225results about "Fuel elements" patented technology

A system is described that includes a sputter target and a magnetic element array including multiple sets of magnets arranged to have a Hall-Effect region that extends along a length of the sputter target. The elongated sputtering electrode material tube is interposed between the magnetic array and an object to be deposited with a sputtered material from the sputter target. During a direct current high-power impulse magnetron sputtering operation, the system performs a depositing on a surface of the object by generating and controlling an ion and neutral particle flux by: providing a vacuum apparatus containing a sputter target holder electrode; first generating a high-power pulsed plasma magnetron discharge with a high-current negative direct current (DC) pulse to the sputter a target holder electrode; and second generating a configurable positive voltage kick pulse to the sputter target holder electrode after terminating the negative DC pulse.

The utility model provides a heat conduction structure and a molten salt reactor cabin. The heat conduction structure comprises a first pipeline, a heat conduction layer and at least one heat pipe, the first pipeline is provided with a first end face and a second end face at two ends; the heat conduction layer is arranged on the periphery of the first pipeline from the first end face in the length direction of the first pipeline. The heat conduction layer is shorter than the first pipeline; a plurality of channels are formed in the end face of the side, away from the first end face, of the heat conduction layer in the axial direction of the heat conduction layer. Two ends of the heat pipe are closed; one end of each heat pipe is arranged in the channel, and the other end of each heat pipe faces the second end face, so that the part, located in the heat conduction layer, of each heat pipe serves as a condensation section, and the part, not located in the heat conduction layer, of each heat pipe serves as an evaporation section in the working state. Fused salt freezing blockage in the fused salt pipeline can be effectively prevented, and the temperature uniformity of the fused salt pipeline is improved; and the dismounting difficulty of the molten salt reactor cabin through-wall pipeline can be reduced, so that the heat conduction structure is easy to maintain, and the safety and the reliability of the molten salt reactor cabin are improved.

A nuclear fuel cell cladding that includes a zirconium-carbon covetic material. The zirconium-carbon covetic material has a carbon component associated with the surface of zirconium particles. The amount of carbon present in the zirconium-carbon covetic material is in a range of greater than 0.1 wt % to about 25 wt % of the zirconium-carbon covetic material. The carbon component may include carbon nanotubes, carbon nanomaterials, graphene, or graphene nanoplatelets. The carbon component may be uniformly distributed within the zirconium matrix. The zirconium-carbon covetic material may be formed from a zirconium alloy. The zirconium-carbon covetic material may be configured for use in various types of nuclear reactors. The synthesis of the cladding involves a process of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The resulting nuclear fuel cell cladding offers improved performance and reliability for nuclear reactor applications.

Carbide-based fuel assembly includes outer structural member of ceramic matrix composite material, the interior surface of which is lined in higher temperature regions with an insulation layer of porous refractory ceramic material. A continuous insulation layer extends the length of the fuel assembly or separate insulation layer sections have a thickness increasing step-wise along the length of the fuel assembly from upper (inlet) section towards bottom (outlet) section. Fuel element positioned inward of the insulation layer and between support meshes has a fuel composition including HALEU and the form of a plurality of individual elongated fuel bodies or one or more fuel monolith bodies containing coolant flow channels. Fuel assemblies are distributively arranged in a moderator block, with upper end of the outer structural member attached to an inlet for propellant and lower end of the outer structural member operatively interfaced with a nozzle forming a nuclear thermal propulsion reactor.

Additive manufacturing compositions include low-absorbing particles or non-absorbing particles that have an absorbance for wavelengths of 300 nm to 700 nm that is equal to or greater than 0 Au and is less 1.0 Au, such as 0.001 Au ≤ absorbance ≤ 0.7 Au. Slurries including such particles and an uranium-containing particle and that are used in additive manufacturing processes have an increased penetration depth for curative radiation. Removal of low-absorbing particles or non-absorbing particles during post-processing of as-manufactured products results in pores that create porosity in the as-manufactured product that provide a volume accommodating fission gases and / or can enhance wicking of certain heat pipe coolant liquids. Low-absorbing particles or non-absorbing particles can be functionalized for improved properties, for example, with fissionable material for improved ceramic yields, with burnable poisons or stabilizers for increased homogeneity, with stabilizers for localized delivery of the stabilizer, or with combinations thereof.

