PREPARATION OF HIGH-DENSITY, COMPACTIBLE THORIUM OXIDE PARTICLES

Patent · Tue May 22 00:00:00 EDT 1962

OSTI ID:4791072

McCorkle, K H; Kleinsteuber, A T; Schilling, C E; Dean, O C

A method is given for preparing millimeter-size, highdensity thorium oxide particles suitable for fabrication into nuclear reactor feel elements by means of vibratory compaction. A thorium oxide gel containing 3.7 to 7 weight per cent residual volatile nitrate and water is prepared by drying a thorium oxide sol. The gel is then slowly heated to a temperature of about 450DEC, and the resulting gel fragments are calcined. The starting sol is prepared by repeated dispersion of oxalate-source thorium oxide in a nitrate system or by dispersion of steam-denitrated thorium oxide in water. (AEC)

• Research Organization: Originating Research Org. not identified
• NSA Number: NSA-16-016404
• Assignee: U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
• Patent Number(s): US 3035895
• OSTI ID: 4791072
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-62
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

CHEMISTRY
CALCINATION
COLLOIDS
COMPACTING
DENSITY
DISPERSIONS
EVAPORATION
FUEL ELEMENTS
GRAIN SIZE
HEATING
NITRATES
OSCILLATIONS
OXALATES
PREPARATION
PYROLYSIS
REACTORS
RESIDUES
TEMPERATURE
THORIUM OXIDES
VOLATILITY
WATER