Effect of role of Aluminium-silicate and Silica on microstructural and shrinkage behavior of UO2 pellets

Nuclear Fuel Complex, Hyderabad is involved in making fuel for PHWR and BWR in the country. Magnesium Di Uranate, which is the raw material for UO2 pellets is obtained from the Jaduguda and Turamdih. Silicates form the major impurity in the raw material along with carbonates, Alumina and Ferrous oxide. It has been suspected that these impurities in UO2 powder may alter the microstructure and sintering kinetics. There have been reports that Aluminium Silicate and SiO2 in limited quantities are used as dopants for obtaining large grained sintered UO2 pellets by some of the researchers. Thus it is necessary to determine the optimum quantity of dopant to obtain sintered pellets of desired characteristics. The paper brings out the results of the above studies that were carried out