Patent ID: 8585939
Filing Date: 2013-11-19
Classification: G21C,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A method for fabricating a sintered annular nuclear fuel pellet, the method comprising: pressing nuclear fuel powder or granule, an oxide of a fissile element (M), to fabricate an annular nuclear fuel green body; inserting a rod-like shaped structure into the annular nuclear fuel green body; sintering the rod-like shaped structure-inserted annular nuclear fuel green body in an atmosphere of a slight oxidizing gas such that the oxide of the fissile element has a balanced O/M ratio higher than a desired O/M ratio (oxygen/fissile element) of a final sintered annular nuclear fuel pellet, while being maintained in a cubic phase; reducing the sintered annular nuclear fuel pellet in a reductive gas atmosphere so as to have the desired O/M ratio in the state that the rod-like shaped structure is inserted, whereby a gap is formed between the rod-like shaped structure and the sintered annular nuclear fuel pellet; and separating the rod-like shaped structure from the reduced sintered annular nuclear fuel pellet.