The embodiment of the invention relates to the field of processes specially used for manufacturing a reactor or parts thereof, in particular to an assembling and charging testing method of a reactor using bulk nuclear fuel and the reactor comprising the bulk nuclear fuel. According to the method, loading test is carried out on the reactor by using the test facility after assembly, so that the backup reactivity of the reactor core can be determined, safe assembly and safe criticality of the reactor are realized, and the safety of experimenters is ensured; by gradually adding the partitioned side reflecting layers outside the reactor core formed by the bulk nuclear fuel, the reactor gradually reaches the critical value, the operation risk is reduced, and meanwhile, the critical point can be accurately obtained; after the critical loading of the reactor core is determined, the partitioned side reflecting layers are replaced by the complete side reflecting layers with the same value, so that the influence of gaps existing between the partitioned side reflecting layers can be avoided, and the reaction efficiency of nuclear fuel is improved. The reactor assembled according to the method has high neutron economy and low critical risk.

The invention belongs to the field of nuclear fuel, and particularly discloses a metal material for fuel rod gap filling and a preparation method of the metal material. The metal material comprises the following components in parts by mass: 0.01 to 44.5 parts of lead, 0.01 to 56.5 parts of bismuth, 0.01 to 61.9 parts of tin, 0.01 to 5 parts of magnesium and 0.01 to 5 parts of zirconium; and the melting point of the metal material is less than 300 DEG C. The metal material disclosed by the invention has a lower melting point and a higher heat conductivity coefficient, is applied to the in-pile service process of the fuel rod of the advanced reactor, is molten at a loop temperature to be in a liquid state, fills a gap, immerses and seals a fuel core block section, and serves as an excellent heat-conducting medium, so that heat transfer between the fuel rod core block and a cladding is realized, and the heat transfer efficiency is improved. The core block and the cladding are combined to reduce the temperature of the nuclear fuel, meanwhile, the gasification phenomenon does not exist, the phenomenon of irradiation swelling-fission gas release does not occur, the contact force between the core block and the cladding is reduced, and the service life of the fuel rod is prolonged.

Nuclear fuel pellet incorporating thermally conductive inserts in the form of rods distributed at different azimuths and altitudes, fuel rod and associated nuclear fuel assembly. The invention consists of a nuclear fuel pellet (6), comprising: - a straight cylinder (60) of fissile material with a central axis (X) whose length and diameter respectively define the length (H) and diameter (Ø) of the pellet; - a plurality of inserts (8; 80, 81, 82) of thermally conductive material, the inserts being solid rods, distributed at different azimuth and altitude positions within the straight cylinder, and spaced apart from each other. Figure for the abstract: Fig. 4

A fuel assembly (400) for a nuclear fission reactor system (100). The fuel assembly (400) may extend along a longitudinal axis (420). The fuel assembly (400) may comprise a pressure tube (402) and a single sleeve member (430) provided radially inward of a radially inner surface (432) of the pressure tube (402). The sleeve member (430) may define a chamber (434) which extends along a length of the sleeve member (430). The chamber (434) may comprise, in series, a first sub-chamber (436), a second sub-chamber (438) and a third sub-chamber (440). The first sub-chamber (436) may define a chamber flow inlet (442) and the third sub-chamber (440) defines chamber flow outlet (444). There may be provided a fuel compact unit (500) located in the second sub-chamber (438) within the sleeve member (430) such that a clearance gap (522) is maintained between a radially inner surface (450) of the sleeve member (430) and the fuel compact unit (500) to define a sleeve member flow passage (452).

A control rod drive mechanism having a torque tube, a control rod assembly including a connecting rod disposed within the torque tube and including an annular collar defining a key slot, an elongated key that is slidably receivable within the key slot, a lock cam assembly rotatably secured to a top end of the connecting rod and including a locking cam, and a holdout collar disposed non-rotatably within the torque tube, the holdout collar including a locking recess with an entry slot, wherein in a first axial position the lock cam assembly is rotatable with respect to the torque tube, and a second axial position the lock cam assembly is non-rotatable with respect to the torque tube.

The invention discloses a nuclear rod power generation device, the nuclear rod power generation device comprises a nuclear fuel device, a neutron source device, a control assembly and a water pipe device, the nuclear fuel device is arranged in the water pipe device, and the water pipe device comprises a water inlet and a water outlet; the nuclear fuel device comprises an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve, the inner sleeve is arranged in the outer sleeve, the two ends of the inner sleeve and the two ends of the outer sleeve are connected in a sealed mode, a vacuum cavity is formed between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve, and nuclear fuel coatings are arranged on the outer side of the inner sleeve and the inner side of the outer sleeve. The neutron source device is arranged on the inner side of the inner sleeve through a guide pipe, and the control assembly adjusts the position of the neutron source device in the guide pipe. The invention provides a nuclear rod power generation device which adopts a safe and miniaturized nuclear reaction technology and can replace a huge nuclear reactor.

