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:
Oct. 17, 2017
Filed:
Feb. 16, 2016
X-energy, Llc., Greenbelt, MD (US);
Martin van Staden, Annapolis, MD (US);
X-ENERGY, LLC, Greenbelt, MD (US);
Abstract
A method of mass producing nuclear fuel elements may include: forming a graphite base portion of the fuel elements; repeatedly performing a sequence of operations comprising depositing a uniform graphite layer over a previous layer, depositing a layer of particles on the uniform graphite layer within a fuel zone diameter, so that the particles are spaced apart in a predefined pattern, and applying a binder using additive manufacturing methods to bind each layer with successively increasing and then decreasing diameters to form a central portion of fuel elements including a fuel-containing fuel zone; and repeatedly performing a sequence of operations comprising forming a uniform graphite layer on a previous layer and applying a binder using additive manufacturing methods to bind each layer with successively decreasing diameters to form a cap portion of fuel elements. The particles may include one or more of a nuclear fuel material, burnable poison material, or breeder material. The fuel particles may be tri-structural-isotropic (TRISO) particles that do not have an overcoat.