METHOD FOR PRODUCING HOMOGENEOUS NUCLEAR FUEL FROM MIXTURE OF URANIUM AND PLUTONIUM DIOXIDES Russian patent published in 1998 - IPC

FIELD: nuclear power engineering; production of fuel for fast and thermal reactors. SUBSTANCE: method for producing fuel for fast and thermal reactors as well as pellets for fuel elements with plutonium content of 1 to 40 mass percent involves generation of homogeneous core structure from uranium and plutonium dioxides to ensure complete dissolving when fuel is regenerated in nitric acid essential in regenerating closed fuel cycle. Solid solution of components, for example (U,Pu)O₂, is produced to obtain finely dispersed mixture of components intensively stirred by vortex layer arising during random motion of magnetic needles in ac electromagnetic field. Desired geometry of magnetic needles is chosen so that their length- to-diameter ratio is 8-14, their loading value is not higher than half the critical loading value, and permissible volume of components in working shell is 50-70. Material of needles and shell is chosen so that fuel contamination with unwanted impurities is eliminated. EFFECT: improved quality of nuclear fuel. 3 cl, 2 dwg