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Title: Porous nuclear fuel element for high-temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactors

Abstract

Porous nuclear fuel elements for use in advanced high temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactors (HTGR's), and to processes for fabricating them. Advanced uranium bi-carbide, uranium tri-carbide and uranium carbonitride nuclear fuels can be used. These fuels have high melting temperatures, high thermal conductivity, and high resistance to erosion by hot hydrogen gas. Tri-carbide fuels, such as (U,Zr,Nb)C, can be fabricated using chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) to simultaneously deposit each of the three separate carbides, e.g., UC, ZrC, and NbC in a single CVI step. By using CVI, the nuclear fuel may be deposited inside of a highly porous skeletal structure made of, for example, reticulated vitreous carbon foam.

Inventors:
 [1];  [2];  [2]
  1. Albuquerque, NM
  2. Pacoima, CA
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1016551
Patent Number(s):
7899146
Application Number:
US Patent Application 7,899,146
Assignee:
Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21C - NUCLEAR REACTORS
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
DOE Contract Number:  
AC04-94AL85000
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS

Citation Formats

Youchison, Dennis L, Williams, Brian E, and Benander, Robert E. Porous nuclear fuel element for high-temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactors. United States: N. p., 2011. Web.
Youchison, Dennis L, Williams, Brian E, & Benander, Robert E. Porous nuclear fuel element for high-temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactors. United States.
Youchison, Dennis L, Williams, Brian E, and Benander, Robert E. Tue . "Porous nuclear fuel element for high-temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactors". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1016551.
@article{osti_1016551,
title = {Porous nuclear fuel element for high-temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactors},
author = {Youchison, Dennis L and Williams, Brian E and Benander, Robert E},
abstractNote = {Porous nuclear fuel elements for use in advanced high temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactors (HTGR's), and to processes for fabricating them. Advanced uranium bi-carbide, uranium tri-carbide and uranium carbonitride nuclear fuels can be used. These fuels have high melting temperatures, high thermal conductivity, and high resistance to erosion by hot hydrogen gas. Tri-carbide fuels, such as (U,Zr,Nb)C, can be fabricated using chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) to simultaneously deposit each of the three separate carbides, e.g., UC, ZrC, and NbC in a single CVI step. By using CVI, the nuclear fuel may be deposited inside of a highly porous skeletal structure made of, for example, reticulated vitreous carbon foam.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 2011},
month = {Tue Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 2011}
}

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