of contamination of the deck of the PNP
16200 by biological,
chemical, or radiological agents, the towers spray liquid over the deck.
Crowning of the deck assures
that even when the PNP is level, the sprayed liquid with entrained
contaminants will flow to sumps
set into the deck, e.g., peripheral sump channel 16206. Liquid collected in
sumps can be diverted by
valves (e.g., valve 16208) either overboard (via pipe 16210) or to a storage
tank (not shown; via pipe
16210). Foaming agents with catalyzers, chelating agents, fire retardants, or
the like can be added to
the washdown fluid to increase decontamination efficiency, improve the
operation of filters in the
drainage system, and accomplish other purposes. The system enables PNP crew to
avoid contact with
contaminants during attack and/or cleanup while preventing concentrated
contamination in the ocean
immediately around the PNP 16200 after attacks or containment failures.
Additionally, when PNPs as
described herein are constructed for operation with low enrichment uranium,
such as HALEU-like
fuel with enrichment levels generally below 20%, containment failures may
present lower risk to PNP
crew in general. In embodiments, the countermeasure washdown system doubles as
a fire suppression
system. In embodiments, the countermeasure washdown system serves,
additionally or alternatively
its contaminant-removal function, as an antipersonnel or anti-robot system
and/or as a camouflage
system. Human or robot boarders may be impeded or disabled by sufficiently
high-pressure and/or
copious liquid output from the spray towers. In embodiments, a human operator
or an artificial
intelligence directs a concentrated portion of the spray output from one or
more towers so as to impede
or damage boarders. Also in various embodiments, the countermeasure spraydown
system includes a
capability to spray diverse fluids, foams, fogs, smokes, and gasses
simultaneously and/or sequentially
from one or more spray towers; thus, in a series of examples, (1) the
spraydown system blankets part
or all of the deck with a fluid chosen or tailor-mixed to respond to a
specific threat type (e.g., fire,
toxic chemical, radiological contaminant), (2) the spraydown system first
blankets the deck with one
type of fluid, then with a second type to remove the first, and (3) the
spraydown system first covers
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
the deck with foam, then breaks down the foam with a suppressant spray, then
washes away the
resulting liquid with desalinated water.
[0744] FIG. 163A schematically depicts portions of an illustrative PNP 16200
including an illustrative
countermeasure washdown system similar to that of FIG. 162. Washdown towers
(e.g., tower 16202)
are depicted in the process of flooding the upper deck of PNP 16200 with foam
16300. The foam
16300 accumulates to a significant depth (e.g., ¨3 meters) and may perform one
or more functions
while resident on the deck, e.g., fire suppression, contaminant removal,
visual concealment of the deck
from approaching attackers, local blinding of human or robot boarders, and
delivery of irritating or
incapacitating agents to human or robot boarders. After spilling over the edge
of the deck of the PNP
16200, the foam 16300 tends to flow down the outer hull, where it is partly or
wholly recovered by a
collection gutter 16302.
[0745] FIG. 163B schematically depicts portions of an illustrative PNP 16304
including an illustrative
countermeasure washdown system similar to that of FIG. 163A. Washdown towers
(e.g., tower 16202)
are depicted in the process of flooding the upper deck of PNP 16304 with foam
16300. After spilling
over the edge of the deck of the PNP 16304, the foam 16300 tends to flow down
the outer hull, where
it is partly or wholly recovered by a collection gutter 16302. The PNP 16304
of FIG. 163B differs
from the floating PNP 16200 of FIG. 163A in a number of respects; e.g., the
PNP 16304 is established
upon the seabed 16306 on a number of pilings (e.g., piling 16308). The pilings
support a seabed base
structure 16310 that proffers an artificial harbor into which a nuclear power
unit 16312 can be installed
by flotation. The nuclear power unit 16312 includes a modular nuclear reactor
16314. Various
embodiments include other forms of multi-part, flotation-delivered, piling-
supported PNPs including
different types and numbers of modular reactors or other types of nuclear
reactor. PNPs in various
embodiments may also include groupings of multiple floating, piling-supported,
or otherwise stationed
or supported structures, e.g., structures arranged in groups where each
structure performs a distinct
functions pertinent to power generation, including steam generation, power
generation from steam,
security, fuel handling, and the like. In all Figures herein that depict
nuclear power plants, including
FIG. 163B, the forms and types of PNP depicted are illustrative only, and no
restriction on PNP forms
and types is intended.
[0746] FIG. 164 is a schematic depiction of portions of a PNP 16200 including
an illustrative
countermeasure washdown system located in a portion of an interior module
rather than on the top
deck of the PNP 16200 (as in FIGS. 162 and 163). The PNP 16200 includes a
chamber or room 16402
that is served by sprayers or sprinkler heads (e.g., sprinkler 16404). The
sprinklers are fed by a piping
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
system supplied by seawater and/or a specially formulated washdown solution
from tanks located on
the PNP 16200. Fluid from the sprinklers exits the chamber via a sump 16406,
whence it is directed
by a valve 16408 to (1) piping 16410 that passes through the PNP hull 16412 to
the exterior of the
PNP 16200 or (2) piping 16414 that conducts the fluid to recovery tanks.
[0747] FIG. 165 is a schematic depiction of the architecture of portions of an
illustrative
countermeasure washdown system 16500 included with a PNP. Water is acquired
via an ocean water
intake 16502 and directed to a desalination system 16504 either directly or
via a storage system 16506.
Desalinated water is then directed to a delivery system 16508. The delivery
system 16508 includes
water conditioning subsystems (e.g., systems to add various agents to the
water, filter the water, cool
or heat the water, or the like) and delivery subsystems (e.g., pumps, piping,
spray towers). The delivery
system 16508 delivers conditioned fluid to at least one contaminated or
threatened area 16510. Fluid
is removed from the contaminated area 16510 by a drainage system 16512, which
may route the fluid
either to an overboard vent 16514 or to a waste storage system 16516, whence
the fluid may also be
routed to the overboard vent 16514.
G. External Deck Access Prevention Systems for a PNP
[0748] This disclosure addresses the need of an exterior fouling system for a
PNP to prevent intruders
from getting access to the platform. In embodiments, a variety of access
prevention mechanisms seek
to impede any non-authorized personnel or devices approaching the platform.
[0749] FIG. 166 is a schematic depiction of portions of an illustrative PNP
installation including an
illustrative fog-screen fouling system 16600. Herein, a "fog" is a cloud of
aerosolized liquid, a cloud
of solid smoke particles, or a mixture of liquid and solid particles. In the
system 16600, fog generators
arranged upon the upper deck of the PNP 16602 (e.g., as in the countermeasure
washdown system of
FIG. 162), or around the perimeter of the deck of the PNP 16602, or around the
PNP 16602 on booms,
barges, buoys, drones, or other mounts, produce an obscuring fog bank 16604
that conceals at least
the PNP 16602 and preferably the entire protected area 16606 and/or controlled
access area 16608
centered on the PNP 16602. The activity of fog generators may be directed by a
human operator or
artificial intelligence to adjust fog generation to wind conditions.
[0750] FIG. 167 is a schematic top-down depiction of portions of an
illustrative flow barrier system
16700 that impedes surface access to the hull of a PNP 16702. The flow barrier
system 16700 includes
pressurized-water outlets (e.g., outlets 16704, 16706, 16708) located at or
just below the waterline of
the PNP 16702. A first type of outlet (e.g., outlets 16704, 16708) direct
pressurized water flows (e.g.,
flow 16710) along the hull waterline. Because of the Coanda effect (the
tendency of a fluid jet to stay
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
attached to a convex surface), the flows from this first type of outlet will
tend, for some distance, to
hug the PNP hull. Outlets generating hull-hugging flows are spaced around the
PNP waterline closely
enough that each flow (e.g., flow 16710), before it can detach significantly
from the PNP hull, is met
by a countervailing hull-hugging flow (e.g., flow 16712); upon meeting, the
two flows tend to combine
.. into a joint outward flow (e.g., flow 16714). In embodiments, every hull-
hugging flow around the PNP
waterline is met by a countervailing flow of approximately equal velocity and
volume so that
approximately zero net radial forces is exerted on the PNP 16703 by the flow
barrier. Such a balanced
arrangement is depicted illustratively in an overhead schematic view in FIG.
168, where countervailing
hull-hugging flows (e.g., flow 16800) originating from outlet stations (e.g.,
station 16802) surround a
PNP 16804.
[0751] Reference is again made to FIG. 167. Any swimmer, surface drone, or
small craft attempting
to approach the hull waterline will tend to be diverted or swept aside by the
hull-hugging flows or
combined outflows. However, this is not true of the points where paired, back-
to-back outlets (e.g.,
outlets 16704, 16706) are located. Thus, the illustrative embodiments of FIG.
167 includes a second
type of outlet, e.g., outlet 16706. The output of outlet 16706 is directed
outward from the PNP
waterline toward a rotatable, controllable flow plate 16716 which can be
mounted on an underwater
boom. The flow impinging on the flow plate 16716 is diverted accordingly. The
flow plate 16716 can
be oriented by a human operator or an artificial intelligence to direct the
output of outlet 16706 toward
any approaching surface or near-surface threat, e.g., a small vessel 16718.
Such a directable flow
constitutes a point defense for the outlets generating the flow-barrier system
16700. In various
embodiments, the flow barrier may be extended below the waterline by
additional outlets at depth.
[0752] FIG. 169 schematically depicts portions of another illustrative
exterior fouling system 16900
of a PNP 16902. In system 16900, a high-pressure water jet 16904 is directed
from a steerable nozzle
16906 against an approaching aircraft 16908. Steering of the nozzle 16904 is
by a human operator or
artificial intelligence. In various embodiments, jets or pulses of water are
directed against threats of
various types in addition to aerial threats, e.g., boarders, surface vessels.
In embodiments, jets are
stationed upon the PNP 16902 at stations closely spaced enough to provide
complete coverage of at
least the PNP upper deck perimeter.
[0753] FIG. 170 schematically depicts portions of another illustrative
exterior fouling system 17000
of a PNP 17002. In system 17000, the upper deck of the PNP 17002 is bounded or
edged by a cornice
17004 that is rounded and free of catchpoints upon which a grappling hook
17006 or similar device
can find purchase. Moreover, the upper deck of the PNP 17002 is, for most or
all of its area and/or
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within a significant distance of the cornice 17004, similarly smooth and free
of catchpoints. Boarding
of the PNP is rendered more difficult by system 17000.
H. Reactive Armor for Vector Defense of a PNP
[0754] In embodiments, exterior fouling systems of a PNP include structural
reactive armor. Herein,
"reactive armor" denotes a plate-like material or device that, when impacted
by a projectile, reacts in
a way that liberates stored energy to repel the projectile or mitigate its
impact. Explosive reactive
armor, herein termed "active" reactive armor, used in many military
applications; herein, discussion
focuses on "passive" reactive armor, defined as reactive armor that, when
triggered, liberates only
elastically stored energy, not chemical explosive energy. Both active and
passive reactive armor are
contemplated and within the scope of the present disclosure. Passive reactive
armor tends to be
effective against a narrower range of challenge forces, but has the advantages
of lower cost, of not
necessarily being exhausted by a single impact, and of greater safety.
