Nuclear reactor fuel structure containing uranium alloy wires embedded in a metallic matrix plate

Patent · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:866476

Travelli, Armando ^[1]

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1. Hinsdale, IL

A flat or curved plate structure, to be used as fuel in a nuclear reactor, comprises elongated fissionable wires or strips embedded in a metallic continuous non-fissionable matrix plate. The wires or strips are made predominantly of a malleable uranium alloy, such as uranium silicide, uranium gallide or uranium germanide. The matrix plate is made predominantly of aluminum or an aluminum alloy. The wires or strips are located in a single row at the midsurface of the plate, parallel with one another and with the length dimension of the plate. The wires or strips are separated from each other, and from the surface of the plate, by sufficient thicknesses of matrix material, to provide structural integrity and effective fission product retention, under neutron irradiation. This construction makes it safely feasible to provide a high uranium density, so that the uranium enrichment with uranium 235 may be reduced below about 20%, to deter the reprocessing of the uranium for use in nuclear weapons.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4720370
• OSTI ID: 866476
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

nuclear
reactor
fuel
structure
containing
uranium
alloy
wires
embedded
metallic
matrix
plate
flat
curved
comprises
elongated
fissionable
strips
continuous
non-fissionable
predominantly
malleable
silicide
gallide
germanide
aluminum
located
single
row
midsurface
parallel
length
dimension
separated
surface
sufficient
thicknesses
material
provide
structural
integrity
effective
fission
product
retention
neutron
irradiation
construction
makes
safely
feasible
density
enrichment
235
reduced
below
20
deter
reprocessing
weapons
uranium silicide
sufficient thickness
uranium alloy
neutron irradiation
fission product
matrix material
nuclear reactor
reactor fuel
aluminum alloy
structural integrity
uranium enrichment
alloy wires
plate structure
nuclear weapons
reduced below
structure containing
containing uranium
comprises elongated
nuclear weapon
/376/252/420/976/