Method for producing nuclear fuel pellets of the mox type

G - Physics – 21 – C

Patent

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G21C 21/02 (2006.01) G21C 3/62 (2006.01)

Patent

CA 2382626

A method for producing nuclear fuel pellets of the MOX (mixed plutonium and uranium oxide) type, comprising the steps of preparing an U-pu oxide blend powder having a Pu content in excess of the finally desired value, preparing a uranium oxide powder, mixing adequate quantities of both powders in order to achieve the desired plutonium content, compacting and sintering the mixture for obtaining said pellets, wherein the step of preparing the uranium oxide powder involves the following sequence of substeps: a) preparation of an aqueous solution of uranyl nitrate to which between 0.5 and 2 wt% of organic thickeners are added such that the viscosity of the solution is adjusted to values between 20 and 100 centipoise, b) dispersion of the solution into droplets, c) introducing said droplets into a hydroxide bath, d) washing the resulting beads, e) drying the beads by azeotropic distillation using an immiscible organic solvent, f) thermal treatment of the beads in an oxidising atmosphere, g) thermal treatment in a reducing atmosphere.

L'invention porte sur un procédé de production de pastilles de combustible nucléaire de type MOX (mélange d'oxydes de plutonium et d'uranium) comportant les étapes suivantes: préparation d'un mélange pulvérulent d'oxydes de U et de Pu présentant un contenu de Pu en excès par rapport à la valeur finale désirée; préparation de poudre d'oxyde d'uranium; mélange de quantités adéquates des deux poudres jusqu'à obtention du contenu désiré de Pu; compaction puis frittage du mélange pour obtenir lesdites pastilles. Par ailleurs, la préparation de la poudre d'uranium comporte les sous-étapes suivantes: a) préparation d'une solution aqueuse de nitrate d'uranyle à laquelle on ajoute entre 0,5 et 2 % en poids d'épaississeurs organiques pour que la densité de la solution atteigne entre 20 et 100 centipoises, b) dispersion de la solution en gouttelettes, c) introduction desdites gouttelettes dans un bain d'hydroxyde, d) nettoyage des perles résultantes e) séchage des perles par distillation azéeotrope à l'aide d'un solvant organique non miscible, f) traitement thermique des perles en atmosphère oxydante g) traitement thermique des perles en atmosphère réductrice.

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