Preparation of Powdered Uranium Oxides by Microwave Heating of Substandard Ceramic Pellets of Oxide Nuclear Fuel

摘要

Microwave (MW) heating of substandard ceramic UO_2 pellets in air allows their rapid conversion into powdered U_3O_8, from which UO_2 can be obtained again in a reducing atmosphere. Comparative analysis of the physicochemical and technological properties of the U_3O_8 and UO_2 powders obtained under the action of MW radiation with the industrial (standard) powders demonstrated their suitability for fabricating fuel pellets. The power consumption for MW heating appears to be lower by an order of magnitude than the power consumption for performing similar operations with electric resistance furnaces.