[0755] Herein two preferred types of structural passive reactive armor (PRA)
are described. FIG. 171
depicts in schematic cross-section an illustrative form of a first type of
PRA. The PRA plate 17100 is
.. oriented to be effective against a projectile coming more or less from the
upper right quadrant (open
arrow). The PRA plate 17100 includes a passivated outer layer 17102, an outer
hard layer 17104 (e.g.,
a layer of a hard steel such as Brinell, ZDP-189), a central layer 17106
including a compressible
multilayer laminate of hard and elastic materials (e.g., steel for the hard
material and rubber, plastic,
or carbon fiber for the elastic material), and an inner hard layer 17108
(e.g., a layer of a hard steel).
The plate 17100 is mounted (e.g., to a PNP) by a baseplate 17110 and a number
of stout supports (e.g.,
support 17112). An initial phase of impact of a projectile or explosive shock
wave delivers kinetic
energy to the laminate layer 17106 via the outer hard layer 17104, compressing
the laminate layer
17106. The elastic modulus of the laminate layer 17106 is high enough so that
the laminate layer
17106 is capable of absorbing much or all of the kinetic energy of a
projectile of plausible mass. Re-
expansion of the layer 17106 commences while the projectile is still deforming
and/or penetrating the
hard layer 17104, delivering a counterforce to the projectile and tending to
decelerate the projectile.
Expansive force will tend to be exerted by the compressed laminate layer 17106
symmetrically on the
front hard layer 17104 and back hard layer 17108, but the latter is
positionally constrained by the
mounting hardware, which communicates with the relatively very large mass of
the PNP, so
momentum is preferentially imparted outward (e.g., counter to initial
direction of projectile motion).
This counterforce is delivered until the elastic energy stored in the laminate
layer 17106 is spent, the
projectile is repelled, or the laminate layer 17106 is penetrated by the
projectile. In essence, the design
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idea is to cause the projectile to bounce elastically off the plate 17100. PRA
plate 17100 will have
partially accomplished its protective purpose even if penetrated by a
projectile if the projectile delivers
significantly less energy to objects in the region behind the plate 17100
(e.g., the deck of a PNP).
[0756] FIG. 172 depicts in schematic cross-section an illustrative form of a
second type of PRA. The
PRA plate 17200 is oriented to be effective against a projectile coming
approximately from the upper
right quadrant (open arrow). The PRA plate 17200 includes a passivated outer
layer 17202, an outer
layer 17204 of steel-fiber-reinforced high performance concrete with steel
fibers running between
edge-mounted tensioning plates (e.g., steel fiber 17206, tensioning plate
17208), a middle layer 17210
of fiber-reinforced engineered cementitious composite, and a back layer 17212
similar to front layer
17204. Plate 17200 is mounted on supports (e.g., support 17214) and a
baseplate 17216 similar to
those of FIG. 171. The operative principles of plate 17200 are similar to
those of plate 17100 of FIG.
171, except that the rigid front and back plates of plate 17100 are here, in
effect, replaced by reinforced
concrete. It will be appreciated in light of the disclosure that the forms and
dimensions of the plates
17100 and 17200, as well as the form and type of their supports and internal
structures, are illustrative
only.
[0757] FIG. 173 depicts in schematic cross-section an illustrative PNP 17300
including PRA plates
disposed in a plurality of distinct defensive zones. A Missile Shield or first
ring 17302 of PRA plates
confers resistance to aerial attacks, a Localized Shield or second ring 17304
of PRA plates hardens
the outer hull of the PNP 17300 to protect above-waterline critical systems
(e.g., containment, control
room, diesel fuel storage), and a Splash Zone Shield 17306 of PRA plates
confers resistance to surficial
attacks (e.g., speedboats). In embodiments, other zones of PRA plates are
included with the PNP
17300, e.g., PRA plate zones below waterline.
I. Cyberdefense of a PNP
[0758] This disclosure addresses the need of a cyberdefense system for a PNP
to prevent intruders
from gaining access to computerized control systems, either to directly
disrupt operations or to assist
a physical attack. In embodiments, a variety of access prevention mechanisms
impede, or block
cyberattack.
[0759] FIG. 174 is a schematic block diagram of aspects of an illustrative
cyberdefense system 17400
integral to a PNP. Access to in situ physical controls 17402 is guarded by a
biometric filter 17404
.. (e.g., fingerprint and retinal scanner) that refuses all access to non-
recognized or non-authorized
persons. Physical users that pass biometric verification 17404, as well as all
control inputs arriving
through communications channels 17406 (e.g., from offsite controllers), must
pass a cryptographic
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
verification filter 17408 (e.g., password verification and/or more rigorous
authorization verification
cybersecurity techniques). Local or remote controllers that pass the filters
17404, 17408 are granted
access to the control software 17410, which can issue commands to the control
mechanisms of PNP
defense systems 17412, nuclear system 17414, maritime systems 17416, and other
systems. However,
all commands issued by the control software are filtered by a hardwired
command filter 17418. The
command filter 17418 is a computational device that algorithmically compares
all commands from the
control software 17410 to a set of internally stored criteria and,
potentially, data inputs from sensors
or telemetry associated with controlled systems (e.g., nuclear systems 17414)
and the PNP
environment. The command filter prevents self-destructive commands from being
issued to the
controlled systems, e.g., maritime system commands that would cause the PNP to
capsize or nuclear
system commands that would cause the reactor core to melt. The command filter
17418 is proof against
real-time cyberattack because its program is preferably stored in read-only
memory (e.g., PROM or
EPROM chips) and can only be altered by physical swap-out of the chips. In
embodiments, moreover,
quantum and/or conventional cryptographic techniques are used at most or all
steps of data transfer
symbolized by black lines in FIG. 174 in order to assure integrity of data
transfer by detecting
tampering and interception, if any.
[0760] It will be appreciated in light of the disclosure from the illustrative
systems of the Figures that
a diversity of energy-intensive industrial, computational, and other
enterprises may be advantageously
co-located, either by flotation or founded upon the seabed on staged pilings
or using other techniques,
with underwater generating facilities according to various embodiments. All
such embodiments are
contemplated and within the scope of the present disclosure.
[0761] The detailed description herein is illustrative of various embodiments
of the present disclosure.
Various modifications and additions can be made without departing from the
spirit and scope of this
present disclosure. Each of the various embodiments described above may be
combined with other
embodiments in order to provide multiple features. Any of the abovementioned
embodiments can be
deployed on a floating or grounded nuclear plant platform located in a natural
body of water or along
a natural or man-made coastline. Platform types of various embodiments include
but are not limited
to a semisubmersible, a spar-type, a Sevan-type or cylindrical hull type, a
ship hull, a barge, or a buoy-
type. Grounded platforms types may include but are not limited to a jack-up
rig, a gravity platform, or
a beached floating hull. Furthermore, while the foregoing describes a number
of separate embodiments
of the apparatus and method of the present disclosure, what has been described
herein is merely
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
illustrative of the application of the principles of the present disclosure.
Accordingly, this description
is meant to be taken only by way of example, and not to limit the scope of
this present disclosure.
IX. Microreactor Cassettes
[0762] In embodiments, deployment of a microreactor to a vessel may involve
preparation of a portion
of the vessel, such as an engine room or similar compaiiment to provide
accessibility, dispositioning,
operating, safety and security support for the microreactor. While safe
transport, use, and servicing of
a microreactor may indicate an importance of providing this support, doing so
for each marine vessel
each time a microreactor is installed or removed presents substantive
challenges to the shipping
industry at least in terms of time at a port. As an example, a microreactor
may preferably be encased
in physical shielding to prevent or at least mitigate impact of external
events on the microreactor.
Arranging and deploying such shielding at microreactor deployment time while a
vessel is at a port
can be expensive and time consuming. With the advent of microreactors, some of
which may be
classified as modular microreactors that may optionally utilize non-military
enriched uranium (e.g.,
low enriched uranium oxide fuels or HALEU and the like), non-oxide ceramic
fuels, liquid fuels and
the like, vessels may be required to be outfitted with several modular
microreactors to provide
sufficient power for full operation of the vessel propulsion and other energy
consuming systems.
Therefore, even just the physical shielding of each modular microreactor may
be cost and time
prohibitive.
[0763] Support needs for modular microreactors may include access to a source
of cooling, such as
thermally conductive fluid (e.g., water, oil, and the like), forced or
conductive air pathways, or a
combination of these. A microreactor may further require structural support
for transport to/from the
vessel, within the vessel, and at deployment within the vessel. A microreactor
may also require
accessibility, such as to provide interfaces between the microreactor and the
vessel for, among other
things distributing power to vessel components, such as a propulsion system,
power distribution grid,
and the like.
[0764] In embodiments, as noted herein operation of a vessel may require
access to power output from
a plurality of microreactors, such as modular microreactors and/or
microreactors and the like.
Therefore, functions, such as safely merging energy produced from multiple
microreactors to provide
reliable power for vessel operations also comes into play when considering use
of microreactors as a
primary source of propulsion power for vessels.
[0765] In embodiments, a modular microreactor support system may be
constructed to provide a wide
range of support features typically required by microreactors. Such a modular
microreactor support
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
system, referred to herein as a Micro-Reactor Cassette (MRC) may be
constructed to facilitate
economical and efficient deployment and removal of a small plurality of
microreactors for use, in an
example, with ocean vessels and the like. By providing deployment,
operational, and safety features
supportive of modular microreactors, an MRC enables standardized deployment
and use of
microreactors on ocean vessels and the like. Such an MRC can further
facilitate safe land and/or air-
based transport of microreactors, operation and the like, such as for
servicing, inter-vessel transfer,
inventory and the like. An MRC may provide for bundling of multiple
microreactors into a single,
secure, transportable enclosure; enhance nuclear safety and anti-proliferation
security by providing
containment layers; efficiently integrate and remove reactors during regular
activities, such as
.. refueling and the like; provide for disaster protection of enclosed
microreactors, such as a total sinking
of a vessel on which the MRC is deployed, and the like.
[0766] Referring to FIG. 175, embodiments of a modular microreactor deployment
support system
(herein MRC) 17500 are depicted. While an exemplary vertically oriented, three-
tier MRC is depicted
in FIG. 175, other configurations that may include support for more or fewer
microreactors can be
constructed and are contemplated herein. As an example, an MRC may be
constructed with only two
microreactor compai
________________________________________________________________ intents;
however, those two compaiiments may be side-by-side. The MRC 17500
is constructed to compartmentalize microreactor support while providing common
support to each of
the microreactors deployed with the MRC. A first microreactor compatiment
17502 may be
constructed as a lowermost compaiiment of a vertical tier of microreactor
compatiments including a
middle microreactor compatiment 17502' and an upper microreactor compatiment
17502". Each
compaiiment 17502 may be constructed to provide stabile anchoring of a
microreactor disposed
therein to facilitate safe mobility of the MRC 17500. Each compatiment 17502
may further provide
physical isolation from each other compat
__________________________________________ intent 17502' and 17502". Each
compat intent 17502 may
further provide radiation, physical and thermal shielding to at least a
portion of the surfaces of a
deployed microreactor. Thermal shielding may include, among other things, an
air gap 17504 between
microreactor compaiiments and between MRCs 17506 that may be beneficial when
an MRC is
deployed and/or when multiple MRCs are deployed side-by-side and the like. The
MRC 17500 may
include vertical air plenum 17508 that may facilitate convection-based and/or
forced air cooling. In
the embodiments of the MRC 17500, the air plenum 17508 allow air to flow
vertically along at least
two sides of the microreactor compaiiments. The vertical air plenum 17508 may
provide a convection
air inlet at a lower extent 17510 and a convection air outlet at an upper
extent 17512. While the
embodiments of FIG. 175 includes four vertical air flow plenum 17508,
configures with fewer or more
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
air flow plenums are possible and to be included herein. Additionally, the air
flow plenum 17508 may
be constructed with or without one or more open sides 17516 to take advantage
of convection or other
air flow present in proximity to the MRC. The lower extent 17510 convection
air inlet may be
constructed by raising the compaiiments with MRC base standoffs 17514 off of a
support surface,
such as a vessel engine room floor, compaiiment floor, deck, or the like. The
base standoffs 17514
may further provide an air gap below the lowermost compaiiment 17502.
