Fabrication of Metallic Fuel Slugs for Irradiation Experiments in Fast Breeder Test Reactor

First stage of Indian nuclear power programme comprises of natural uranium oxide fuelled Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs). Liquid metal cooled fast breeder reactors fuelled with plutonium form the second stage. In view of the limited uranium resources in India, a shorter doubling time and high breeding ratio is essential to accelerate the nuclear power growth. Metallic fuels are known to provide shorter doubling time necessitating its use as driver fuel for fast breeder reactors. A metallic fuel fabrication and inspection facility has been set-up in glove boxes at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai, India. This facility, which consists of injection casting process step, has successfully demonstrated production of 5.0mm and 6.0mm diameter binary U-Zr alloy slugs having varying zirconium content and length with random grain orientation which otherwise would require a number of thermo-mechanical working operations. The paper covers fuel fabrication and inspection details. Parameters have been optimized for production of binary uranium-zirconium alloy fuel slugs meeting required specifications. Natural and enriched U-6wt.%Zr alloy fuel slugs meeting the specifications with respect to chemical analysis, dimensions, mass and defect size have been produced for fabrication of test fuel pins for irradiation studies in FBTR. (author)