TECHNOLOGY LICENSING OPPORTUNITY

Advanced Boron Carbide Microparticles for Improved TRISO Fuel Compacts

The novel incorporation of boron carbide microparticles in TRISO fuel compacts advances nuclear fuel technology by enhancing burnable absorber containment, safety, and operational efficiency.

Opportunity: Idaho National Laboratory (INL), managed and operated by Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC (BEA), offers the opportunity to explore a license and/or collaborative research agreement to commercialize this Advanced Boron Carbide Microparticles for Improved TRISO Fuel Compacts technology. This technology transfer opportunity is part of a dedicated effort to convert government-funded research into job opportunities, businesses, and, ultimately, an improved way of life for the American people.

Overview: TRISO fuel-bearing graphite compacts are essential in nuclear power plants. However, their efficiency is affected by factors such as helium accumulation and boron migration during the fuel's operational cycle, which can lead to compact failure and re-qualification of the graphite matrix. These issues arise when boron, a common nuclear burnable absorber, is utilized as a neutron absorber in TRISO-fueled compacts. This innovation presents a strategy to overcome these challenges and provide a more resilient and efficient solution.

Description: The technology involves creating a novel type of coated microparticle like a standard TRISO particle. However, the UCO fuel kernel core is replaced by boron carbide. The surrounding SiC layer acts as a pressure vessel, protecting the graphite matrix, while the porous buffer layer accommodates helium released from the 10B(n,a)7Li reaction. This method effectively incorporates boron carbide as a burnable neutron absorber in TRISO fuel compacts without risking compact failure due to helium overpressurization or having to re-qualify the graphite matrix of the compacts.

Benefits:

• Prevents fuel compact failure due to helium overpressurization.

• Stops burnable absorber species from moving around within the graphite compact, thereby extending the fuel cycle.

• Eliminates the need for costly and time-consuming re-qualification of the graphite matrix.

• Increases safety and economic competitiveness of the reactor operation.

• Reduces the risk of negative reactivity penalty towards the end of the fuel's operational cycle.

Target Audience:

• Companies intending to use TRISO as nuclear fuel.

• Companies developing microreactors with TRISO fuel.

• Companies that plan to use TRISO fuel with molten salt coolant.

Development Status: TRL 4, the system has been validated in a laboratory environment.

IP Status: Provisional Patent Application No. 63/499,640, “Burnable Absorber Tristructural Isotropic Particles and Related Methods and Fuel Compacts,” BEA Docket No. BA-1415.

INL seeks to license the above intellectual property to a company with a demonstrated ability to bring such inventions to the market. Exclusive rights in defined fields of use may be available. Added value is placed on relationships with small businesses, start-up companies, and general entrepreneurship opportunities.

Please visit Technology Deployment’s website at https://inl.gov/inl-initiatives/technology-deployment for more information on working with INL and the industrial partnering and technology transfer process.

Companies interested in learning more about this licensing opportunity should contact Andrew Rankin at td@inl.gov.