Anchoring features, such as
for attaching the MRC 17500 to a support surface may be constructed into these
standoffs 17514.
While the description here references vertical air flow plenum 17508, based on
deployment, the
medium within these plenum 17508 may be a fluid, such as seawater and the like
for, as an example,
an under-water or below-water vessel compaiiment deployment.
[0767] The MRC 17500 may further include structural supports 17518 intended to
strengthen the
construction of the MRC while providing a degree of flexibility to allow for
material differences, such
as differences in thermal expansion and the like. The exemplary MRC 17500
further includes upper
standoffs 17520 that facilitate ensuring at least some air gap above the
uppermost compaiiment
17502". Similarly to the lower standoffs, the upper standoffs 17520 may
include anchoring features
and the like.
[0768] The MRC 17500 is constructed to further facilitate rapid administration
of cooling, such as by
forcing seawater or other high thermal transfer media around one or more of
the compat intents 17502.
In embodiments, when properly configured in a floodable vessel compaiiment,
rapidly flooding the
vessel compaiiment will promote fluid flow along the sides, tops and bottoms
of the compaiiment(s);
thereby increasing the safety of a microreactor that is subject to a thermal
event or other malfunction
that results in excessive heating thereof. As an example, of rapid cooling, as
water, for example, enters
the vessel compaiiment, or is otherwise directed at, for example, the vertical
air plenum 17508, the
cooling medium can readily flow in any desired direction, such as vertically
upward for a compai intent
that is flooding and the like. While the MRC 17500 provides physical
separation of the microreactors
from each other and from nearby elements (e.g., other MRCs, vessel compaiiment
dividers and the
like), it is constructed with safety, which includes cooling as a key feature.
Yet further the MRC may
be constructed to permit cooling media (air, water, etc.) to flow within the
compaiiment(s); thereby
increasing the heat sinking effect of the cooling media. In embodiments, the
air plenums 17508 may
be adapted to support active cooling, such as being configured as heat
exchangers, and/or being
configured with supplemental heat exchanging capabilities and the like.
Although depicted in FIG.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
175 as an open-ended structure, as will be described herein, additional
structural elements may be
added or constructed into the MRC for enhancing support of microreactor safety
and the like.
[0769] In embodiments, each compatiment 17502 may be constructed to provide
support for one or
more microreactor modules, such as a nuclear module, a power conversion
module, an HVAC module,
a command and control module, and the like. One or more of these modules may
be disposed within
a microreactor enclosure or may be installed into a compai
_________________________ intent 17502 as physically distinct modules.
In embodiments, modules such as HVAC may be configured into or with an MRC to
provide cooling
services to each of the microreactors in the MRC. In an example, an upper
compaiiment 17502" may
be configured with an HVAC module, a command and control module, and the like
that may be shared
among two microreactors disposed in the middle compaiiment 17502' and the
lower compaiiment
17502. Various combinations of reactors, modules, reactor and fuel types
(e.g., non-military enriched
uranium-powered reactors) and the like may be supported by the construction of
the MRC 17500 so
that each deployment may be adapted as needed or desired.
[0770] FIG. 176 depicts an MRC 17500 receiving one or more microreactors.
While the MRC may
stack the microreactors vertically, each microreactor may be installed into an
individual compaiiment
horizontally, such as through a loading edge 17602 of the MRC 17500. In the
exemplary embodiments
of FIG. 176, each microreactor may be slid and/or rolled into place with a
corresponding MRC
compaiiment 17502. Horizontal positioning may be facilitated by a hoist,
crane, or other system, such
as a hydraulic powered platform 17702 as depicted in FIG. 177 that can move in
three axes of motion
__________________________________________________ and optionally rotate to
align the microreactor with an open compai intent.
[0771] While the MRC 17500 of FIG. 175 provides features, such as shielding,
microreactor isolation
and the like, additional constructions of the MRC may include encapsulation
17800 of at least the
cooling plenums as depicted in FIG. 178A and FIG. 178B. This encapsulation may
provide protection
of the cooling and other features of the MRC, such as protecting the air flow
plenums 17508 and the
like. Likewise, this encapsulation 17800 may increase the robustness of an MRC
to microreactor
failure, externally generated disturbances, and the like.
[0772] FIG. 178A and FIG. 178B represent a different depiction of the MRC
whereby microreactors
are vertically aligned within the cassette envelope. At the center of the
Cassette, a centralized lifting
system may allow integration/retrieval of reactors. Once reactor is placed,
Cassette allows the
immediate connection to cooling systems (with sufficient redundancy) and
electric/system
connections (connecting the reactor with power conversion systems which may be
located in
immediate proximity to the cassette or in a very different location of the
vessel). The supply/retrieval
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of ambient air may be managed to separate systems, e.g., to operate an open
air Brayton cycle, while
the air flow may then be divided (or sourced) to supply each individual
reactor and a centralized
elevator. The many depictions and illustrative embodiments show the 'black-
box' type nature of the
microreactor cassette vertically confined with a hatch through which reactors
may be lifted through.
[0773] FIG. 178C and FIG. 178D represent yet another depiction of the Cassette
illustrating the air-
ducts into which reactors connect as well as the electronic connections. All
electronic connections can
be collected in a centralized cable-tray and from here, cables can then be
routed to the location where
electronic equipment is located). The air ducting can connect to the the
centralized air supply.
[0774] For reference herein, the option utilizing a closed Brayton cycle may
generally be possible too
(working medium recirculates in the loop and the gas expelled from the turbine
is reintroduced into
the compressor). Power conversion efficiency may further be increased by
utilizing a Brayton cycle
by thermally coupling to components forming a bottoming Organic Rankine Cycle.
[0775] As depicted in FIG. 178B, a Cassette containing six microreactor units,
in embodiments, is
aligned symmetrically along the centerline of a vessel (in this depiction in
the stern section of the
vessel). Inside the Cassette containment envelope, three reactors are aligned
vertically on each side of
a central hydraulic elevator system which facilitates integration and
retrieval of individual reactors.
Two major air inlets/outlets connect the Cassette to the vessel exterior, to
supply adequate airflow
(and cooling) for the open-air Brayton cycle. The Cassette itself may be
equipped with monitoring
sensor technology while also each microreactor itself may be equipped with
sensor and monitoring
technology guaranteeing safe and continuous operation while allowing remote
oversight/control.
[0776] As depicted in FIG. 178C and FIG. 178D, the Cassette can, in
embodiments, use air cooling in
an open-air cycle, at 17820 in FIG. 178C, as well as a closed-loop system,
where the thermal energy
will be rejected directly into the surrounding body of water, at 17830 at FIG.
178D. To provide
adequate reactor cooling, both, open air cooling, as well as a closed loop
cooling system can be
deployed. For a closed loop system in FIG. 178D, for example, the working
fluid within the power
conversion system would be routed through a heat-exchanger, and the heat may
ultimately be rejected
into the surrounding water.
[0777] FIG. 178C depicts embodiments of an MRC at 17820 containing the
microreactors that are
vertically aligned at 17822. In general, the MRC is not limited to this form
factor; as any number of
vertically and/or horizontally aligned reactor arrangements may be deployed
and be equally suitable.
In these examples, the MRC is a fully sealed containment enclosing all
nuclear, radioactive
components and systems. The centralized reactor elevator may enable reactor
insertion and retrieval
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
into the Cassette. Once reactor is inserted into the designated reactor bay
(place where the reactor is
located during operation), the reactor connects either fully automatically or
semi-automatically (e.g.,
requiring human support) via a plug-and-play system or easy dock and latching
system. In
embodiments, an MRC internally powered (e.g., supported via an independent
power system)
instrumentation and control system performs reactor systems check to verify
reactors safety and
reactor systems health. In these examples, MRC can connect to the platform
supports contact or
automated system and can connect to each MRC to an internal service network or
other connectable
networks or cloud facilities. The service network can read out device
performance data and searches
for any potential errors, failure modes in the system. Such check can be
automatically performed and
data can be transmitted to a centralized monitoring and control facility. In
embodiments, this procedure
may be part of the regular commissioning procedure. In embodiments, integrated
and standardized
connections can be required for the reactor to generate power under safe and
normal operating
conditions to ensure all connections, such instrumentation and control,
cooling connections,
monitoring, redundant and backup systems connections and the like, are
properly connected. This
approach can permit a highly standardized and optimized reactor
insertion/retrieval processes; and
such standardization and optimization can be shown to reduce failure rate and
minimize potential
mistakes in implementation and use.
[0778] FIG. 178D is a schematic depiction of an MRC containing the
microreactors within a VLOC
or VLCC type vessel engine room. In embodiments, the MRC outer wall can define
the nuclear island
boundary at 17832 illustrates the. In embodiments, a deck-level allows the
insertion and retrieval of
microreactors at 17830 from the MRC and can horizontally transport the
reactors to the reactor exit
room. In embodiments, closed air reactor cooling ducts at 17834 provide
cooling for the MRC. In
these examples, cooling water can exchange heat with ambient water in sealed
in systems. In these
examples, cooling water can exchange heat with already installed liquid
cooling system configured
for heat rejection from conventional internal combustion engines including
reciprocating enginges and
turbomachinery. In other embodiments, variations of closed loop systems can
also supply such cooling
capacity and not such significant air ducting. It will be appreciated in light
of the disclosure that the
size and weight of modular microreactors is comparable with conventionally
used two stroke engines
while all the instrumentation and controls, switchboard and reactor support
and auxiliary systems may
be located in the newly available vessel tank space because on-board fuel
storage of fuel for
conventional engines may not be required in its entirety anymore. In some
examples, the expected
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
available space in such a conversion will depend to a certain degree on the
nuclear/hybrid ratio of
engine power in the implementation put to sea.
[0779] In these examples, the microreactors can be located within the MRC are
connected to reactor
instrumentation and control, reactor power electronics, etc. and the output
electric energy is fed into
the main switchboard for vessel wide distribution. During voyage, naturally,
the majority of the
generated electric energy will be consumed by either a single electromotor
that may drive the propeller
shaft directly or by multiple electromotors that may power a gearbox, which
then drives the propeller
shaft. In these examples, a single or multiple propeller can be used. In case
of a hybrid system
examples, electricity generation can be accomplished with a steam-turbine
fueled by conventional or
low carbon fuels, which, in turn, generates power for an electro-motor rather
than some more direct
system. Components of exemplary systems can include one or more micro-reactors
in the Cassette,
CONEX II equipment or other suitable instrumentation and control systems, a
main switchboard, a
distribution transformer, auxiliary loads, a frequency converter, one or more
electromotors, one or
more optional secondary power sources(e.g., steam-turbine), gearbox in direct-
drive-type systems and
one or more propulsion propellers.
[0780] Possible Advantage: The requirement of guaranteeing access to open air
for cooling at all times
could be a challenge. A closed loop system utilizing (multi-loop) heat
exchangers and rejecting the
heat in the surrounding marine environment could therefore have significant
benefits.
[0781] Deployment and off-vessel transport of an MRC typically equipped with
one or more
microreactors may be aided by deployment structures, such as a submersible
lattice structure (jacket)
17902 depicted in FIG. 179. An MRC, such as MRC 17500 optionally encapsulated
may be disposed
within the lattice structure 17902, transported, such as on (or installed on)
a floating platform,
optionally connected with a power distribution system of a target deployment
structure (e.g., a power
generation barge, ocean-based platform and the like) and submerged. It will be
appreciated in light of
the disclosure that the Cassette and microreactors disclosed herein can be
used to power various
platform types. Moreover, the Cassette and microreactors disclosed herein can
be used to power ship
like drilling vessels, floating production storage and offloading (FPSO)
units, and all other semi-
stationary marine vessels. In these many examples, the MRC may be integrated
on-board replacing
(in whole or in part) the conventional power systems. In embodiments, the
Cassette and microreactors
disclosed herein can be used to power semi-submersibles, either with or
without its own propulsion
system, and dynamic positioning systems. In embodiments, the Cassette and
microreactors disclosed
herein can be used to power ultra-deepwater with dual activity and deepwater
and midwater semi-
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
submersibles where these types of rigs are suitable to operate in any manner
of cold, windy, high seas
environments.
[0782] MRC can be integrated as part of the superstructure, above the water
plane area. Reactors
within the MRC can be 'swapped' (replaced) via a dedicated vessel to perform
such operations.
[0783] In embodiments, off-vessel transport may be subject to regulatory and
other safety-focused
guidelines that may impact how a microreactor and/or an MRC (empty or at least
partially populated
with microreactors) may be transported off-vessel. FIG. 180A depicts a
containment structure 18002
that may, in embodiments, be used for off-vessel transport and may provide
shielding, cooling, and
the like as a hedge against possible nuclear-based damage or injury to
proximal workers and the like
at 18010. FIG. 180A and FIG. 180B depict, in embodiments, a dock-based
microreactor transportation
containment system showing generally horizontal insertion, at 18020. The MRC
depicted for insertion
into a vessel 18022 has reactor containment in an area used to stage loading
and unloading during
insertion and removal through a horizontal portal 18024 of the vessel 18022.
Movement and near-term
storage of modules as the modules are deployed in and out of vessels, can
occur in in the staging area
at 18026. The horizontal reactor transfer is configured so that the reactor
import/export room on the
vessel 18022 is configured to move one or more reactors on and off the vessel
through the hatch
usually formed in the stern section of the vessel 18022. In this
configuration, individual modules can
be horizontally transited on and off the vessel. Local lifting can be
accomplished with scissor lifts or
other local hydraulic components. In these examples of horizontal loading and
unloading, the cost and
logistics of overhead cranes can be avoided in most instances.
[0784] Marine vessels and structures generally require some form of power
generation. Throughout
this disclosure non-limiting examples of application of nuclear reactors, such
as Micro-MPS, SMR-
MPS and others to a wide range of marine vessel and structure types are
described. While different
types and categories of marine vessel may have varying demands (e.g., some
require long term high
energy production, such as an oil rig, whereas others may require short term
or cyclic energy demand
such as a pleasure craft, yet others may require duty cycle-based demand such
as a cargo vessel that
is sometimes fully laden and others mostly ballasted) each type may be
configured to support one or
more MRCs. Examples of MRC deployments with various vessel configurations
include (i) replacing
and/or supplementing a power system of a cargo vessel with one or more MRC,
which may be
configured flexibly throughout the cargo vessel as described herein; (ii)
replacing and/or
supplementing a power system of a tanker vessel with one or more MRCs
configured for optimal
tanker payload utilization which may include, but does not require being
disposed proximal to a
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
propulsion system of the tanker; (iii) replacing and/or supplementing a power
system of a marine
structure with one or more MRCs disposed as needed for powering various
functions of the platform
without requiring that all MRCs be collocated; (iv) replacing and/or
supplementing a power system of
other types of vessels (passenger, dedicated purpose (e.g., fishing trawler),
special purpose (e.g., ocean
cleansing platform), and the like with MRC capacity, quantity, and location
being adapted to meet the
power demand needs of the vessel. These exemplary MRC embodiments are merely
to illustrate some
of the diverse deployments supported by the methods and systems for
microreactor cassette systems
described herein.
X. Land-BASED microreactor and MRC in-ground storage facility
[0785] In embodiments, operation of a system for handling small nuclear
reactor (e.g., modular
microreactor and the like) for use with vessels, such as a fleet of vessels
may benefit from land-based
storage of microreactors proximal to docking facilities.
[0786] In the event physical decoupling of the 'refueling/maintenance'
handling of microreactors is
required, a port facility may function exclusively as a hub to insert/retrieve
reactors and temporarily
store them. Because port facilities, specifically, the construction of a deep-
water port are expensive,
an onshore marine terminal may be connected via a pier with a vessel docking
that can similar to or
be incorporated into an LNG terminal, at 18120, in FIG. 181B. In embodiments,
the LNG pier 18120
may further the transfer of microreactors, at 18122, between a vessel 18124
and a shore facility 18128.
FIG. 181A, FIG. 181B, and FIG. 181C each depict embodiments of (1) a fully
shielded pier to allow
the transfer from the shore-facility to (2) the pier integrated reactor
transfer facility. (3) depicts the
reactor vessel-pier transfer gate. Underground storage may be preferred
generally for microreactors
since nuclear containment may be more readily achieved (or at least nuclear
contamination may be
more readily mitigated) than with above ground-based microreactor storage.
Therefore, a system of
microreactor storage is presented that can be deployed underground and that
further enables direct
access to stored microreactors. Referring to FIG. 181A depicts a cylindrical
microreactor/MRC
storage facility 18102 bored below ground level proximal to a point of
microreactor use, such as a
seaport 18104 where nuclear-powered vessels 18108 may receive nuclear power-
based systems, such
as a microreactor, MRC and the like. In the embodiments of FIG. 181A, a crane
system 18110 provides
direct transfer between the storage facility 18102 and a vessel 18108. The
storage facility 18102 may
be constructed to facilitate multi-tiered, radial access to modules (e.g.,
microreactors, MRCs, and the
like) in the storage facility. Each module may be stored in a bay that is
radially accessible from a
central access point of the facility. The crane 18110, in the example of FIG.
181A may lift a
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microreactor from a vessel and deposit it on a multidimensional in-facility
transport mechanism 18106
within the storage facility 18102 disposed at the central access point. The in-
facility transport
mechanism 18106 may move vertically until a desired microreactor storage tier
is achieved. The in-
facility transport mechanism 18106 may adjust a rotation of the deposited
microreactor to line up with
a storage bay along a radius of the storage facility 18102. The in-facility
transport mechanism 18106
may then move the microreactor horizontally along the lined-up radius into the
relevant storage bay.
Retrieval of a microreactor or the like from the storage facility 18102 may
involve similar steps
performed substantively in reverse. While a crane 18110 is depicted in FIG.
181A for transporting a
microreactor and the like between a vessel 18108 and the storage facility
18102, land-based, or flight-
based transport between the vessel and storage facility may be implemented
without requiring
substantive changes to the storage facility 18102 and/or the in-facility
transport mechanism 18106 or
the operation thereof.
[0787] The storage facility 18102, which may be deployed throughout the
embodiments depicted in
FIGS. 181A, FIG. 181B and FIG. 181C, may include capabilities for delivering
other nuclear reactor
.. services, such as refueling, maintenance, testing and the like. The storage
facility 18102 may also be
partially or fully automated. Operation of the facility 18102 may be based on
vessel schedules, bulk
material transfer plans, weather patterns, microreactor service requirements,
and the like. An
exemplary storage facility 18102 control system is depicted in FIG. 181A. A
microreactor storage
facility controller/server 18202 may receive information at 18206 in FIG. 182
that is descriptive of a
range of factors that may impact demand, utilization, and operation of the
storage facility 18102. The
received information may include, without limitation microreactor availability
(e.g., microreactor-
specific location, status, and the like) and service schedule requirements,
vessel status (e.g., at
destination, inbound, outbound, at port, being serviced, and the like), vessel
schedule (destination,
departure/arrival timing and details, and the like), port conditions (e.g.,
transport crane status, port
.. capacity vs demand, dock worker status, operator, regulatory personnel on-
site, and the like), local
nuclear regulations (e.g., reporting, limit on number of microreactors on
vessels, in transport, in the
storage facility, and the like), weather (e.g., impact on vessel schedules and
the like), cargo/goods
demand and supply (e.g., timing of material availability at the current port
or another port to which a
vessel is required, and the like), reactor type and other factors (e.g., power
output capacity, nuclear
fuel type and age, and the like). The controller 18202 may rely upon a
microreactor demand analysis
and prediction processing facility (e.g., servers or the like) 18204 that may
process the available
information, along with historical data, and other business rules to
facilitate prediction of microreactor
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
demand, arrival, service, and the like. These predictions may be used by the
controller 18202 to
control, for example, the in-facility transport mechanism 18106 to access
microreactors and/or prepare
the facility for storage of additional microreactors and the like. The
controller 18202 may also control
the port-based transfer system (e.g., a crane or the like) 18110.
Additionally, the controller 18202 may
.. be in communication with other port-based or a central controller system
18208 that may coordinate
activities among port systems in a region, jurisdiction, continent, or any
systems along the accessible
vessel routes. In an example, a central microreactor controller 18208 may be
informed that there will
be a demand for vessels entering a specific port to be ready for rapid long
haul transportation of bulk
goods from the port due to market conditions for the given bulk material. The
central controller may
inform the local controller 18202 to configure vessels coming into the port
that include the specific
port as a near-term destination with additional microreactors thereby
increasing their load carrying
capacity and operating speed. The local controller 18202 may activate the
local port systems to
populate additional microreactors or the equivalent (e.g., configured MRCs and
the like) onto targeted
vessels.
.. [0788] In FIG. 181C, the in-facility transport mechanism 18106 may then
move the microreactor
horizontally along a facility 18130 to deliver to ship 18124 a horizontally
lined delivery, at 18132,
right into the ship 18124. By providing the horizontal delivery at 18132 of
the microreactors, the
platform can avoid the use of cranes, self-leveling cranes, or over-
head/lifting up system while relying
on relatively less complex systems to horizontally load the microreactors into
the ship 18124.
