Survey of binary oxide fuel manufacturing and quality control

Abstract Quality assurance of the binary oxides UO 2 -Gd 2 O 3 , UO 2 -PuO 2 and ThO 2 -UO 2 is based on the implementation of adequate production procedures and on the application of appropriate testing procedures. The oxides are manufactured by cold pressing of the powders and sintering to pellets. This survey shows as examples the use of physical mixing (UO 2 -Gd 2 O 3 and UO 2 -PuO 2 ), the application of co-precipitation (UO 2 -PuO 2 ) and the realization of the gelation process (ThO 2 -UO 2 ). Gd 2 O 3 powder is mixed with flowable UO 2 powder ex AUC. A master-mix of UO 2 -PuO 2 produced by either co-precipitation or co-milling is blended with UO 2 . (Th, U)O 2 microspheres are manufactured as press-feed material.