Patent Number: 051788241
Section: summary

This invention relates to the collection of particulates and more particularly, but not exclusively, to the collection of particulate nuclear fuel. During the manufacture of nuclear fuel, for example uranium oxide fuel in which pellets comprising uranium oxide are ground to size, particulate residue needs to be collected so that it can be returned for further processing. According to the present invention, a particulate collection apparatus comprises a vessel having declivitous sides and a bottom outlet, a collection chamber having an upper inlet communicable with the bottom outlet and a lower outlet closable by a lower obturating means, and sensing means for sensing an accumulation of particulates at a predetermined level in the chamber. Preferably, upper obturating means are provided between the sensing means and the bottom outlet, and air pressure means are provided between the upper obturating means and the sensing means. Desirably, a filter circuit is connected to the vessel for passing liquid in the vessel through a filter means, preferably a cross-flow filter means. Advantageously, a particulate coating comprising U.sub.3 O.sub.8 is applied to the ingress side of the cross-flow filter. In one application of the invention, the apparatus is adapted to receive a liquid slurry from a grinding apparatus, said liquid being recycled from the collection apparatus to the grinding apparatus.