Back to results
US 8,529,713 B2Granted
System and method for annealing nuclear fission reactor materials
AssigneeThe Invention Science Fund I, LLC
InventorsCharles E. Ahlfeld, John Rogers Gilleland, Roderick A. Hyde, David G. McAlees, Jon David McWhirter, Ashok Odedra, Clarence T. Tegreene, Joshua C. Walter, Kevan D. Weaver, Charles Whitmer, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., George B. Zimmerman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Illustrative embodiments provide systems, methods, apparatuses, and applications related to annealing nuclear fission reactor materials.
Claims22
A method for annealing at least a portion of at least one metallic component of a nuclear fission fuel assembly of a nuclear fission reactor, the method comprising:
- determining an annealing temperature range for at least a portion of at least one metallic component of a nuclear fission fuel assembly of a nuclear fission reactor;
- in a reactor core of the nuclear fission reactor, annealing at least the portion of the at least one metallic component of the nuclear fission fuel assembly within the annealing temperature range by, responsive to determining an annealing temperature range, establishing at least the portion of the nuclear fission fuel assembly within the annealing temperature range by adjusting operational parameters of the nuclear fission reactor to establish operating conditions of a region of the nuclear fission reactor containing the at least one metallic component within the determined annealing temperature range for a period of time selected to produce annealing of at least the portion of the at least one metallic component;
- stopping annealing at least the portion of the at least one metallic component of the nuclear fission fuel assembly within the annealing temperature range;
- and
- post-anneal treating at least the portion of the at least one metallic component of the nuclear fission fuel assembly by lowering temperature from the annealing temperature range to a quenching temperature range.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.