US3969185A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Getter for nuclear fuel elements
Assignee: General Electric Co
•
Filing: 1973-05-09
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Granted: 1976-07-13
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Expires: 1993-05-09
Abstract
Abstract A nuclear fuel element for use in the core of a nuclear reactor is disclosed and has disposed therein an improved getter capable of gettering reactive gases including a source of hydrogen. The getter comprises a composite with a substrate having thereon a coating capable of gettering reactive gases. The substrate has a greater coefficient of thermal expansion than does the coating, and over a period of time at reactor operating temperatures any protective film on the coating is fractured at various places and fresh portions of the coating are exposed to getter reactive gases. With further passage of time at reactor operating temperatures a fracture of the protective film on the coating will grow into a crack in the coating exposing further portions of the coating capable of gettering reactive gases.
Inventors
- 👤 Wilfred T. Ross
- 👤 Harold E. Williamson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 15:00
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21C; G21C3/00; G21C3/02; G21C3/04; G21C3/16; G21C3/17; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E30/00; Y02E30/10; Y02E30/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 43
Claim 1
Independent Claim
122 words
A nuclear fuel element which comprises an elongated container, a body of nuclear fuel material disposed in and partially filling said container and forming an internal cavity, an enclosure integrally secured and sealed at each end of said container, and a composite getter disposed within said container, said composite getter being comprised of a metallic substrate having thereon a coating of a material capable of gettering reactive gases covering at least a portion of the substrate with the substrate having a greater thermal coefficient of expansion than the coating and being capable of producing tensile stress in said coating whereby said coating is intermittantly fractured by changes in temperature of said composite getter to thereby expose fresh gettering surfaces in said coating.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
122 words
A nuclear fuel element which comprises an elongated container, a body of nuclear fuel material disposed in and partially filling said container and forming an internal cavity, an enclosure integrally secured and sealed at each end of said container, and a composite getter disposed within said container, said composite getter being comprised of a metallic substrate having thereon a coating of a material capable of gettering reactive gases covering at least a portion of the substrate with the substrate having a greater thermal coefficient of expansion than the coating and being capable of producing tensile stress in said coating whereby said coating is intermittantly fractured by changes in temperature of said composite getter to thereby expose fresh gettering surfaces in said coating.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The nuclear fuel element of claim 1 further including a nuclear fuel material retaining means in the form of a helical member positioned in said cavity and wherein said composite getter is disposed within the helical member in said cavity.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 1 in which the getter is disposed with the body of nuclear fuel material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 1 in which the coating is comprised of zirconium.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 1 in which the coating is comprised of a zirconium alloy.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 5 in which the zirconium alloy has a component selected from the group consisting of niobium, titanium, nickel, yttrium and mixtures thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 1 in which the substrate is comprised of nickel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 1 in which the substrate is comprised of a nickel alloy.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 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, thorium compounds and mixtures thereof.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 1 in which the nuclear fuel material is comprised of uranium dioxide.
