• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.42 no.9 s.280
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• pp.618-623
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• 2005

HTGR (High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor) is highlighted to next generation power plant for producing the clean hydrogen gas. In this study, the spherical $UO_2$ kernel via $UO_3$ gel particles was prepared by the sol-gel process. Raw material of slightly Acid Deficient Uranyl Nitrate (ADUN) solution, which has pH = 1.10 and $[NO_3]/[U]$ mole ratio = 1.93, was obtained from dissolution of $U_3O_8$ powder with conc.-$HNO_3$. The surface of these spherical $UO_3$ gel particles, which was prepared from the broth solution, consisted of 1 M-uranium, 1 M-HMTA, and urea, were covered with the fine crystallite aggregates, and these particles were so hard that crushed well. But the other $UO_3$ gel particles prepared with the broth solution, consisted of 2 M-uranium, 2 M-HMTA, and urea, have soft surface characteristics and an amorphous phase. This type of $UO_3$ gel particles is some chance of doing possibility of high density from the compaction. The amorphous $UO_3$ gel particles was converted to $U_3O_8$ and then $UO_2$ by calcination at $600^{\circ}C\;in\;4\%\;-\;H_2\;+\;N2$ atmosphere.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.198-202
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• 1997

The oxidation behavior of UO$_2$pellets was studied using a thermogravimetric analyzer and an XRD in the temperature range of 300 to 550$^{\circ}C$ in air. From XRD studies it is found that UO$_2$is converted to U$_3$O$\_$8/ and the weight gains of UO$_2$specimen are characterized by S-shape curves. After complete oxidation the specimens broke into fine powder and the average weight gain was about 3.93 wt%. The activation energy of 50% conversion of UO$_2$to U$_3$O$\_$8/ is 81.6 kJ/mol and the oxidation rate per unit time was found to be as follows dw/dt=6.54${\times}$10$\^$6/ e (equation omitted), wt%/h : at 50% conversion of UO$_2$into U$_3$O$\_$8/ where w, t and T were wt% gain, conversion time and temperature, respectively.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.1013-1021
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• 2020

A combination of simultaneous thermal analysis, evolved gas analysis and non-ambient XRD techniques was used to characterise and investigate the conversion reactions of ammonium uranates into uranium oxides. Two solid phases of the ternary system NH₃ - UO₃ - H₂O were synthesised under specified conditions. Microspheres prepared by the sol-gel method via internal gelation were identified as 3UO₃·2NH₃·4H₂O, whereas the product of a typical ammonium diuranate precipitation reaction was associated to the composition 3UO₃·NH₃·5H₂O. The thermal decomposition profile of both compounds in air feature distinct reaction steps towards the conversion to U₃O₈, owing to the successive release of water and ammonia molecules. Both compounds are converted into α-U₃O₈ above 550 ℃, but the crystallographic transition occurs differently. In compound 3UO₃·NH₃·5H₂O (ADU) the transformation occurs via the crystalline β-UO₃ phase, whereas in compound 3UO₃·2NH₃·4H₂O (microspheres) an amorphous UO₃ intermediate was observed. The new insights obtained on these uranate systems improve the information base for designing and synthesising minor actinide-containing target materials in future applications.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.388-393
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• 1998

The effects of surface area of $UO_2$ pellets($s:0.034{\sim}0.282cm^2/g-UO_2$), concentration of nitric acid(1.5~10N) and temperature($40{\sim}105^{\circ}C$) on the dissolution rate were investigated in this experiment. The results showed that dissolution rate of $UO_2$ pellets was in direct proportion to effective surface area(s) and well fit to linear plot in high surface area. The dissolution rate was expressed as dc/dt = 10.6s at $90^{\circ}C$, [$HNO_3$]=8N, and proportioned to the power 1.42 of $HNO_3$ concentration. And also, the results showed that dissolution rate was sharply increased according to temperature increase in temperature below $90^{\circ}C$, but decreased in temperature above $90^{\circ}C$. Activation energy(E) was evaluated to be 36.3KJ/mol.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1995.05a
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• pp.805-805
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• 1995

핵연료저장시설의 화재 등 극단적인 사고조건하에서 $UO_2$ 소결펠렛의 습식산화와 건식산화에 대한 연구를 수행하였다. 손상된 지르칼로이 피복관 속의 $UO_2$ 소결펠렛을 산성분위기의 습윤조건하에서 산화시킬 때의 $UO_2$ 펠렛의 산화속도는 IDR(mg/$\textrm{cm}^2$.min) = 1.55 [H$^{+}$]$^{1.21}$ 로 나타났다. 또한 습윤조건하에서 $UO_2$ 분말에 알카리 및 알카리 토금속 산화물, 그리고 백금족 및 회토류 산화물 등과 같은 불순물들이 존재할 때의 산화속도를 조사하였으며 이들에 대한 영향도 관찰하였다. 핵연료저장시설의 가상화재를 바탕으로 한 400~$700^{\circ}C$의 온도범위에서, 피복관이 씌워진 $UO_2$ 소결펠렛의 건식산화반응을 조사한 바 $UO_2$ 소결펠렛은 산화초기에 U$_4$O$_{9}$ 또는 U$_3$O$_{7}$ 등의 중간상 형성에 따른 3-4%의 부피축소에 의해 결정립계 균열이 일어나고, $600^{\circ}C$ 이하에서는 온도증가에 따라 중간상에서 U$_3$O$_{8}$ 상으로의 상변화에 의한 부피팽창으로 피복관의 변형과 함께 산화속도의 가속을 발견할 수 있었고, $600^{\circ}C$ 이상에서는 핵연료소자의 소성변형으로 인한 산화속도의 지연을 발견할 수 있었다. 또한 $UO_2$ 펠렛의 건식산화거동은 기체-고체 반응시의 전형적인 형태인 shrinking core model에 잘 적용될 것으로 판단되었다.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.63-72
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• 2020

