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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Manufacture of fuel for nuclear reactors

Patent ·
OSTI ID:4330000
A method is described for making pressed compacts of nuclear fuel. A die cavity is loaded with a mixture of coated fuel particles, polymerizable resin, and granular matrix material such as graphite, and heated so that an even temperature exists throughout the contents. The temperature should be such that the resin melts but does not suffer a change in structure and together with the matrix material shows a uniform plasticity. The die contents are then pressed, at temperature, so that they are compacted throughout the cavity. The resin may be of phenol-formaldehyde type, with a low ortho content. A hardener may be incorporated in the mixture in a proportion that does not cause premature polymerization. The mixture may be charged into a die block having a number of cavities, closing the cavities and heating the block slowly and uniformly in an oven to about 150 deg C. The heated die block may then be placed between the thermally insulated platens of a press and the latter then operated to press the contents of all the die cavities simultaneously, and after pressing the die cavities may be maintained closed while the block is further heated to cure the resin. (UK)
Research Organization:
Originating Research Org. not identified
NSA Number:
NSA-29-020287
OSTI ID:
4330000
Report Number(s):
GB 1327786
Country of Publication:
United Kingdom
Language:
English