Particulate metal fuels used in power generation, recycling systems, and small modular reactors

Abstract

A metal particulate fuel system is described. The metal fuel system may include particulate metal fuel for use in nuclear reactors. The particulate metal fuel may include a plurality of particles of at least one enriched alloy where the particles are compacted into a fuel column. The metal particulate fuel system may also include a cladding and / or a gas-filled plenum.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12 / 696,851, filed Jan. 29, 2010, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 182,954, filed Jun. 1, 2009; the content of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to nuclear fuels, reactors and power plants, and, more specifically, to particulate metal fuel.BACKGROUND OF INVENTIONElectricity Demand[0003]World electricity demand is expected to double by 2030 and quadruple by 2050. The world electricity demand increase is forecasted to come from developed countries and, to an even larger extent, developing countries. To meet this rapid growth in demand, nuclear power may be a realistic, cost-effective energy source.[0004]Increased energy supply from other sources, such as contribution from natural gas powered generation may be constrained by high and volatile gas prices, gr...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a long-life fuel cartridge core that fixes fuel costs for 15 or more years, which is ideal for use in liquid metal cooled fast neutron spectrum reactors. The metal fuel can be portable and replaceable, and can utilize crushed particulates from LWR fuel or minor actinides. The metal fuel form can be factory produced, and the fabrication method is simplified. Unlike other metal fuels, the present invention does not require heating or cassettes prior to insertion into the reactor pool. Overall, the invention improves the attractiveness and viability of large-scale utilization of liquid metal cooled fast neutron spectrum reactors.

Problems solved by technology

Increased energy supply from other sources, such as contribution from natural gas powered generation may be constrained by high and volatile gas prices, greenhouse gas emissions, and concerns over longer-term dependence on unstable sources of supply.

They do not, however, scale sufficiently and cannot provide enough additional electric generating capacity in most markets to meet any significant part of the new electricity demand.

Conventional nuclear power plants, however, have severe obstacles to overcome.

These obstacles include: finance capital costs ranging from $3 billion to over $6 billion; uncertainty about waste fuel disposal; and insufficient grid capacity to accommodate large base-loaded power plants.

Coal power plants may also provide some additional supply, but burning mass quantities of coal presents serious political obstacles given the negative environmental impacts.

Later ceramic fuels became common because the early metal fuels were not capable of extended life in a reactor core.

Furthermore, there were concerns of excessive fuel cladding interaction at high temperatures.

The melting point of the alloys must be less than the softening point of the VYCOR glass molds; thus, the range of possible alloys is limited.

These casts greatly limit the range of alloy compositions to be used in the injection cast fuel because of softening of the molds, e.g., VYCOR molds.

Additionally, the traditional metal fuel casting process may suffer a loss of volatile components such as americium.

Alternatively, aqueous reprocessing of LWR SNF to remove the long-lived radioactive elements for fission consumption in fast reactors is possible, but expensive.

In addition, the actinides can represent a potential proliferation risk if entities of concern attempt to recover them for use in nuclear weapons.

Of the actinides, americium presents a major challenge since it is a major long-term hazard in a repository environment (arising from heat generation and decay to Np237) and its high volatility makes recovery from reprocessing and repackaging into new fuel host difficult.

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