Fabrication and Thermal Conductivity of (Th,U)O{sub 2} Pellets

Journal Article · Thu Jul 15 04:00:00 EDT 2004 · Nuclear Technology

OSTI ID:20837869

Yang, Jae Ho; Kang, Ki Won; Song, Kun Woo; Lee, Chan Bock; Jung, Youn Ho ^[1]

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1. Advanced LWR Fuel Development (Korea, Republic of)

Techniques to fabricate thorium-uranium dioxide fuel [(Th,U)O{sub 2}] have been developed, and the thermal conductivity of (Th,U)O{sub 2} pellets has been measured. Mixtures of thorium dioxide (ThO{sub 2}) and uranium dioxide (UO{sub 2}) powders were successfully wet-milled, compacted, and sintered at 1700 deg. C to fabricate (Th,U)O{sub 2} pellets. The wet-milling process results in a fuel density of 96 to 98% of theoretical density and a uniform distribution of the uranium and thorium in the (Th,U)O{sub 2} pellet. The laser flash method was used to measure the thermal diffusivity of the ThO{sub 2} and (Th,U)O{sub 2} pellets, and the thermal conductivities of (Th{sub 0.655}U{sub 0.345})O{sub 2} and (Th{sub 0.355}U{sub 0.645})O{sub 2} fuel were found to be lower than that of ThO{sub 2} or UO{sub 2} fuel. The degradation of the thermal conductivity by the UO{sub 2} substitution is great at low temperatures but decreases as the temperature increases.

• OSTI ID: 20837869
• Journal Information: Nuclear Technology, Journal Name: Nuclear Technology Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 147; ISSN 0029-5450; ISSN NUTYBB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
DENSITY
FUEL PELLETS
NUCLEAR FUELS
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
THERMAL DIFFUSIVITY
THORIUM
THORIUM OXIDES
URANIUM
URANIUM DIOXIDE