Vibro-Packing Experiment of Non-Spherical Uranium Dioxide Particles with Spherical Metallic Uranium Particles

Abstract

Japan Atomic Energy Agency has developed vibro-packed fuel as one of the candidates for commercial fast breeder reactor fuels. In this study, vibro-packing experiments were carried out to investigate particle movement during vibro-packing as well as particle distribution after the completion of vibro-packing. Non-spherical uranium dioxide particles and spherical metallic uranium particles were used to simulate mixed oxide particles and oxygen getter particles, respectively. These experiments revealed the following facts. It is important to prevent segregation by means of feeding each size of the fuel particles uniformly into a cladding tube in order to disperse oxygen getter particles uniformly. ''Simultaneous feeding'' with volumetric powder feeders is useful to realize the above.