A coupon sampler for a reactor system includes a lower assembly having an in-line portion configured to receive a flow of a molten salt, and a lower assembly pipe portion extending transverse from the in-line portion and defining a lower channel therethrough. The coupon sampler further includes an upper assembly fluidically coupled with the lower assembly. The upper assembly includes an upper assembly pipe portion defining an upper channel therethrough and cooperating with the lower channel to define a sampling channel of the coupon sampler. The coupon sampler further includes a coupon device disposed fully within the sampling channel. The coupon sampler further includes an actuation mechanism operatively coupled with the coupon device and configured to move the coupon device axially into and out of the flow of the molten salt.

Fuel bundle has plurality of twisted ribbon fuel rodlets in hexagonal packing or circle packing arrangement in a core region encased in a multilayer casing. Arrangement of twisted ribbon fuel rodlets is facilitated by rodlet seating fixture with seating surface having a plurality of protrusions that form a receiving space for ends of the twisted ribbon fuel rodlets. Manufacture of the fuel bundle incorporates fiber manufacturing technologies and, optionally, infiltration of void spaces in core region by infiltrant. Twisted ribbon fuel rodlet manufacturing system has sub-systems that impart twist periodicity to extruded ribbons, inspect twisted extruded ribbons, and cut twisted extruded ribbons to length. Inspection sorts twisted ribbon fuel rodlets as well as provides feedback to adjust operation of sub-systems. The fuel bundle (and optional fuel bundle support) can be incorporated into a fuel assembly of a nuclear propulsion fission reactor structure of, for example, a nuclear thermal propulsion engine.

A fuel assembly (100) for a nuclear fission reactor system (110). The fuel assembly (100) may comprise a pressure tube (120) comprising an aluminium or aluminium alloy. The fuel assembly (100) may comprise a sleeve member (132), the sleeve member (132) extending along a radially inner surface (134) of the pressure tube (120). The fuel assembly (100) may comprise a fuel compact unit (136). The fuel compact unit (136) may be located within the sleeve member (132)) such that a clearance is maintained between a radially inner surface (139) of the sleeve member (132) and the fuel compact unit (136) to define a sleeve member flow passage (140).

The invention relates to the technical field of nuclear reactor cores, and provides a reactor core adopting different hydrides for combined application, the reactor core comprises a plurality of fuel assemblies which are sequentially arranged in a zoning manner along the radial direction from the center to the periphery; part of the fuel assemblies simultaneously comprise uranium zirconium hydride fuel rods filled with uranium zirconium hydride fuel and uranium yttrium hydride fuel rods filled with uranium yttrium hydride fuel. Metal hydride fuel rods are introduced into the moderator-free reactor core, the reactor core neutron energy spectrum is slowed down, the reactor core fission reaction rate is increased, the reactor core critical mass is reduced, meanwhile, the equivalent nuclear density of uranium and hydrogen in different areas of the reactor core is adjusted in the mode that different hydride types are used in a combined mode, and reactor core power distribution is further flattened.

A nuclear power plant has a nuclear reactor including a reactor pressure vessel which houses plural fuel rods containing fissile material. The nuclear power plant further has means for submerging the reactor pressure vessel in water and thereby water-cooling the reactor pressure vessel in the event of an emergency requiring cooling of the nuclear reactor. The nuclear power plant further has a primary core catcher outwardly of the reactor pressure vessel, the primary core catcher being formed of a material suitable for retaining molten corium in the event corium escapes the reactor pressure vessel. The nuclear power plant further has secondary core catcher outwardly of the primary core catcher, the secondary core catcher lining a tank which is water-filled in normal use of the plant to submerge and thereby water-cool the primary core catcher. The secondary core catcher is also is formed of a material suitable for retaining molten corium in the event corium escapes the primary core catcher.

A burnable absorber tristructural isotropic (TRISO) particle that comprises a kernel that comprises a non-fissile neutron-absorbing material, a porous carbon buffer layer surrounding the kernel, a first pyrolytic carbon layer surrounding the porous carbon buffer layer, a silicon carbide layer surrounding the first pyrolytic carbon layer, and a second pyrolytic carbon layer surrounding the silicon carbide layer. A fuel compact comprising burnable absorber TRISO particles and TRISO fuel particles is also disclosed, as is a method of forming the burnable absorber TRISO particle.

