Method for producing sintered ceramic, layered, circular fuel pellets
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
InventorJohn L. Harlow
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A compacting die wherein the improvement comprises providing a screen in the die cavity, the screen being positioned parallel to the side walls of said die and dividing the die cavity into center and annular compartments. In addition, the use of this die in a method for producing an annular clad ceramic fuel material is disclosed.
Claims14
A method of producing a sintered high density ceramic fuel pellet comprising:
- (a) locating at least two particulate ceramic materials having different particle sizes in a container;
- (b) agitating said particulate materials in said container to form a mixture;
- (c) locating said mixture in the center compartment of a compacting die, said compacting die being provided with a screen having a mesh size sufficient to pass at least one, but not all, of said particulate materials, said screen being positioned in the die cavity parallel to the side walls of said die dividing said die cavity into center and annular compartments;
- (c) vibrating said compacting die to sift at least one, but not all, of said particulate materials from said center compartment into said annular compartment thereby producing a substantially uniform outer annular layer about a center core;
- (d) removing said screen from said die;
- (e) applying heat and pressure to said die in an amount sufficient to produce a sintered high density ceramic fuel pellet.
A method of producing a sintered high density ceramic fuel pellet comprising:
- (a) placing at least two particulate ceramic materials having different particle sizes into the center compartment of a die, said die being provided with a screen having a mesh size sufficient to pass at least one, but not all, of said particulate materials, said screen being positioned in the die cavity parallel to the side walls of said die and dividing said die cavity into center and annular compartments;
- (b) agitating said particulate materials in said center compartment to form a mixture;
- (c) vibrating said die to sift at least one, but not all, particulate material from said center compartment into said annular compartment thereby producing a substantially uniform outer layer about a center core;
- (d) removing said screen from said die;
- (e) applying heat and pressure to said die in an amount sufficient to produce a sintered high density ceramic fuel pellet.
A compacting die wherein the improvement comprises providing a screen in the die cavity, said screen being positioned parallel to the side walls of said die and dividing said die cavity into center and annular compartments.
A method of producing a sintered high density ceramic fuel pellet comprising
- (a) placing a mixture of at least two particulate materials having different particle sizes into the center compartment of a compacting die, said compacting die being provided with a screen having a mesh size sufficient to pass at least one, but not all, of said particulate materials, said screen being positioned in the die cavity parallel to the side walls of said die and dividing said die cavity into center and annular compartments,
- (b) vibrating said compacting die to sift at least one, but not all, of said particulate materials from said center compartment into said annular compartment thereby producing a substantially uniform outer annular layer about a center core;
- (c) removing said screen from said die;
- (d) applying heat and pressure to said die in an amount sufficient to produce a sintered high density ceramic fuel pellet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.