Safety studies on the production of silicide fuel with low uranium enrichment in the framework of the AF programme, project no. 13

The final report on project No. 13 of the program for the reduction of enrichment in research reactors (AF program) provides information on safety tests for the production of silicide fuels of low enrichment (LEU). The project was terminated in advance, owing to the temporary suspension of the legal approval of the nuclear chemicals and metallurgical company NUKEM under atomic energy law, and to the final decision to stop the production of MTR fuel elements by that company. For this reason, the tests only led to interim results. Starting from these partial results obtained in the tests, further development prospects are illustrated for uranium silicide manufacture, fuel comminution, powder treatment in inert gas boxes, and the rationalization of the manufacture of fuel plates and fuel elements. (orig./HP)