A nuclear reactor core (1) for a molten salt nuclear reactor (100). The nuclear reactor core (1) has a tubular cylindrical center moderator vessel (10) for passage of a liquid moderator (11), a cylindrical fuel salt jacket surrounding the center moderator vessel (10), and a cylindrical neutron reflector jacket surrounding the cylindrical fuel salt jacket, wherein the cylindrical center moderator and neutron reflector vessel (10) has a largest inner cross-sectional area medially between a liquid moderator and neutron reflector inlet (12) of the center moderator and neutron reflector vessel (10) and a liquid moderator and neutron reflector outlet (13) of the moderator and neutron reflector vessel (10).

Heat pipe fuel element includes an evaporation section, a condensing section, a capillary section connecting the evaporation section to the condensing section, and a primary coolant. In a cross-section in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the evaporation section, the heat pipe fuel element includes a cladding layer enclosing an interior area including a fuel body formed of a fissionable fuel composition and that has an outer surface oriented toward the cladding layer and an inner surface defining a periphery of a vaporization space of the evaporation section. The fuel body has a structure with a shape corresponding to a mathematically-based periodic solid, such as a triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS), and the evaporation sections of a plurality of heat pipe fuel elements are arranged in a phyllotaxis pattern (as seen in a cross-section in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the active core region).

The invention discloses a bottom device and a fuel assembly, belongs to the technical field of reactor engineering, and mainly aims at changing the flow channel form when a cooling medium flows through a foreign matter prevention plate and avoiding the situation of uneven flow field distribution. According to the main technical scheme, the bottom device comprises a lower pipe base and a foreign matter prevention plate connected with the lower pipe base; the foreign matter prevention plate is provided with a first surface and a second surface which are arranged back to back along the flow path direction of the cooling medium, the first surface faces the lower reactor core plate, and the lower reactor core plate is provided with a cooling medium flow channel hole; a first convex part is arranged at the position, opposite to the cooling medium runner hole, in the first surface, and the first convex part protrudes towards the side where the lower reactor core plate is located; the first face is further provided with a second protruding part, the second protruding part is connected with the first protruding part, and the protruding direction of the second protruding part is the same as the protruding direction of the first protruding part.

The invention relates to a fuel rod for a water-cooled water-moderated nuclear reactor. In the proposed fuel rod, there is disposed below the fuel column a spacing element which forms a bottom plenum space and which is pressed against a bottom plug by the fuel column with the aid of a fastening spring. The spacing element consists of a housing in the form of a tube, which has stoppers press-fitted to the ends thereof, said stoppers having axially aligned through-openings and having slots in the outer end faces thereof for admitting helium into the inner cavity of the spacing element. The bottom plug has a stepped profile, and the middle portion thereof, which is disposed outside the cylindrical cladding, has a diameter that is greater than the outside diameter of the cylindrical cladding. The bottom end of the bottom plug has a toroidal surface, the cross-section of which is not greater than the outside diameter of the cylindrical cladding. The technical result is that of increasing the fuel charge, improving the energy efficiency and increasing the operating reliability and safety of a fuel rod for a water-cooled water-moderated nuclear reactor, as well as simplifying the assembly process, and facilitating repair in the event of depressurization of the fuel rod.

The invention relates to a nuclear fuel pellet (6) embedded with a thermally conductive insert (7) in the form of branching arms (7.1 to 7.6) distributed from a hollowed-out inner cylinder (61) towards the outside of the pellet. The invention essentially consists of a nuclear fuel pellet (6) embedded with, within a straight cylindrical ring (60) of fissile material, a thermal conductor (7), in particular a metal conductor, in the form of main branching arms (7.1 to 7.6) that extend from the inside of the ring (60) to the outside and are advantageously distributed homogeneously within the ring. The insert made up of its macrostructure arms and branches makes it possible to reduce the maximum temperature of the fuel by several hundreds of degrees Celsius according to its dimensions, its constituent material and the distribution of its arms in the straight cylindrical fuel ring (60).

The manufacturing method is intended for the manufacture of a nuclear fuel rod cladding (4) comprising a substrate (14) covered with a protective coating (16). The manufacturing method comprises providing the substrate (14) and applying the protective coating (16) to the substrate (14) by physical vapour deposition by sputtering, simultaneously employing two or more mutually different techniques of physical vapour deposition by sputtering.

