Development of Nuclear Fuel Remote Fabrication Technology

This study acquires the essential remote fabrication technology data in dry processing of high burn-up spent fuels applicable to the development of domestic nuclear fuel cycle for recycling spent fuel are acquired, and also develops revised remote qualification process for the fabrication of dry process fuel by identifying the relationship between the remote fabrication characteristics using high burn-up spent fuel and the sintering characteristics using SIMFUEL. Improved new concept sintering process for fabricating sound pellet to meet quality criteria(over 95% T.D.) using even high burn-up spent fuels (65 and 58 GWd/tU) was developed, based on release characteristics of fission products during sintering step. Sintered pellets with a high density(0ver 95% T.D.) and large grain(over 15μm) could be fabricated by using additives(TiO2, etc) to SIMFUEL powder. In a field of remote welding technology development for multi-pin assembling fuel, equipment compaction and easy control for remote handling were evaluated. Single welding electrode system was designed and manufactured by introducing new concept compared to conventional welding system. This system was installed in mock-up facility and the demonstration samples were fabricated by evaluating the remote operability