USE OF AGGLOMERATED UO$sub 2$ IN PRESSURE-BONDED STAINLESS STEEL-CLAD FUEL RODS

TL;DRAbstract

In a continuation of the Hanford-Battelle cooperative program, the combined use of the vibrational-compaction and gas-pressure-bonding processes for fabricating UO/sub 2/ fuel elements was studied. Particuliar emphasis was placed on the use of agglomerated micronized UO/sub 2/ to overcome nonuniformities in the vibrationally compacted pressurebonded fuels. Inconel-X-clad fuel rods were gas-pressure bonded at 2100 deg F for 3 hr at 10,000 psi to evaluate the use of micronized UO/sub 2/ agglomerated by cold high-energy-rate forming methods. Fuel densities from 88 to 93% of theoretical were attained. A limited parallel study was also conducted a evaluate hydrostatic pressing as a method of agglomerating micronized UO/sub 2/. Tap density increased from 20 to 25% for the as-received micronized oxide to 41% for the hydrostatically agglomerated plus 200-mesh powder. Studies of the effects of prior cold work and gaspressure bonding on the mechanical and physical properties of types 304L and 34

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