NUCLEAR FUEL PELLETS (VERSIONS) Russian patent published in 2012 - IPC G21C3/62 B82B3/00 

FIELD: power industry.

SUBSTANCE: pellet includes pressed and sintered powder of mixture of uranium compound and carbon network structures, which are homogeneous as to particles density and effective size. Design version deals with zoned pellet; at that, central cylindrical zone of pellet has lower volumetric content of carbon network structures, and external annular zone has higher volumetric content of carbon network structures. In particular cases, content of carbon network structures (fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibres) in mixture powder is 1.5-12.5 vol. % for mixture with UO₂ and 1.2-10.4 vol. % for mixture with UN. Pellet can have axial opening and chamfers.

EFFECT: improvement of pellet accuracy and thermal stability; retardation of processes of occurrence and development of cracks in it; reduction of probability of its destruction.

19 cl