THE FABRICATION AND PROPERTIES OF URANIUM DIOXIDE FUEL
- Author
- Chalder, G. H.
- Published
- [Place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified], 1959.
[Oak Ridge, Tennessee] : [U.S. Atomic Energy Commission], 1959. - Physical Description
- microopaque : positive ; 8 x 13 cm
- Additional Creators
- Bright, N. F. H., Paterson, D. L., and Watson, L. C.
- Summary
- The decision was made to use uranium dioxide as the fuel core for the Canadian heavy-water-cooled Nuclear Power Demonstration reactor. Since a high mass ratio of fuel to sheath was required in order to minimize sheathing cost, research and development were directed to the fabrication of uranium dioxide fuel elements up to 2.5 cm diameter. In addition, a high fuel density was required to produce a high thermal conductivity and to aid in the retention of fission- product gases by the fuel. Uranium dioxide samples prepared by different chemical routes and fabricated under identical conditions have densities ranging from 71 to 98% of theoretical. The fabrication of uranium dioxide bodies by cold pressing followed by sintering in hydrogen was developed to a commercial scale. Densities of 93 to 96% of theoretical are achieved by cold pressing uranium dioxide powder at 3 tons/cm/sup 2/ followed by sintering for 1 hour at 1600 deg C in hydrogen. The use of neutral and oxidizing atmospheres during the sintering of uranium dioxide was investigated to evolve a more economical fabrication cycle. Relative densities up to 98% were achieved by sintering in a steam atmosphere at 1400 deg C. The effect of additives on the sinterability of uranium dioxide bodies was also investigated. Marked increases in sintered density were noted for small additions of titanium dioxide, vanadium pentoxide, and niobium pentoxide. Conversely, carbon additions have a deleterious effect on the sinterability of uranium dioxide. Integral fabrication of fuel elements by cold swaging uranium dioxide powder inside Zircaloy tubing to densities of up to 95% of theoretical was demonstrated. The relation of swaged density to tap density and particle density of the uranium dioxide as well as to the section reduction in swaging and the mcchanical properties of the sheathing material are being determined. (auth)
- Report Numbers
- A/CONF.15/P/192; AECL-602
- Other Subject(s)
- CANNING
- CARBON
- COLD WORKING
- COMPACTING
- DENSITY
- ECONOMICS
- EXTRUSION
- FABRICATION
- FISSION PRODUCTS
- FUEL ELEMENTS
- FUELS
- HEAVY WATER COOLANT
- HIGH TEMPERATURE
- HYDROGEN
- INERT GASES
- MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
- METALLURGY AND CERAMICS
- NIOBIUM OXIDES
- OXYGEN
- REACTOR CORE
- SAMPLING
- SINTERING
- STEAM
- SWAGING
- THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
- TITANIUM OXIDES
- TRACE AMOUNTS
- TUBES
- URANIUM DIOXIDE
- VANADIUM OXIDES
- ZIRCALOY
- Collection
- U.S. Atomic Energy Commission depository collection.
- Note
- NSA number: NSA-13-006776
OSTI Identifier 4287222
Research organization: Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., Chalk River, Ont.
Research organization: Canadian Westinghouse Co., Ltd., Hamilton, Ont.
Research organization: Dept. of Mines and Technical Surveys, Can.
View MARC record | catkey: 38045616