Claim 12
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 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 1 in which the substrate is comprised of a ferrous alloy.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 1 in which the substrate is comprised of stainless steel.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 1 in which the substrate is comprised of titanium.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
A nuclear fuel element of claim 1 in which the substrate is comprised of a titanium alloy.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
174 words
In a method for producing a nuclear fuel element, the improvement which comprises partly filling a clad container open at one end with nuclear fuel material leaving a cavity at the open end, inserting a nuclear fuel material retaining means into said cavity, inserting a composite getter into the container, said composite getter being comprised of a metallic substrate having thereon a coating of a material capable of gettering reactive gases covering at least a portion of the substrate with the substrate having a greater thermal coefficient of expansion than the coating and being capable of producing tensile stress in said coating, whereby said coating is intermittantly fractured by changes in temperature of said composite getter to thereby expose fresh gettering surfaces in said coating, applying an enclosure to the open end of the container leaving the cavity in communication with the nuclear fuel, and then bonding the end of a clad container to said enclosure to form a tight seal therebetween, whereby said getter is exposed to reactive gases liberated within said container.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
174 words
In a method for producing a nuclear fuel element, the improvement which comprises partly filling a clad container open at one end with nuclear fuel material leaving a cavity at the open end, inserting a nuclear fuel material retaining means into said cavity, inserting a composite getter into the container, said composite getter being comprised of a metallic substrate having thereon a coating of a material capable of gettering reactive gases covering at least a portion of the substrate with the substrate having a greater thermal coefficient of expansion than the coating and being capable of producing tensile stress in said coating, whereby said coating is intermittantly fractured by changes in temperature of said composite getter to thereby expose fresh gettering surfaces in said coating, applying an enclosure to the open end of the container leaving the cavity in communication with the nuclear fuel, and then bonding the end of a clad container to said enclosure to form a tight seal therebetween, whereby said getter is exposed to reactive gases liberated within said container.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 16 in which the nuclear fuel material retaining means is a helical member and the getter is inserted into the helical member.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 16 in which the getter is disposed with the nuclear fuel material.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to claim 16 in which the coating is comprised of zirconium.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 16 in which the coating is comprised of a zirconium alloy.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 20 in which the zirconium alloy has a component selected from the group consisting of niobium, titanium, nickel, yttrium and mixtures thereof.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to claim 16 in which the substrate is comprised of nickel.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 16 in which the substrate is comprised of a nickel alloy.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 16 in which the nuclear fuel material is selected from the group consisting of uranium compounds, plutonium compounds, thorium compounds, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 16 in which the nuclear fuel material is comprised of uranium dioxide.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 16 in which the nuclear fuel material is a mixture comprised of uranium dioxide and plutonium dioxide.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 16 in which the substrate is comprised of a ferrous alloy.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 16 in which the substrate is comprised of stainless steel.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to claim 16 in which the substrate is comprised of titanium.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 16 in which the substrate is comprised of a titanium alloy.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
115 words
A method of protecting a nuclear fuel element from a source of hydrogen and other reactive cases in the nuclear fuel element during nuclear reactor operation comprising the step of introducing a composite getter into the nuclear fuel element, said composite getter comprising a metallic substrate having thereon a coating of a material capable of gettering said gases covering at least a portion of the substrate with the substrate having a greater coefficient of thermal expansion than the coating and being capable of producing tensile stress in said coating whereby said coating is intermittantly fractured by changes in temperature of said composite getter during reactor operation to thereby expose fresh gettering surfaces in said coating.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
115 words
A method of protecting a nuclear fuel element from a source of hydrogen and other reactive cases in the nuclear fuel element during nuclear reactor operation comprising the step of introducing a composite getter into the nuclear fuel element, said composite getter comprising a metallic substrate having thereon a coating of a material capable of gettering said gases covering at least a portion of the substrate with the substrate having a greater coefficient of thermal expansion than the coating and being capable of producing tensile stress in said coating whereby said coating is intermittantly fractured by changes in temperature of said composite getter during reactor operation to thereby expose fresh gettering surfaces in said coating.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to claim 31 in which the coating is comprised of zirconium.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 31 in which the coating is comprised of a zirconium alloy.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 31 in which the zirconium alloy has a component selected from the group consisting of niobium, titanium, nickel, yttrium and mixtures thereof.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to claim 31 in which the substrate is comprised of nickel.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 31 in which the substrate is comprised of a nickel alloy.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 31 in which the substrate is comprised of a ferrous alloy.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 31 in which the substrate is comprised of stainless steel.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to claim 31 in which the substrate is comprised of titanium.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 31 in which the substrate is comprised of a titanium alloy.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-07-13 | 1980-01-12 | 1980-07-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-07-13 | 1984-01-12 | 1984-07-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-07-13 | 1988-01-12 | 1988-07-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |