Fabrication of thorium bearing carbide fuels

Patent · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:863858

Gutierrez, Rueben L ^[1]; Herbst, Richard J ^[1]; Johnson, Karl W. R. ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos, NM

Thorium-uranium carbide and thorium-plutonium carbide fuel pellets have been fabricated by the carbothermic reduction process. Temperatures of 1750.degree. C. and 2000.degree. C. were used during the reduction cycle. Sintering temperatures of 1800.degree. C. and 2000.degree. C. were used to prepare fuel pellet densities of 87% and >94% of theoretical, respectively. The process allows the fabrication of kilogram quantities of fuel with good reproducibility of chemicals and phase composition. Methods employing liquid techniques that form carbide microspheres or alloying-techniques which form alloys of thorium-uranium or thorium-plutonium suffer from limitation on the quantities processed of because of criticality concerns and lack of precise control of process conditions, respectively.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4261935
• OSTI ID: 863858
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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