Powder Dispenser, Notably for Pelletizer and Method for Making Nuclear Fuel Pellets

A device for making pellets including a table provided with a plurality of pressing dies, substantially with the dimensions of the pellets to be made, the dies being positioned according to at least one row, upper and lower punches intended to press the powder in the dies, a powder dispenser including a casing provided on an upper wall of a connector to at least one powder feed pipe connected to a hopper, conveyor for conveying powder into the dispenser, device for displacing the dispenser on the table according to a reciprocal movement along a first displacement direction, said dispenser being suitable to impulse the powder in a reciprocal movement on a plane of the table along the determined displacement direction, and means for grouping the powder along distinct axes substantially parallel to the displacement direction, in order to simultaneously fill the plurality of pressing dies with pellets, each die being positioned on a grouping axis, the grouping means being borne by walls of the casing perpendicular to the displacement direction and with a sawtooth section along a plane parallel to the displacement plane, the distance separating the dies being equal to the distance separating the bottom parts of the teeth, the dispenser being positioned on the table so that during its displacement, each bottom part between two teeth, covers a die of the table, said dispenser also including an excitation device capable of causing said plates to vibrate relatively to the dies along the displacement direction.

A method for making pellets, with a device for making pellets including a table provided with a plurality of pressing dies, substantially with the dimensions of the pellets to be made, the dies being positioned according to at least one row, upper and lower punches intended to press the powder in the dies, a powder dispenser including a casing provided on an upper wall of a connector to at least one powder feed pipe connected to a hopper, conveyor for conveying powder into the dispenser, device for displacing the dispenser on the table according to a reciprocal movement along a first displacement direction, said dispenser being suitable to impulse the powder in a reciprocal movement on a plane of the table along the determined displacement direction, and means for grouping the powder along distinct axes substantially parallel to the displacement direction, in order to simultaneously fill the plurality of pressing dies with pellets, each die being positioned on a grouping axis, the grouping means being borne by walls of the casing perpendicular to the displacement direction and with a sawtooth section along a plane parallel to the displacement plane, the distance separating the dies being equal to the distance separating the bottom parts of the teeth, the dispenser being positioned on the table so that during its displacement, each bottom part between two teeth, covers a die of the table, said method including the steps:

• filling dies with powder by means of the powder dispenser provided with grouping means along distinct axial directions corresponding to the arrangement of the dies,
• pressing the powder in the dies,
• evacuating the pellets.