Properties of UO2 Nuclear Fuel

A deep knowledge of the properties of the nuclear fuel employed is essential for reliable behaviour during plant operation. The most important properties of UO2 that are affected by production technologies are  

These properties depend on how the fuel material is manufactured. Each technological step can influence the properties. There are many ways to obtain uranium dioxide for use as the basic material in ceramic nuclear fuel. The most common are  

In the following steps, the UO2 is passed through a granulation process. There are only two technologies that can be applied here. In the wet granulation process, a soft UO2 powder is processed with binders. Then it is precompacted, dried, broken, and 

A pressure of 1-5 t/cm (100-500 MPa) is used during pressing, and the content of lubrication oils cannot exceed 0.5 weight%. The sintering process is done in an H2, H2/N2 or H2 -I- CO2 atmosphere. Afterwards, the surface is ground and the cylinderlike UO2 can be used in the pile. 

Sintering is a process in which a compact of a crystalline or non-crystalline powder 

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