Method of making stable UO/sub 2/ fuel pellets
A method is disclosed for producing a dimensionally stable UO/sub 2/ fuel pellet of large grain mole % and relatively large pore size. A dopant containing an element selected from the group consisting of aluminum, calcium, magnesium, titanium, zirconium, vanadium, niobium, and mixtures thereof is added to a highly sinterable UO/sub 2/ powder, which is a UO/sub 2/ powder that is sinterable to at least 97% theoretical density at 1600/sup 0/C. in one hour, and the UO/sub 2/ powder can then be formed into fuel pellets. Alternatively, the dopant can be added at a step in the process of producing ammonium diuranate. The ammonium diuranate is collected with about 0.05 to about 1.7 mole %, based on UO/sub 2/, of a compound containing said element. That mixture is then calcined to produce UO/sub 2/ and the UO/sub 2/ is formed into a fuel pellet. The addition of the dopant can also be made at the hydrolysis stage in the manufacture of UO/sub 2/ by a dry conversion process.
- Assignee:
- Westinghouse Electric Corp.
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4430276
- OSTI ID:
- 6800016
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360201 -- Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories-- Preparation & Fabrication
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ALUMINIUM
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
AMMONIUM URANATES
CALCINATION
CALCIUM
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
DENSITY
ELEMENTS
FABRICATION
FUEL PELLETS
HYDROLYSIS
LYSIS
MAGNESIUM
METALS
NIOBIUM
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PELLETS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POROSITY
PYROLYSIS
SINTERING
SOLVOLYSIS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
TITANIUM
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
URANATES
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM DIOXIDE
URANIUM OXIDES
VANADIUM
VERY HIGH TEMPERATURE
ZIRCONIUM