Patent ID: 8243871
Filing Date: 2012-08-14
Classification: G21C,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A spherical fuel element for high temperature pebble bed nuclear reactors which is a fuel-sphere core surrounded by a fuel-free graphite matrix shell seamlessly bonded with a sphere core, wherein the sphere core comprises an A 3 graphite matrix containing coated fuel particles homogenously distributed in the sphere core and embedded into the A 3 graphite matrix, and wherein the main components of the graphite matrix of the shell are natural graphite, graphitized petroleum coke and optionally binder coke, and wherein the fuel-free shell of the fuel element sphere contains at least one of silicon carbide (SiC) or zirconium carbide (ZrC) or both, and the shell has an average nominal thickness of 0.5 mm to 5.5 mm.