The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 25, 2023
Filed:
Aug. 11, 2021
Bwxt Advanced Technologies Llc, Lynchburg, VA (US);
Bwxt Nuclear Energy, Inc., Charlotte, NC (US);
Eric A. Barringer, Rustburg, VA (US);
Russell R. Jensen, Lynchburg, VA (US);
Jeremy L. Gustafson, Lynchburg, VA (US);
Matt Ales, Puyallup, WA (US);
Joshua J. Bergman, Valensole, FR;
Ryan T. Swanson, Lynchburg, VA (US);
Jonathan K. Witter, Forest, VA (US);
Danny Galicki, Knoxville, TN (US);
James B. Inman, Forest, VA (US);
Matt Krecicki, Winter Park, FL (US);
Roger Ridgeway, Hurt, VA (US);
BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC, Lynchburg, VA (US);
BWXT Nuclear Energy, Inc., Charlotte, NC (US);
Abstract
Carbide-based fuel assembly includes outer structural member of ceramic matrix composite material (e.g., SiC—SiC composite), insulation layer of porous refractory ceramic material (e.g., zirconium carbide with open-cell foam structure or fibrous zirconium carbide), and interior structural member of refractory ceramic-graphite composite material (e.g., zirconium carbide-graphite or niobium carbide-graphite). Spacer structures between various layers provide a defined and controlled spacing relationship. A fuel element bundle positioned between support meshes includes a plurality of distributively arranged fuel elements or a solid, unitary fuel element with coolant channels, each having a fuel composition including high assay, low enriched uranium (HALEU). Fuel assemblies are distributively arranged in a moderator block and the upper end of the outer structural member is attached to a metallic inlet tube for hydrogen propellant and the lower end of the outer structural member is interfaced with a support plate, forming a nuclear thermal propulsion reactor.