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US 2021/0202116 A1Published application
Nuclear fuel elements including protective structures, and related methods
AssigneeBattelle Energy Alliance, LLC
InventorsGeorge W. Griffith, Isabella J. van Rooyen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A nuclear fuel element comprises a core comprising a fissile element and an additional element, a first material surrounding the nuclear fuel, the first material comprising the fissile element and the additional element, the first material comprising a greater than stoichiometric amount of the additional element, and a metal around an outer portion of the nuclear fuel element. Related nuclear fuel elements, and related methods are disclosed.
Claims21
A nuclear fuel element, comprising:
- a core comprising a fissile element and an additional element;
- and
- a protective structure around the core, the protective structure comprising:
- the fissile element and the additional element, the protective structure comprising a greater than stoichiometric amount of the additional element;
- and
- a metal comprising an outer portion of the protective structure.
3 more elements
A method of forming a nuclear fuel element, the method comprising:
- providing a first feed material in a reaction vessel, the first feed material comprising a fissile element and an additional element;
- exposing the first feed material to energy from an energy source to form a nuclear fuel comprising the fissile element and the additional element;
- providing a second feed material comprising at least a metal around an outer portion of the nuclear fuel;
- and
- exposing the second feed material to energy from the energy source to form a protective structure around the nuclear fuel and to form inter granular bonds between the nuclear fuel and the protective structure.
2 more elements
A nuclear fuel element, comprising:
- a matrix material comprising a fissile element and an additional element;
- and
- one or more getter materials dispersed within the matrix material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.