Annular metal nuclear fuel and methods of manufacturing the same
AssigneeTerraPower, LLC
InventorsJoon Hyung Choi, Micah J. Hackett, Pavel Hejzlar, Ryan N. Latta, James M. Vollmer
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Abstract
Annular metal fuel and fuel rods are described that have improved performance over uranium oxide fuel rods. The annular metal fuel can be made out of porous metal nuclear fuel and will generate more power and operate at a much lower temperature than uranium oxide fuel. The annular metal fuel rods may be used in traveling wave reactors and other fast reactors. Pressurized water reactors may also be retrofit with annular metal fuel rods to improve reactor performance.
Claims20
A nuclear fuel rod comprising:
- an outer cladding;
- an inner cladding within the outer cladding, the inner cladding defining a coolant channel;
- and
- a metal fuel between the outer cladding and the inner cladding.
A method for manufacturing an annular nuclear fuel rod comprising:
- creating a first intermediate component, the first intermediate component including an outer cladding tube having an interior surface and an exterior surface and having a first layer of a metal fuel on the interior surface;
- creating a second intermediate component, the second intermediate component including an inner cladding tube having an interior surface and an exterior surface and having a second layer of a metal fuel on the exterior surface;
- and
- assembling the first intermediate component with the second intermediate component to obtain the annular nuclear fuel rod.
A method for manufacturing an annular nuclear fuel rod comprising:
- creating a first intermediate component, the first intermediate component including an inner cladding tube within an outer cladding tube defining an annular space between the inner cladding tube and the outer cladding tube;
- placing a metal fuel powder in the annular space between the inner and outer cladding tubes;
- packing the metal fuel powder in the annular space between the inner and outer cladding tubes until a target porosity in the metal fuel powder is achieved;
- and
- capping the packed metal fuel powder within the annular space between the inner and outer cladding tubes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.