Patent ID: 11862353
Assignee: THORIUM POWER, INC.
Field: Engines, pumps, turbines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC G  B  Y | IPC B  G

Claim 7:
8. A fuel assembly for use in a core of a nuclear power reactor, the assembly comprising:
a frame comprising a lower nozzle, wherein the lower nozzle is shaped and configured to mount to an internal core structure of the nuclear power reactor; and
a plurality of elongated, extruded fuel elements supported by the frame, each of said plurality of fuel elements comprising
a fuel kernel comprising fuel material disposed in a matrix of metal non-fuel material, the fuel material comprising fissile material, and
a cladding surrounding the fuel kernel,

wherein the fuel kernel comprises δ-phase UZr2,
wherein each fuel element has a spirally twisted, multi-lobed profile that defines a plurality of spiral spacer ribs, and
wherein the multi-lobed profile comprises lobe tips and intersections between adjacent lobes, and wherein the cladding is thicker at the tips than at the intersections.