Fabrication of thorium bearing carbide fuels
Abstract
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.
- Inventors:
-
- Los Alamos, NM
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 863858
- Patent Number(s):
- 4261935
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21C - NUCLEAR REACTORS
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- fabrication; thorium; bearing; carbide; fuels; thorium-uranium; thorium-plutonium; fuel; pellets; fabricated; carbothermic; reduction; process; temperatures; 1750; degree; 2000; cycle; sintering; 1800; prepare; pellet; densities; 87; 94; theoretical; respectively; allows; kilogram; quantities; reproducibility; chemicals; phase; composition; methods; employing; liquid; techniques; form; microspheres; alloying-techniques; alloys; suffer; limitation; processed; criticality; concerns; lack; precise; control; conditions; process conditions; carbothermic reduction; precise control; fuel pellet; fuel pellets; reduction process; process allows; sintering temperature; methods employing; phase composition; methods employ; uranium carbide; /264/376/976/
Citation Formats
Gutierrez, Rueben L, Herbst, Richard J, and Johnson, Karl W. R. Fabrication of thorium bearing carbide fuels. United States: N. p., 1981.
Web.
Gutierrez, Rueben L, Herbst, Richard J, & Johnson, Karl W. R. Fabrication of thorium bearing carbide fuels. United States.
Gutierrez, Rueben L, Herbst, Richard J, and Johnson, Karl W. R. Thu .
"Fabrication of thorium bearing carbide fuels". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/863858.
@article{osti_863858,
title = {Fabrication of thorium bearing carbide fuels},
author = {Gutierrez, Rueben L and Herbst, Richard J and Johnson, Karl W. R.},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1981},
month = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1981}
}