US 11,817,225 B2
Functionally graded lattice cermet fuel structure with shape corresponding to a mathematically-based periodic solid, particularly for nuclear thermal propulsion
Benjamin D. Fisher, Lynchburg, VA (US); John R. Salasin, Lynchburg, VA (US); Craig D. Gramlich, Forest, VA (US); and Jonathan K. Witter, Forest, VA (US)
Assigned to BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC, Lynchburg, VA (US)
Filed by BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC, Lynchburg, VA (US)
Filed on Jun. 29, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/852,434.
Application 17/852,434 is a division of application No. 16/835,388, filed on Mar. 31, 2020, granted, now 11,424,041.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/827,706, filed on Apr. 1, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0351870 A1, Nov. 3, 2022
Int. Cl. G21C 3/04 (2006.01); G21C 3/42 (2006.01); G21D 5/02 (2006.01); G21C 21/02 (2006.01); G21C 3/28 (2006.01); G21C 3/30 (2006.01)
CPC G21C 3/044 (2013.01) [G21C 3/04 (2013.01); G21C 3/42 (2013.01); G21C 3/28 (2013.01); G21C 3/30 (2013.01); G21C 21/02 (2013.01); G21D 5/02 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A nuclear fuel lattice structure, comprising:
a body having a structure including a plurality of webbings having outer surfaces that define a network of interconnected channels located within an envelope surface of the body,
wherein a baseline of the webbings is an implicit surface of a mathematically-based periodic solid,
wherein the mathematically-based periodic solid is a triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS),
wherein at least a portion of the channels extend from a first outer surface of the body to a second outer surface of the body,
wherein the structure has a volumetric density of 35% to 85%,
wherein a composition of the structure includes a nuclear fissionable fuel having an enrichment of up to 20%, and
wherein a specific enrichment of the structure (% enrichment per unit volume) is constant ±2%.