High efficiency foam compacts for triso fuels

Abstract

A nuclear fuel element is provided. The nuclear fuel element includes a porous support. The porous support includes a ligament and defines a pore adjacent to the ligament. The ligament has an interior surface spaced from the pore. The interior surface defines a void. The porous support includes silicon carbide. The nuclear fuel element includes a nuclear fuel material disposed in the pore. The nuclear fuel material includes a moderator and tri-structural isotropic (TRISO) particles. Another nuclear fuel element is provided. The nuclear fuel element includes a porous support. The porous support includes a ligament and defines a pore adjacent to the ligament. The ligament has an interior surface spaced from the pore. The interior surface defines a void. The ligament includes the nuclear fuel material. The nuclear fuel element includes a facesheet overlying the porous support and defines a hole. The hole is in fluid communication with the void. The nuclear fuel material includes a nuclear fuel.

1 . A nuclear fuel element, comprising:
 a porous support comprising a ligament and defining a pore adjacent to the ligament, the ligament having an interior surface spaced from the pore, the interior surface defining a void within the ligament, the porous support comprising silicon carbide; and   a nuclear fuel material disposed in the pore, the nuclear fuel material comprising a moderator and tri-structural isotropic (TRISO) particles.   
     
     
         3 . The nuclear fuel element of  claim 1 , wherein the void is substantially free of the nuclear fuel material. 
     
     
         4 . The nuclear fuel element of  claim 1 , wherein the pore has a volume, the pore includes the nuclear material in an amount of at least 50 vol % based on the volume of the pore. 
     
     
         4 . The nuclear fuel element of  claim 1 , wherein the ligament is further defined as a hollow ligament defining the void extending from a first opening to a second opening. 
     
     
         5 . The nuclear fuel element of  claim 1 , wherein porous support comprises a plurality of the ligaments with the voids of the ligaments in fluid communication with each other. 
     
     
         6 . The nuclear fuel element of  claim 1 , wherein the moderator comprises graphite. 
     
     
         7 . The nuclear fuel element of  claim 6 , wherein the nuclear fuel material comprises a slurry of TRISO particles and graphite. 
     
     
         8 . The nuclear fuel element of  claim 1 , wherein the nuclear fuel material further comprises zirconia. 
     
     
         9 . A nuclear fuel element, comprising;
 a porous support comprising a ligament and defining a pore adjacent to the ligament, the ligament having an interior surface spaced from the pore, the interior surface defining a void within the ligament, the ligament comprising a nuclear fuel material; and   facesheet overlying the porous support and defining a hole, the hole in fluid communication with the void;   wherein the nuclear fuel material comprises a nuclear fuel.   
     
     
         10 . The nuclear fuel element of  claim 9 , wherein the void is substantially free of the nuclear fuel. 
     
     
         11 . The nuclear fuel element of  claim 9 , wherein the pore is substantially free of the nuclear fuel. 
     
     
         12 . The nuclear fuel element of  claim 9 , wherein the ligament is formed from the nuclear fuel. 
     
     
         13 . The nuclear fuel element of  claim 9 , wherein the porous support comprises niobium. 
     
     
         14 . The nuclear fuel element of  claim 9 , wherein the porous support comprises a plurality of the ligaments with the of the ligaments in fluid communication with each other. 
     
     
         15 . The nuclear fuel element of  claim 14 , wherein the facesheet defines a plurality of the holes, the holes in fluid communication with the voids. 
     
     
         16 . The nuclear fuel element of  claim 15 , wherein the porous support has a first face, a second face opposite the first face, a third face transverse to the first face, and a fourth face opposite the third face. 
     
     
         17 . The nuclear fuel element of  claim 16 , wherein a first facesheet overlies the first face and a second facesheet overlies the second face and wherein the ligaments adjacent the third. face and the fourth face are substantially free of the voids. 
     
     
         18 . The nuclear fuel element of  claim 9 , wherein the facesheet comprises niobium. 
     
     
         19 . The nuclear fuel element of  claim 9 , wherein the nuclear fuel comprises uranium dioxide (UO 2 ) and uranium acetylide (UC 2 ). 
     
     
         20 . The nuclear fuel element of  claim 9 , wherein the nuclear fuel material further comprises a cladding overlying the nuclear fuel.