FUEL ELEMENT FOR NUCLEAR REACTORS (VERSIONS) AND METHOD OF ITS MANUFACTURING (VERSIONS) Russian patent published in 2010 - IPC G21C3/20 G21C21/02 

FIELD: power engineering.

SUBSTANCE: fuel element is arranged in the form of cruciform shell sealed at the ends by welded end plugs, inside shell there is core arranged from mixture of uranium dioxide particles and aluminium particles, pores between which are filled with aluminium alloy (for instance, having composition of Al+12% Si, or Al+12% Si+2% Ni). Volume content of uranium dioxide particles makes 15-45%, aluminium particles - 25-55%, aluminium alloy particles - 30-45%, or core is made of particles of uranium-aluminium intermetallide compound UAl₂ or UAl₃, containing stabilising additives in the form of silicon, tin or zirconium in amount of up to 5%. Volume content of uranium intermetallide compound particles makes 55-70% of shell inner volume, pores between particles are filled with aluminium alloy, content of aluminium alloy makes 30-45%, core may also contain inertial dissolvent in the from of aluminium oxide particles, zirconium or aluminium-zirconium alloy up to 10 vol.%. Another version is fuel element, in which inside shell along axis there is a volume displacer installed to match volume of charged particles of uranium-containing material with inner volume of shell. Technology of fuel elements making includes profiling of shell into cruciform shape and thermal treatment of shell to remove internal stresses. Welding to shell of end plug. Charging mixture of uranium dioxide and aluminium particles into shell, or charging particles of intermetallide compound UAl₂ or UAl₃ into shell. Impregnation of inner residual volume with melted alloy of aluminium and welding the second plug to shell.

EFFECT: improved neutron balance of reactor and uranium saving.

16 cl, 4 dwg