.. [0789] While reactors may be inserted or retrieved from a vessel via a
terrestrially installed facility,
as depicted in FIG. 181C, the reactor transfer may, in embodiments, also
happen between two vessels,
e.g., merchant vessel comes alongside reactor support vessel and reactor
transfer can happen between
those two vessels In these examples, the exchange can happen anywhere on major
shipping routes, in
international as well as in territorial waters of nuclear propulsion friendly
host nations. As such, the
.. reactor support vessel may sail back to a reactor refueling and maintenance
facility. In these examples,
no terrestrial reactor storage would be required. In case of salvage, reactor
retrieval can occur at open
sea. In further examples, the reactor support vessel may have the ability to
refuel/maintain the reactors
on-board the reactor support vessel; that would mean, the reactor support
vessel does not need to sail
back to a centralized refueling facility but would rather be a 'mobile'
refueling facility. After spent
fuel cooled down, geologic nuclear waste storage, in embodiments, may happen
in depleted and
suitable offshore oil and/or gas reservoirs or in other offshore located
suitable geologic formations
such deep boreholes.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
Optimizing nuclear reactor utilization in a port/dock for powering vessels
disembarking from
the port/dock
[0790] In embodiments, methods and systems for managing the use of
microreactors for propulsion
and other power for vessels may involve sophisticated route planning, resource
utilization,
jurisdiction-specific factors and the like. A marketplace for accessing the
use of microreactors for
vessel-based transport of material may evolve to meet propulsion needs, cost
management, and
regulatory limits associated with operation of nuclear reactors in various
jurisdictions. In as much as
room for cargo, such as bulk cargo and the like, on a vessel may currently be
managed in a
marketplace, such as with cargo vessels offering cargo capacity and cargo
providers reserving that
capacity, microreactors may become an important market-driven resource in that
market. In an
example, an aggregator of bulk material in a first jurisdiction may work with
shipping providers to
ensure that properly configured and sized vessel(s) are available at a port in
the first jurisdiction
contemporaneously with arrival of the bulk material at the port. One aspect of
configuration of such a
vessel may be its power plant, such as one or more microreactors, optionally
configured into micro
reactor cassettes. The aggregator and/or the vessel operator (e.g., a fleet of
vessels) may coordinate
with a microreactor provider to ensure that enough ready-for-use microreactors
are available and
allocated for use by the designated vessels contemporaneously with the bulk
material at the port. The
microreactors may be sourced from the vessel(s) themselves having used them
for the in-bound
journey to pick up the bulk material. The vessel(s) may have been configured
at a departure port with
the proper number and type of microreactors to meet the planned bulk
transport. The microreactors
may be sourced from port-local microreactor storage, embodiments of which are
described herein. The
microreactors may also or in the alternative be sourced from storage or
temporary holding locations
proximal to the port, such as another port, a land-based microreactor
storage/service/refueling facility,
an offshore-based microreactor storage/service/refueling facility and the
like. Methods and systems
for managing a supply of ready for use microreactors throughout a diverse
geography of ports, vessel
types, and the like across multiple jurisdictions are disclosed herein.
[0791] In embodiments, managing a supply of ready-for-use microreactors may
factor in a wide range
of conditions and information.
[0792] In embodiments, managing a supply of ready-for-use microreactors may be
applied for a range
of scenarios, including, without limitation management across a fleet of
vessels, such as a group of
vessels owned and/or operated as a fleet. Managing the fleet may involve in-
service requests, vessel
scheduling, crew scheduling, vessel maintenance, and the like. With the use of
modular microreactors,
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
management may further include access to reactors for powering the vessel. A
fleet operator /
management facility may use a set of vessel propulsion rules, optionally
adapted for each different
type of vessel in a fleet, to determine, for any given loading, a range of
power plant capacity required.
Other factors that the fleet management facility may utilize to identify a
demand for microreactors
across the fleet may include routing (e.g., destination, departure and arrival
target dates/times,
expected sea conditions, and the like), access to microreactors, initially at
the departure and destination
ports, but as a secondary consideration, route-based transfer of microreactors
(e.g., sea-based transfer),
or route-impacting transfer (e.g., a diversion from the main route to a nearby
port), vessel configuration
for use of nuclear energy, vessel configuration for use of alternate energy,
such as ammonia for
generating vessel-based electricity, availability of microreactors that
include ammonia production,
availability of ammonia production systems (e.g., a microreactor cassette
configured to support an
ammonia production from a plurality of microreactors), and the like.
[0793] Another ready-for-use microreactor management scenario may include
managing across
vessels using a dock, optionally independent of fleet affiliation. In
embodiments, demand for
microreactors at a port may be determined for a time frame, such as daily, for
example, by aggregating
microreactor demand for all vessels departing the port in the time frame.
Vessel information may be
available from a range of sources related to vessel and port operations and
scheduling. Supply of
microreactors at the port may also be determined for the time frame, such as
by aggregating all vessel-
based microreactors expected to be in the port, independent of the departure
schedule of the vessel on
which the microreactors are disposed, with locally stored microreactors and
further including
available, or expected to be available microreactors from proximal storage
centers and any that may
be in transit that could be received at the port contemporaneously with the
demand (e.g., up to a day
or two of the demand departure date).
[0794] A system constructed for operating a microreactor service facility is
depicted in FIG. 183. The
microreactor service system 18300 may be applied to operating a microreactor
service at a single port,
across a plurality of ports in a jurisdiction or across jurisdictions, or many
ports dispersed around the
globe. The system may include two primary processing circuits; a microreactor
demand processing
circuit 18302 and a microreactor supply processing circuit 18304. The demand
processing circuit
18302 may receive or access as inputs data 18308 representative of port(s)
activity, such as vessel
.. schedules (e.g., departure time, destination, expected cargo, and the
like), cargo on/off schedules (e.g.,
use of dock cranes, dock access and the like), crew schedules (e.g., timing
for specialized crew for
activities, such as on-boarding a microreactor and the like), jurisdiction-
specific working schedules
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
and constraints (e.g., no work after dark, limited hours/days for nuclear
reactor transportation, and the
like). The demand processing circuit 18302 may further receive or access data
representative of vessel
microreactor demand at a plurality of ports (e.g., a fleet might have a
contract that guarantees a
minimum number of microreactors at one or more ports, specific requests, such
as ad-hoc requests for
microreactors at one or more ports and the like). The demand processing
circuit 18302 may further
receive or access data representative of microreactor service constraints
(e.g., reactors on a vessel
scheduled to arrive at a port during a timeframe are scheduled to be serviced
contemporaneously or
soon after arrival at the port, a vessel may indicate a need for servicing
that is not scheduled, and the
like). The demand processing circuit 18302 may further receive or access data
representative of a
quantity of microreactors, including different types and/or status of
microreactors to be maintained as
a buffer, such as to account for late arrival of vessels from which
microreactors may have been planned
to be moved to an outgoing vessel, and the like. The microreactor demand
processing circuit 18302
may process the received or accessed data inputs with functions that may
determine demand, or a
range of demand values, for a range of time periods, along with conditions
that may impact demand,
such as weather, jurisdiction factors, changes in vessel activity, and the
like. A data set, which may be
indexed for efficient access by a range of attributes, such as timeframe,
vessel type, microreactor type,
and the like may be generated for use by a microreactor allocation circuit
18306. The data set may
further include confidence factors for demand values in a range of values. As
an example of confidence
factors for demand values, factors that may have a low likelihood of impacting
a prediction of
microreactor demand may result in demand values that have low confidence
(e.g., a strike by crews
on a fleet of vessels). Likewise, factors that have a high likelihood of
occurring, such as ship departure
activity during a storm, may generate demand values that have a high
confidence factor.
[0795] The microreactor service system 18300, may further include a
microreactor supply processing
circuit 18304 that may receive and/or access data 18310 representative of
microreactor supply at one
or more ports. Exemplary data used by the microreactor supply processing
circuit 18304 may include
port schedule data comparable to port schedule and/or activity available to
the microreactor demand
processing circuit 18302, on-vessel microreactor census data, vessel transfer
data (e.g., microreactors
on vessels that, based at least on the vessel schedule, may be moved to
another vessel, and the like),
microreactor buffer quantities (e.g., a quantity of microreactors retained and
not committed ahead of
time for use on vessels, and the like), local storage availability of
microreactors (e.g., a local storage
facility may provide exclusive storage that limits access to some
microreactors and/or inclusive storage
of microreactors that may be used to meet demand), microreactors that are in-
transit to the port, (e.g.,
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
such as from a service depot, off-port storage facility, and the like), off-
port microreactor storage
capacity and availability, microreactor service schedule (e.g., schedule of
microreactors completing
servicing and/or refueling and the like), and other source of information that
may impact microreactor
supply processing. The microreactor supply processing circuit 18304 may
process this input
information with functions that may generate supply scenarios based on
variable factors, such as
timing of vessel arrival, in-transit microreactor availability, vessel
transfer risks (e.g., late arrivals,
diversion of a vessel to another port, and the like).
[0796] In addition to the microreactor supply and demand processing circuits,
a microreactor
demand/supply artificial intelligence circuit and/or logical model 18318 that
may be based on
microreactor usage history 18316, historical prediction of demand and supply,
and the like may
provide context, processing templates, values for supply and/or demand
processing function variables,
and the like for use by the microreactor demand processing circuit 18302, the
microreactor supply
processing circuit 18304 or both. In a microreactor demand / supply model
circuit 18318 use example,
based at least in part of a usage history 18316, the model circuit 18318 may
supply data to the
microreactor supply processing circuit for generating a confidence factor of
available transfer
microreactors. The model circuit 18318 may determine that historically 30% of
the time potentially
available microreactors for transfer are actually released by inbound vessels,
and only 50% of those
are accepted by a vessel with a demand for a microreactor. The microreactor
supply processing circuit
may use these factors to determine a confidence factor for a quantity of
potentially available transfer
microreactors to be provided to the microreactor allocation circuit 18306.
[0797] In embodiments, the microreactor service system 18300 may utilize the
microreactor allocation
circuit 18306 to generate a microreactor allocation plan 18314. This plan
18314 may be a timeframe-
based rolling plan that is updated from time to time, such as when new data
sets from either or both of
the microreactor demand processing circuit 18302 and the microreactor supply
processing circuit
18304, when other factors that determine an allocation plan change, or on a
schedule, such as once per
day and the like. In embodiments, other information that may impact an
allocation plan 18314 may
include readiness-related factors 18312 including, without limitation,
destination port readiness factors
(e.g., is a destination port for a vessel being serviced in a current likely
to be ready to receive the vessel
as scheduled, and the like), vessel departure readiness (e.g., are there
maintenance issues impacting
the ship departure, are there supply issues impacting the ship departure, are
there other factors, such
as weather, shipping lane congestion, socio-political events, finances and the
like likely to impact
vessel departure readiness), vessel alternate energy use options (e.g., which
vessels have backup power
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
generation resources, such as a turbine engine and the like), vessel alternate
energy generation options
(e.g., can a vessel produce ammonia or another combustible substance for use
during the route if
needed, and the like), route-based supply options (e.g., can a vessel readily
receive a microreactor
along the route, such as from a sea-bound microreactor service and/or
refueling and/or storage facility
.. and the like), present of outstanding contracts for providing microreactor
service and the like, status
of and value of service fees (e.g., when demand for microreactors in a port is
high, service fees for
these reactors may increase or those who pay higher fees may get preferential
treatment in the
allocation plan.
[0798] In embodiments, the microreactor demand/supply model/circuit 18318 may
be artificial
intelligence-based and may use, among other techniques, machine learning to
adapt itself based on
feedback, such as usage history 18316 and the like.