A molten salt fission reactor. The reactor includes a reactor core including a plurality of fuel tubes. Each fuel tube contains a fuel salt and a gas interface. The fuel salt is a molten salt of one or more fissile isotopes. The gas interface is a surface of the fuel salt that is in contact with a gas space during reactor operation. The reactor also includes a fuel salt cooling system configured for cooling the fuel salt. The cooling system includes a heat exchanger and a coolant tank. The coolant tank contains a coolant liquid in which the fuel tubes are at least partially immersed. The heat exchanger is for extracting heat from the coolant liquid. The fuel salt cooling system is configured such that, during reactor operation, for all points within the fuel salt within each fuel tube except at the respective gas interface:

A segmented fuel assembly (100) for use in a nuclear reactor is disclosed. The segmented fuel assembly comprises a lower nozzle (110), an upper nozzle (120), a plurality of guide tubes (130) positioned intermediate the lower nozzle and the upper nozzle, and a plurality of fuel segments (150) positioned intermediate the upper nozzle and the lower nozzle. The plurality of guide tubes are arranged in a first array. Each guide tube defines a longitudinal axis. Each fuel segment comprises a body (152) defining a plurality of coolant flow channels (156) and a plurality of guide tube openings (154). The guide tube openings are arranged in a second array corresponding to the first array. The guide tubes are positioned in the guide tube openings.

This invention provides a sandwich-toughened ceramic-based fuel element and its additive manufacturing method, belonging to the field of nuclear reactor fuel technology. The element includes an outer shell and an inner shell, with an annular gap between them forming a sandwich space containing a silicon carbide whisker toughening structure. The method includes: additively manufacturing a double-layer shell, the geometry of which can be flexibly designed; preparing the sandwich toughening structure, which can be formed by injecting SiC whisker slurry into the sandwich space and solidifying it, or by generating self-grown whiskers in situ within the sandwich space through heat treatment of a Si and C raw material system; subsequently performing chemical vapor infiltration pretreatment; completing fuel loading and opening end sealing; and further performing enhanced CVI densification treatment. This invention introduces a sandwich toughening structure without significantly increasing the structural complexity of the element, effectively improving the fracture toughness, crack resistance, structural stability, and service stability of SiC-based fuel elements.

The invention relates to the technical field of nuclear fuel, and discloses a fuel element and a preparation method of the fuel element, the fuel element comprises a cladding, a base body and fuel particles, the cladding is of an integrated structure manufactured through an additive manufacturing process, the cladding comprises an outer shell, a bottom plate and a cooling pipe, the outer shell and the cooling pipe are connected with the bottom plate, and the base body is arranged on the outer shell. The shell surrounds the periphery of the cooling pipe, a containing space is formed between the inner side of the shell and the outer side of the cooling pipe, and a coolant channel is formed in the inner side of the cooling pipe and penetrates through the bottom plate. The containing space is filled with the base body and the fuel particles, and the fuel particles are dispersed in the base body. According to the cladding structure, the containing space and the coolant channel are formed at the same time, cladding schemes of the fuel element can be customized according to various reactor cores of various reactor types, and the fuel element can meet the variable requirements of various novel reactor applications such as an ultra-high temperature gas cooled reactor and a gas cooled fast reactor at the same time.

Reactor target assemblies are provided that can include a housing defining a perimeter of at least one volume and Np or Am spheres within the one volume. Reactor assemblies are provided that can include a reactor vessel and a bundle of target assemblies within the reactor vessel, at least one of the target assemblies comprising a housing defining a volume with Np or Am spheres being within the volume. Irradiation methods are also provided that can include irradiating Np or Am spheres within a nuclear reactor, then removing the irradiated spheres from the reactor and treating the irradiated spheres.

The invention belongs to the technical field of dispersion fuel elements, and particularly relates to a fuel element for a high-temperature gas cooled reactor and a preparation method of the fuel element. The invention relates to a fuel element for a high-temperature gas cooled reactor. The fuel element for the high-temperature gas cooled reactor structurally comprises a graphite layer, an inner zirconium carbide layer, a TRISO fuel bearing layer, an outer zirconium carbide layer and a protective layer in sequence from inside to outside. The fuel element for the high-temperature gas cooled reactor has the beneficial effects that the fuel element for the high-temperature gas cooled reactor is of a multi-layer composite structure design and has high corrosion resistance and compressive strength.