US EPA

1440352 

Journal Article 

CONVERSION OF UF6 TO UO2 - A QUASI-OPTIMIZATION OF THE AMMONIUM URANYL CARBONATE PROCESS 

Lee, MC; Wu, CJ 

1991 

Yes 

Journal of Nuclear Materials
ISSN: 0022-3115 

185 

2 

190-201 

WOS:A1991GN28400007 

The ammonium uranyl carbonate (AUC) wet conversion process,
one of the most important routes for preparation of uranium dioxide from UF6, was intensively
investigated for process improvement and product identification. Both process variables and unit
equipment were concerned. The target of this task was to prepare high quality UO2 ceramic powder
and pellets. From the test results of UO2 pelletizing and sintering, the operation conditions
were selected for process optimization. The criteria used in optimization condition determination
were the reproducibility of the AUC product and the compressibility, the reactivity, as well as
the sinterability of UO2 powder. Experimental results showed that UO2 pellets with sintered
density higher than 98% TD were achieved. A set of quasi-optimum conditions for this process was
also proposed.