Fast reactor fuel fabrication development

Fabricating fuel for commercial LMFBRs demands a move to remote fabrication techniques to meet more restrictive personnel radiation exposure standards. There is thus an emphasis on process and plant selection which minimizes maintenance and leads to ease of decontamination. The wet gel process route (in which plant vessels provide primary containment) for production of spherical fuel particles for subsequent fuel fabrication using the vibro-compaction technique meets these criteria. U.K. experience with this process and its impact on the fuel cycle is described. Extension of the technology to produce oxide fuel pellets and carbide fuel is discussed. (U.K.)