Production of spherical UO/sub 2/-UC/sub 2/ for nuclear fuel applications using thermochemical principles

Technical Report · Sun Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1981

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6613953· OSTI ID:6613953

Stinton, D. P.; Lackey, W. J.; Spence, R. D.

A process for the fabrication of uranium dioxide-uranium dicarbide microspheres for use as an advanced nuclear fuel is described. The uranium-carbon-oxygen phase diagram was used extensively in applying thermochemical principles to the combined process of uranium carbide synthesis and kernel sintering. Variation of the partial pressure of carbon monoxide during the carbothermic reduction of urania plus carbon allowed the kernel composition and density to be controlled. X-ray diffraction, microstructural examination, and detailed chemical analyses were used to identify the kernel composition. A procedure was developed to convert urania plus carbon microspheres produced by a wet-chemical gelation process to a highly dense UO/sub 2/-UC/sub 2/ product at 1550/sup 0/C.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 6613953
• Report Number(s): ORNL/TM-7651; TRN: 81-005873
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
FUEL PARTICLES
FABRICATION
URANIUM CARBIDES
URANIUM DIOXIDE
CALCINATION
PHASE DIAGRAMS
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
CARBIDES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
DIAGRAMS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PYROLYSIS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM OXIDES
220300* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Fuel Elements
360201 - Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories- Preparation & Fabrication