Development of fuel pellets fabrication process at CDTN, Brazil

With the objective to dominate at CDTN the fuel cycle step, in which fuel pellets are manufactured, an equipment was designed. The equipment system is hydraulic having a fixed lower punch, a floating compaction die in order to obtain double effect and die walls automatic lubrification. This system showed high reproducibility of 0.01 g/cm3 in relation pellet density. A total of six fuel rods for irradiation tests were manufactured with this process in the scope of the NUCLEBRAS/KWU/KFA Irradiation Program. Through this process it was also possible to develop the Thorium Uranium and Thorium Cerium mixed oxide fuels, with the Cerium simulating the Plutonium, in the scope of the Program of Research and Development on the Thorium Utilization in PWR's realized in cooperation with the LWU/SIEMENS, NUKEM and KFA. Besides the basic utilization, research and development of new fuels at CDTN, several thesis and undergraduation projects, in cooperation with many departments of the Federal University of Minas Gerais, as well many other works at CDTN in the advanced ceramic area, were carried out. (author)