Commissariat &#xc0; L'&#xc9;nergie Atomique Et Aux &#xc9;nergies Alternatives

Commissariat a L'energie Atomique

Alain Ravenet

Patrick David

Maxime Zabiego

Denis Lorenzo

Denis Rochais

Romain Garrigue

Guy Mailhe

A new interface between the cladding and the stack of pellets in a nuclear control rod. According to the invention, an interface joint made of a material transparent to neutrons, in the form of a structure with a high thermal conductivity and open pores, adapted to deform by compression across its thickness, is inserted between the cladding and the stack of pellets made of BC neutron absorber material over at least the height of the stack. The invention also relates to associated production methods.

Solid interface joint with open pores for nuclear control rod

A nuclear fuel assembly body with a lengthways axis includes first and second tubular segments made from a metal material forming the lengthways ends of the assembly body. A frame made from a metal material connects the first and second segments. The frame is openworked. A ceramic tubular internal structure is positioned between the first and second segments inside the frame.

Nuclear fuel assembly body and a nuclear fuel assembly with such a body

A new type of nuclear fuel rods. The rod cladding has an elliptical section transverse to its longitudinal direction and each nuclear fuel pellet has a truncated elliptical shape along the major axis of the cladding, the minor axis of the pellets is the same as the length of the minor axis of the cladding except for the assembly clearance j, the difference in length between the major axis of the cladding and the truncated major axis of the pellets is very much larger than the assembly clearance j. Also disclosed is a method of manufacturing nuclear fuel rods and stacking them in the cladding so as to form a nuclear fuel rod.

Nuclear fuel rod and method of manufacturing pellets for such a rod

A device for supporting nuclear fuel plates () with a longitudinal axis (X) including a bottom () forming a lower longitudinal end of the supporting device and a lid () forming an upper longitudinal end of the supporting device, the bottom () and the lid () being rigidly connected to each other through a central connecting means and peripheral connecting means, a plurality of upper means () for supporting the plates () attached to the lid (), and a plurality of lower means () for supporting the plates () attached to the bottom (), ensuring elastic support of the longitudinal ends of the plates () in a direction of the width (R) of the plate () and allowing free deformation of said longitudinal ends in the direction of the thickness (T) of the plate.

Device for supporting nuclear fuel plate for a fissile bundle of a nuclear reactor of GFR type with high-temperature heat transfer gas

A new nuclear fuel element has been developed to be used in particular in fourth generation gaseous heat exchanger reactors working with a fast neutron flow. With a composite plate structure, the element () according to the invention comprises a network of cells (), more preferably of honeycomb shape, in each of which is placed a nuclear fuel pellet (). Radial and axial gaps are provided in each cell () to compensate for the differential expansion between fissile materials and structural materials inherent in the operation of the plate ().

Growing community of inventors

Vinon-sur-Verdon, France

Alain Ravenet