Method and apparatus for producing spherical particles of uniform size of nuclear fuels or breeder materials

摘要

A vibrating nozzle produces a stream of drops of a nitrate solution that attain spherical drop shape before entering an ammonia gas phase where gas supply nozzles direct streams of ammonia gas obliquely against the drop stream with a component of motion in the direction of movement of the droplet stream, the incidence of the gas streams on the droplet stream being offset a few millimeters from each other along the path of the droplet stream. The flow of gas is at a speed 10 to 20 times that of the velocity of the drops of solution that are uniformly hardened on the surface in their spherical shape so that there is no deformation upon entering the aqueous solution of ammonia in the lower part of the container that confines the ammonia gas phase. The ammonia solution completes the conversion of the nitrate to the corresponding oxide, producing highly uniform spheres such are required for subsequent sintering in the production of nuclear fuel or breeder elements.