Production of small uranium dioxide microspheres for cermet nuclear fuel using the internal gelation process

R. D. Hunt; R. R. Hickman; J. L. Ladd-Lively; K. K. Anderson; R. T. Collins; J. L. Collins

doi:10.1016/j.anucene.2014.02.003

Production of small uranium dioxide microspheres for cermet nuclear fuel using the internal gelation process

R. D. Hunt, R. R. Hickman, J. L. Ladd-Lively, K. K. Anderson, R. T. Collins, J. L. Collins

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

18 Scopus citations

Abstract

The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is developing a uranium dioxide (UO₂)/tungsten cermet fuel for potential use as the nuclear cryogenic propulsion stage (NCPS). The first generation NCPS is expected to be made from dense UO₂ microspheres with diameters between 75 and 150 μm. Previously, the internal gelation process and a hood-scale apparatus with a vibrating nozzle were used to form gel spheres, which became UO₂ kernels with diameters between 350 and 850 μm. For the NASA spheres, the vibrating nozzle was replaced with a custom designed, two-fluid nozzle to produce gel spheres in the desired smaller size range. This paper describes the operational methodology used to make 3 kg of uranium oxide (UO_x) microspheres.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	139-143
Number of pages	5
Journal	Annals of Nuclear Energy
Volume	69
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2014.02.003
State	Published - Jul 2014

Funding

This manuscript has been authored by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, managed by UT-Battelle LLC under Contract No. DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the U.S. Department of Energy. The United States Government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the United States Government retains a non-exclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, world-wide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for United States Government purposes.

Funders	Funder number
U.S. Department of Energy
UT-Battelle	DE-AC05-00OR22725

Keywords

Cermet fuel
Internal gelation
Uranium oxide microspheres

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10.1016/j.anucene.2014.02.003

Cite this

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abstract = "The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is developing a uranium dioxide (UO2)/tungsten cermet fuel for potential use as the nuclear cryogenic propulsion stage (NCPS). The first generation NCPS is expected to be made from dense UO2 microspheres with diameters between 75 and 150 μm. Previously, the internal gelation process and a hood-scale apparatus with a vibrating nozzle were used to form gel spheres, which became UO2 kernels with diameters between 350 and 850 μm. For the NASA spheres, the vibrating nozzle was replaced with a custom designed, two-fluid nozzle to produce gel spheres in the desired smaller size range. This paper describes the operational methodology used to make 3 kg of uranium oxide (UOx) microspheres.",

keywords = "Cermet fuel, Internal gelation, Uranium oxide microspheres",

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AU - Anderson, K. K.

AU - Collins, R. T.

AU - Collins, J. L.

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AB - The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is developing a uranium dioxide (UO2)/tungsten cermet fuel for potential use as the nuclear cryogenic propulsion stage (NCPS). The first generation NCPS is expected to be made from dense UO2 microspheres with diameters between 75 and 150 μm. Previously, the internal gelation process and a hood-scale apparatus with a vibrating nozzle were used to form gel spheres, which became UO2 kernels with diameters between 350 and 850 μm. For the NASA spheres, the vibrating nozzle was replaced with a custom designed, two-fluid nozzle to produce gel spheres in the desired smaller size range. This paper describes the operational methodology used to make 3 kg of uranium oxide (UOx) microspheres.

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JO - Annals of Nuclear Energy

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Production of small uranium dioxide microspheres for cermet nuclear fuel using the internal gelation process

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Keywords

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