Fuel elements based on spherical fuel pellets with a protective coating for enhanced-safety reactors

The principal investigations performed at the Scientific and Industrial Association Luch on the development of fuel elements based on spherical pellets of nuclear fuel with protective ceramic and metallic coatings for HTGR. VVER, and other types of reactors are reviewed. The main solutions concerning the construction and technical and materials-science aspects of the fabrication of fuel micropellets, fuel microelements, and fuel elements of different modifications (spherical, rod-shaped) are examined.