METHOD FOR PRODUCING PELLETIZED NUCLEAR FUEL Russian patent published in 2006 - IPC G21C3/62 G21C21/00 

FIELD: nuclear fuel production.

SUBSTANCE: proposed method includes preparation of molding powder of uranium dioxide UO₂ enriched with uranium-235 to 5% by step-by-step mixing with dry binder and with uranium dioxide (U₃O₈) powder. This is followed by molding, thermal removal of binder, sintering of pelletized fuel in gaseous reducing medium, wet grinding, drying, and rejection of faulty pellets. Dry binder incorporates up to 0.4% of aluminum stearate Al(C₁₇H₃₅COO)₃ with ash content of 8.0 - 9.5%, metal content of 4.2 - 5.0%, and moisture content, up to 1.5% to mass of uranium dioxide UO₂, fractional content being up to 100 μm, free acid content, up to 7.0%, and bulk density, up to 0.20 g/cm³. When dry binder transfers to liquid phase in the course of sintering, further sintering is conducted under liquid-phase conditions.

EFFECT: improved quality of fuel obtained.

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