Process for the Production of Carbon and Graphite Materials and Carbon and Graphite Materials Produced Thereby

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This patent describes a method for manufacturing carbon and graphite materials for nuclear applications by performing key process steps (baking, graphitizing, cooling, etc.) under vacuum, inert gas, carbon monoxide, or hydrogen atmospheres, rather than in the presence of nitrogen. By avoiding nitrogen during these steps, the final carbon or graphite materials have a greatly reduced content of nitrogen or nitrogen-containing compounds. This minimizes the formation of radioactive carbon (radiocarbon, 14C), which poses challenges in the handling and disposal of used nuclear graphite components.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Manufacturing of nuclear reactor graphite moderator and reflector blocks with minimized radioactive contamination.
• Production of carbon and graphite components for high-temperature nuclear reactors, such as pebbles for pebble-bed reactors.
• Supply of purified graphite for medical, research, or industrial neutron sources where radioactive impurities must be minimized.
• Facilitation of safer long-term storage and disposal of spent reactor graphite by reducing radiotoxic waste generation.
• Reducing contamination in specialty carbon materials where nitrogen activation could be problematic, beyond nuclear applications.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Minimizes the creation of long-lived radioactive carbon (14C) in nuclear graphite, easing long-term waste management.
• Reduces radioactive contamination in reactor graphite, lowering the risks related to radiocarbon release to the environment.
• Simplifies the disposal, handling, and possible recycling of spent nuclear graphite by reducing its radioactive classification.
• Improves the purity and performance of carbon and graphite materials for use in nuclear applications.
• Reduces environmental and safety risks associated with the generation and disposal of radioactive graphite waste.

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Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing carbon materials or graphite materials for nuclear applications, characterized in that baking processes, graphitizing processes, and the cooling process are performed in vacuum conditions or in an inert-gas atmosphere or in a carbon monoxide atmosphere or in a hydrogen atmosphere. The invention further relates to carbon materials or graphite materials produced by means of the method in order to minimize the formation of radiocarbon by means of activation processes of nitrogen.