Bwxt Advanced Technologies LLC

Bwxt Isotope Technology Group, Inc.

Other

Bwxt Nuclear Energy, Inc.

Bwxt Intech, Inc.

Comm Sciences Corporation

Bwxt Advance Technologies, LLC

Benjamin D Fisher

John R Salasin

Craig D Gramlich

Thomas G Onderwater

Jonathan K Witter

Lawrence Randolph Weill

William Earl Russell, Ii

Mark A Alboino

Andrew F Long

Earl Brian Barger

Bryan Blake Wiggins

Ryan Scott Kitchen

Nicholas A Johnson

Christopher Jon Farrell

Douglas M Lawrence

Christopher Sean Fewox

Jerry D Cooper

Thomas A Artman

Thomas A Pritchett

Shant Daghlian

Andrew T Pace

William E Russell

Earl B Barger

William E Russell Ii

Andrew Long

William E Ii Russell

A method of manufacturing a nuclear fuel segment includes varying a parameter of a lattice structure of a first mathematically-based periodic solid to form a second mathematically-based periodic solid. The second mathematically-based periodic solid comprises a triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS). The varying includes varying periodicity, thickness, or bias of the first mathematically-based periodic solid. The second mathematically-based periodic solid is embodied in a gridded mesh. The gridded mesh is sectioned into a plurality of layers. An additive manufacturing process is used to deposit a fissionable fuel composition in creating a body having a structure with a shape corresponding to the second mathematically-based periodic solid. The plurality of layers are used in controlling the additive manufacturing process.

Using additive manufacturing in creating a nuclear fuel structure with a shape corresponding to a mathematically-based periodic solid having a triply periodic minimal surface

An elution generator including an elution column having a container defining an interior volume and a septum, a radiation shield having an upper shield portion defining a central recess and a coaxial flow needle extending downwardly into the central recess, and a lower shield portion having body portion defining a central recess, wherein the elution column is disposed in the central recess of the lower shield portion, the body portion of the lower shield portion is disposed in the central recess of the upper shield portion, and the coaxial flow needle extends downwardly through the septum into the internal volume of the elution column.

Coaxial needle Technetium elution generator

Additive manufacturing compositions include low-absorbing particles or non-absorbing particles that have an absorbance for wavelengths of 300 nm to 700 nm that is equal to or greater than 0 Au and is less 1.0 Au, such as 0.001 Au absorbance≤0.7 Au. Slurries including such particles and an uranium-containing particle and that are used in additive manufacturing processes have an increased penetration depth for curative radiation. Removal of low-absorbing particles or non-absorbing particles during post-processing of as-manufactured products results in pores that create porosity in the as-manufactured product that provide a volume accommodating fission gases and/or can enhance wicking of certain heat pipe coolant liquids. Low-absorbing particles or non-absorbing particles can be functionalized for improved properties, for example, with fissionable material for improved ceramic yields, with burnable poisons or stabilizers for increased homogeneity, with stabilizers for localized delivery of the stabilizer, or with combinations thereof.

Photon propagation modified additive manufacturing compositions and methods of additive manufacturing using same

Pre-ceramic particle solutions can prepared by a Coordinated-PDC process, a Direct-PDC process or a Coordinated-Direct-PDC process. The pre-ceramic particle solution includes a polymer selected from the group consisting of (i) an organic polymer including a metal or metalloid cation, (ii) a first organometallic polymer and (iii) a second organometallic polymer including a metal or metalloid cation different from a metal in the second organometallic polymer, a plurality of particles selected from the group consisting of (a) a ceramic fuel particle and (b) a moderator particle, a dispersant, and a polymerization initiator. The pre-ceramic particle solution can be supplied to an additive manufacturing process, such as digital light projection, and made into a structure (which is pre-ceramic particle green body) that can then be debinded to form a polymer-derived ceramic sintered body. In some embodiments, the polymer-derived ceramic sintered body is a component or structure for fission reactors.

Modified polymer derived ceramics for additive manufacturing, additive manufacturing using same, and ceramic bodies manufactured thereby

Nuclear propulsion fission reactor structure has an active core region including fuel element structures, a reflector with rotatable neutron absorber structures (such as drum absorbers), and a core former conformal mating the outer surface of the fuel element structures to the reflector. Fuel element structures are arranged abutting nearest neighbor fuel element structures in a tri-pitch design. Cladding bodies defining coolant channels are inserted into and joined to lower and upper core plates to from a continuous structure that is a first portion of the containment structure. The body of the fuel element has a structure with a shape corresponding to a mathematically-based periodic solid, such as a triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) in a gyroid structure. The nuclear propulsion fission reactor structure can be incorporated into a nuclear thermal propulsion engine for propulsion applications, such as space propulsion.

