# US 2017/0287577 A1 · PROCESS FOR RAPID PROCESSING OF SiC AND GRAPHITIC MATRIX TRISO-BEARING PEBBLE FUELS > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0287577 A1 - Document ID: US20170287577A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/444,442 - Filed: 2017-02-28 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-29 - Assignees: Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation - Applicants: Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation - Inventors: Francesco VENNERI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170287577A1 ## CPC - G21C 21/02: Manufacture of fuel elements or breeder elements contained in non-active casings - B28B 1/008: {made from two or more materials having different characteristics or properties (casting for producing layered articles B28B1/16; feeding several succesive layers, optionally of different materials B28B13/022; coating B28B11/04; applying material to surfaces to form a permanent layer thereon B28B19/00)} - B28B 3/02: wherein a ram exerts pressure on the material in a moulding space; Ram heads of special form - B28B 13/0205: {supplied to the moulding device in form of a coherent mass of material, e.g. a lump or an already partially preshaped tablet, pastil or the like} - C04B 35/51: based on compounds of actinides ({non-oxide actinide compounds C04B35/5158;} nuclear fuel materials G21C3/62) - C04B 35/522: {Graphite (C04B35/536 takes precedence)} - C04B 35/532: containing a carbonisable binder - C04B 35/575: obtained by pressure sintering - C04B 35/628: Coating the powders {or the macroscopic reinforcing agents} - C04B 35/62813: {Alumina or aluminates} - C04B 35/62815: {Rare earth metal oxides} - C04B 35/62831: {Carbides} - C04B 35/62834: {Silicon carbide} - C04B 35/62839: {Carbon} - C04B 35/62894: {with more than one coating layer} - C04B 35/62897: {Coatings characterised by their thickness} - C04B 35/63476: {Phenol-formaldehyde condensation polymers} - C04B 35/638: Removal thereof - C04B 35/645: Pressure sintering - G21C 3/28: with fissile or breeder material in solid form within a non-active casing - G21C 3/58: Solid reactor fuel {Pellets made of fissile material} - C04B 2235/3217: Aluminum oxide or oxide forming salts thereof, e.g. bauxite, alpha-alumina - C04B 2235/3224: Rare earth oxide or oxide forming salts thereof, e.g. scandium oxide - C04B 2235/3225: Yttrium oxide or oxide-forming salts thereof - C04B 2235/3826: Silicon carbides - C04B 2235/425: Graphite - C04B 2235/48: Organic compounds becoming part of a ceramic after heat treatment, e.g. carbonising phenol resins - C04B 2235/604: Pressing at temperatures other than sintering temperatures - C04B 2235/666: Applying a current during sintering, e.g. plasma sintering [SPS], electrical resistance heating or pulse electric current sintering [PECS] - C04B 2235/94: Products characterised by their shape - Y02E 30/30: Nuclear fission reactors - G21C: NUCLEAR REACTORS (fusion reactors, hybrid fission-fusion reactors G21B; nuclear explosives G21J) - B28B: SHAPING CLAY OR OTHER CERAMIC COMPOSITIONS; SHAPING SLAG; SHAPING MIXTURES CONTAINING CEMENTITIOUS MATERIAL, e.g. PLASTER (foundry moulding B22C; working stone or stone-like material B28D; shaping of substances in a plastic state, in general B29C; making layered products not composed wholly of these substances B32B) - C04B: LIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE {(roofing granules E04D7/005)}; CERAMICS (devitrified glass-ceramics C03C10/00); REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 1) 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) 2) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: 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. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) 3) The method according to claim 1, wherein the fuel particles are tristructural-isotropic fuel particles (TRISO). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) 4) The method according to claim 1, wherein the ceramic powder comprises graphite or silicon carbide. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) 5) The method according to claim 2, wherein the non-fueled matrix ceramic comprises graphite. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) 6) The method according to claim 5, wherein the non-fueled matrix ceramic further comprises phenolic or other resin binder. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) 7) The method according to claim 2, wherein the non-fueled matrix ceramic comprises silicon carbide. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) 8) The method according to claim 7, wherein the non-fueled matrix ceramic further comprises a rare-earth oxide neutronic poison selected from the group consisting of Gd2O3, Er2O3, Dy2O3, and Eu2O3, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) 9) The method according to claim 7, wherein the non-fueled matrix ceramic further comprises sintering additives selected from the group consisting of Al2O3 and Y2O3 and combinations thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) 10) The method according to claim 2, wherein the ceramic powder and the non-fueled matrix ceramic have the same composition. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) 11) The method according to claim 2, further comprising adding additional non-fueled matrix ceramic above the fuel pebble in the second die. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) 12) The method according to claim 1, further comprising machining the fuel pebble to smooth an outer surface of the fuel pebble. ### Claim 13 13) A nuclear fuel pebble comprising: an inner fuel pebble including fuel particles microencapsulated within a fully ceramic matrix; and a non-fueled matrix ceramic surrounding the inner fuel pebble. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) 14) The nuclear fuel pebble according to claim 13, wherein the fuel particles are tristructural-isotropic fuel particles (TRISO). ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) 15) The nuclear fuel pebble according to claim 13, wherein the fully ceramic matrix comprises graphite or silicon carbide. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) 16) The nuclear fuel pebble according to claim 13, wherein the non-fueled matrix ceramic comprises graphite. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) 17) The nuclear fuel pebble according to claim 16, wherein the non-fueled matrix ceramic further comprises phenolic or other resin binder. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) 18) The nuclear fuel pebble according to claim 13, wherein the non-fueled matrix ceramic comprises silicon carbide. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) 19) The nuclear fuel pebble according to claim 18, wherein the non-fueled matrix ceramic further comprises a rare-earth oxide neutronic poison selected from the group consisting of Gd2O3, Er2O3, Dy2O3, and Eu2O3, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) 20) The nuclear fuel pebble according to claim 18, wherein the non-fueled matrix ceramic further comprises sintering additives selected from the group consisting of Al2O3 and Y2O3 and combinations thereof.