Dissolved hexavalent uranium can exist in the form of several different chemical species. Furthermore, species distributions depend on the pH value of the aqueous solution. Representatively, UO₂²⁺, UO₂OH⁺, (UO₂)₂(OH)₂²⁺, and (UO₂)₃(OH)₅⁺ species coexist in solutions at acidic and circumneutral pH values. When amorphous silica particles are suspended in an aqueous solution, the dissolved chemical species are easily adsorbed onto silica surfaces. In this study, it was examined whether the species distribution of the adsorbed U(VI) on a silica surface followed that of the dissolved U(VI) in an aqueous solution. Time-resolved luminescence spectra of three different dissolved species (UO₂²⁺, UO₂OH⁺, and (UO₂)₃(OH)₅⁺) and two different adsorbed species (≡SiO₂UO₂, ≡SiO₂(UO₂)OH^-, or ≡SiO₂(UO₂)₃(OH)^5-) were measured in the pH range 3.5-7.5. The spectral shapes of these chemical species were compared by changing the pH value; consequently, it was confirmed that the species distribution of the adsorbed U(VI) species was different from that of the dissolved U(VI) species.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.55-61
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• 2000

The sintering characteristics of PVA-Al(III) complex added $UO_2$ pellet and AlOOH added $UO_2$pellet were compared. The major phase of PVA-Al(III) complex and AlOOH decomposed at $1000^{\circ}C$ in $H_2$atmosphere was $\theta-Al_2O_3$. Compared with the apparent density of pure $UO_2$, that of AlOOH added $UO_2$ powder was higher but that of PVA-Al(III) complex was lower. the densification of AlOOH added $UO_2$ pellet was initiated at about $800^{\circ}C$, the densification of PVA-Al(III) complex added $UO_2$ pellet was initiated at about $900^{\circ}C$ respectively. In a view of pore size distribution, the PVA-Al(III) complex added $UO_2$ pellet appeared as monomodal type, whereas the AlOOH added $UO_2$ pellet appeared as bimodal type. The grain size of AlOOH added $UO_2$ pellet was about $13\mu\textrm{m}$ but the grain size of PVA-Al(III) complex added $UO_2$ pellet was increased up to about $36\mu\textrm{m}$.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.287-292
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• 2005

[ $\pi$ ]The effects of silica-based additives have been investigated to improve the creep property of a $UO_2$ pellet. The additive composition, $50wt\%SiO_2-47wt{\%}CaO-3wt\%Cr_2O_3$ (SCC), was selected according to the dihedral angle and the distribution of the second phase. It was observed that the creep rate of the $0.07 wt\%$ SCC-added $UO_2$ was slower than that of the pure $UO_2$. However, the creep rate of the $0.22 wt\%$ SCC-added $UO_2$ was about 3_48 times faster than that of the pure $UO_2$, depending on the applied stress in the lower stress range. In the case of the $0.35 wt\%$ SCC-added $UO_2$, the creep rate decreased in comparison with that of the $0.22 wt\%$ SCC-added $UO_2$. The observed enhancement in the creep rate might depend on a balance between the positive role of the viscous intergranular phase and the negative roles of the additives and the grain growth.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.75-81
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• 2007

Densification and grain growth have been investigated in 5 wt% $U_3O_8$ seeded $UO_2$ and compared with those of the common $UO_2$ pellet. $UO_2$ compacts and $U_3O_8$ seeded $UO_2$ compacts were sintered at $1300{\sim}1700^{\circ}C$ for 0 h to 4 h. Density and grain size of the sintered pellets were measured by the water immersion method and the image analyzer, respectively. The seeded pellet has a slightly lower density during the intermediate sintering stage. However, the difference of density between two pellets decreases to about 0.5%TD with increasing the sintering temperature. The grain size of the two pellets is similar until $1600^{\circ}C$ but that of the seeded pellet rapidly increases with increasing the sintering temperature.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.455-464
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• 1999

The effect of TiO$_2$ on the sintering behavior of mixed UO$_2$-U$_3$O$_{8}$ Powder compacts has been investigated using the U$_{3}$O$_{8}$ powder made tv oxidation of defective UO$_{2}$ pellets. Without TiO$_2$, UO$_2$ pellet density is inversely proportional to U$_3$O$_{8}$ content and is below 94 %TD in the U$_3$O$_{8}$ range above 15 wt%. Using more than 0.1 wt % TiO$_2$, however, the density decreases slightly with U$_3$O$_{8}$ content and thus is higher than about 94% TD in the whole range of U$_3$O$_{8}$ content. The grain sizes of UO$_2$ pellets with more than 0.1 wt % TiO$_2$are larger than about 30${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$. Therefore, the U$_3$O$_{8}$ Powder can be reused without any restriction on its amount in UO$_2$ pellet fabrication by sintering the mixed UO$_2$-U$_3$O$_{8}$ compact with the aid of TiO$_2$. Mechanisms for densification and grain growth are proposed and discussed, based on a dilatometry study and an examination of microstructure. microstructure.