PREPARATION OF HIGH-DENSITY OXIDES AND VIBRATORY COMPACTION IN FUEL TUBES

摘要

Initial experimental studies of simplified technologies for recycle of fuel and fertile materials to heterogeneous reactors have demonstrated chemical preparation of high-density oxides and vibratory compaction to give high densities in cladding tubes. Preparation of thorium or thorium uranium sols followed by careful drying and calcination at 1200°C gave oxides with densities 98 to 99.4% of theoretical. Vibratory compaction by either pneumatic or electronic vibrators of mixed sized fractions of powders gave TI1O2 or Th02-U02 densities in stainless steel tubes up to 89% of theoretical. These procedures should decrease costs for direct fabrication and should permit remote preparation and compaction of oxide powders into fuel elements that have been assembled with empty pins.