US 9,793,010 B2 · Nuclear fuel pebble and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

A method of mass producing nuclear fuel elements may include: forming a graphite base portion of the fuel elements; repeatedly performing a sequence of operations comprising depositing a uniform graphite layer over a previous layer, depositing a layer of particles on the uniform graphite layer within a fuel zone diameter, so that the particles are spaced apart in a predefined pattern, and applying a binder using additive manufacturing methods to bind each layer with successively increasing and then decreasing diameters to form a central portion of fuel elements including a fuel-containing fuel zone; and repeatedly performing a sequence of operations comprising forming a uniform graphite layer on a previous layer and applying a binder using additive manufacturing methods to bind each layer with successively decreasing diameters to form a cap portion of fuel elements. The particles may include one or more of a nuclear fuel material, burnable poison material, or breeder material. The fuel particles may be tri-structural-isotropic (TRISO) particles that do not have an overcoat.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A manufacturing method of mass producing nuclear fuel elements configured for use in a high-temperature gas cooled reactor core using additive manufacturing methods and robotic mechanisms to control, spatial placement and packing density of particles within a matrix of graphite, the method comprising:

forming a graphite base portion of the fuel elements, the graphite base portion comprising uniform graphite powder layers;
repeatedly performing a sequence of operations comprising depositing a layer of particles on a previous uniform graphite powder layer so that the particles are spaced apart in a predefined pattern, depositing a uniform graphite powder layer on the layer of particles, and applying a binder using additive manufacturing methods to bind each layer with successively increasing and then decreasing diameters to form a central portion of fuel elements, the central portion comprising a fuel-containing fuel zone;
and
repeatedly performing a sequence of operations comprising depositing a uniform graphite powder layer on a previous layer and applying a binder using additive manufacturing methods to bind each layer with successively decreasing diameters to form a cap portion of the fuel elements,
wherein the particles comprise one or more of nuclear fuel material, burnable poison material, or breeder material, and
wherein the fuel elements include a fuel-free shell disposed around the fuel zone.

3 more elements

A manufacturing method of mass producing nuclear fuel elements configured for use in a high-temperature gas cooled reactor core, the method comprising:

repeatedly performing a sequence of operations comprising depositing a uniform graphite powder layer on a previous layer and applying a binder using additive manufacturing methods to bind each layer with controlled exterior dimensions to form a base portion of the fuel elements;
repeatedly performing a sequence of operations comprising depositing layer of nuclear fuel particles on a previous uniform graphite powder layer so that the particles are spaced apart in a predefined pattern, depositing a uniform graphite powder layer on the layer of nuclear fuel particles using a robotic mechanism, and applying a binder using additive manufacturing methods to bind each layer with controlled exterior dimensions to form a central portion of the fuel elements, the central portion comprising a fuel-containing fuel zone;
and
repeatedly performing a sequence of operations comprising depositing a uniform graphite powder layer on a previous layer and applying a binder using additive manufacturing methods to bind each layer with controlled exterior dimensions to form a cap portion of fuel elements,
wherein the exterior dimensions of the base portion, the fuel zone portion and the cap portion are controlled so as to form a fuel element of a controlled shape selected from the group consisting of spherical, ovoid, pill-shaped, prismatic, columnar, and, conical, and
wherein the fuel elements include a fuel-free shell disposed around the fuel zone.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Nuclear fuel pebble and method of manufacturing the same

Life of this patent

Nuclear fuel pebble and method of manufacturing the same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19