초록 ▼

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

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.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A porous nuclear fuel element comprising a nuclear fuel material having a total porosity greater than or equal to about 70%; wherein the nuclear fuel material comprises: a three-dimensional reticulated network of interconnected solid ligaments, with interconnected pores defining a space lying in-

1. A porous nuclear fuel element comprising a nuclear fuel material having a total porosity greater than or equal to about 70%; wherein the nuclear fuel material comprises: a three-dimensional reticulated network of interconnected solid ligaments, with interconnected pores defining a space lying in-between adjacent ligaments; andwherein the solid ligaments consist essentially of the nuclear fuel material consisting essentially of one or more solid-solution alloys selected from the group consisting of uranium bi-carbides, uranium tri-carbides, uranium carbonitrides, and mixtures thereof. 2. The fuel element of claim 1, wherein the nuclear fuel material is a uranium bi-carbide selected from the group consisting of (U,Zr)C and (U,Nb)C. 3. The fuel element of claim 1, wherein the nuclear fuel material is a uranium tri-carbide selected from the group consisting of (U,Zr,Nb)C; (U,Zr,Ta)C; (U,Zr,Hf)C; and (U,Zr,W)C. 4. The fuel element of claim 1, wherein the nuclear fuel material is a uranium carbonitride selected from the group consisting of (U,Zr)CN or (U,Ta)CN. 5. The fuel element of claim 1, wherein the nuclear fuel material is a uranium tri-carbide consisting essentially of (UWZrXNbY)CZ; where 0.04