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

Claim 0:
1. 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, and
wherein a moderator:fuel ratio in a region of the fuel elements is 2.4 or less, and
wherein the moderator:fuel ratio is an area ratio within a cross-section that is perpendicular to longitudinal axes of the plurality of fuel elements and extends through the plurality of fuel elements, the area ratio is a ratio is of: (1) a total area available for moderator flow for the plurality of fuel elements to (2) a total area of the fuel kernels of the plurality of fuel elements.