[0799] In embodiments, FIG. 184A and FIG. 184B depict two visualization of
microreactor supply
and demand over time. Chart 18400 depicts aggregated demand 18402 and
differentiated supply
18404, 18406, 18408, 18410 and the like. For a first timeframe, microreactor
demand 18402 exceeds
a combination of microreactor supply sources including on-vessel microreactors
18404, locally stored
microreactors 18406, and transfer reactors 18408. For a second timeframe,
microreactor demand
18402' is satisfied by microreactor supply that comprises on-vessel supply
18404', and locally
available microreactor supply 18406'. Transfer reactor supply 18408' is
estimated but is indicated as
optional for the second timeframe. For a third timeframe, microreactor demand
18402" is
substantively lower than demand during the first and second timeframes.
However, supply meets
demand through a combination of on-vessel microreactors 18404", locally
available microreactors
18406", and in-transit microreactors 18410.
[0800] Also depicted in FIG. 184A and FIG. 184B is an alternate time-based
representation of micro
reactor supply and demand. In the line graph 18420, demand is represented by a
primary demand value
18422 for each of a plurality of time periods. For each period, the demand may
vary within a range
18426 that may be different for different time periods. The demand range 18426
may be based on
variable factors that might impact demand, such as shipping delays, and the
like. Also in the line graph
18420, supply may be represented by a supply range 18424 that may bracket a
potential range of
supply values for each period. The graph 18420 visually indicates potential
supply shortage relative
to a range of demand values for a period, such as time period 18428 in which
the high end of the
demand range 18426 may exceed the supply range 18424 and time period 18430 in
which the supply
range 18424 is approximately comparable to the primary demand value 18422.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
[0801] Microreactor allocation may be impacted by a wide range of factors
including, without
limitation class of vessels, class of reactors, activities at ports other than
a current port, activities in
other jurisdictions, weather and weather events, socio and political events,
preventive maintenance
schedules, and the like.
[0802] In embodiments, an entity in control of the micro-reactor allocation
could act as a commodity
trader, such as for the supply of electricity. One can envision the entity
determining that it is
economically favorable to deploy reactors within or proximal to a port (e.g.,
land deployment) to
facilitate selling electricity locally, such as to the port facility instead
of placing landed reactors on
outbound vessels.
Ballast Water Treatment
[0803] Marine vessels generally rely on the use of ballasting techniques to
ensure proper buoyancy
and balance. Ballast water is generally taken in from the waterway in which
the vessel is disposed.
When ballast water is no longer needed, such as when loading the vessel at a
destination port, it is
generally discharged into the local waterway. The point of intake and
discharge may be vastly
separated physically. Therefore, marine microorganisms, plant life and other
small marine life may be
moved from one region to another through ballast water. While introducing new
organisms into a local
body of water may have minimal impact, there are concerns of introducing alien
organisms that
negatively impact the eco system where the ballast water is discharged.
[0804] In embodiments, nuclear powered vessels, such as those described herein
may provide a
remedy for this potential contamination of foreign eco systems through the use
of ionizing radiation
for ballast water. An on-board nuclear reactor of almost any size and type
contains a radioactive source
that may be used as a source of ionizing radiation for ballast water
treatment, wastewater treatment
and the like. In embodiments, ballast water may be treated using ionizing
radiation from an on-board
nuclear reactor source as it is taken on-board. In embodiments, on-boarded
ballast water may be treated
using ionizing radiation from an on-board nuclear reactor source during a
voyage. In embodiments,
ballast water may be treated using ionizing radiation from an on-board nuclear
reactor source during
discharge. Treatment approaches may be based on factors such as a rate of
intake, discharge, ionization
capabilities and the like. While the examples here for ionizing radiation
describe applying it using an
on-board nuclear reactor radiation source for ballast water, it could
similarly be applied to treating
other on-board water sources, such as wastewater and the like.
[0805] Referring to FIG. 185A and FIG. 185B, exemplary ballast intake and
discharge scenarios with
and without ionizing radiation are depicted. A vessel without ionizing
radiation may intake seawater
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-31
at a first location 18502 and discharge it untreated at a second location
18504, thereby discharging
microorganisms and the like brought into the ballast tanks at location 18502.
A vessel with ionizing
radiation capabilities may intake ballast water at a first location 18506. The
vessel may process the
ballast water as described herein an elsewhere using, for example ionizing
radiation 18508. The treated
ballast water may be discharged at location 18510 without introducing
substantially all of the
organisms and other potential contaminants found in the water at intake
location 18506.
TRISO fuel:
[0806] In embodiments, microreactors may be powered by conventional nuclear
fuel; however, use of
high assay low enriched uranium (HALEU), such as Advanced Gas Reactor TRi-
structural ISOtropic
(TRISO) fuel may provide benefits for operation thereof. In embodiments,
Thorium-based reactors
may be constructed for compatibility with, among other things, the
MicroReactor Cassettes (MRCs)
described herein and depicted in the figures filed herewith. In embodiments,
TRISO fuel-based
reactors may be constructed for compatibility with, among other things, the
Small Modular Reactor
(SMR) systems described herein, such as those used for marine power (e.g.,
part of a Marine Power
Station (MPS)) and the like. Further, in embodiments, TRISO and/or HALEU-like
fuel may be used
as a primary nuclear fuel for microreactors for powering vessels, and for use
with an MPS and the
like. In general, such HALEU-like fuel with enrichment levels ranging from
about 5 to 19.75% may
be beneficially used by microreactors for use in various embodiments
including, without limitation,
SMRs, MPSs, MRCs and the like.
Microreactor Powered Marine Vessels and Structures
[0807] Referring to FIG. 186, a chart is presented depicting various classes
of vessels that may utilize
the methods and systems of microreactors and associated structures as
described herein. In
embodiments, a microreactor powered vessel may be a self-propelled vessel.
Vessels that may be
adapted for powering by a microreactor and the like (e.g., a micro-MPS, an SRM-
MPS, and the like)
may include high speed craft 18602, off shore oil vessels 18604, fishing
vessels 18606, harbor / ocean
work craft 18608, dry cargo ships 18610, liquid cargo ships 18612, passenger
ships 18614,
submersibles 18616, warships 18618, and other types of vessels. Without
limitation, nuclear-powered
self-propelled cargo-type vessels may include container vessels, reefer
vessels, general dry cargo
vessels, bulk carriers and the like. In an example of a cargo-type vessel, a
conventionally powered
container vessel may require a substantive portion of the vessel's cargo
carrying capacity be reserved
for fuel. A nuclear-powered container vessel, optionally configured to use the
cassette-type nuclear
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reactors systems described herein may reduce the impact on cargo carrying
capacity substantively due
to the relatively small size of micro-MPS, SMR-MPS systems and the like.
[0808] Tanker-type nuclear-powered self-propelled vessels may include tankers,
LNG tankers, LPG
tankers, CO2 Tankers and the like; chemical tankers, petroleum tankers and the
like. In an example of
a tanker-type nuclear powered self-propelled vessel, a bulk gas tanker may be
specially designed to
carry gas in bulk form including LNG and other types of gasses. The specialty
design does not lend
itself well to making use of vessel space that must be reserved for
conventional fuels. Therefore,
substantive capacity of the vessel is lost to fuel storage. Micro-MPS and
related nuclear reactors, such
as those described herein, provide the propulsion power needed while taking up
substantively less
space than conventional propulsion systems. Therefore, even greater gas
carrying capacity can be
designed for a comparable vessel size when nuclear powered propulsion is
employed.
[0809] Other miscellaneous-type nuclear-powered self-propelled vessels may
include offshore
structures, passenger vessels, cruise vessels, high speed craft, yachts,
pleasure crafts, fishing vessels,
military/law enforcement/security vessels, auxiliary vessels, and others.
Other types of vessels that
may be nuclear power self-propelled may be found in a range of vessels
including, without limitation
dry bulk carriers, gas bulk carriers, tankers, container vessels, vehicle
transport vessels, transport
vessels, offshore heavy lift vessels, offshore construction vessels, such as
pipe laying vessels, mining
vessels and the like. Regarding fishing vessels, the benefits of nuclear
powering such vessels may
include bringing marine farming and food preparation actions directly to the
food source, so that any
level of preparation, packaging, unit sizing, and the like may be possible,
allowing products output
from such a facility to be prepared for an end user, such as food service
industries, commercial
kitchens, institutional consumers, and personal consumption.
[0810] In embodiments, marine structures for which the methods and systems of
microreactors,
Micro-MPS, SMR-MPS, MRCs and the like are suitable may include: self-standing
structures, such
as gravity-based structures with a solid connection to a seabed, such a
concrete pilings (e.g., for large
structures), steel pilings (e.g., for smaller structures), jack-up pilings
(e.g., for use in high wind
environments and the like. Other structures that may be adapted to make use of
a microreactor and the
like include self-propelled structures with jack-up pilings. Yet other
structures include tension leg
platforms that combine a floating platform with cable-based seabed mounting.
Still yet other structures
that may advantageously be adapted for use with the microreactor methods and
systems described
herein include, without limitation, floating structures with self-stabilizing
propulsion systems, and the
like. Nearly any form and shape of marine structure that consumes power either
directly, as in the
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floating self-stabilizing platform, or as a consequence of hosting operations
that require power, such
as floating storage facilities, logistics facilities, dredging facilities and
the like may have its energy
needs provided by an on-board microreactor-type power generating system.
Microreactor Types
[0811] In embodiments, microreactors deployed, operated, and used as described
herein may include
a wide range of types including without limitation Los Alamos/NASA-based
derivative reactors,
generation 4 type modern fuel reactors, small nuclear battery-type reactors
such as heat-pipe cooled
reactors, TRISO fuel-based reactors, lead cooled reactors, HALEU-based uranium
reactors, Holos,
and the like. In an example, a Holos power conversion system is formed from
off-the-shelf
components, such as components utilized by aviation jet engines and gas
turbines that are
commercially available and operational worldwide. Such a power conversion
system may operate as
a stand-alone electric generating facility, optionally at sites with no power
grid infrastructure while
offering scalable power rating with high-resolution load following
capabilities for meeting, for
example, local electric demands. Configurations can be airlifted and timely
deployed to supply
emergency electricity and process-heat to disaster areas and to inaccessible
remote locations. A core
of this type of power conversion system is formed by coupling multiple
subcritical power modules
comprised within International Standards Organization transport containers.
Cooling of nuclear fuel
solely relies on environmental air with passive decay heat removal during
shutdown. A fuel cycle for
this class of power conversion system may be configured to provide from 3 to
20 Effective Full Power
Years. Fuel cycle is dependent on, for example, the enrichment with the fuel
segregated within
replaceable reinforced fuel cartridges sealed at all times from factory to
repository. Closed-loop
Brayton power conversion components form the primary thermodynamic cycle
thermally coupled to
a bottoming waste heat recovery Rankine power cycle operating with organic
fluids. At the end of the
fuel cycle, the fuel cartridges fit within licensed transport canisters for
long-term storage with reduced
thermal loading and decommissioning cost. The component size may contribute
substantively to
enabling cost-effective mass production, quality assurance, safety performance
validation and factory
certification. It may also be shown to substantially reduce costs, testing and
licensing time.
