METHOD OF CONTROLLING NUCLEAR FUEL FOR THERMAL RESISTANCE Russian patent published in 2005 - IPC

FIELD: nuclear fuel technology.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to production of pelleted fuel and consists in controlling nuclear fuel for thermal resistance involving preparation for selecting pellets from nuclear fuel lot for measuring diameter, which preparation consists in dedusting. Selected pellets are placed in temperature-stabilized box together with measuring instrument. Diameter of each pellet is them measured and measurement data are entered into computer. Thereafter, pellets are charged into heat treatment vessel, wherein pellets are heated in vacuum at residual pressure not exceeding 7·10^-2 Pa at heating velocity not higher than 10°C/min to 100-160°C and held at this temperature at most 2 h, whereupon heating is continued under the same conditions to 1470-1530°C and this temperature is maintained for a period of time not exceeding 4 h, after which hydrogen is fed with flow rate 2-6 L/min. Humidity of gas mix is measured in the heat treatment outlet. If humidity of gas mixture in the heat treatment outlet exceeds 800 ppm, hydrogen feeding is stopped and material is subjected to additional vacuum degassing at residual pressure below 7·10^-2 Pa and held at 1470-1530°C in vacuum for further 4 h. Hydrogen feeding is the repeated at 2-6 L/min. If humidity of gas mixture in the heat treatment outlet is below 800 ppm, preceding temperature is maintained not longer than 2 h and raised to 1625-1675°C at velocity 40-60°C/h and then to 1700-1750°C at velocity 15-45°C/h. When outlet humidity of mixture is 500-750 ppm, hydrogen feeding is lowered to 1 L/min. Temperature 1700-1750°C is maintained during 24±2 h, after which pellets are cooled to 1470-1530ºC at velocity not higher than 10°C/min. Hydrogen is replaced with argon and cooling is continued to temperature not higher than 40°C, which temperature is further maintained. Outside diameter of each pellet from the selection is measured to find average diameter of pellets before and after heat treatment in order to calculate residual sintering ability. When this parameter equals 0.0-0.4%, total lot of pellets is used in fuel elements and in case of exceeding or negative residual sintering ability the total lot of pellets is rejected.

EFFECT: improved pellet quality control.

2 dwg