초록 ▼

Nuclear fuel microspheres are made by sintering microspheres containing uranium dioxide and uncombined carbon in a 1 mole percent carbon monoxide/99 mole percent argon atmosphere at 1550°C. and then sintering the microspheres in a 3 mole percent carbon monoxide/97 mole percent argon atmosphere at th

Nuclear fuel microspheres are made by sintering microspheres containing uranium dioxide and uncombined carbon in a 1 mole percent carbon monoxide/99 mole percent argon atmosphere at 1550°C. and then sintering the microspheres in a 3 mole percent carbon monoxide/97 mole percent argon atmosphere at the same temperature.

대표청구항 ▼

A process for forming nuclear reactor fuel comprising the steps of: sintering microspheres containing uranium dioxide and free carbon in an atmosphere consisting essentially of an inert gas and carbon monoxide at such carbon monoxide concentration and at such temperature that high density microspher

A process for forming nuclear reactor fuel comprising the steps of: sintering microspheres containing uranium dioxide and free carbon in an atmosphere consisting essentially of an inert gas and carbon monoxide at such carbon monoxide concentration and at such temperature that high density microspheres consisting essentially of uranium dioxide and uranium oxycarbide are formed; and sintering said uranium dioxide/uranium oxycarbide microspheres in an atmosphere consisting essentially of an inert gas and carbon monoxide at such carbon monoxide concentration and at such temperature that microspheres having a density of about 10.2 to 11.0 g/cm3 and consisting essentially of about 1-30 mole percent uranium dicarbide and 70-99 mole percent uranium dioxide are formed. Nuclear reactor fuel microspheres consisting essentially of about 1-30 mole percent uranium dicarbide and 70-99 mole percent uranium dioxide and having a density in the range of about 10.2-11.0 g/cm3.