Manufacture of Large Grain Powders with Granular Coatings
AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.
InventorEdward J. Lahoda
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Abstract
The invention relates generally to uranium fuel in a nuclear reactor and, more particularly, the inclusion of a fuel additive component to the bulk fuel material. The fuel additive component is selected and provided in an amount such that it is effective to improve one or more properties of the bulk fuel material. The fuel additive component has a grain size that is less than the grain size of the bulk fuel material. The granular fuel additive component coats or covers the granular bulk fuel material.
Claims12
A nuclear fuel comprising:
- a bulk fuel material in a powder form;
- and
- a fuel additive component selected from the group consisting of metal, metal alloy, metal oxide, metalloid oxide, metal carbide, metalloid carbide, metal nitride, metalloid nitride, metal boride, metalloid boride and mixtures or alloys thereof in a powder form,
- wherein the grain size of the bulk fuel material is larger than the grain size of the fuel additive component.
A method of incorporating a fuel additive component to a nuclear fuel, comprising:
- obtaining a bulk fuel material in powder form;
- selecting the fuel additive component from the group consisting of metal, metal alloy, metal oxide, metalloid oxide, metal carbide, metalloid carbide, metal nitride, metalloid nitride, metal boride, metalloid boride and mixtures or alloys thereof in powder form,
- wherein the grain size of the bulk fuel material is larger than the grain size of the fuel additive component;
- and
- combining the bulk fuel material with the fuel additive component.
A nuclear fuel pellet, comprising:
- a first material composed of bulk uranium;
- and
- a coating composed of a second material selected from the group consisting of metal, metal alloy, metal oxide, metalloid oxide, metal carbide, metalloid carbide, metal nitride, metalloid nitride, metal boride and metalloid boride and mixtures or alloys, deposited on the first material,
- wherein the first material has a grain size greater than the grain size of the second material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.