Patent ID: 6783706
Filing Date: 2004-08-31
Classification: G21C,Y02E

Abstract:
A process for dry recycling of (U,Pu)O2 mixed-oxide nuclear fuel scrap arising from the manufacture of fuel or from the scrapping of fuel as result of shortage or discontinuation of use, comprising:a first series of steps for pretreating said scrap, including: pelletizing (20) and sintering (21) of the scrap, said scrap being in the form of powder, in order to form a first set of scrap pellets, and micronization (23) of the first set of scrap pellets in order to form micronized scrap powder; and a second series of steps for manufacturing (U,Pu)O2 mixed oxide fuel pellets, including: a dispensing and a first blending (1) of at least a portion of the micronized powder scraps and, if required, of PuO2 and/or UO2 powders, to form a first blend: micronization (2) and forced sieving (3) of the first blend, another dispensing and a second blending (4) of the first sieved blend, of UO2 powders and, if required, of a further portion of the micronized scrap powder, to form a second blend, pelletizing (6) of the second blend to form pellets, and sintering (7) of the pellets, to form sintered pellets.