Process for rapid processing of SiC and graphitic matrix TRISO-bearing pebble fuels
AssigneeUltra Safe Nuclear Corporation
InventorFrancesco Venneri
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for producing microencapsulated fuel pebble fuel more rapidly and with a matrix that engenders added safety attributes. The method includes coating fuel particles with ceramic powder; placing the coated fuel particles in a first die; applying a first current and a first pressure to the first die so as to form a fuel pebble by direct current sintering. The method may further include removing the fuel pebble from the first die and placing the fuel pebble within a bed of non-fueled matrix ceramic in a second die; and applying a second current and a second pressure to the second die so as to form a composite fuel pebble.
Claims11
A method comprising:
- coating fuel particles with ceramic powder;
- placing the coated fuel particles in a first die;
- and
- applying a first current and a first pressure to the first die so as to form a fuel pebble by direct current sintering,
- wherein the fuel particles are tristructural-isotropic fuel particles (TRISO).
A method comprising:
- coating fuel particles with ceramic powder;
- placing the coated fuel particles in a first die;
- applying a first current and a first pressure to the first die so as to form a fuel pebble by direct current sintering;
- removing the fuel pebble from the first die and placing the fuel pebble within a bed of non-fueled matrix ceramic in a second die;
- and
- applying a second current and a second pressure to the second die so as to form a composite fuel pebble.
A method comprising:
- coating fuel particles with ceramic powder;
- placing the coated fuel particles in a first die;
- and
- applying a first current and a first pressure to the first die so as to form a fuel pebble by direct current sintering;
- and
- machining the fuel pebble to smooth an outer surface of the fuel pebble.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.