Patent US4504350A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3925151A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3925151A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Nuclear fuel element
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1974-02-11
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Granted: 1975-12-09
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Expires: 1994-02-11
Abstract
Abstract A nuclear fuel element for use in the core of a nuclear reactor is disclosed and has a metal liner disposed between the cladding and the nuclear fuel material and a high lubricity material in the form of a coating disposed between the liner and the cladding. The liner preferably has a thickness greater than the longest fission product recoil distance and is composed of a low neutron capture cross-section material. The liner is preferably composed of zirconium, an alloy of zirconium, niobium or an alloy of niobium. The liner serves as a preferential reaction site for volatile impurities and fission products and protects the cladding from contact and reaction with such impurities and fission products. The high lubricity material acts as an interface between the liner and the cladding and reduces localized stresses on the cladding due to fuel expansion and cracking of the fuel.
Inventors
- 👤 Harold H Klepfer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-10 02:07
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21C; G21C3/00; G21C3/02; G21C3/04; G21C3/16; G21C3/20; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E30/00; Y02E30/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
78 words
A NUCLEAR FUEL ELEMENT WHICH COMPRISES A METALLIC ELONGATED CONTAINER IN THE FORM OF A RIGHT CIRCULAR CYLINDER, A LAYER OF HIGH LUBIRCITY MATERIAL BEING DISPOSED IN AND ADJACENT TO THE INSIDE SURFACE OF SAID CONTAINER, A LOW NEUTRON CAPTURE CROSS SECTION METAL LINER BEING DISPOSED IN SAID CONTAINER AND ADJACENT TO SAID LAYER, A BODY OF NUCLEAR FUEL MATERIAL DISPOSED IN SAID CONTAINER AND SURROUNDED BY SAID LINER, AND END PLUGS SEALING EACH END OF SAID CONTAINER.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
78 words
A NUCLEAR FUEL ELEMENT WHICH COMPRISES A METALLIC ELONGATED CONTAINER IN THE FORM OF A RIGHT CIRCULAR CYLINDER, A LAYER OF HIGH LUBIRCITY MATERIAL BEING DISPOSED IN AND ADJACENT TO THE INSIDE SURFACE OF SAID CONTAINER, A LOW NEUTRON CAPTURE CROSS SECTION METAL LINER BEING DISPOSED IN SAID CONTAINER AND ADJACENT TO SAID LAYER, A BODY OF NUCLEAR FUEL MATERIAL DISPOSED IN SAID CONTAINER AND SURROUNDED BY SAID LINER, AND END PLUGS SEALING EACH END OF SAID CONTAINER.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 1 in which the layer of high lubricity material is a coating on the inside surface of said container.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 1 in which the layer of high lubricity material is a coating on the outside surface of the metal liner.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 1 in which the layer of high lubricity material is a hollow cylinder disposed between the liner and the cladding.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 1 in which the layer of high lubricity material is selected from the group consisting of graphite and molybdenum disulfide.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 5 in which the layer of high lubricity material is graphite.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 5 in which the layer of high lubricity material is molybdenum disulfide.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 1 in which the nuclear fuel material is selected from the group consisting of uranium compounds, plutonium compounds and mixtures thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 1 in which the nuclear fuel material is comprised of uranium dioxide.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 1 in which the nuclear fuel material is a mixture comprising uranium dioxide and plutonium dioxide.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 1 in which the metal liner is selected from the group consisting of zirconium, zirconium alloys, niobium and niobium alloys.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 1 in which the metal liner is zirconium.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 1 in which the metal liner is a zirconium alloy.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 1 in which the metal liner is niobium.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 1 in which the metal liner is a niobium alloy.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 1 in which the container is selected from the group consisting of zirconium and zirconium alloys.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
102 words
A method for producing a nuclear fuel element comprisiNg establishing a layer of a high lubricity material in a metallic elongated container having the form of a right circular cylinder open at one end so that the layer is adjacent to the inner surface of said container, inserting a low neutron capture cross section metal liner into said container so that said liner is adjacent to said layer, partly filling said container with nuclear fuel material so that said fuel material is adjacent to and surrounded by said metal liner and sealing said open end of said container with an end plug.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
102 words
A method for producing a nuclear fuel element comprisiNg establishing a layer of a high lubricity material in a metallic elongated container having the form of a right circular cylinder open at one end so that the layer is adjacent to the inner surface of said container, inserting a low neutron capture cross section metal liner into said container so that said liner is adjacent to said layer, partly filling said container with nuclear fuel material so that said fuel material is adjacent to and surrounded by said metal liner and sealing said open end of said container with an end plug.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 17 in which said layer of high lubricity material is a coating on said inner surface of said container.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 17 in which the layer of high lubricity material is a coating on the outer surface of the metal liner.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 17 in which said layer of high lubricity material is a hollow cylinder disposed between said liner and said container.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 17 in which the layer of high lubricity material is selected from the group consisting of graphite and molybdenum disulfide.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 21 in which the layer of high lubricity material is graphite.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 21 in which the layer of high lubricity material is molybdenum disulfide.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 17 in which the nuclear fuel material is selected from the group consisting of uranium compounds, plutonium compounds and mixtures thereof.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 17 in which the nuclear fuel material is comprised of uranium dioxide.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 17 in which the nuclear fuel material is a mixture comprised of uranium dioxide and plutonium dioxide.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 17 in which the metal liner is selected from the group consisting of zirconium, zirconium alloys, niobium and niobium alloys.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method according to claim 17 in which the metal liner is zirconium.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 17 in which the metal liner is a zirconium alloy.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method according to claim 17 in which the metal liner is niobium.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 17 in which the metal liner is a niobium alloy.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 17 in which said container is selected from the group consisting of zirconium and zirconium alloys.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3119747A
Cited
US3262860A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-12-08 | 1979-06-09 | 1979-12-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-12-08 | 1983-06-09 | 1983-12-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-12-08 | 1987-06-09 | 1987-12-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |