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US 2022/0189648 A1Published application
Nuclear fuel rods and related methods
AssigneeBattelle Energy Alliance, LLC
InventorsIsabella J. van Rooyen, Youssef A. Ballout
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A nuclear fuel rod comprises a nuclear fuel material, a material surrounding the nuclear fuel material, and cladding surrounding the material, the material forming a fuel-cladding gap between the nuclear fuel material and the cladding. Related nuclear fuel rods and methods are also disclosed.
Claims23
A nuclear fuel rod, comprising:
- a nuclear fuel material;
- a material surrounding the nuclear fuel material and comprising a non-radioactive material;
- and
- cladding surrounding the material, the material defining a fuel-cladding gap between the nuclear fuel material and the cladding.
1 more element
A nuclear fuel rod, comprising:
- nuclear fuel pellets;
- cladding around the nuclear fuel pellets;
- and
- a gap-maintaining material between the nuclear fuel pellets and the cladding and comprising a different material composition than the nuclear fuel pellets and the cladding, the gap-maintaining material contacting the nuclear fuel pellets and the cladding.
1 more element
A method of forming a structure, the method comprising:
- forming, by additive manufacturing, a first layer of a structure, the first layer comprising a first material;
- forming a second layer of the structure on the first layer, the second layer comprising a sacrificial material;
- forming a third layer of the structure on the second layer, the third layer comprising a second material having a different material composition than the first material;
- and
- selectively removing the sacrificial material with respect to the first material and the second material to form a structure comprising the first material spaced from the second material.
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.