Application environments:
[0812] In embodiments, the microreactor-based methods and systems variously
described herein and
depicted in the figures filed herewith may be deployed in a wide range of
environments including,
without limitation: on-grid residential and industrial power; edge-of-grid and
off-grid residential and
industrial power; offshore industries, e.g., oil, gas, sea-water and seafloor
mining; chemical
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processing, recycling facilities; mining exploration, mineral extraction,
mineral and metallurgical
processing; ocean cleaning ¨ collecting, processing, reclaiming precious
metals, and refining;
supplemental power to existing grid infrastructure or clean energy microgrids;
baseload replacement
power for fossil fuels; IT server farms and supercomputers; disaster relief,
e.g., hurricanes, wildfires,
earthquakes, health pandemics; commercial shipping and maritime vessels;
offshore open ocean
aquaculture; offshore multi-level fulfillment / logistics warehousing center;
unmanned aerial vehicles
to/from shore; portable, long duration self-powered, 3-D printing (e.g., large
structures printed during
vessel movement for point-of-use finishing, such as concrete and the like);
locals that cannot support
land-based structures, such as extreme north/south near the poles, proximal to
tundra and permafrost
regions, offshore open ocean aquaculture, offshore food-processing facilities;
ship-to-port grid
electricity supply, such as when a docked microreactor-based vessel connects
to the local grid and
supplies (e.g., sells) electricity produced by the on-board microreactor to
the local electric supplier,
and the like.
Computer, Networking and Machine Embodiments
[0813] While only a few embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown
and described, it
will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many changes and
modifications may be made thereunto
without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as
described in the following
claims. All patent applications and patents, both foreign and domestic, and
all other publications
referenced herein are incorporated herein in their entireties to the full
extent permitted by law.
[0814] The methods and systems described herein may be deployed in part or in
whole through a
machine that executes computer software, program codes, and/or instructions on
a processor. The
present disclosure may be implemented as a method on the machine, as a system
or apparatus as part
of or in relation to the machine, or as a computer program product embodied in
a computer readable
medium executing on one or more of the machines. In embodiments, the processor
may be part of a
server, cloud server, client, network infrastructure, mobile computing
platform, stationary computing
platform, or other computing platforms. A processor may be any kind of
computational or processing
device capable of executing program instructions, codes, binary instructions
and the like, including a
central processing unit (CPU), a general processing unit (GPU), a logic board,
a chip (e.g., a graphics
chip, a video processing chip, a data compression chip, or the like), a
chipset, a controller, a system-
on-chip (e.g., an RF system on chip, an AT system on chip, a video processing
system on chip, or
others), an integrated circuit, an application specific integrated circuit
(ASIC), a field programmable
gate array (FPGA), an approximate computing processor, a quantum computing
processor, a parallel
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computing processor, a neural network processor, or other type of processor.
The processor may be or
may include a signal processor, digital processor, data processor, embedded
processor, microprocessor
or any variant such as a co-processor (math co-processor, graphic co-
processor, communication co-
processor, video co-processor, AT co-processor, and the like) and the like
that may directly or indirectly
facilitate execution of program code or program instructions stored thereon.
In addition, the processor
may enable execution of multiple programs, threads, and codes. The threads may
be executed
simultaneously to enhance the performance of the processor and to facilitate
simultaneous operations
of the application. By way of implementation, methods, program codes, program
instructions and the
like described herein may be implemented in one or more threads. The thread
may spawn other threads
that may have assigned priorities associated with them; the processor may
execute these threads based
on priority or any other order based on instructions provided in the program
code. The processor, or
any machine utilizing one, may include non-transitory memory that stores
methods, codes, instructions
and programs as described herein and elsewhere. The processor may access a non-
transitory storage
medium through an interface that may store methods, codes, and instructions as
described herein and
elsewhere. The storage medium associated with the processor for storing
methods, programs, codes,
program instructions or other type of instructions capable of being executed
by the computing or
processing device may include but may not be limited to one or more of a CD-
ROM, DVD, memory,
hard disk, flash drive, RAM, ROM, cache, network-attached storage, server-
based storage, and the
like.
[0815] A processor may include one or more cores that may enhance speed and
performance of a
multiprocessor. In embodiments, the process may be a dual core processor, quad
core processors, other
chip-level multiprocessor and the like that combine two or more independent
cores (sometimes called
a die).
[0816] The methods and systems described herein may be deployed in part or in
whole through a
machine that executes computer software on a server, client, firewall,
gateway, hub, router, switch,
infrastructure-as-a-service, platform-as-a-service, or other such computer
and/or networking hardware
or system. The software may be associated with a server that may include a
file server, print server,
domain server, internet server, intranet server, cloud server, infrastructure-
as-a-service server,
platform-as-a-service server, web server, and other variants such as secondary
server, host server,
distributed server, failover server, backup server, server farm, and the like.
The server may include
one or more of memories, processors, computer readable media, storage media,
ports (physical and
virtual), communication devices, and interfaces capable of accessing other
servers, clients, machines,
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and devices through a wired or a wireless medium, and the like. The methods,
programs, or codes as
described herein and elsewhere may be executed by the server. In addition,
other devices required for
execution of methods as described in this application may be considered as a
part of the infrastructure
associated with the server.
[0817] The server may provide an interface to other devices including, without
limitation, clients,
other servers, printers, database servers, print servers, file servers,
communication servers, distributed
servers, social networks, and the like. Additionally, this coupling and/or
connection may facilitate
remote execution of programs across the network. The networking of some or all
of these devices may
facilitate parallel processing of a program or method at one or more locations
without deviating from
the scope of the disclosure. In addition, any of the devices attached to the
server through an interface
may include at least one storage medium capable of storing methods, programs,
code and/or
instructions. A central repository may provide program instructions to be
executed on different
devices. In this implementation, the remote repository may act as a storage
medium for program code,
instructions, and programs.
[0818] The software program may be associated with a client that may include a
file client, print client,
domain client, internet client, intranet client and other variants such as
secondary client, host client,
distributed client and the like. The client may include one or more of
memories, processors, computer
readable media, storage media, ports (physical and virtual), communication
devices, and interfaces
capable of accessing other clients, servers, machines, and devices through a
wired or a wireless
medium, and the like. The methods, programs, or codes as described herein and
elsewhere may be
executed by the client. In addition, other devices required for the execution
of methods as described
in this application may be considered as a part of the infrastructure
associated with the client.
[0819] The client may provide an interface to other devices including, without
limitation, servers,
other clients, printers, database servers, print servers, file servers,
communication servers, distributed
servers and the like. Additionally, this coupling and/or connection may
facilitate remote execution of
programs across the network. The networking of some or all of these devices
may facilitate parallel
processing of a program or method at one or more locations without deviating
from the scope of the
disclosure. In addition, any of the devices attached to the client through an
interface may include at
least one storage medium capable of storing methods, programs, applications,
code and/or instructions.
A central repository may provide program instructions to be executed on
different devices. In this
implementation, the remote repository may act as a storage medium for program
code, instructions,
and programs.
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[0820] The methods and systems described herein may be deployed in part or in
whole through
network infrastructures. The network infrastructure may include elements such
as computing devices,
servers, routers, hubs, firewalls, clients, personal computers, communication
devices, routing devices
and other active and passive devices, modules and/or components as known in
the art. The computing
and/or non-computing device(s) associated with the network infrastructure may
include, apart from
other components, a storage medium such as flash memory, buffer, stack, RAM,
ROM and the like.
The processes, methods, program codes, instructions described herein and
elsewhere may be executed
by one or more of the network infrastructural elements. The methods and
systems described herein
may be adapted for use with any kind of private, community, or hybrid cloud
computing network or
cloud computing environment, including those which involve features of
software as a service (SaaS),
platform as a service (PaaS), and/or infrastructure as a service (IaaS).
[0821] The methods, program codes, and instructions described herein and
elsewhere may be
implemented on a cellular network with multiple cells. The cellular network
may either be frequency
division multiple access (FDMA) network or code division multiple access
(CDMA) network. The
cellular network may include mobile devices, cell sites, base stations,
repeaters, antennas, towers, and
the like. The cell network may be a GSM, GPRS, 3G, 4G, 5G, LTE, EVDO, mesh, or
other network
types.
[0822] The methods, program codes, and instructions described herein and
elsewhere may be
implemented on or through mobile devices. The mobile devices may include
navigation devices, cell
.. phones, mobile phones, mobile personal digital assistants, laptops,
palmtops, netbooks, pagers,
electronic book readers, music players and the like. These devices may
include, apart from other
components, a storage medium such as flash memory, buffer, RAM, ROM and one or
more computing
devices. The computing devices associated with mobile devices may be enabled
to execute program
codes, methods, and instructions stored thereon. Alternatively, the mobile
devices may be configured
to execute instructions in collaboration with other devices. The mobile
devices may communicate with
base stations interfaced with servers and configured to execute program codes.
The mobile devices
may communicate on a peer-to-peer network, mesh network, or other
communications network. The
program code may be stored on the storage medium associated with the server
and executed by a
computing device embedded within the server. The base station may include a
computing device and
a storage medium. The storage device may store program codes and instructions
executed by the
computing devices associated with the base station.
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[0823] The computer software, program codes, and/or instructions may be stored
and/or accessed on
machine readable media that may include: computer components, devices, and
recording media that
retain digital data used for computing for some interval of time;
semiconductor storage known as
random access memory (RAM); mass storage typically for more permanent storage,
such as optical
discs, forms of magnetic storage like hard disks, tapes, drums, cards and
other types; processor
registers, cache memory, volatile memory, non-volatile memory; optical storage
such as CD, DVD;
removable media such as flash memory (e.g., USB sticks or keys), floppy disks,
magnetic tape, paper
tape, punch cards, standalone RAM disks, Zip drives, removable mass storage,
off-line, and the like;
other computer memory such as dynamic memory, static memory, read/write
storage, mutable storage,
read only, random access, sequential access, location addressable, file
addressable, content
addressable, network attached storage, storage area network, bar codes,
magnetic ink, network-
attached storage, network storage, NVME-accessible storage, PCIE connected
storage, distributed
storage, blockchains, and the like.
[0824] The methods and systems described herein may transform physical and/or
intangible items
from one state to another. The methods and systems described herein may also
transform data
representing physical and/or intangible items from one state to another.
[0825] The elements described and depicted herein, including in flow charts
and block diagrams
throughout the figures, imply logical boundaries between the elements.
However, according to
software or hardware engineering practices, the depicted elements and the
functions thereof may be
implemented on machines through computer executable code using a processor
capable of executing
program instructions stored thereon as a monolithic software structure, as
standalone software
modules, or as modules that employ external routines, code, services, and so
forth, or any combination
of these, and all such implementations may be within the scope of the present
disclosure. Examples of
such machines may include, but may not be limited to, personal digital
assistants, laptops, personal
computers, mobile phones, other handheld computing devices, medical equipment,
wired or wireless
communication devices, transducers, chips, calculators, satellites, tablet
PCs, electronic books,
gadgets, electronic devices, devices, artificial intelligence, computing
devices, networking equipment,
servers, routers and the like. Furthermore, the elements depicted in the flow
chart and block diagrams
or any other logical component may be implemented on a machine capable of
executing program
instructions. Thus, while the drawings and descriptions set forth functional
aspects of the disclosed
systems, no particular arrangement of software for implementing these
functional aspects should be
inferred from these descriptions unless explicitly stated or otherwise clear
from the context. Similarly,
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it will be appreciated that the various steps identified and described above
may be varied, and that the
order of steps may be adapted to particular applications of the techniques
disclosed herein. All such
variations and modifications are intended to fall within the scope of this
disclosure. As such, the
depiction and/or description of an order for various steps should not be
understood to require a
particular order of execution for those steps, unless required by a particular
application, or explicitly
stated or otherwise clear from the context.
