FAST OXIDE BREEDER PROJECT I-FUEL FABRICATION. PART I. PLUTONIUM-URANIUM DIOXIDE PREPARATION AND PELLETIZED FUEL FABRICATION. PART II. FABRICATION OF PLUTONIUM URANIUM DIOXIDE SPECIMENS BY SWAGING
Forty mixed oxide (20% plutonium dioxide--40% uranium235 dioxide--40% uranium-238 dioxide) fuel specimens were fabricated for irradiation testing in the General Electric Test Reactor. The material for these specimens was prepared by mixing nitrate solutions of the three isotcpes in the proper ratio and precipitating with ammonium hydroxide. After drying, the precipitate was reduced to oxide in a hydrogen--nitrogen atmosphere at 900 deg C. Finely-ground powder was pressed into pellets at 43,200 psi pressure and sintered, generally for four hours, in a helium--hydrogen atmosphere at 1600 to 1700 deg C. The resulting pellets had lengths of about 0.250 inches, diameters of 0.149 inches, and generally, densities approximately 95% of theoretical. These pellets were used in 22 of the 40 specimens. Eighteen specimens were fabricated by swaging. The powder for these specimens was high-fired at 1350 to 1400 deg C in hydrogen-- helium to achieve a bulk density of 40 to 50% of theoretical. Swaged density was 75%. The time required to fabricate the pelleted specimens was approximately twice that required for the swaged specimens. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Genergl Electric Co. Vallecitos Atomic Lab., Pleasanton, Calif.
- NSA Number:
- NSA-15-026514
- OSTI ID:
- 4003839
- Report Number(s):
- GEAP-3486
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
BREEDING
COMPACTING
CONFIGURATION
DENSITY
EVAPORATION
EXTRUSION
FABRICATION
FAST NEUTRONS
FOB
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUELS
HEATING
HIGH TEMPERATURE
HYDROXIDES
INERT GASES
IRRADIATION
METALS, CERAMICS, AND OTHER MATERIALS
MIXING
PELLETS
PLUTONIUM NITRATES
PLUTONIUM OXIDES
POWDER METALLURGY
POWDERS
PRECIPITATION
PREPARATION
REACTORS
REDUCTION
SINTERING
SOLUTIONS
SWAGING
TESTING
URANIUM DIOXIDE
URANIUM NITRATES