Development of a Powder Milling Technique for Making High Density ThO sub 2 --UO Sub 2 Pellets (LWBR Development Program)

摘要

Powder milling procedures were investigated to establish a method for preparing THO sub 2 --UO sub 2 mixed powders suitable for fabrication into high density pellets when cold pressed and sintered at temperatures between 1700 exp 0 C and 1800 exp 0 C using standard commercial equipment. Powder activation was accomplished by co-micronizing the 2 oxides in a small commercial micronizer. The conventional pressure distribution to the micronizer was modified to permit its successful application to the milling of these fine powders. Particle size and surface area of the starting powder and the powder feed rate to the mill were critical parameters in achieving a fully activated co-micronized powder. This technique was used to activate all the binary oxide powder used in the fabrication of the binary fuel pellets for the LWBR core. (ERA citation 04:022863)