.sup.210Pb and .sup.227Ac are used in thermal energy production as precursor isotopes, which have been isolated and are allowed to age to the point of secular equilibrium with their progeny, referring to the decay product isotopes in the radioactive decay chain of each. Both .sup.210Pb and .sup.227Ac are in the radioactive decay chains of naturally occurring uranium isotopes, and are each subject to their own natural radioactive decay. While not particularly energetic through their own decay, they (1) are separable from their parent isotopes or may be created in a reactor, (2) have half-lives of around 22 years, and (3) are precursors (natural radioactive decay parents) to subsequent rapid and energetic decay processes. These two isotopes can offer significant advantages as RPS fuel compared to the currently used .sup.238Pu.

A nuclear reactor has a core installed on a lower core plate and formed from multiple fuel assemblies, each fuel assembly including a structural cage assembly. The structural cage assembly has an upper end fitting, mid grids, and a lower end fitting (LEF). The LEF positions the fuel assembly using four locating pins located at each corner of the LEF. The pins position the fuel assembly laterally by mating with receiving holes in the lower core plate. The locating pins have a chamfered tip with a flat end. The chamfered tip allows for a greater positioning margin when installing the fuel assembly in the core by guiding the pins into holes in the lower core plate, and the flat tip provides strength and stability in case the assembly is inadvertently rested on the tip of the pin instead of the LEF pads.

A nuclear reactor has a core installed on a lower core plate and formed from multiple fuel assemblies, each fuel assembly including a structural cage assembly. The structural cage assembly has an upper end fitting, mid grids, and a lower end fitting (LEF). The LEF positions the fuel assembly using four locating pins located at each corner of the LEF. The pins position the fuel assembly laterally by mating with receiving holes in the lower core plate. The locating pins have a chamfered tip with a flat end. The chamfered tip allows for a greater positioning margin when installing the fuel assembly in the core by guiding the pins into holes in the lower core plate, and the flat tip provides strength and stability in case the assembly is inadvertently rested on the tip of the pin instead of the LEF pads.

The application relates to nuclear technology for preparing fuel rods and fuel assemblies for the cores of fast-neutron reactors utilizing a liquid-metal coolant to reduce the amount of metal consumed per fuel rod. A fast-neutron reactor fuel rod having nuclear fuel disposed is in a sealed housing having a thin-walled tubular steel shell. A spacer element is wound in a coil with a large pitch on the outside surface of the shell and fastened to ends of the fuel rod on an end part of the housing. The spacer element is in the form of a metallic band twisted around its longitudinal axis, the width of the band being approximately equal to the minimum distance between adjacent fuel rods in a fuel assembly of the nuclear reactor, the cross-sectional area of the band within a range from 0.1 to 0.5 times the area of a circle described around the section.

The application relates to nuclear technology for preparing fuel rods and fuel assemblies for the cores of fast-neutron reactors utilizing a liquid-metal coolant to reduce the amount of metal consumed per fuel rod. A fast-neutron reactor fuel rod having nuclear fuel disposed is in a sealed housing having a thin-walled tubular steel shell. A spacer element is wound in a coil with a large pitch on the outside surface of the shell and fastened to ends of the fuel rod on an end part of the housing. The spacer element is in the form of a metallic band twisted around its longitudinal axis, the width of the band being approximately equal to the minimum distance between adjacent fuel rods in a fuel assembly of the nuclear reactor, the cross-sectional area of the band within a range from 0.1 to 0.5 times the area of a circle described around the section.

Systems for controlling and protecting nuclear reactors. A drive of an emergency safety rod of a nuclear reactor includes an electric drive, a reduction gear, and a rack-and-pinion gear. The electric drive contains a contactless electric motor based on permanent magnets, which is installed in the housing of the electric drive with a motor rotor position sensor, and a reduction gear for changing the rate of rotation of the electric drive. A toothed rack is installed along the axis of the rack-and-pinion gear in order to provide for the reciprocating motion of a system absorber rod connected thereto. A toothed electromagnetic clutch having a contactless current supply is installed on an inner shaft of the rack-and-pinion gear, enabling the rigid and simultaneous mechanical coupling of half-couplings, and the drive contains a reverse-motion coupling, a rack-separation spring and toothed rack position sensors.

Systems for controlling and protecting nuclear reactors. A drive of an emergency safety rod of a nuclear reactor includes an electric drive, a reduction gear, and a rack-and-pinion gear. The electric drive contains a contactless electric motor based on permanent magnets, which is installed in the housing of the electric drive with a motor rotor position sensor, and a reduction gear for changing the rate of rotation of the electric drive. A toothed rack is installed along the axis of the rack-and-pinion gear in order to provide for the reciprocating motion of a system absorber rod connected thereto. A toothed electromagnetic clutch having a contactless current supply is installed on an inner shaft of the rack-and-pinion gear, enabling the rigid and simultaneous mechanical coupling of half-couplings, and the drive contains a reverse-motion coupling, a rack-separation spring and toothed rack position sensors.

A masking element with an opening is disposed on the side of a core support structure. A flow stack wall defines a plurality of inlets. At least one inlet aligns with the masking element opening when the flow stack is mated with the masking element. A flow control assembly within the flow stack is configured to restrict flow of fluid within the flow stack.

The present inventive concept provides a method for manufacturing a multi-layered nuclear fuel cladding pipe, comprising the steps of: providing a preliminary cladding pipe in which an inner pipe having a rod-shaped insertion body inserted thereinto is disposed in an outer pipe; reducing the diameter of the preliminary cladding pipe by applying pressure from the outside to the inner side of the preliminary cladding pipe; and removing the insertion body from the inner pipe by providing a force in the direction in which the insertion body extends, wherein the inner pipe and the outer pipe may be formed of different metals from each other.

The present inventive concept provides a method for manufacturing a multi-layered nuclear fuel cladding pipe, comprising the steps of: providing a preliminary cladding pipe in which an inner pipe having a rod-shaped insertion body inserted thereinto is disposed in an outer pipe; reducing the diameter of the preliminary cladding pipe by applying pressure from the outside to the inner side of the preliminary cladding pipe; and removing the insertion body from the inner pipe by providing a force in the direction in which the insertion body extends, wherein the inner pipe and the outer pipe may be formed of different metals from each other.