| abstract |
A method of manufacturing a nuclear fuel element may comprise: forming a graphite substrate of the fuel element; depositing a first graphite and/or graphite sphere layer on the substrate portion; depositing a first graphite and/or graphite sphere layer on the first graphite and/or graphite sphere layer First fuel, combustible poison and/or multiplication particle layer; Form second graphite and/or graphite ball layer on described first particle layer; Deposit second fuel, on described second graphite and/or graphite ball layer, a layer of burnable poison and/or breeding particles; and a portion of the graphite cap forming said fuel element. Adjacent fuel, burnable poisons, and/or breeding particles of the first layer are separated by substantially the same distance, and adjacent fuels, burnable poisons, and/or breeding particles of the second layer are separated by substantially the same distance. The fuel elements may be spherical fuel pellets. The fuel particles may be triple-structured isotropic particles without an outer coating. |