High loading uranium fuel plate
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
InventorsThomas C. Wiencek, Robert F. Domagala, Henry R. Thresh
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Abstract
Two embodiments of a high uranium fuel plate are disclosed which contain a meat comprising structured uranium compound confined between a pair of diffusion bonded ductile metal cladding plates uniformly covering the meat, the meat having a uniform high fuel loading comprising a content of uranium compound greater than about 45 Vol. % at a porosity not greater than about 10 Vol. %. In a first embodiment, the meat is a plurality of parallel wires of uranium compound. In a second embodiment, the meat is a dispersion compact containing uranium compound. The fuel plates are fabricated by a hot isostatic pressing process.
Claims38
Method of producing a high loading uranium fuel plate which comprises enclosing a meat containing structured uranium compound between a pair of ductile metal cladding plates in face-to-face relationship wherein said metal cladding plates contain separate recesses for enclosing said meat and subjecting the resulting assembly to hot isostatic pressing under conditions sufficient to diffusion bond said cladding plates together to provide a resulting fuel plate having uniform cladding and uniform high fuel loading.
A high loading uranium fuel plate which contains a meat comprising structured uranium compound confined between a pair of diffusion bonded ductile metal cladding plates uniformly covering said meat, said meat having a uniform high fuel loading comprising a content of uranium compound greater than about 45 Vol.% at a porosity not greater than about 10 Vol.%.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.