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Abstract

A self-regulating inherently safe apparatus for generating neutrons is described herein that includes a reaction chamber that sustains neutron generation when filled with a liquid fissionable material and an expansion chamber that dampens neutron generation from the liquid fissionable material in response to expansion of the liquid fissionable material into the expansion chamber. Consequently, the apparatus may substantially dampen neutron generation for operating temperatures above a nominal operating temperature without requiring active or external control and inherently limit neutron generation to a maximum desired output power. Also described herein is a self-regulating system and corresponding method for extracting energy from fissionable material that includes a neutron generator that generates neutrons from a liquid fissionable material and a sub-critical collection of fissionable material that generates a non-sustaining plurality of fission events from neutrons received from the neutron generator.

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First Claim