[0826] The methods and/or processes described above, and steps associated
therewith, may be realized
in hardware, software or any combination of hardware and software suitable for
a particular
application. The hardware may include a general-purpose computer and/or
dedicated computing
device or specific computing device or particular aspect or component of a
specific computing device.
The processes may be realized in one or more microprocessors,
microcontrollers, embedded
microcontrollers, programmable digital signal processors or other programmable
devices, along with
internal and/or external memory. The processes may also, or instead, be
embodied in an application
specific integrated circuit, a programmable gate array, programmable array
logic, or any other device
or combination of devices that may be configured to process electronic
signals. It will further be
appreciated that one or more of the processes may be realized as a computer
executable code capable
of being executed on a machine-readable medium.
[0827] The computer executable code may be created using a structured
programming language such
as C, an object oriented programming language such as C++, or any other high-
level or low-level
programming language (including assembly languages, hardware description
languages, and database
programming languages and technologies) that may be stored, compiled or
interpreted to run on one
of the above devices, as well as heterogeneous combinations of processors,
processor architectures, or
combinations of different hardware and software, or any other machine capable
of executing program
instructions. Computer software may employ virtualization, virtual machines,
containers, dock
facilities, portainers, and other capabilities.
[0828] Thus, in one aspect, methods described above and combinations thereof
may be embodied in
computer executable code that, when executing on one or more computing
devices, performs the steps
thereof. In another aspect, the methods may be embodied in systems that
perform the steps thereof and
may be distributed across devices in a number of ways, or all of the
functionality may be integrated
into a dedicated, standalone device or other hardware. In another aspect, the
means for performing the
steps associated with the processes described above may include any of the
hardware and/or software
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described above. All such permutations and combinations are intended to fall
within the scope of the
present disclosure.
[0829] While the disclosure has been disclosed in connection with the
preferred embodiments shown
and described in detail, various modifications and improvements thereon will
become readily apparent
.. to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the spirit and scope of the
present disclosure is not to be limited
by the examples herein, but is to be understood in the broadest sense
allowable by law.
[0830] The use of the terms "a" and "an" and "the" and similar referents in
the context of describing
the disclosure (especially in the context of the following claims) is to be
construed to cover both the
singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly
contradicted by context. The terms
"comprising," "with," "including," and "containing" are to be construed as
open-ended terms (i.e.,
meaning "including, but not limited to,") unless otherwise noted. Recitations
of ranges of values herein
are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually
to each separate value
falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate
value is incorporated
into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods
described herein can be
performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise
clearly contradicted by
context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., "such
as") provided herein, is
intended merely to better illuminate the disclosure and does not pose a
limitation on the scope of the
disclosure unless otherwise claimed. The term "set" may include a set with a
single member. No
language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-
claimed element as essential
to the practice of the disclosure.
[0831] While the written description herein enables one skilled to make and
use what is considered
presently to be the best mode thereof, those skilled in the art will
understand and appreciate the
existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific
embodiment, method, and
examples herein. The disclosure should therefore not be limited by the above
described embodiment,
method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and
spirit of the
disclosure.
[0832] All documents referenced herein are hereby incorporated by reference as
if fully set forth
herein.
[0833] At least some aspects of the present disclosure will now be described
with reference to the
following numbered exemplary clauses.
[0834] For example, the present invention may encompass an underwater nuclear
power unit,
including an access tunnel accessible by an access port; a plurality of
submersible modules, each
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having a first end and a second end, wherein a first end of a first one of the
plurality of submersible
modules connects to a second end of a second one of the plurality of
submersible modules; a crushable
gasket extending between the first end and the second end; and a fluid barrier
extending between the
first end and the second end. The crushable gasket and the fluid barrier
establish a water-tight seal
between the first one of the plurality of submersible modules and the second
one of the submersible
modules. One of the plurality of submersible modules is adapted to receive the
nuclear power unit.
[0835] In another embodiment, the present invention may provide a nuclear
power unit including a
containment vessel adapted to receive nuclear fuel therein; a support
structure disposable between the
containment vessel and a ground surface; a plurality of pilings disposed in
the ground surface, wherein
the support structure is disposed atop the plurality of pilings; and a spent
fuel storage disposed within
the containment vessel for receiving spent fuel; and a fuel handier for moving
spent fuel to and from
the spent fuel storage.
[0836] Still further, the nuclear power unit may be configured so that the
nuclear power unit is
disposable offshore.
[0837] In one contemplated embodiment, the present invention provides for a
defense system for a
marine deployed nuclear power unit that includes a Prefabricated Nuclear Plant
(PNP) adapted to
receive nuclear fuel therein; a first defense area encompassing the PNP,
wherein the first defense area
is defined as a first circle with a first radius of approximately eight
nautical miles; a second defense
area encompassing the PNP, wherein the second defense area is defined as a
second circle with a
second radius of approximately six nautical miles; a third defense area
encompassing the PNP, wherein
the third defense area is defined as a third circle with a third radius of
approximately one nautical mile;
a fourth defense area encompassing the PNP, wherein the fourth defense area is
defined as a fourth
circle with a fourth radius of less than one nautical mile; a first active
defense deterrence deployable
in an air space above at least one of the first defense area, the second
defense area, the third defense
area, and the fourth defense area; and a second active defense deterrence
deployable on a surface of a
body of water with at least one of the first defense area, the second defense
area, the third defense
area, and the fourth defense area; and the third active defense deterrence
deployable below the surface
of the body of water within at least one of the first defense area, the second
defense area, the third
defense area, and the fourth defense area.
[0838] It is also contemplated that the present invention provides a system of
microreactor deployment
including a plurality of arrayed compaiiments, each of the plurality of
arrayed compaiiments
constructed to receive and securely anchor a modular microreactor enclosure; a
plurality of thermal
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channels disposed to facilitate thermal transfer from a modular microreactor
enclosure in one of the
arrayed compat
_____________________________________________________________________ intents
to a heat sink medium; the plurality of thermal channels disposed along at
least
one vertical surface of the modular microreactor enclosure, wherein the
plurality of thermal channels
is interconnected to provide redundancy; a plurality of anti-proliferation
containment layers disposed
between the arrayed compatiments, below a lowermost compatiment, above an
uppermost
compat __ intent, and along at least two vertical sides of the arrayed compat
______ intents; an encapsulation layer
disposed to encapsulate the plurality of arrayed compatiments; and vessel
compatiment anchoring
features disposed at least at each of an upper extent and a lower extent of
the plurality of arrayed
compat __ intents.
[0839] In a contemplated embodiment, the heat sink medium is convective air.
[0840] In another, the heat sink medium is seawater.
[0841] Still further, the heat sink medium may be mechanically forced air.
[0842] It is also contemplated that the thermal transfer channels may include
a plurality of convection
air flow channels disposed to facilitate convective air flow along the at
least one vertical surface of
the modular microreactor enclosure.
[0843] In addition, the system may include an HVAC system disposed in a first
of the plurality of
arrayed compatiments, wherein the HVAC system facilitates thermal regulation
of at least one
modular microreactor disclosed in a second of the plurality of arrayed compat
intents.
[0844] The system also may be constructed to include an electricity delivery
system that facilitates
connection among electricity output connectors for a plurality of
microreactors disposed in the
plurality of arrayed compat intents and further connection to a vessel
propulsion system.
[0845] Separately, the modular microreactor enclosure may be a twenty-foot
equivalent (TEU) cargo
container.
[0846] Next, the present invention contemplates an installation, including a
plurality of pilings
securable to a bed under a surface of a body of water; a base structure
disposed atop the plurality of
pilings; a module disposable on the base structure, wherein the module
comprises a nuclear reactor
and is positioned and securable on the base structure after being floated on
the surface of the body of
water over the base structure; a lacuna defined within the base structure and
the plurality of pilings,
permitting the nuclear reactor to be lowered partially or fully into the body
of water, below the surface,
the plurality of pilings serving as a physical barrier from hazards
threatening the nuclear reactor; and
a jacket surrounding the nuclear reactor; and a plurality of jacks supporting
the jacket within the
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module, wherein the plurality of jacks lowers the jacket into the lacuna and
raise the jacket out of the
lacuna.
[0847] The installation may be of a nuclear reactor to a plurality of pilings
securable to a bed under a
surface of a body of water. If so, the installation may include a base
structure disposed atop said
plurality of pilings; a module disposable on the base structure, wherein the
module comprises said
nuclear reactor and is positioned and securable on the base structure after
being floated on said surface
of said body of water over the base structure; a lacuna defined within the
base structure and the
plurality of pilings, permitting said nuclear reactor to be lowered partially
or fully into said body of
water, below said surface, said plurality of pilings serving as a physical
barrier from hazards
threatening the nuclear reactor; and a jacket surrounding said nuclear
reactor; and a plurality of jacks
supporting the jacket within the module, wherein the plurality ofjacks is
configured to lower the jacket
into the lacuna and raise the jacket out of the lacuna.
[0848] The present invention also provides for an installation including A
plurality of pilings securable
to a bed under a surface of a body of water; a base structure disposed atop
the plurality of pilings; and
a module disposable on the base structure. The module is positioned and
securable on the base
structure after being floated on the surface of the body of water over the
base structure.
[0849] In another contemplated embodiment of the installation, the base
structure comprises three
sides adapted to extend above the surface of the body of water, thereby
establishing an artificial harbor.
[0850] Still further, the installation may be constructed to include an
external structure disposable on
the base structure, adapted to encase the module therein.
[0851] The external structure may be an aircraft impact protection structure.
[0852] In this contemplated embodiment, the aircraft impact protection
structure may have a door
adapted to permit the module to be inserted into the aircraft impact
protection structure through the
door.
[0853] It is contemplated that an installation according to the present
invention also may include a
plurality of seismic isolators disposed on top of the base structure, between
the base structure and at
least the module.
[0854] The module may include a reactor module.
[0855] The reactor module may be a nuclear reactor.
[0856] It is contemplated that the installation also may have a lacuna defined
within the base structure
and the plurality of pilings, permitting the nuclear reactor to be lowered
partially or fully into the body
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of water, below the surface, the plurality of pilings serving as a physical
barrier from hazards
threatening the nuclear reactor.
[0857] In addition, the installation may include ajacket surrounding the
nuclear reactor; and a plurality
of jacks supporting the jacket within the module, wherein the plurality of
jacks lowers the jacket into
the lacuna and raise the jacket out of the lacuna.
[0858] The module may be a power conversion module.
[0859] The installation also might have a generator disposed in the power
conversion module.
[0860] The modules of the installation may include a cooling module.
[0861] A cooling module is contemplated to include a cooling tower.
[0862] The present invention is contemplated to encompass one or more
equivalents and variations of
the embodiments described herein. Moreover, as should be apparent to those
skilled in the art, features
from one embodiment may be employed on other embodiments without departing
from the scope of
the present invention.
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