Non-liquid manufacture for uranium bearing kernel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2026081043-A1
Application number	US-202418827701-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 7, 2024
Priority date	Sep 7, 2024
Publication date	Mar 19, 2026
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for producing a fuel kernel is provided. The method comprises producing a dry fissile material comprising enriched uranium, forming a particle from the dry fissile material, the particle having a diameter of 1 millimeter or less; and thermally processing the particle to produce the fuel kernel. A press system for dry fissile material is also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for producing a fuel kernel, comprising:
producing a dry fissile material comprising enriched uranium; forming a particle from the dry fissile material, the particle having a diameter of about 1 millimeter or less; and thermally processing the particle to produce the fuel kernel.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising preparing the dry fissile material with a dry process.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the dry fissile material comprises uranium oxycarbide (UCO).

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the dry process comprises reacting uranyl fluoride (UO 2 F 2 ) with a hydrocarbon compound to produce the UCO.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the hydrocarbon compound comprises a volatile hydrocarbon.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the hydrocarbon compound comprises methane.

7 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the dry process comprises reacting uranium hexafluoride with steam to produce the UO 2 F 2 .

8 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the dry fissile material comprises uranium nitride (UN).

9 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the dry process comprises reacting a carbide of uranium.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the particle from the dry fissile material comprises forming a bead from the dry fissile material with a pelletizing process.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the pelletizing process is a dry process.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the pelletizing process comprises progressive pelletization.

13 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising tumbling the bead to produce the particle.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the bead comprises a central portion and an outer portion extending from the central portion.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising removing the outer portion to produce the particle.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising recycling dry fissile material of the outer portion.

17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein thermally processing the particle comprises sintering the particle to a final density.

18 . A fuel particle comprising the fuel kernel of claim 1 .

19 . A press system for dry fissile material, comprising:
a first tooling comprising a first forming surface; and a second tooling comprising a second forming surface, wherein the first tooling and the second tooling are configured to transition the first forming surface and the second forming surface from a first configuration for receiving an amount of dry fissile material for forming a bead between the first forming surface and the second forming surface, the bead having dimensions suitable for forming a fuel kernel, and a second configuration that yields the bead.

20 . The press system of claim 19 , wherein the first tooling is a die and the second tooling comprises at least one of a die or a punch.

Assignees

• Westinghouse Electric Co Llc

Inventors

• Lahoda Edward J

Classifications

• G21C3/62

  Ceramic fuel · CPC title

• G21C21/02

  Manufacture of fuel elements or breeder elements contained in non-active casings · CPC title

• G21C3/623 Primary

  Oxide fuels · CPC title

• G21C21/04

  by vibrational compaction or tamping {of fuel in the jacket} · CPC title

• G21C3/048 Primary

  Shape of pellets · CPC title