Optimization of Powder/Pellet Fabrication for DUPIC Fuel

Abstract

The DUPIC (Direct use of spent PWR fuel in CANDU reactors) fuel cycle is an alternative fuel cycle technology for reusing spent PWR fuel in CANDU reactors via direct re-fabrication. For the establishment of optimum process conditions for DUPIC fuel fabrication processes, a series of experiments have been conducted using natural uranium and SIMFUEL(simulated fuel) out cell and actual spent PWR fuel in cell, to evaluate the powder/pellet characteristics of DUPIC fuel. From the experimental results, it is concluded that the properties of powder were more dependent on the number of OREOX cycles rather than treatment temperature. In fabrication of fuel pellets using the DUPIC process, a milling process improved the powder properties and enhanced the densification of fuel pellets. The optimum conditions for fabrication of simulated DUPIC fuel pellet were established and the optimum conditions for fabricating DUPIC fuel pellet were developed by in-cell experiments.