Belgonucleaire Sa

Eduard Pelckmans

Alain Vandergheynst

Marc De Vleeschauwer

Jean P Van Vliet

Jean Van Vliet

Process for fabrication MOX fuel from weapon originating plutonium oxide (W&#x2014;PuO), including a process for fabricating MOX fuel pellets, a dry processing of W&#x2014;PuOpowder, and a dry processing of MOX fabrication scrap.

MOX fuel fabrication process from weapon plutonium feed

A method for dry process recycling of mixed (U,Pu)O oxide nuclear fuel waste, including a process for making fuel pellets of mixed (U,Pu)O oxide, including a dosage and a first mixture ( ) of waste in powder form and, if required, of PuO and/or UO powders, a micronization ( ) and a forced sieving ( ) of said first mixture, another dosage and a second mixture ( ) of the first sieved mixture, of UO powders and, if necessary, of the waste powder, pelletizing ( ) the second mixture, and sintering ( ) the resulting pellets; and a process for pre-treating the waste including pelletizing ( ) and sintering ( ) the powder waste to form waste pellets, and micronizing ( ) the waste pellets to form the desired waste powder designed to be incorporated as waste powder, in the first ( ) and/or second mixtures.

Method for dry process recycling of mixed (U,Pu)O2 oxide nuclear fuel waste

A process for manufacturing (U,Pu)O mixed oxide nuclear fuel pellets. In a first blending operation, PuO is mixed with a UO powder and/or fuel manufacturing scrap, forming a first blend. The first blend is micronized and sieved to form a conditioned first blend. Non-free-flowing UO is selected as a second portion of UO . The second portion of UO is mechanically granulated to form granulated free-flowing UO . In a second blending operation, the conditioned first blend is further mixed with the granulated free-flowing UO and possibly scrap. Lubricants and/or poreformers are added. The blend is pelletized and sintered. During granulation, the non free-flowing UO is compressed to form tablets. The tablets are then crushed until a free-flowing crushed material has been formed. At least one portion of this free flowing crushed material is used in the second blending operation.

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Kasterlee, Belgium

Eduard Pelckmans