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:
Jun. 24, 2025
Filed:
Mar. 22, 2022
Kwang-young Lim, Seoul, KR;
Tae-sik Jung, Sejong, KR;
Yeon-su NA, Daejeon, KR;
Min-jae Joo, Sejong, KR;
Seung-jae Lee, Daejeon, KR;
Yoon-ho Kim, Daejeon, KR;
Kwang-young Lim, Seoul, KR;
Tae-sik Jung, Sejong, KR;
Yeon-su Na, Daejeon, KR;
Min-jae Joo, Sejong, KR;
Seung-jae Lee, Daejeon, KR;
Yoon-ho Kim, Daejeon, KR;
KEPCO NUCLEAR FUEL CO., LTD., Daejeon, KR;
Abstract
Proposed are nuclear fuel pellets showing high oxidation resistance in a steam atmosphere and a method for manufacturing same. The method includes: preparing a powder mixture by mixing a sintering additive powder including Cr2O3, MnO, and SiO2 with a uranium dioxide powder; forming a molded body by subjecting the powder mixture to compression molding; and sintering the molded body in a weak oxidative atmosphere in which an oxygen potential is −581.9 kJ/mol to −218.2 kJ/mol. The nuclear fuel pellets contain 0.05% to 0.16% by weight of the sintering additive composed of Cr2O3, MnO, and SiO2. A liquid phase generated during the sintering accelerates grain growth and inhibits reaction between uranium dioxide with steam by forming a film at the grain boundary of the uranium dioxide. This reduces leakage of a fission material by improving high-temperature water vapor oxidation resistance at around 1204° C. in a loss-of-coolant accident condition.