US 12,080,436 B2
Thorium-based fuel design for pressurized heavy water reactors
Mehul Shah, Oak Brook, IL (US); Rida Milany, North York (CA); and Koroush Shirvan, Boston, MA (US)
Assigned to CLEAN CORE THORIUM ENERGY LLC, Oak Brook, IL (US)
Filed by CLEAN CORE THORIUM ENERGY LLC, Oak Brook, IL (US)
Filed on Jun. 15, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/210,437.
Application 18/210,437 is a division of application No. 18/195,112, filed on May 9, 2023, granted, now 11,929,183.
Application 18/195,112 is a division of application No. 17/838,928, filed on Jun. 13, 2022, granted, now 11,705,249.
Application 17/838,928 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2021/047719, filed on Aug. 26, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/186,990, filed on May 11, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0266079 A1, Aug. 8, 2024
Int. Cl. G21C 3/326 (2006.01); G21C 3/328 (2006.01); G21C 1/08 (2006.01); G21C 3/04 (2006.01); G21C 3/58 (2006.01)
CPC G21C 3/3265 (2019.01) [G21C 3/328 (2013.01); G21C 1/086 (2013.01); G21C 3/045 (2019.01); G21C 3/048 (2019.01); G21C 3/58 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A fresh fuel bundle comprising a first ring of fuel pins and a second ring of fuel pins, wherein:
each of the first ring fuel pins and the second ring fuel pins have a fuel composition comprising uranium and thorium;
thorium wt % of the fuel composition in each of the first ring fuel pins differs from thorium wt % of the fuel composition in each of the second ring fuel pins;
uranium wt % of the fuel composition in each of the first ring fuel pins differs from uranium wt % of the fuel composition in each of the second ring fuel pins;
235U enrichment of the uranium in each of the first ring fuel pins differs from 235U enrichment of the uranium in each of the second ring fuel pins;
the thorium wt % of the fuel composition in each of the first ring fuel pins and in each of the second ring fuel pins is less than or equal to 90 wt %;
the uranium wt % of the fuel composition in each of the first ring fuel pins and in each of the second ring fuel pins is at least 10 wt %;
the 235U enrichment of the uranium in each of the first ring fuel pins and in each of the second ring fuel pins is less than or equal to 20%; and
the fuel bundle is shaped and configured to be used in a pressurized heavy water reactor.