Abstract: Sintered uranium dioxide pellets suitable for power reactor use are described, and a process for their manufacture. This process involves incorporating a small amount of sulphur into the uranium dioxide before sintering, as a consequence large grain sizes are found in the pellets. The increase in grain size results in an improvement in overall efficiency when such pellets are used in a power reactor.
Abstract: Process for the preparation of fine particle size uranium dioxide from a uranium trioxide feed comprising the following steps:A. reacting solid uranium trioxide with aqueous ammonium nitrate to form an insoluble ammonium uranateB. neutralizing the thus formed slurry with ammonium hydroxide to precipitate out as an insoluble ammonium uranate the remaining dissolved uraniumC. recovering the thus formed precipitates in a dry state andD. reducing the dried precipitate to uranium dioxide.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 26, 1976
Date of Patent:
July 12, 1977
Assignee:
Eldorado Nuclear Limited
Inventors:
William J. S. Craigen, Tadeusz W. Zawidzki, Bruce C. Smart, Frank W. Melvanin