Patent ID: 6251309
Filing Date: 2001-06-26
Classification: G21C,Y02E

Abstract:
A method of manufacturing uranium dioxide (UO.sub.2) fuel pellets, the method comprising:annealing U.sub.3 O.sub.8 powder at temperatures of 1000.degree. C. to 150.degree. C. in a non-reducing gas atmosphere in order to make U.sub.3 O.sub.8 polycrystalline aggregates having a large crystal size;dividing the U.sub.3 O.sub.8 polycrystalline aggregate into its constituent U.sub.3 O.sub.8 single crystals;forming a mixture comprising 1% to 15% by weight of the U.sub.3 O.sub.8 single crystals with the remainder being UO.sub.2 powder;making granules of the mixture;pressing the granules into green pellets;sintering the green pellets at temperatures above 1600.degree. C. for more than one hour in a reducing gas atmosphere.