Method for fracturing silicon-carbide coatings on nuclear-fuel particles
This invention is a device for fracturing particles. It is designed especially for use in ''hot cells'' designed for the handling of radioactive materials. In a typical application, the device is used to fracture a hard silicon-carbide coating present on carbon-matrix microspheres containing nuclear-fuel material, such as uranium or thorium compounds. To promote remote control and facilitate maintenance, the particle breaker is pneumatically operated and contains no moving parts. It includes means for serially entraining the entrained particles on an anvil housed in a leak-tight chamber. The flow rate of the gas is at a value effecting fracture of the particles; preferably, it is at a value fracturing them into product particulates of fluidizable size. The chamber is provided with an outlet passage whose crosssectional area decreases in the direction away from the chamber. The outlet is connected tangentially to a vertically oriented vortex-flow separator for recovering the product particulates entrained in the gas outflow from the chamber. The invention can be used on a batch or continuous basis to fracture the siliconcarbide coatings on virtually all of the particles fed thereto.
- Assignee:
- Department Of Energy
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4323198
- OSTI ID:
- 5198040
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
210300* -- Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Graphite Moderated
CARBIDES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
COATINGS
EQUIPMENT
FRACTURE MECHANICS
FUEL PARTICLES
GAS COOLED REACTORS
GRAPHITE MODERATED REACTORS
HTGR TYPE REACTORS
MECHANICS
MICROSPHERES
REACTORS
REMOVAL
SILICON CARBIDES
SILICON COMPOUNDS