Nuclear fission reactor, flow control assembly, methods therefor and a flow control assembly system

Abstract

A nuclear fission reactor, flow control assembly, methods therefor and a flow control assembly system. The flow control assembly is coupled to a nuclear fission module capable of producing a traveling burn wave at a location relative to the nuclear fission module. The flow control assembly controls flow of a fluid in response to the location relative to the nuclear fission module. The flow control assembly comprises a flow regulator subassembly configured to be operated according to an operating parameter associated with the nuclear fission module. In addition, the flow regulator subassembly is reconfigurable according to a predetermined input to the flow regulator subassembly. Moreover, the flow control assembly comprises a carriage subassembly coupled to the flow regulator subassembly for adjusting the flow regulator subassembly to vary fluid flow into the nuclear fission module.

1 .- 87 . (canceled) 
     
     
         88 . A method of operating a nuclear fission reactor, comprising:
 at least a portion of a traveling burn wave at a location relative to a nuclear fission module; and   operating a flow control assembly coupled to the nuclear fission module to modulate flow of a fluid in response to the location relative to the nuclear fission module.   
     
     
         89 . The method of  claim 88 , wherein operating the flow control assembly comprises operating a flow regulator subassembly. 
     
     
         90 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein operating the flow regulator subassembly comprises operating the flow regulator subassembly according to an operating parameter associated with the nuclear fission module. 
     
     
         91 .- 97 . (canceled) 
     
     
         98 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein operating the flow regulator subassembly comprises modifying the flow regulator subassembly in response to an operating parameter associated with the nuclear fission module. 
     
     
         99 .- 103 . (canceled) 
     
     
         104 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein operating the flow regulator subassembly comprises reconfiguring the flow regulator subassembly according to a predetermined input to the flow regulator subassembly. 
     
     
         105 . (canceled) 
     
     
         106 . (canceled) 
     
     
         107 . (canceled) 
     
     
         108 . (canceled) 
     
     
         109 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein the flow regulator subassembly has a controllable flow aperture. 
     
     
         110 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein operating the flow regulator subassembly comprises achieving a controllable flow resistance. 
     
     
         111 . (canceled) 
     
     
         112 . (canceled) 
     
     
         113 . The method of  claim 89 , further comprising coupling a temperature sensor to the nuclear fission module and the flow regulator subassembly. 
     
     
         114 . The method of  claim 88 , further comprising controlling flow of the fluid in response to the location relative to the nuclear fission module by operating the flow control assembly according to when the burn wave arrives at the location relative to the nuclear fission module. 
     
     
         115 . The method of  claim 88 , further comprising controlling flow of the fluid in response to the location relative to the nuclear fission module by operating the flow control assembly according to when the burn wave departs from the location relative to the nuclear fission module. 
     
     
         116 . The method of  claim 88 , further comprising controlling flow of the fluid in response to the location relative to the nuclear fission module by operating the flow control assembly according to when the burn wave is proximate to the location relative to the nuclear fission module. 
     
     
         117 . The method of  claim 88 , further comprising controlling flow of the fluid according to a width of the burn wave. 
     
     
         118 . The method of  claim 88 , further comprising controlling flow of the fluid by operating the flow control assembly according to a heat generation rate in the nuclear fission module. 
     
     
         119 . The method of  claim 88 , further comprising controlling flow of the fluid by operating the flow control assembly according to a temperature in the nuclear fission module. 
     
     
         120 . The method of  claim 88 , further comprising controlling flow of the fluid by operating the flow control assembly according to a neutron flux in the nuclear fission module. 
     
     
         121 . The method of  claim 88 ,
 wherein the nuclear fission module has a temperature dependent reactivity change; and   wherein the flow control assembly controls the temperature dependent reactivity change within the nuclear fission module.   
     
     
         122 . The method of  claim 88 , wherein producing at least a portion of a traveling burn wave at a location relative to the nuclear fission module comprises producing at least a portion of the traveling burn wave at a location relative to a nuclear fission fuel assembly. 
     
     
         123 . The method of  claim 88 , wherein producing at least a portion of a traveling burn wave at a location relative to the nuclear fission module comprises producing at least a portion of the traveling burn wave at a location relative to a fertile nuclear breeding assembly. 
     
     
         124 . The method of  claim 88 , wherein producing at least a portion of a traveling burn wave at a location relative to the nuclear fission module comprises producing at least a portion of the traveling burn wave at a location relative to a neutron reflector assembly. 
     
     
         125 . A method of assembling a flow control assembly for use in a traveling wave nuclear fission reactor, comprising receiving a flow regulator subassembly. 
     
     
         126 . A method of assembling a flow control assembly for use in a nuclear fission reactor, comprising receiving a carriage subassembly. 
     
     
         127 . A method of assembling a flow control assembly for use in a nuclear fission reactor, comprising:
 receiving a flow regulator subassembly, wherein receiving the flow regulator subassembly includes:
 receiving a first sleeve having a first hole; 
 inserting a second sleeve into the first sleeve, the second sleeve having a second hole alignable with the first hole, the first sleeve being configured to rotate for axially translating the first hole into alignment with the second hole; and 
   coupling a carriage subassembly to the flow regulator subassembly.   
     
     
         128 . The method of  claim 127 , wherein coupling the carriage subassembly to the flow regulator subassembly comprises coupling the carriage subassembly to the flow regulator subassembly so that the carriage subassembly is capable of adjusting the flow regulator subassembly. 
     
     
         129 .- 148 . (canceled)