Characterization and quality control of nuclear fuels. Summary report

The contributions to the meeting on the Characterization and Quality Control of Nuclear Fuels held in Karlsruhe, Federal Republic of Germany, 13 to 15 June 1978 are summarized. They were presented in eight sessions: Session I, Introduction to the topic of the meeting, included two papers giving an insight into the importance of specifications and quality control in fuel cycle costs. Sessions II and III, Requirements of nuclear fuel, included papers analysing the effects on operating behaviour or licensing limitations of fuel characteristics including particle size, fuel porosity, U-Pu segregation and stoichiometry. The whole of Session III was devoted to densification behaviour. Session IV, Physical methods of fuel characterization, discussed analytical techniques for fuel characterization. Session V, Inter-relations between fabrication and irradiation behaviour, outlined some effects of fuel properties on performance. Sessions VI and VII, Fuel chemistry and chemical analysis, discussed the various problems associated with chemical analysis of the fuel and the effect of some impurities on fuel behaviour. Session VIII, Documentation and acceptance of nuclear fuel and fuel elements, outlined mainly the point of view of the quality-control agencies. (author)