Functionally graded lattice cermet fuel structure with shape corresponding to a mathematically-based periodic solid, particularly for nuclear thermal propulsion applications

Additive manufacturing compositions include low-absorbing particles or non-absorbing particles that have an absorbance for wavelengths of 300 nm to 700 nm that is equal to or greater than 0 Au and is less 1.0 Au, such as 0.001 Au≤absorbance≤0.7 Au. Slurries including such particles and an uranium-containing particle and that are used in additive manufacturing processes have an increased penetration depth for curative radiation. Removal of low-absorbing particles or non-absorbing particles during post-processing of as-manufactured products results in pores that create porosity in the as-manufactured product that provide a volume accommodating fission gases and/or can enhance wicking of certain heat pipe coolant liquids. Low-absorbing particles or non-absorbing particles can be functionalized for improved properties, for example, with fissionable material for improved ceramic yields, with burnable poisons or stabilizers for increased homogeneity, with stabilizers for localized delivery of the stabilizer, or with combinations thereof.

A target well of a target delivery assembly for use in an irradiation system operative to allow irradiation of a radioisotope target via a vessel penetration of a fission reactor. The target well includes an outer tube and an inner tube disposed therein so that an annulus is formed therebetween. The target is positioned in the inner tube during irradiation. At least one flow channel extends between a bottom end of the outer tube and a bottom end of the inner tube. An elevation piston is slidably disposed within the inner tube to elevate the target, the elevation piston including a one-way check valve allowing flow in a downward direction and preventing flow in an upward direction.

Target irradiation systems for the production of radioisotopes

Methods to in-situ monitor production of additive manufacturing products collects images from the deposition process on a layer-by-layer basis, including a void image of the pattern left in a slurry layer after deposition of a layer and a displacement image formed by immersing the just-deposited layer in a renewed slurry layer. Image properties of the void image and displacement image are corrected and then compared to a binary expected image from a computer generated model to identify defects in the just-deposited layer on a layer-by-layer basis. Additional methods use the output from the comparison to form a 3D model corresponding to at least a portion of the additive manufacturing product. Components to control the additive manufacturing operation based on digital model data and to in-situ monitor successive layers for manufacturing defects can be embodied in a computer system or computer-aided machine, such as a computer controlled additive manufacturing machine.

Resin adhesion failure detection

Additive manufacturing methods use a surrogate slurry to iteratively develop an additive manufacturing protocol and then substitutes a final slurry composition to then additively manufacture a final component using the developed additive manufacturing protocol. In the nuclear reactor component context, the final slurry composition is a nuclear fuel slurry having a composition: 30-45 vol. % monomer resin, 30-70 vol. % plurality of particles of uranium-containing material, >0-7 vol. % dispersant, photoactivated dye, photoabsorber, photoinitiator, and 0-18 vol. % (as a balance) diluent. The surrogate slurry has a similar composition, but a plurality of surrogate particles selected to represent a uranium-containing material are substituted for the particles of uranium-containing material. The method provides a means for in-situ monitoring of characteristics of the final component during manufacture as well as in-situ volumetric inspection. Compositions of surrogate slurries and nuclear fuel slurries are also disclosed.

Compositions for additive manufacturing and methods of additive manufacturing, particularly of nuclear reactor components

Nuclear propulsion fission reactor structure has an active core region including fuel element structures, a reflector with rotatable neutron absorber structures (such as drum absorbers), and a core former conformal mating the outer surface of the fuel element structures to the reflector. Fuel element structures are arranged abutting nearest neighbor fuel element structures in a tri-pitch design. Cladding bodies defining coolant channels are inserted into and joined to upper and lower core plates to from a continuous structure that is a first portion of the containment structure. The nuclear propulsion fission reactor structure can be incorporated into a nuclear thermal propulsion engine for propulsion applications, such as space propulsion.

Robust nuclear propulsion fission reactor with tri-pitch patterned core and drum absorbers

An irradiation target for the production of radioisotopes, comprising at least one plate defining a central opening and an elongated central member passing through the central opening of the at least one plate so that the at least one plate is retained thereon, wherein the at least one plate and the elongated central member are both formed of materials that produce molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) by way of neutron capture.

Irradiation targets for the production of radioisotopes

A fuel bundle surrogate for the irradiation of a target material, having a plurality of tube sheaths, each tube sheath being parallel to a longitudinal center axis of the fuel bundle surrogate, a plurality of end caps, a pair of end plates, wherein the end plates are disposed at opposing ends of the plurality of tube sheaths, and a first target comprised of a first target material suitable for producing the isotope by way of a neutron capture event, wherein the first target is disposed in a first tube sheath, and wherein the first tube sheath of the plurality of tube sheaths comprises an elongated thickened wall portion and a pair of annular end portions, each annular end portion being disposed on a corresponding end of the thickened wall portion and having a wall thickness that is less than a wall thickness of the thickened wall portion.

Irradiating target material located in a surrogate fuel bundle in a CANDU reactor for isotope production

Functionally graded lattice cermet fuel structure with shape corresponding to a mathematically-based periodic solid, particularly for nuclear thermal propulsion

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Lynchburg, VA, United States of America

Benjamin D Fisher