摘要:
Particle fuel, such as is used in high temperature nuclear reactors, and having the fuel material coated with a pyrolytic carbon coating impermeable to gaseous fission products and embedded in a matrix of graphite, incorporates, for the purpose of this invention, radium 226 preferably in the binder for the grains of the fuel. The integrity of the pyrolytic carbon coating can then be checked before irradiation in a reactor by circulating an inert gas, e.g., argon, over the particles at a temperature in excess of 800*C, e.g., in the final carbonisation step during manufacture or immediately before vacuum degassing. The inert gas after passing over the particles is checked for the presence of radon 222, e.g., by passing the gas into a decay chamber having a filter in its outlet to collect radio-active solid daughters of radon and counting the alpha particles emitted by the material collected on the filter.
摘要:
1. A fuel element for a nuclear reactor comprising an elongated sealed enclosure containing nuclear fuel, said enclosure including at one end a pressure-tight non-magnetic extension, an indicator pin within the enclosure and having a portion comprising ferromagnetic material extending within the said extension, said indicator pin being movable in the elongated direction of the enclosure from a first position to a second position, resilient means connected to the indicator pin for biasing the indicator pin for movement toward the second position, pressure differential means within the enclosure for maintaining the indicator pin in its first position against the force exerted by the resilient means, said pressure differential means being disabled from maintaining the indicator pin in its first position when an opening in the enclosure causes a pressure loss within the enclosure whereby the resilient means displaces the indicator pin to its second position indicative of failed fuel, the pressure-tight extension having a reduced width compared with that of the enclosure portion containing the nuclear fuel, and the ferromagnetic material portion being located entirely within the reduced-width extension of both the first and second positions.
摘要:
Nuclear reactor fuel element leakage can now be determined without removing the fuel elements from the reactor core by employing an upper fuel element end cap having a flexible means which is sensitive to pressure changes within the fuel element and which activates an eddy current effecting means, and by placing an eddy current near the end cap.
摘要:
NUCLEAR FUEL PARTICLES ARE PREPARED BY FORMING A JACKET OFF 1 TO 10 UM THICK OF URANIUM, PLUTONIUM OR THORIUM NITRIDE, SULFIDE OR PHOSPHIDE ON FUEL CARBIDE PARTICLES HAVING A SIZE BETWEEN 0.01 AND 2 MM.
摘要:
Cover gas control systems include a reservoir and injection path for direct injection into fuel transfer machinery. If seals in the fuel handling machinery leak, cover gas is provided from the reservoir to flow to the leak without contamination from a reactor to which the fuel transfer machinery is joined. This providing cover gas may be passive or automatic in response to a detected low pressure level, detected ambient air ingress, low volume level of cover gas, or manually actuated through an operator. The cover gas may be injected from below the leak but above the reactor. A limitation in the injection path keeps cover gas injection at rates sufficient to allow operator reaction and sealing before the reservoir is depleted. A pressure pulse transmitter, blowout preventer, and transfer port plug are useable in the systems, which can be implemented in fuel handling machinery for reactors using a cover gas.
摘要:
A method of producing a nuclear fuel product is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a core comprising aluminum and low-enriched uranium; and sealing said core in a cladding. The low-enriched uranium has a proportion of U235 below 20 wt %. The core includes more than 80 wt % of a mixture of UAl3 phase and UAl4 phase, and the mixture has a weight fraction of UAl3 phase higher than or equal to 50%, or the core includes more than 50 wt % of UAl2 phase. The core has a low-enriched uranium loading higher than 3.0 gU/cm3. The core includes less than 10 wt % in total of one or several material(s) taken from the list consisting of aluminum phase and aluminum compounds other than UAl2 phase, than UAl3 phase, and than UAl4 phase. A corresponding nuclear fuel product is also provided.
摘要:
A 17×17 jacketless fuel assembly for a PWR-type light-water reactor uses thorium as the fuel. The fuel assembly has a square shape in the plan view, a seed region, a blanket region that encircles it, an upper nozzle, and a lower nozzle. The fuel elements of the seed region re arranged in the rows and columns of a square coordinate grid and have a four-lobed profile that forms spiral spacer ribs along the length of a fuel element. The blanket region contains a frame structure within which a bundle of fuel elements made from thorium with the addition of enriched uranium is positioned. The blanket region fuel elements are arranged in the two or three rows and columns of a square coordinate grid.
摘要:
A fuel assembly for use in a core of a nuclear power reactor. The assembly includes a frame shaped and configured to fit within the nuclear reactor internal core structure; and a plurality of helically twisted fuel elements supported by the frame in a fuel rod bundle. Each of the fuel elements includes fissile material. When viewed in a cross-section that is perpendicular to an axial direction of the fuel assembly, the outermost fuel elements of the fuel rod bundle define a substantially circular perimeter. Other features, and a nuclear reactor, are also described.
摘要:
A method of producing a nuclear fuel product is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a core comprising aluminium and low-enriched uranium; and sealing said core in a cladding. The core has a low-enriched uranium loading strictly higher than 3.0 gU/cm3 and includes less than 10 wt % of aluminium phase and/or aluminium compounds other than UAl2 phase, than UAl3 phase, and than UAl4 phase. A corresponding nuclear fuel product is also provided.
摘要翻译:提供了生产核燃料产品的方法。 该方法包括提供包含铝和低浓铀的核心的步骤; 并将所述芯密封在包层中。 核心具有严格高于3.0gU / cm 3的低浓度铀负荷,并且包含除UAl 2相以外的铝相和/或铝化合物的10重量%以上,而不是UAl 4相。 还提供了相应的核燃料产品。