Nuclear reactor fuel elements - with internal liquid metal cooling to enchance heat transfer

摘要

Reactor fuel elements with metallic outer cladding for thermal or breeder reactors in which the thermal props. of the fissile or breeder material are maximised by the provision of axially parallel coolant channels within the element filled with liquid metal such as Na or K. Radial channels are included to promote heat transfer from the material, which maybe uaranium or plutonium carbide or nitride, to the metallic cladding. The channels pref. form 10% of the core vol. and may be axially co-incident to form continuous channels in column stacked elements or may be off-set to create a staggered coolant path. Coolant vapour within the element rises to condense in the fission product space and returns down the inside of the cladding to be reheated.