System and method for making nuclear fuel elements with a controlled number of nuclear particles

A system for producing a nuclear fuel element having a known amount of homogeneously distributed nuclear material, comprising:

• a channel having an exit, the channel being configured to receive nuclear fuel particles;
• a conveyer configured to transmit the nuclear fuel particles along the channel to the exit;
• an optical counter configured to count a number of nuclear fuel particles which pass through the exit of the channel, and transmit a first signal when a target number of nuclear fuel particles exits the channel,
• a motor configured to:
• drive the conveyer until the target number of nuclear fuel particles exits the channel through the exit, and
• stop the conveyer after receiving the first signal from the optical counter.

A method for producing a nuclear fuel element having a predictable multiplication factor k, comprising:

• feeding nuclear fuel particles having a known particle size along a channel having an exit, the channel having a conveyer configured to transmit the nuclear fuel particles to the exit;
• driving the conveyer until a target number of nuclear fuel particles exits the channel through the exit;
• counting a number of nuclear fuel particles which pass through the exit of the channel with an optical counter;
• stopping the conveyer after the target number of nuclear fuel particles exits the channel;
• filling a mold with the target number of nuclear fuel particles and a particulate matrix material while vibrating the mold so as to homogeneously distribute the nuclear fuel particles within the particulate matrix material;
• and
• converting the particulate matrix material into a solid matrix material.